What was the deeper lesson behind Sai Baba's humorous resolution to the conflict between Anna and Mavshibai?

The deeper lesson, as explained in Chapter 24, was about the power of perspective and loving intellect. When Baba humorously suggested there was nothing wrong with Anna taking a kiss from "the Mother," he was not being literal. Instead, he was masterfully teaching them a lesson. The text clarifies that if the pure, loving intellect that exists between a mother and her son had been present in their minds, the quarrel would never have arisen in the first place. Baba's words were a "natural trick" suited to the occasion, instantly shifting their perception, defusing their anger, and satisfying their hearts with an immediate and practical teaching on how to view one another.