In plain words
A Kulkarni used to live there. His full name was Appa Kulkarni. ‘What is it, Baba?’ he asked. Taking two coins out of His pocket and giving them to him, He said, ‘Go to Jalgaon; Nana is there; bring him.’ This Nana was working as a tahsildar. In those days, to be a tahsildar was something worthy of great respect. Everything to do with revenue went to the tahsildar himself. Not only that: beyond what his post called for, this Nana had learned Sanskrit. A man of great learning. He held a good post. A great personality. On account of these three, his ego too had grown great. The moment this Kulkarni arrived, he said, ‘What have you come for?’ ‘Baba told me to bring you,’ he said. Pah! Go away; have you no sense? Some fakir or other is somewhere, and must I go to him? I am a tahsildar. A great man. An officer. A man of learning. Are you telling me to go to him? He told him to be off. When this news was given to Baba, He told him to go back and bring him. Again and again, ‘I must see Nana! I must see Nana!’ Baba cried out like a madman. This Kulkarni: ‘What is this? This Nana insults even me. What is this affection Baba has in seeing so proud a Nana?’ This he could not understand. At last this Kulkarni went and took hold of Nana's feet: ‘Baba longs to see you. You must come without fail,’ he wept aloud. Then Nana said: ‘I am coming for your sake. But I am not coming to see Baba. There is no likeness of any kind between him and me. I have no need to see him,’ he said. ‘Grant my prayer; you must come without fail,’ Kulkarni pleaded. Nana came to Shirdi. He did not even bow. Why have you sent for me, sir? What connection is there between you and me? I am a big officer. You are a fakir. What business have you with me? What business have I with you? Baba came close. Son. Sit down. Agitation is not good. Ego is not good. Your ego does Me no harm. Your ego harms only you. Sit down; I will tell you. Nana sat down. In the present situation there is no connection of any kind between you and Me. But in a past birth there was a very close bond between you and Me. Because there was that kind of tie of kinship, I wished to see you. Then Nana grew still angrier. ‘What! When there is no connection at all even in the present situation, what connection is there between you and me in some past long ago? It has merged into the unknown womb of time. I have no faith in such things,’ he said.