I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT
August 1938

 
At the women's quarters in Ahmednagar, a mangy dog had wandered into their compound and Baba had it kept. It was ill and Baba called Mansari and asked her to look after it. Mansari, who had a strong aversion at that time to dogs, said, "But I haven't come here to serve a dog. I've come to serve you!"

Baba looked at her as if to say, "Oh, really? I never thought of that."

He then called Gaimai and asked her the same thing in front of Mansari.

"Of course," she said, "I will gladly look after it."

"But it is a mangy, diseased animal; you'll have to bathe it," Baba spelled out. "You haven't left your fine home and everything else to come and serve a dog!"

"But it is now your dog, Baba!" Gaimai answered.

Gesturing to Mansari, Baba pointed to his ear, conveying, "Did you hear what she said? Learn from this!"