From September 13th, (1927) Baba discontinued taking milk tea and remained on only a cup of wood apple sherbet or weak black tea. This fast lasted continuously for the next forty-three days.
It was Baba’s order for all to take a lantern while going out at night in the dark. Several days earlier, Meherjee had gone out to urinate at night, but forgot his lamp. His mistake had its immediate consequence, for a large scorpion stung him which he would have otherwise seen. The whole night, he reeled with pain and restlessness, and because of this incident, he never forgot the lesson of what happens when the Master’s word is not honored. Edke was also stung by a scorpion that same night.
Gustadji’s brother, Homi Hansotia, who was living in Toka at this time, knew certain mantras which were said to alleviate the pain of a scorpion’s sting. Some would be benefited by his “mantra treatment” while others were not, though Homi claimed that every victim was definitely relieved.
One night, a scorpion bit Homi himself and the whole night he was in pain. The mantras did not help him, so at one point he began screaming, “O Meher Baba! O Meher Baba!” After a few minutes, he shouted, “O Sai Baba! Sai Baba!” Then he called out, “O Babajan! Babajan!” In this way, he kept calling to all the Perfect Masters to help him – first Meher Baba, then Sai Baba, then Hazrat Babajan, Narayan Maharaj, Upasni Maharaj, Tajuddin Baba and then reverting to Meher Baba again.
The next morning, Homi complained to Baba, “I was in so much pain last night that I became hoarse from calling you. But you did not listen and come to help.”
“On the contrary, I heard every word, but you did not allow me to come.” replied Baba. “Last night, I was in the middle of a very important meeting with the Perfect Masters. Sai Baba, Hazrat Babajan, Upasni Maharaj, Narayan Maharaj and Tajuddin Baba were all there, discussing important universal work with me, when I heard your cry. And though it was a very important and urgent issue concerning the world, I cannot ignore the call of my lover. Therefore, leaving aside this discussion, I rose to come to you, but then you shouted, ‘Sai Baba! Sai Baba!’ So, I thought you were calling to him and he would help you. I sat down and Sai Baba got up, but then you called out, ‘Babajan! Babajan!’ and he sat down.
“You kept doing this and your repeated cries to every Perfect Master convinced us that you had no faith in anyone of us. And you were simply calling on one after the other in hope that something would work. Had you called on only one with full faith, he would have helped you. What could I do? I was ready to help you, but your faith in me was lacking.”
Homi replied, “I have full faith in you, Baba.”
“Had your faith in me been only fully in me, you would have called on me alone. Remember that by holding firmly to the feet of only one Master, your aim is achieved. But by leaving one Master for another, you will be left in the lurch.”
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 3, pp. 1090 – 1091.