THE DIVINE ART OF SMELLING MASTS

 
Baba gave Baidul the duty of keeping watch by his side at night for a month, and he would give him food from his own plate. During the night, Baba would discuss with him about masts, implying that Baidul would have a much greater share of the work in the future. After a month, Baba praised him, stating, "You have become the Sardar (chief) of the masts and you will now be able to recognize them." Baidul used to claim he could "smell" a mast — his fragrance of bliss.

To differentiate between the ordinary mad and advanced masts on the planes cannot be determined by the intellectual mind, because outwardly both look similar. But internally, there is a world of difference between their states. Baidul now believed he had that power and, astonishingly enough, was enabled by Baba to recognize a genuine mast at first glance. He, of course, had no idea about their stage of spiritual advancement, but he could distinguish whether a person was a mast or simply a deranged madman.

Baba once gave this formula:

No ordinary man can tell whether one man is a mast and another man is mad without the divine authority of a Perfect Master. However, the unmistakable quality that masts possess is their ability to make one happy in their company; whereas, in the company of a mad person one feels depression and sadness.