When an epidemic struck Shirdi, the villagers enforced certain rules out of fear. How did Baba view these rules and what does this incident reveal about His teachings on superstition?

When Shirdi was hit by an epidemic, the villagers, out of great fear, decided to stop all traffic and forbid carts from entering the village. Chapter 23 makes it clear that Sai Baba did not approve of these measures, viewing them as 'superstitious belief (dev-bholepana)' and the 'ignorance of the people.' He saw their rules as 'bad ideas.' The narrative shows that Baba would actively counter such rules. His actions, like personally ensuring a firewood cart could enter the village despite the ban, demonstrated his opposition to fear-based, superstitious proclamations and highlighted his fearless nature.