- Makan-e-khas, Meherabad
SATYA MANG, a notorious criminal of Ahmednagar district, happened to come to Meherabad with his gang for Baba’s darshan. He had come hoping that with the Master’s blessing, his chosen profession would continue to be lucrative and that he would not be apprehended.
When he arrived, Baba was talking with about 50 of the mandali at the Makan. Baba was informed of a group’s arrival. No one had any idea who the men really were. Satya Mang and his accomplices sat on the ground before Baba after first prostrating themselves at Baba’s feet. Baba suddenly became very serious and remained quiet for a few minutes. He then asked, “Where do you come from and where are you going?” When Satya Mang had answered, Baba looked directly at him and spelled out, “You should be wearing bangles!”
Satya Mang did not follow the meaning of this and asked the mandali what Baba had said. Baba again repeated, “You should put bangles around your wrists! Why aren’t you wearing them?”
When one of the mandali explained, Satya Mang asked, “Why? What have I done?”
“You are a coward!” exclaimed Baba.
“What do you mean?” Satya Mang shouted.
“A hefty man like you can extract water from stone (meaning that he could work hard and earn an honest livelihood). But instead, you are a dacoit – a thief and rob people. Your very name strikes terror in the hearts of women and children who are unable to sleep when they think of you.”
Until then, the mandali did not know who this man was, but after hearing Baba, they felt sure that this must be the infamous Satya Mang who held the people of the district in fear and whom the police had been unable to catch despite their best efforts.
Baba continued, “You support yourself on illegal gains. Aren’t you ashamed to grow a moustache? You are not a man – you are a woman!”
Satya Mang replied, “I inherited my profession. If I do not pursue it, how am I to maintain myself and my family?”
-www.lordmeher.org, p812
Photo source: http://ambppct.org/photos/meherabad_history/mek.php