LOST BOY FOUND

 
Meanwhile, when Chhagan was out looking for a boy, he spotted a very handsome youth working in a restaurant in Wai. He asked the boy if he would come with him to Panchgani, and the boy replied he would first have to ask his employer. Finally after much persuasion, the hotel manager yielded the boy to Chhagan.

Chhagan brought him to Baba who at first liked the boy very much. But after a few minutes, Baba disapprovingly noticed a small cut on his leg, and directed Chhagan, "You'd better take the boy to Meherabad, where Padri can treat his wound. Tell Padri to bring him to Panchgani once the wound is healed."

Chhagan was puzzled by Baba's instructions, as the boy's injury seemed very minor. He wondered why Baba was making such a fuss, forcing him to take the boy all the way to Meherabad, when a local doctor could easily have treated the wound. But he did not say anything and, before he left, Baba further instructed him to be sure to contact Sadashiv Patel in Poona on the way and deliver a message, which Baba dictated to him.

Chhagan then left Panchgani with the boy. In Poona, as he was nearing Sadashiv's house, a Muslim woman who was filling her water vessels at a public well saw the boy with Chhagan and suddenly began screaming out his name. She came running to the boy, embraced him and cried, "Yusuf, Yusuf! My son, where have you been? I can't believe it is really you! I have been longing for sight of you day and night! My son, it has been so long, have you forgotten your own mother?"

A crowd gathered and Chhagan could not understand what was happening. Chhagan grew frightened by the presence of so many people and forced his way to Sadashiv's house. He described the situation, and Sadashiv approached the woman and questioned her. He found out the woman's only son had disappeared from home five years ago, and her search had proved fruitless. After some months, the parents were overwrought with distress at their failure to locate the boy. Grief stricken, they had all but given up hope of ever seeing him again.

Chhagan then asked Sadashiv, "What am I to do now" Baba's order was to take the boy to Meherabad." Sadashiv sent a telegram to Baba explaining the situation. Baba's reply promptly came, instructing Chhagan to leave the boy with his parents and return to Panchgani. Only then did Chhagan understand why Baba had sent him on this journey. The message Baba had given Chhagan to convey to Sadashiv was nothing important, but Baba wished to reunite the boy with his parents who were heart-broken and had suffered five years over their lost child.