When Bhau went to Baba in the afternoon of June 3rd, (1957) Baba instructed him, “I am exhausted today and want to rest. So do not make the slightest noise, and do not make the slightest movement either.”
Baba insisted Bhau repeat this instruction ten times out loud, and then he retired. Bhau quietly sat on the chair in Baba’s bedroom, but after a while he felt a tickle in his throat and wanted to cough. Suppressing it, he covered his mouth with both hands, but the harder he tried to subdue it, the more forcefully the urge came. So he took his handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it in his mouth. It did not help and finally the sound “ummh, umh, uumh,” came from his throat.
Baba opened his eyes and acted upset, indicating that Bhau had disturbed his rest. He lambasted Bhau severely. But as soon as he began scolding him, Bhau’s chest constricted and in a fit of coughing the handkerchief was spit out of his mouth. Baba taunted him, “Have you come to serve me, or to harass me? I repeatedly told you not to make the slightest sound, but you disturbed my sleep, and now I will not be able to rest the whole night.”
Baba went on rebuking him every half hour and then, calling Goher, he complained about Bhau to her. The matter did not end here. Baba sent for Mehera, Mani, Meheru, Naja and Rano, and told Bhau to leave the room and stand outside by the door. This was something new, because whenever Baba spoke with the women, he would always send the watchman far away. This time he had purposely kept Bhau nearby so that Bhau could listen to everything going on inside the room.
Baba bitterly complained to the women about Bhau, claiming, “He doesn’t serve me but is after my life! Why did I ever call him to stay with me? Now I won’t be able to rest the whole night, and today I was feeling very tired.”
The women had no idea what had really happened and naturally were in complete sympathy with Baba for having to put up with an idiot like Bhau. “He should be more careful while on watch,” they said.
Shortly afterward, Baba sent the women away and called Bhau. Again he asked, “Will you allow me to rest now or not?”
Bhau was annoyed and remarked, “Do you think I wish that you shouldn’t rest?”
“Then why did you make that noise?”
“What can I say, Baba? I was about to die!”
A look of absolute innocence came over Baba’s face. With loving concern he asked what had happened, and Bhau told him how he was trying not to cough but was about to choke.
“Really?” Baba asked, “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“You didn’t ask me and give me a chance to explain.”
“Still you should have told me,” Baba insisted.
“Don’t you know? You put on this whole show on purpose!” Bhau declared.
Baba touched his Adam’s apple and gestured, “I swear I did not know anything about it.” While swearing, Baba looked most innocent, and Bhau’s anger was wiped away and he laughed. Baba embraced Bhau and caressed his face. Then Baba added, “Because I love you so much, I harass you so much. This harassment is my prasad for you.”
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol.15, pp. 5184-5187.