One should never doubt a Saint’s behaviour

A woman named Patayat Mavshi used to live in Shri Gondavalekar Maharaj’s ashram, or hermitage. Her daily routine would include washing clothes by the riverside. Once while doing so, she got into an argument with another woman over a small matter. Soon the two began quarrelling and started using extremely foul language.

On returning to the ashram, Patayat Mavshi complained to Maharaj about the woman she had argued with. Maharaj called both the women and tried to reason with them, but neither was ready to listen to anything. Soon a big quarrel ensued and Maharaj Himself started using foul language! He was turning red with anger. His disciples were shocked to hear such language and see Maharaj in such a rage.

Bhausaheb Ketkar, one of the senior disciples, gathering all his courage, went to Maharaj and said, "Please do not get angry. I will deal with the matter myself." Maharaj calmly turned to him and said very peacefully, "This ‘anger’ is present only from the throat above, there is nothing below that region." Maharaj was perfectly calm from within but was just playing the part of an angry person to drive home a point for the quarreling women.

This incident taught Bhausaheb Ketkar that his Guru had conquered anger and was only using it to teach others. From that day onwards, he stopped trying to judge Maharaj’s internal state from His external appearance.