As time passed, the boy grew more and more uncomfortable, more and more miserable, dull, and disturbed. So the parents took the boy to one who was regarded as the best doctor in town, one trained in Greek medicine. The doctor examined the boy and was astonished. How could it be? There were unmistakable signs of pregnancy.

The doctor was confounded; it was not possible for a male to conceive and carry a child, and yet it was happening. But the parents were shocked. They knew what had happened. So they went to the elders and denounced them. "See what you have done!" they exclaimed. "You have led this boy astray. You have put him in this terrible situation. Now you must take full responsibility. He should not have to suffer this shame by himself."

The elders couldn't believe it. They went to the doctor, but there was no mistake in the diagnosis. And each week that went by made it clearer that he was indeed pregnant. The elders knew now that there was only one way out — they must repent and seek the Master's forgiveness.

So the elders set out to find the Master to ask his forgiveness, but instead of sitting by the roadside, the Master was walking with his disciples and the tribe of hijaras. Baba, when He was telling the story, gave a delightful picture of the Master leading all the elders, with their long beards and dignified, pompous manner, a merry dance through the streets of Lucknow as the elders sought to contact him and he managed to evade them. Baba seemed to enjoy telling the story; I still have that picture in my mind of Him.

Finally, after much undignified scurrying and haste, the elders together with the young couple, parents, and onlookers, managed to catch up with the Master on the corner of the main street in town. All settled down and the parents pushed the young "bride and groom" forward to seek the Master's forgiveness. But the couple protested, "Why should we do so?" they said. "It was all the elders' idea, they should be the ones to seek his forgiveness!"

So it was the elders who were pushed forward. They approached the Master and said, "You remember this couple came for your blessings, and you blessed this one that he might have a child?"

"No," the Master replied, "I blessed a woman, not a man. I asked her a number of times whether she really wanted the blessing. I brought home to her the responsibility involved in asking for such a boon. Now what can I do? My word has passed my lips; I cannot take it back."

The elders began to plead, "Please withdraw your blessing. Can't you see what calamity has befallen this youth?"

"I cannot," said the Master. "It is not in my power. Once I have blessed someone, I cannot take it back. I am indeed sorry for the youth, but there is nothing I can do."

At this, all began to weep, especially the "bride," and they all fell at the feet of the Master begging his forgiveness and pleading with him to do something. Finally the Master spoke, "There is one way out. I cannot retract my blessing, so there is nothing I can do, but my friends, my colleagues, these hijaras, they may be able to help."

"Help? How?"

"Ask them to pray to God to have the blessing removed. Beg them to pray to the Lord and maybe He will hear their prayers and He may do something for you."

So the elders, the parents, the youngsters, everyone, turned to the tribe which they had always despised and rejected, and they begged them to intercede on their behalf, to help them, please, please, help. The Master turned to his people and said, "Yes, pray to the Lord that the youngster be relieved of his condition." So the hijaras prayed in accordance with the Master's wish and the pleadings of the community, and it came to pass that the boy's pregnancy gradually disappeared and he became normal.

This is a story that Baba Himself told us, and one of the main reasons for His doing so was to remind us to treat the friends of God with respect.