Baba called all together the next day, and gave an explanation on God and Maya, which answered their question. Some, however, did mention to Baba that by his extending the period of his not speaking and seclusion, his opponents would have an excuse to stir up all sorts of false publicity about him.
To this Baba replied:
In northern India, there is a mast who stays at an important railway station. He behaves in a manner that society would view as shocking. Thousands of people daily pass by him, witnessing his disgusting habits, but say nothing. Neither do the police interfere with him. Similar actions by an ordinary sane man would be liable not only to prosecution, but severe punishment by the law. In the case of this mast, no one takes him seriously and nobody cares about him. Why? Simply because they all take him to be stark raving mad and, consequently, not responsible for his conduct.
Similarly, I take all who are not Realized as mad and pay no attention to what they do or say about me or my work, favorably or otherwise. Even in the case of the worst of scandals or the foulest of abuses, I know that they are irresponsible, instigated as they are by interested parties, whose business it is to create mischief. If you correct them and point out their mistakes, you may do so, if occasion demands, with dignity, affection and grace.
Suppose a man slaps someone. He does so out of anger because of his mind and ego. His action reacts and creates bad impressions on the person slapped and makes him angry too. But a slap from the God-Man does not create any sanskaras, because he is beyond them. On the contrary, this action done by such an Infinite Power on someone who is finite has a very definite purpose behind it. This action wipes out the impressions of the person slapped, so that he is greatly benefited spiritually.
Baba then humorously remarked:
You have all come to me with cart loads of illusory sanskaras and are sitting on my chest with all your problems! Neither can you free yourselves from me, nor can I free myself from you! Your burdens are on my head, and also those of the universe!
–www.lordmeher.org, p2705