5567   BUTCHER'S SLOW SLAUGHTER

Homi Desai of Lahore came for Baba's darshan. He came after several years and was eager to lay some of his problems before Baba. But on seeing him, Baba stated, "Homi, just sit here quietly for five minutes and then leave." Desai sat down, but his mind was in turmoil. After five minutes Baba asked him to go, and he left highly disappointed. He thought that he had lost his chance, but Baba sent someone with a message to tell him to come the next day. The whole night he kept awake, worries filling his mind. He appeared the next morning, but Baba again told him to keep quiet and leave after five minutes. Desai flushed with anger, but Baba asked him to come again the following day.

The third day, deeply troubled, Desai arrived at Guruprasad. His eyes were red from lack of sleep and his mind was churning. "Sit here for five minutes and don't say anything", Baba stated. "Then go."

At first Baba took no notice of him, but the next moment when Baba gazed at him, his clouded mind cleared and inwardly he received the sought-after answers to his questions. Greatly heartened, Desai folded his hands and said to Baba, "Thank you", and then exclaimed, "What a butcher you are to slaughter one so slowly!"

Baba replied with a smile, "Only slow butchering leads one to the Goal. A quick end keeps you where you are."

EVERY THURSDAY Shinde, Kamble, Pote and Dhavle, all from Poona, would spend the day at Guruprasad, going for their lunch at noon to Jal Dorabjee's restaurant on Dastur Meher Road in the Camp area. After lunch, Baba would ask them what they had eaten. They would name several dishes, and Baba would inquire, "Do you want to drive Dorabjee bankrupt? How could you have so many items for only two rupees?" Shinde, Pote and Dhavle would each lay the blame on Kamble.

This went on for some time, and one day calling Dorabjee, Baba instructed him, "Tomorrow Shinde, Kamble, Pote and Dhavle will come to eat at your hotel. Serve only Kamble. Take two rupees from each in advance, but don't serve the other men any food. Tell them fresh food is being prepared and they should wait. Then give them water. After ten minutes, an onion. Don't serve them anything else to eat. After half an hour I will send Aloba to call them."

Dorabjee did as instructed. He served food only to Kamble and not to the other three. When Aloba came, Kamble