The story, recounted in Chapter 1, begins with Sai Baba, a possessionless saint, unexpectedly starting to grind wheat at the mosque. This unusual act attracted villagers, and four women rushed in to help. While they ground, they sang his praises, but their minds became greedy, and they planned to take the flour home. Once the wheat was ground, Baba feigned anger, which then turned into a smile. However, when the women tried to divide the flour, he scolded them harshly and ordered them to throw it on the village boundary. The women felt humiliated and confused. The true meaning of this divine play was only revealed later: the wheat symbolized a cholera epidemic, and by grinding it and casting it out, Baba had driven the disease from the village. This entire episode, as Chapter 1 concludes, proves that one must have patience, because Baba's mysterious actions, or "unique wonder," will bear benevolent fruit in the end for those who wait to understand.
Can you explain the full story of Baba grinding wheat and how it demonstrates that patient observation is needed to understand his divine plays?
📖 Chapter 1