What was the deeper teaching behind Sai Baba's humorous intervention in the quarrel between Anna and Mavshibai?

The deeper lesson in Sai Baba's intervention, as explained in Chapter 24, was about the power of pure intention and perception. By calmly asking Anna what was improper about "taking a kiss from the Mother," Baba masterfully reframed their relationship into one of a son and a mother. The text explicitly notes that if such a loving, familial intellect had existed between them from the start, the anger would never have arisen. Baba's words were a "natural trick" to provide an immediate teaching. He demonstrated that the interpretation of an act depends entirely on the underlying emotion and relationship. A gesture that could be seen as inappropriate becomes innocent and loving within a mother-son context. This was Baba's way of satisfying their hearts while imparting a profound spiritual teaching on the spot.