(June 1929) One day soon after his return to Meherabad, Baba went to the Family Quarters near Arangaon. He sent for Vishnu. Vishnu came immediately, running to Baba barefooted. After a brief discussion, Baba directed him to go and bring Raosaheb. Vishnu was about to turn back when Baba directed him, “Don’t walk bare-footed; take my sandals.” Vishnu picked up Baba’s sandals, touched them to his forehead and put them down again by Baba’s feet. He replied, “Master, I could never wear your holy sandals.”
Thereupon, Baba bitterly remarked to the others present, “How unlucky Vishnu is! When I give him my sandals to wear, he just touches his forehead to them and puts them back. This type of worship and reverence pains me. It is not worship; it is punishment. By disobeying me, Vishnu does not worship me; he punishes me. And the sad part is that he thinks he is revering me.
“Not to keep my word and to worship one’s own sentiments is sheer disobedience. Vishnu does not revere me. He reveres his own emotions, and to him, they are apparently superior to my orders. Such things deeply pain me.”
Disturbed, Chhagan asked, Are we not to consider your sandals as sacred?”
“Every belonging of mine is sacred,” replied Baba, “and to have a feeling of reverence for them is good. But they are not more important than I am. My word is the most supreme! For that reason, revere my word rather than my things. While carrying out my wishes, let there be no room for the expression of your own emotions and feelings.”
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 4, pp. 1160 – 1161.