“”Hearing this, Baba reproved the Parsi, Irani and Muslim men, and sternly asked Masaji, "Why do you people waste food? The Hindu mandali never do so because they value food."
Masaji explained that he cooked less that day than the day before. No one else said anything; then Gustadji uttered a critical remark.
“”Baba did not like Gustadji's comment and ordered, "Tomorrow each Parsi, Irani and Muslim must fall at the feet of every Hindu!"
Baba then suddenly confronted Barsoap, "Will you fall at their feet?"
Not getting a quick enough answer, Baba was extremely vexed and slapped Barsoap soundly. He then slapped Nervous and knocked him aside. He then turned to the stonemason, Khairoo Gaundi; but instead of striking him, Baba urged him to work harder, asking him if he would be able to work extra hours that night. Khairoo said that if it were an order he would do so, although he was feeling tired. Baba told him to go sleep.
Baba then asked the mandali to dig holes two-feet deep for the planting of jasmine tree saplings and flower bushes around his Jhopdi. After the holes were dug, there was another exchange of sharp words between Gustadji and Baba. Gustadji frankly accused Baba of breaking his promise not to interfere with managing Meherabad and deliberately creating this incident regarding the leftover food.
“”Baba retorted, "Had I not kept my word, I would not for one moment have tolerated your bitter and sharp words. It is because of this promise that I do not pay attention to your insulting behavior. Had it been anyone else of the mandali who said what you said, I would have killed him!"
This silenced Gustadji and the other men. Gustadji reestablished himself as the household manager, and Baba promised once again not to interfere. But the Master is beyond promises, and words cannot bind him. There was a deeper significance to his creating an uproar over the food. The Hindu mandali had their food cooked separately and, according to their orthodox views, would not eat food prepared by others or by Hindus of lower castes. This confrontation was the beginning of doing away with their prejudice. The Master, in a very natural way, abolished this distinction of different food for different mandali — but it would take two years more to do so.
Volume II of Sakorina Sadguru was printed in Surat and published by Circle & Co. in 1924. In addition to more biographical material about Upasni Maharaj, the book contained the experiences of some of Maharaj's disciples and a brief introduction to Meher Baba by Baily.
