After the outburst of emotion on the part of the Prem Ashram boys the previous January, Baba would discourse to them on various spiritual subjects, trying to improve their conduct and character by pointing out their smallest mistakes. Now, he was adding fragrance to the flower of their love by being strict and emphasizing complete obedience to his orders.
Baily was Baba's childhood friend and would, at times, take advantage of his long-term contact with Baba. Due to certain indiscreet actions on Baily's part, Baba decided to teach him a lesson. He presented Baily with his kafni (robe) and directed him to begin wearing it from that day on. Baily was also instructed to keep silence for some days. Later, when the mandali were being treated to tea, Baily appeared in his conspicuous attire.
After tea, when Baily had gone to his room, Baba remarked, "This is called pampering on my part!"
Baily felt special that Baba had singled him out to wear this distinctive dress, as he had done earlier with Chhota Baba.
After some days, however, Baily found himself in an increasingly distressful situation wearing the kafni around the ashram. The initial pleasure he felt was nothing compared to the pain he later experienced from the sharp sting of Baba's goading arrows. Baba was taunting him because, while Baily was in Karachi, he had allowed some naïve people to worship him by performing arti before him. When he was living at Meherabad he had a false air of pride and self-importance about him, and he was easily offended and short-tempered if anyone questioned his actions. To "take him down a peg," as it were, Baba played a trick on him by feeding his ego: He paid respect to him by asking him to wear this special kafni — making him appear among the select like Chhota Baba.
Baily soon realized his mistake, however, and asked Baba's permission to dress in his regular clothes again. But Baba would not hear of it and ordered him to keep wearing the kafni. After a number of days, Baba finally released him from the order, and Baily inwardly swore to have nothing further to do with posing as an advanced soul.