The diet at the ashram was strictly vegetarian. Not only did Baba not allow any meat or fish, but he also personally inspected most thoroughly every parcel and suitcase which was brought into the ashram.

Baba's mother never put much importance on Baba's spiritual status. She regarded the men and women mandali as a bunch of free-loaders who had driven her Meherok (as she called Baba) insane in the bargain. Baba was a hard taskmaster for the mandali, but he made it clear that his mother was not to be rigidly constrained by his conditions as others.

Baba's mother especially fancied pomfret, a fish caught only off the northwest coast of India. Once, when she knew that Baba was going to be off on a mast trip, she wrote Mrs. Kerawala to bring some of this fish down from Bombay, because it was now an opportune time to bring the forbidden food into the ashram. The fish arrived. Baba's mother lost no time in cooking it and forthwith sat down to eat it. She had no sooner sat down when in through the open window jumped five cats. They climbed all over her, scratching her and making short work of the fish. Baba's mother was enraged. "This is Meherok's doing," she said. "He wants me to starve."

Baba came back the next day, and of course the whole matter came into the open. Baba berated Mrs. Kerawala and Mrs. Jessawala for their parts in the plot. Baba's mother told him to mind his manners, and to remember that she bore him. Baba said, "It is through me that you have your being."

- Told by Sam Kerawala to Ludwig Dimpfl.