Chavan came and prostrated before Baba. Baba lovingly inquired about his family and then stated, “When you first came to me, I warned you that courage was needed to assimilate my blessing. You do not have that courage. Now, what do you want?”
“Baba, help me. The landlord evicted me and my family from our house and removed all our possessions. I don’t have a single paisa (penny) with me, and the children are starving.”
“All right. I will take back my blessing and give you some monetary help. But always be honest and do not forget me.” Baba asked Nariman to give Chavan a hundred rupees, and Chavan took the money and left, pleased.
The following year, when Baba was again in Poona, he asked K. K. Ramakrishnan, “Do you know Vishnu Chavan? Have you asked for or taken any money from him (for the Poona Centre work)? I know you are mad with your Centre project.”
Ramakrishnan told Baba, “Yes, I know him. He appears to be a big man now. He has gotten the job as the Bombay agent of an industrial or mercantile company and has become quite rich. He lives behind the railway station and goes everywhere by taxi. But I have not asked him for a donation. His wife sends two rupees to the Centre every month. That is all they give.”
Baba warned Ramakrishnan not to take any money from Chavan. “It is all right if you accept one or two rupees for the Centre work, but no large sum of money, even if he gives it on his own. Beware.”
Again, some time passed. One day in Guruprasad, when Maharani Shantadevi was sitting by Baba, Chavan arrived in a very sad mood. Baba instructed him in Gujarati to tell the truth and asked what was troubling him. Not really telling the truth, Chavan professed innocence and left. But soon afterwards, he was arrested and sentenced to prison for fraud. Despite having failed to follow Baba’s advice about remaining honest, Baba lovingly saw to the welfare of Chavan’s wife and children while he was in prison, and thereby Chavan learned an invaluable lesson in following the Master’s orders.
–www.lordmeher.org,p5143