What was the deeper teaching behind Sai Baba's comment about taking a kiss from the 'Mother'?

Sai Baba's comment was a profound lesson disguised as a simple joke. When he told Damu Anna, "I don't understand what is improper in taking a kiss from the Mother," he was reframing the entire situation. As explained in Chapter 24, the story illustrates that if the pure, loving intellect that exists between a mother and son had been present in the minds of Anna and Mavshibai, the quarrel would never have happened. Baba's words were a "natural trick" perfectly suited to the moment, teaching the listeners to see their relationships through a lens of pure, familial love, which transcends ego and prevents anger from rising. The teaching was immediately understood and satisfied the hearts of those present.