Baba's punctiliousness represented his inner cleansing. And outwardly, though Eruchshaw tried to be meticulous, he could never please or completely satisfy Baba.
During this period, Baba found out from the schoolchildren that some were eating non-vegetarian food at home. He was upset as this indicated that the children's behavior had not changed in the least, even after six months of his teaching and advice. He directed that Arjun stop feeding the offending children and that, henceforth, they should be given nothing except clothes and books. They were also forbidden to take part in bhajans or in bowing down to Baba.
The children from the other neighboring villages were allowed to continue eating at Meherabad, but the nearby Arangaon children were sent home for their meals. After the latter returned from lunch, Baba inquired about their food. Some had eaten only bhakri and chutney, while others had eaten eggs and dried fish.
Baba remarked, "I was about to serve a big feast today, but you made me so unhappy, I canceled it."
However, those who had only eaten bread and chutney were given food, and the rest were sent home in the evening.
The parents of these children approached Baba later that evening, seeking his forgiveness and entreating him to continue giving food to their children. Baba asked them to swear that they would never serve dried fish, eggs or meat in their houses without his prior permission. The majority took the oath and Baba was satisfied that most cooperated with him. In a special function a few days later, he gave the parents of every child new clothes — saris for the women and dhotis for the men.
It so happened that news was brought to Baba that a lewd play was about to be staged in Arangaon. Baba went there with the mandali and explained to the villagers how the morality of women and children suffered due to such performances. To compensate them for money they had spent on props for the show, Baba paid the participants Rs. 10 each, and in addition gave them Rs.30 to enable them to erect a structure with a tin roof where they could sit and sing bhajans.
One evening Ram Bhiwa, a young Hindu of 22, came to Meherabad seeking admission to the school. He said, "I would like to be able to learn enough so that I can read the Rameshwari [life of Ram], but my father does not send me to school and tells me to work in the fields instead. He says that I am too old for school."