WHICH WAY TO OBEY

 
Since Baba expected implicit and immediate obedience, difficulties sometimes arose when two orders apparently contradicted each other. During an early sojourn at Meherabad, on the Hill, Baba went into seclusion in one of the rooms at the side of the compound, and we, the women disciples were at the same time ordered to keep silence.

The arrangement went on successfully for a few days and then a crisis arose.

In Elizabeth's charge was a large beautiful dog named Warrior. He was lovable, friendly, and quite the apple of Elizabeth's eye. Then during this period of silence he was suddenly taken ill. He seemed so bad that Nilkant (Nilu), the doctor in charge of our health, was sent for and after examining him announced definitely that Warrior was dying. No known cause.

Poor Elizabeth — whom I would often tease and say that she loved animals more than she did her fellow disciples — was heartbroken. She had the dog placed on her bed and sat miserably, stroking his head and watching the gradual failure of his breathing.

After his death, I went out and to my surprise found Baba, whom no one was supposed to see during the seclusion period, walking across the compound. He signaled to me to stop and then demanded to know what was wrong.

Being in silence, I laboriously started to spell out the tragedy on my fingers in the deaf and dumb alphabet.

This was completely wrong. I had chosen the wrong obedience. Baba stopped me by making furious signals that I was to use my voice to answer Him.

Speed was of the essence.

After hearing about Warrior, He sent for Elizabeth, comforted her, and then arranged for a grave to be dug in the mixed animal and human cemetery on the hillside, had Warrior's body carried there and interred with loving ceremony.

He then returned to His seclusion and we to our silence.