PRAY ANCIENT IMAGES, DO NOT INTRODUCE NEW IMAGES
Once Kavle Patil with his Mamladdar, B.V. Dev went to Baba and through Shama wanted to know from Baba whether in a temple newly built by Kavle he should reinstall the old image or bring in a new image from Vani, has directed by his own Guru.
Shama: Baba. Kavle Patil wants to know what he is to install in his newly built temple.
Baba: Let him place only the ancient stones that his family has been worshipping from old time and no new image.
Shama: What objection is there to a new image from Vani?
Baba: Act as you please, Shama. Install it or don't.
Shama: Please say definitely whether the Vani image can be or should not be installed.
Baba: If he wants that image, let him break off its arms and legs and then install and worship it. Do not question me again and again. I once went with a companion from village to village. He wanted to buy a cow. I said, "Don't". But he did buy it and brought it to a village. There an epidemic broke out and many died.
Shama, later in the day: Baba, what harm will arise if the image is brought?
Baba: Let him worship the old stones and introduce nothing new.
Shama: What is the harm in introducing the new?
Baba: (Angrily): I am speaking with my mouth and not through anything else.
Kavle Patil had no faith in Baba, but great faith in his own guru and so brought the Vani image to the guru's village. There plague broke out and many died. The guru (who had already received Rs.300 or Rs.400) more over sent a message to the Patil that unless he gave a registered gift of his land to the guru, the latter would curse him to immediate death. The Patil woke up, discovered the unselfishness and wisdom of Baba and wickedness of his own guru and installed only his own hereditary images.
(Baba's Charters and Sayings, No. 174)
