ChaptersChapter 5Page 661

Chapter 5: The Silence Begins

1926Page 661 of 5,444
Jamadar proved so faithful a worker that he served at Meherabad from 1925 onward for nearly 45 years and his wife was later appointed to help the women mandali.
During 1922 in Poona, Baba had told Sarosh that he would make him a king. After leaving Manzil-e-Meem, Baba advised him to open an automobile shop in Ahmednagar. Sarosh's business prospered. He became quite influential, and was elected mayor of Ahmednagar more than once. But no matter how influential he became, Sarosh remained faithful to Baba his whole life and held nothing back in serving him.
One day a bearded Muslim man dressed as a fakir came from Ahmednagar. He had been pretending to be an advanced soul and said to Baba, "If you are pleased to allow Khansaheb to give me an automobile, I will tell you of a cure for your leper patients at Meherabad."
The hypocrite saint was taken to task for his effrontery. Baba wrote on the slate, "I am an all-round doctor — a doctor of all diseases. I prescribe whatever medicine a patient needs. I am treating lepers most successfully, but how can you understand this?"
"When you treat them, why don't they get well?" asked the fakir.
"How can you know if they become well or not? Within their ugly, distorted bodies, light shines! You cannot see that light; you only see the cages of their unsightly bodies."
The charlatan arrogantly insisted that Baba order his devotees to give him a car. Baba strongly rebuked him, gesturing for him to leave.
Soon after, Baba himself went to Ahmednagar and met Cawasji (a devotee of Baba's) at Khansaheb's garage, Sarosh Motor Works. The naïve man had been greatly impressed by the fakir, and Baba sternly warned him about such scoundrels.
Staying and working at Meherabad, Dr. Karkal was deeply impressed with Baba's acts of compassion and became very drawn to the Master. He worked selflessly in treating patients at the hospital and those afflicted with eye ailments, which were frequently found among the schoolboys and the other dispensary clients.
Once an old man with cataracts came to Meherabad. Karkal informed Baba that he could perform the operation to remove them if surgical equipment were ordered. Baba agreed to supply the equipment. Meanwhile, the patient stayed at Meherabad and was fed well to strengthen him for the operation. The surgical supplies arrived and a separate eye hospital was opened on 25 May at Meherabad.
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