How A Master Works
De Simple Silence.
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English |
[modifier] God Will See To The Results
Ivy O. Duce Norina related to me one time in Myrtle Beach that once while Baba was in London, he told Norina that she had two friends whom he must see. Try as she would, she could not figure out who these people were.
One day Baba snapped his fingers in front of her eyes and the faces of two women came to her mind. She said to Baba, « One of those girls is in Paris and has no money, so I don’t see how she can come here. »
Baba said, « Telephone Mrs. X and ask her to finance the trip. »
Norina was in a dilemma because Mrs. X was an old friend of hers whose passion in life was very classical music. Norina had invited her to see Baba, and Baba, realizing that she was unprepared spiritually and extremely critical, put a very ordinary record on the phonograph machine and played it to test her. She took leave quickly and announced to Norina that this certainly could be no Master if he could not appreciate better music than that ! And now Baba was asking her to phone this woman to finance the trip of an unknown person just to see him. But Norina was always quick to obey, no matter how hard the task, and to her astonishment the woman very quickly agreed to do what she asked.
The second lady whom Baba wished to see was living right in London, and Norina telephoned to her at his request and simply said, « My Master is here and would like to see you. » The lady replied, « I will be right over. » It was an exceedingly stormy night and quite a few people were gathered in the living room with Baba in someone’s home. Presently the doorbell rang and Norina went to greet her friend, but the woman pushed by her as if she hardly saw her, walked right into the living room and sat down on the couch occupied by Baba. He looked at her as if they had just seen each other a few hours before and spelled on the board, « Now, what about this man ? » and she, acting as if she had known Baba all her life, replied. « Baba, it was terrible — he was a charlatan. I stripped myself of everything I had for him, and he stole it all. »
Baba gave her his divine smile and said, « Yes, but it was this that earned you the right to be here with me. »
Actually what happened was that this woman had met a pseudo- spiritual teacher from Australia and had given him her fortune, but while she had been mistaken in the teacher, the spiritual hierarchy had taken notice of her intense desire for spiritual training, and her whole-hearted approach had won Baba’s grace. To me this story bears out so much the admonition of the Bhagavad Gita that we should be unattached to results, because the most important thing is to keep our record and our motives pure before God. God will see to the results.
[modifier] The Originator of This Joke
« Life is a mighty joke. He who knows this can hardly be understood by others. He who does not know it finds himself in a state of delusion. He may ponder over this problem day and night but will find himself incapable of knowing it.
Why ?
People take life seriously, and God lightly ; whereas we must take God seriously, and life lightly. Then we know that we always were the same and will every remain the same — the originator of this joke.
This Knowledge is not achieved by reasoning, but it is the Knowledge of experience. »
[modifier] Meher Baba's Ways Of Transforming People
It was my intention to give illustrations of Meher Baba’s way of transforming people, but even the few case histories which I have collected are too many to interject into the story outlined in this book. They break up too greatly such little continuity as I can furnish. Categorically speaking, various aspects of the Master’s working could be characterized as follows :
A. Archetypal acts. These are symbolic acts having to do with the Avatar’s mission of giving all of his Creation a spiritual push. For instance, in bathing, feeding and dressing one small orphan, the Avatar puts his will into this act so that it will benefit orphans and orphanages all over the world, or some specific orphanages in special locations.
B. Helping people work out their karma—often very painful.
C. Using energy to direct forces and thoughts.
D. Using the spiritual purity of masts to help the world.
E. Taking on the results of karma. This does not mean taking on karma but changing its results by suffering for humanity. This can be the individual karma of people and/or global karma.
F. Directing disciples to perform seemingly meaningless tasks in order to help some person or group elsewhere to come through a particular emergency.
G. Cutting down the false ego by a variety of means, such as : exhaustion, humiliation, tension.
H. Teaching patience ; teaching freedom from worry through total dependence upon God.
I. Using visible and invisible agents ; and using other than his gross body for certain work.
J. Love, grace, faith, honesty.
K. Development of detachment and selfless service.
L. Miracles.
[modifier] Try To Hang On
That afternoon Baba called the Sufi group together. He then reiterated how we must hang on to his daaman and how difficult it would be. He illustrated :
If six cobras came into this room suddenly from out there, would you just sit still here with me ? No, you would be flying out the doors and windows as fast as you could in sheer panic. You would forget all about Baba. Peter denied me when I was Jesus. The dark cloud of which I have been talking is very, very near. It will happen suddenly, from an unexpected angle, just like I have mentioned the sudden onrush of the cobras—you will not expect it from such an angle, and you will feel justified in leaving me. Each will be tried by his psychological weakness, but try to hang on.
[modifier] Who Takes On The Sanskaras ?
One evening I noticed, on the road, a bird which had been hit by a car and I stopped and ran over to get it. It died as I touched it and repeated Baba’s name. Later I asked Baba what happens with regard to karma if one’s car strikes and kills an animal or bird. Baba’s reply was that the driver of the car assumes the karma, and the only exception to that is if Baba is riding in it, whereupon he assumes the results of the karma. I do not know, but would assume that the same answer might apply to any Perfect Master.
At the Great Darshan in 1969 I asked Eruch how it could be possible for a person to take on the sanskaras of a bird or any animal. Taken by surprise, Eruch came up with the following thoughts :
1. Killing a person by a car would be judged by the motives involved. Every case would be different.
2. One does not pick up the sanskaras of those whom one kills if one drives at moderate speed and is careful.
3. A respectable person begs one dollar from you, with which he buys alcohol and then kills his wife. Who takes on the sanskaras ?
4. If you ever get stuck on a spiritual question, just take it from the gross point of view.
[modifier] Elephants
When Meher Baba was asked as to what should be the correct and safest attitude of people towards saints, he very knowingly recalled the significant words of the Persian Poet, Hafiz :
Either do not form friendship with an elephant driver ; Or be prepared to receive his elephant as well.[1]
[modifier] Bird Enemas
Once Baba had the girls taking care of some birds. Whenever he saw the birds he gestured, « Feed them. » If the girls would say that the birds had just been fed, he would tell them to feed them some more. So the girls stopped feeding the birds before Baba saw them, and fed them only when he ordered it. Even so, they were getting so much to eat that they could hardly walk. So Baba gestured, « Exercise them. » The birds were so full that they didn’t want to move very much, so the girls would give them little pushes to get them to walk for exercise. The point was reached where Baba ordered them given enemas. After the enemas the birds became hungry again. Then Baba gestured, « Feed them. » So the birds became stuffed again.
[modifier] Every Day
From his chair in the main hall at Guruprasad, Baba could see directly into the garden. One morning, he pointed out that every day the gardener put water into the fountain for the birds to bathe. Yes, every day the gardener put water in the fountain for the birds, and he didn’t forget !
« Yes, » said the mandali members who were there, « yes, Baba. »
After a while Baba mentioned a second time that every day the gardener remembered to put water in the fountain for the birds to bathe. « Yes, Baba—oh, yes ! »
A little while later Baba once more drew attention to the fact that every day the birds bathed in the water which the gardener remembered to put into the fountain for them.
« Yes, yes, Baba ! » said the mandali, until at last it occurred to one of them to investigate, and sure enough this day the gardener had forgotten and the fountain was dry.
The fountain was replenished, and the birds began to bathe, but Baba’s gentle persistence had alerted and awakened all to the significance of this day in the matter of every day.
[modifier] What Cannont Be Cured Must Be Endured
My duty is to take you out of the meshes of Maya (Baba quotes : It is my particular work to liberate everybody from the bondage of Maya. »), and while I do this I have to face opposition from Maya, who wouldn’t let me do it. Why ? Automatically, due to the law of reaction (a quote : « It doesn’t take place purposely—it happens by itself. »), i.e., Maya doesn’t intentionally do it, but it happens automatically. The more I try to relieve people out of her clutches, the more she would try to draw them in and create opposition—the law of resistance, reaction, like the bat vanvaghi or kanchimodyu (Hindi : vatwaghal) who, once it sticks to your ear, will not leave its hold.
It might after hours if left alone, if you patiently wait and do not disturb or touch it. But once you disturb or touch it with a view to removing it, it will make its hold all the tighter, and if you exert strength to pull it free it will come, but with your ear stuck to its claws—or like the gorpadu (monitor lizard), who sticks to the wall all the tighter for your efforts to force it to release its hold.
It is the law, which could not be avoided, and what cannot be cured must be endured. That is why all the great saints, Masters and Avatars suffer so terribly !
[modifier] My Work Is Worlwide
« My work is worldwide, hence I have to come into contact with all kinds of people, all religions, and all countries—in the East as well as in the West. And while working with them I have to be very careful to consider the feeling and impression created on all who come in my contact, especially of those whom I want to work for me—immediately at the moment, or later on in the future. If I don’t do that, none would come in or would be induced or persuaded to do the work as I want him or her to do. And in the great scheme of a worldwide campaign I require men and women of all castes, creeds, cults and denominations in life, from the poorest peasant to the richest Rockefeller—each to fit in for a particular type of work in his or her class or community, according as I find the person willing and inclined.
Thus there would be Hindus and Mohammedans, Parsis and Christians—Easterners and Westerners, each with certain tendencies, temperaments, inclinations and fitness or fondness to do a certain type of work. Each has at the time certain weaknesses or prejudices side by side with good qualities, and it is all these things and factors I have to observe and consider, if I want a particular person to fit in anywhere for certain work of mine. So whenever a person is introduced or comes in, I overlook and, for a certain period in the beginning, even pamper his prejudices of caste, creed or religion, and tolerate his other weaknesses in nature and temperament till he is gradually trained and prepared to give these up one by one and begins to understand things in a better light and broader angle of vision, to which he is all the while trained through lectures, explanation and talks and references with others, which are really meant for him. It is a very delicate and difficult task, involving so many problems for a number of persons concerned in a particular question. Some have to tolerate and suffer unnecessarily for others who are, thus being trained.
Thus if a Hindu comes to see me, I have to look to his caste—Brahmin, untouchable, etc.—and talk and deal with him accordingly. Similarly, in the case of a Parsi, a Mohammedan or a Christian, I explain things as the person likes the best, pleasing his or her temperament, inclinations, prejudices, etc., so that he will digest what I want to impress on him and then try to learn to come over and rise above his prejudices gradually. Thus so many have been trained during all these years, so that the Hindus, Mohammedans, Parsis, Christians—all of the mandali—have learned to live as one family. Their religions and other prejudices have been practically destroyed, and they are convinced now that all their weaknesses and prejudices were false and unreal, that real religion is One—of Universal brotherhood and love for all alike, etc. This they are taught after years of training and careful tactics observed by me in handling each case separately according to the requirements of each, which I know, and tactfully bringing them all through the path of prejudices and religions [line missing] and the true spiritual aim and end of life, etc., which is my only mission. But if I were to teach these spiritual truths from the very beginning, disregarding their human weaknesses and religion or caste prejudices during the preliminary stage of training, none of you would have come in, much less been trained to the discipline and understanding of life as you are now.
And there are so many different kinds and types of persons, with hundreds of varieties of weakness and prejudice which I have to deal with and tackle tactfully and delicately during the first stages, overlooking tolerantly their many faults, even persuading them in spite of their own stupidities and deliberate wrong actions, suffering myself intensely and at times making others suffer unnecessarily, too, for which they again blame me, get annoyed and upset, etc., so that I have the additional task of explaining to them again why I do certain things at certain times.
Thus there are complications always in such a Universal work as mine, where so many questions and factors concerning hundreds or thousands at a time are involved, and there are always chances of my actions, words or explanations being misinterpreted or misunderstood, in one place or the other. In trying to please everybody, one pleases nobody—yet I have to try to please everybody, in turns or on certain occasions simultaneously, through different moves, actions, and words as required for certain persons and at certain places.
My coming here [Mysore] was for a certain object and work, and my activities here are in certain directions which none of you understand. For instance our neighbor, Shri Subraman Iyer, is a certain type of person with whom certain tactics are required to deal with him, as I want him for help in certain work of mine in future. He is a nice man, well educated, religious, of good character, honest, etc. But he has certain peculiar weaknesses which I know and must overlook at first, for my work.
[modifier] Easterners And Westerners : Certain Traits Of Character
« In explaining certain traits of human character in the East and in the West, Baba said, from his knowledge and experience :
There is a marked deficiency and weakness in the characters of Indians—they have no discrimination as people in the West have. For instance, our neighbor and persons of his type, in spite of their university education and intellectual training, would be prejudiced in an instant for the slightest cause which they do not understand. Now he has certain impressions about spiritual Masters and saints and has formed his impressions according to what has been explained to him, and also from the books he has been given to read. He is pleased to have our ashram opened here and would willingly help in his own way—but all this would go on quite all right only as long as his impression already formed lasts. The moment that impression is prejudiced or lost, all his zeal and enthusiasm for cooperation and help would be blown to the winds. And this impression, as I said above, is based on certain ideals he has formed which must be maintained, and these ideals are delicate and susceptible to being shattered instantaneously.
So in order to maintain that ideal and impression, I have to be very careful in dealing with him. That is why I don’t want you to hurt his feelings and warn you to be very careful in your talks with him. In a serious case like the cutting through of the tattyas so many times, repeatedly, from his side of the compound, which clearly means it is the work of his own servants or them working in cooperation with others in this, and the recent midnight attack of stone-throwing, etc., immediate action is necessary to stop this regular nuisance which is getting more dangerous every day. It is so very necessary to draw his attention immediately, as the proprietor of the bungalow and head of the family and all, for investigation and immediate necessary action to bring the culprits to book before they go further and prove more dangerous. You all want that. Yet I prefer not to bring this to his notice, even though it is so serious and growing more dangerous every day, causing so much annoyance and trouble to us all. [line missing]
I prefer, simply, not to give him a shock but have his mind impression maintained as it is at present, for I have to work with or through him in future. And I know that with the slightest mention of these things—even the facts—his mind will at once get to thinking, get easily prejudiced, and the impression previously created would be totally shattered. He couldn’t discriminate and try to understand the situation in which we are placed (in a new place which is quite foreign to us, and we have so many ladies who have been trained under certain strict discipline), and he would never realize that, although a spiritual Master, I have to work in the world of matter with people of the world and have therefore to observe certain ways of the world and work accordingly, which is so difficult.
His line of thought would be in a certain direction, with settled ideals of saints and Masters—that they are above and beyond things of matter and are therefore untouched and unaffected, etc., so that they do not mind their worldly difficulties at all, etc. ; that thieves or robbers or thugs would never go to a saint’s ashram or abode, or even if they did go, they would not be able to achieve their aim due to the powers of the saint, etc.—all quite right in his way of thinking, but absolutely wrong as a fact in our case where I, being a spiritual Master, holding the keys of the three worlds, have to act in accordance with certain laws of the material world when I work in that and with people of the world. Meaning, in short—his mind would at once be prejudiced, his ideal shocked, and the impression destroyed !
I wouldn’t ordinarily care for a thousand such impressions shattered, but in this particular case where I have to deal with or through him for a certain work of mine, I have to see that his present impression is kept up and not at all disturbed through any act on our part. That is why I quietly tolerate all this grave danger and utilize other means, at whatever inconvenience to myself and even to you. I have to call Jamadar all the way from Meherabad, incurring so much additional expenses for his railway fare, board and lodging, over and above the pay. [line missing]
I have all this while marked this peculiar trait of character in Indians—their want of discrimination—as against this particular trait in character of people in the West, where they always discriminate. In India people would easily and readily believe and have faith in saints and Masters, a general tendency of this country, but mostly without preliminary discrimination as to the status or qualification of the saint. But this faith of theirs would last only as long as their pet ideals and prejudices were not disturbed. The moment they have a cause of disturbance, they won’t try to think or discriminate as to why a certain word or act was found necessary—under what conditions or circumstances, etc.—but the moment these ideals are disturbed they are shattered, usually destroyed, which means their faith and devotion for the saint, too, are shattered and destroyed.
In the West it is different. They won’t, first of all, easily come in and put faith in anyone, however great spiritually, unless they are convinced of « something » in him that they didn’t find in others or have heard about, and then, after once having placed their faith in him, they won’t easily give it up. They would readily think and discriminate over things they do not understand about him before forming their opinion otherwise, and unless they have very substantial reasons that justify their action after much discrimination, they won’t give him up. In short, they won’t be easily prejudiced, one way or the other, and use their discrimination always before or after accepting a saint or Master.
In a case like this (Subraman Iyer), in the West I wouldn’t hesitate to explain the situation, for I would know the person would use his discrimination and digest and accept my explanation duly given, which one in India, however educated, would very rarely do, due to differences in ideals, ways of thinking and certain traits of character.
Another instance. In India, people with a very firm and staunch faith in a Master—say myself—would at once set to thinking and be prejudiced if I were to go to a cinema or certain places of amusement or recreation, whereas in the West, they would on the contrary almost forcibly take me to cinemas and theaters and such other places. For they, in the West, would use their discrimination and see nothing wrong in a Master, who works on the physical plane, going to places of amusement or recreation, whereas those in India wouldn’t for a moment tolerate such an idea due to the rigid ideals and prejudices that saints or Masters have nothing at all to do with things of the world, much less with amusements and entertainments. And one who would do this—visit cinemas or theaters—could never be a spiritual being, much less a saint or a Master.
This is so, also, in many other things of daily routine, such as food and clothes, modes and manners of living, etc., for which people in India have certain very rigid ideals as to the lives and activities of saints—such as always being in caves, mountains, or at the most in ashrams situated in very secluded places far away from towns or cities ; they must have a certain appearance, with long beards and long hair or jata [one long tuft of hair], or cleanshaven all over, like Swamis, etc. ; they must have a certain type of dress—long robes, white or yellow ; they must not eat or drink certain things and live mostly on milk and water—in fact, the more the abstinence, the greater their spiritual dignity and advancement. They must know religious Scriptures—shastras for Hindus, and Sufi and other literature for Mohammedans, also certain yogic practices such as asanas, etc. Life in their ashrams must be regulated and disciplined under certain rigid rules for all alike. All must be in accord with certain pet ideals and prejudices preliminarily formed by each individual from what he has been taught and brought up with from the beginning, or which he has formed after reading certain types of literature or after coming in contact with certain saints, Masters or cults, and there is a very narrow margin for other ideals, however better or greater, to creep in and prejudice or affect those already formed and rigidly established.[2]
This is all right and not a great difficulty for those of the spiritually advanced saints—yogis, Swamis, walis, pirs and even Sadgurus—who have to work in a certain circle or sphere and prepare their own circle or following according to the ideals and teachings formed by their surroundings. But where a great Avatar has to work on a worldwide scale for bringing a spiritual revival and upheaval all over the world, the scope and dimensions of the work are very wide and full of varieties according to people, places and circumstances, sometimes quite at variance with one or another—although leading toward the same spiritual ideal and goal of humanity.
While doing such work, the Master (even the Avatar), although God-realized and having Infinite Knowledge and Power, has to succumb to the weaknesses and prejudices of those of his disciples and followers whom he is trying to bring out of these very weaknesses and prejudices, in order to utilize them to help in his work for the spiritual uplift of humanity. That is why this « persuading » business, so often marked and misunderstood by you. And that is why I have to regulate my life and work physically according to the laws of the human body (physics) to keep up this medium or vehicle for the work I have to do, and also must regulate my life according to social or religious customs and laws in different areas [and countries of the world], and because of the work (duty) I have to do.
Otherwise, if I had no duty (work) to do, why should I care to tolerate and put up with your hundred-and-one weaknesses and prejudices, and « jam-jar » one or the other, almost continually, all the while, to the annoyance of others around, and to the greatest annoyance and suffering to myself ?
That is the reason why with a Hindu I have to be and act as a Hindu (Brahmin, or even untouchable), with a Mohammedan as a Mohammedan, with a Parsi as a Parsi, with a Christian as a Christian, etc., not for any other reason or object of my own but for the sake of my duty and work—to bring you all out of the bindings of Maya and enable you to rise above religious and other prejudices and realize the Self within, which you fools are seeking without in the endless rounds of births and deaths. For as Vivekanand has rightly expressed, « The real teacher is he who comes down to the level of his student, » and it is for you fellows I have to come down from my spiritual Infinity to the level of this material world, where you are all groping ignorantly in the dark in search of « happiness, » which you cannot and would not ever find without the help of one who has found it and who could lead you to that. »
--Framroz Dadachanji, Mysore, 16 April 1936.[3]
[modifier] Problem Of Sex
An Imam in San Francisco once said to Lud Dimpfl, derisively : “I met your Meher Baba once. I asked him, ‘What do you do about the problem of sex ?’ He answered, ‘For me, sex does not exist !’ What kind of an answer is that ?” Lud made no reply, but he could not help thinking, “If you had asked ‘What should I do about the problem of sex ?’ you might have learned something !” -I.O.D. 1 With regard to sex relations, they produce heavy sanskaras, but at least in marriage both partners share the sanskaras and such new ones as may be incurred are light : Baba always said, “Never use another person.” In this day and age it is hardly possible to never use contraceptives, but if one can do without them, it is better. Baba did not like abortions and ordered Meherjee to help one girl who was pregnant so she could bear her child and give it up rather than have an abortion. -Told by Meherjee, 1970.
In the discussion of homosexuality... what happens is, we are in one lifetime male and will change from one reincarnation to another into a female form. Sometimes, for various specific reasons and some- times unspecified reasons, when the progression between male and female takes place, it does not go all the way through, so that a male changing into the female form will develop male homosexual tendencies and the female changing into the male form will develop female homo- sexual tendencies. I think the important thing here is the fact that it was a subject which, although Baba did not discuss with many people, it certainly was discussed and was brought out in the open as a fact and part of God’s Whim... as part of knowing. And there was nothing wrong per se with it. What was wrong, as is wrong in heterosex- ual ideas, is the promiscuity which is so often attached, too. From my own personal experience, this isn’t necessarily so. It’s like everything else. People like labels and like to have stereotypes, and if they have their stereotypes and their labels, then they’re happy. Like the iceberg, you forget the ninety percent that you don’t see, and I think this is really important.
-Told by a Baba lover, as given to him by Baba.
[modifier] Speaking Of Hafiz
He was very ugly and the son of a coal merchant. One day he fell in love with a beautiful girl he saw standing on the balcony of a house. She, of course, did not even notice ugly Hafiz. He became determined to marry her, so he sought tantric powers. (Baba explained something of these powers in his talk and how they are acquired and what troubles they can cause. — IOD)
Hafiz finally succeeded in a particular forty-day penance, and on the fortieth day the Angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him to ask for anything he wanted. On seeing the incredible beauty of the Angel Gabriel, Hafiz forgot all about the girl and thought that if the Angel could be so gorgeous, how wondrous must God be, and so he said, "I want God!"
Gabriel directed him to a Perfect Master, for whom he slaved for forty years, going through hell, as it were. The Master then gave him God-realization and Hafiz became a Perfect Master.
[modifier] Avataric Incarnations
Once I wrote Baba and asked how many Avatars there had been. His reply I have printed in « God Speaks »:
Whether there have been twenty-six Avatars since Adam, or one lakh and twenty-four thousands of Prophets as is sometimes claimed, or whether Jesus Christ was the last and only Messiah or Muhammad the last Prophet is all immaterial and insignificant when eternity and Reality are under consideration. It matters very little to dispute whether there have been ten or twenty-six or a million Avatars. The truth is that the Avatar is always one and the same, and that the five Sadgurus bring about the advent of the Avatar on earth. This has been going on cycle after cycle, and millions of such cycles must have passed by and will continue to pass by without affecting eternity in the least. (1)
The only names of Avatars I can be sure of are the very ancient Zoroaster (Zarathustra), some of whose gathas still exist, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baba. Eruch states that Baba told him Abraham was the Avatar and Moses was illumined — sixth plane. Baba said Moses was slated to become Perfect, but when he received illumination — the burning bush incident — he could not stand the light and fainted. Baba also said that Jesus completed the work that Moses had begun. In discussing his incarnations, however, Baba said:
Man's inability to live God's words makes them a mockery. How many Christians follow Christ's teaching to "turn the other cheek" or to "love thy neighbor as thyself"? How many Muslims follow Muhammad's precept to "hold God above everything else"? How many Hindus "bear the torch of righteousness at all cost"? How many Buddhists live the "life of pure compassion" expounded by Buddha? How many Zoroastrians "think truly, speak truly, act truly"?
On my first trip to India, Dr. William Donkin explained to me that at times the Avatar comes into the world when he is not conscious of his Christhood and when there is great need for some especially important work to be done.
The subject of the Avatar's veiled incarnations would seem particularly delicate because of the temptation it might afford a spiritually ignorant and egotistical person to claim that he is the Avatar in an "in-between" incarnation. There are many who, during Baba's life and after, claim to be Avatars (some of whom have been obsessed while under drugs). Mani once mentioned, "This sort of thing happens most at Avataric periods, as Baba told us. It is one of the 'veils' that helps keep the Avatar's identity covered from the eyes of the world until the time is ready for him to reveal himself." Baba said there would be twelve claimants as opposed to his innermost Circle of twelve mandali. He also declared that there would be seven Judases.
There are even some people who claim to be reincarnations of Perfect Masters, although we know that those souls who have attainedperfection and are God-realized never take birth again. Since the goal of all living is God-realization and they have reached it, why should they? The only exception is the Avatar, who comes back again and again at specially designated cycles. God, as Creator, has three main aspects known as Brahma (Creator), Vishnu or Parvardigar (Sustainer) and Shiva or Mahesh (Dissolver). The Avatar is the Sustainer, and so he comes from time to time to clean up the world and set it and us on a fresh course. (2) Since the Avatar is veiled from knowledge of his Christhood when he takes a rare in-between birth, it follows that any claimant would have to be deluded. Quite often this interim work is concerned with laying the ground for the next Avataric period. I got the impression that this happens very seldom, or perhaps once or twice, between Avataric incarnations. Dr. Donkin pictured this occurrence for me by pointing to the wide-bladed fan in the ceiling of our room and stating that when you push the electric button the fan starts whirling quite slowly, gradually increasing, to maximum speed. When it reaches maximum speed, this represents the Avataric incarnation. When you push the button for it to cease whirling, the speed gradually diminishes and eventually the blades stop moving. It is at this point where the in-between incarnation is apt to take place.
When the Avatar comes in to take up his office as the Christ, we know that he is veiled until such time as he can get his growth and the predestined time for his work arrives, at which time a PerfectMaster has to unveil him. Jesus' Master was John the Baptist; Buddha's Master was an old woman; Muhammad's Master was presumably a Jewish rabbi, since his unveiling took place at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. When the Avatar enters the world in an in-between incarnation, he is veiled from his true self as the Avatar. Baba has a number of times stated indirectly that he had been the famous Shivaji. This is brought out in detail in Chanji's account herein (see page 449). (3) Another of these incarnations was described by Elizabeth Patterson, who learned of it when she was on the famous Blue Bus tours with Baba which took place during 1938.
Elizabeth said that at the close of the year Baba and his group went to Mandla, sixty miles from Jubbulpore. There is an ancient tradition that this small place is the exact center of India. The holy river Narbada has its source near there and thousands of people make pilgrimage to the water's edge because of the great tradition of sages and rishis who meditated upon the river's banks. Baba led his group to a place along the river, the famous Sahasra-dhara (thousand waterfalls), where, he told them, Sankaracharya had had his seat about 2,000 years ago.
Baba told his group that he was Sankaracharya, the greatest philosopher of all time. He referred to it as an in-between Avataric incarnation where he did not reveal himself fully. (4) An Avatar can never be less, Elizabeth said, in the sense of being minor, but he can have an incarnation where he does not reveal his perfection fully. As a matter of fact, Baba once told the disciples that even when he appeared as Jesus the Avatar, he revealed only three-quarters of his perfection because the people of those times were not ready to receive more.
Baba went forth and dipped his hands in the river. He permitted Elizabeth to take the picture where the water was dropping off his hands, and she said that Baba had a very intense, faraway look. Later he told her that it was a very rare occurrence for Perfect Masters to touch living water because if they do, they usually have to perform a miracle, aside from the fact that the place where it is done is purified for those who come after. During the sahavas at Myrtle Beach Center in 1958, she recalls, Baba was carried in his chair out to the edge of the ocean where the waves rolled in, and he dipped his feet in gently.
Another anecdote concerning water related by Elizabeth was that Rustom (Mehru's father) and one or two others of the mandali were driving from Bombay to Nasik when their car got caught in a nullah. Suddenly the water rose and was soon so high that they were hanging onto the car. Just as they would have drowned, Baba (who was far away sitting with the other disciples and had been constantly asking them, "Where is Rustom, where are they, why aren't they here?") called for a bowl of water and dipped his hands in it, and the waters receded around Rustom and the men, and they were saved.
There have been hints and allusions to Baba's having once had in-between incarnations in Spain, China and Cuba and that he had one in Egypt. It has occurred to me, because it is natural to speculate on these things, that perhaps he had been Ikhnaton. It seems very strange otherwise that one person in this land of many gods and endless priests should have arisen with the fixed conviction that there was only one God. It is well known that, because of Ikhnaton's determination to destroy the endless money-making temples, the priests murdered him and also prevented a great deal of the good work which he wanted to do by giving out the idea that he wasn't quite right in the head. Some wonder if Baba was Orpheus, known as Arfad when he lived in Egypt.
Elizabeth and Norina one day told me a story about their stay with Baba in Portofino, Italy. At one time Baba occupied Lord Carnarvon's castle on top of a mountain at Portofino. You will remember that Lord Carnarvon was the man who found Tutankhamon's tomb in Egypt. Baba had invited a large number of western disciples to stay with him. Each morning as they came downstairs to breakfast, one or more of the guests would complain bitterly that they had had very little sleep because of disturbances which they finally concluded must be caused by a ghost. Baba apparently paid no attention. One night the intruder came to the room shared by Elizabeth and Norina. They suddenly heard a tinkling clatter among all the articles on the washstand, such as the cover being lifted from the soap dish and dropped, etc. Elizabeth raised her head and whispered to Norina in the adjoining bed, "Do you hear what I hear?"
Since they were both enveloped with mosquito netting, Norina seemed to feel safe, and sliding down under the covers, she said in a whisper, "He can't touch me!" Which sentence ended up in an outraged wail as she shrieked, "He pulled my hair!"
The next day Kaka admitted to them that a man and woman in the subtle body had been racing madly over the castle, day and night, clamoring for Baba's attention and pleading with him to release them from their earthbound state. Shortly thereafter, Kaka stated that Baba suddenly snapped his fingers and the man disappeared, and only some hours later did he dismiss or free the woman in the same way. Baba then told Kaka that in a previous incarnation he, Baba, had been a master and while wandering on this mountaintop suddenly encountered the girl, who had been having a tryst there with her lover. As Baba spoke to her the man emerged from among the trees, misconstrued the scene and struck Baba. Since the greatest sin one can commit is to injure the Avatar, the couple was karmically held to this spot for five hundred years until Baba freed them.
The terrible treatment accorded Jesus by some of the Jews and his eventual crucifixion has undoubtedly been one of the karmic reasons for their many sufferings and the dispersion thereafter. We know that there is such a thing as national karma and group karma as well as personal karma. The question might arise as to why five to six million Jews were exterminated by Hitler when it is known that there were not that many Jews in Palestine at the time of Jesus. The operation of the laws of karma cannot always follow the "eye for an eye" pattern. It is therefore to be understood that when we have certain karmic lessons to learn, we may have to take a body within a group or country where we can experience the proper karmic reaction, without having been one of the originators of that group or nation's karma. We have asked Baba if the Jews would recognize him as Avatar this time, and he has replied that they will. (Also see Supplement, no. 59, p. 580.)
For many years I thought that this would be the result of Carrie ben Shammai's work for Baba in Jerusalem, but one night while holding a class in our Sufi Center, as I looked out at the student audience it suddenly dawned on me that we had a great many Jewish youngsters who had resisted all orthodoxy but were earnest seekers, and that similar youngsters were all over the map.
It is often said today that Baba's next incarnation will take place in Japan. Like many stories passed from person to person, this rumor is totally unfounded. During the men's meeting in 1954 a young Japanese man named K. Hittaker from Tokyo appeared and begged to see Baba only for a moment. Baba gave him some grapefruit juice to drink and asked him, "Why did you come such a long distance? Baba is everywhere."
Hittaker replied, "I would like to have you come to Japan."
"After 700 years I will come to Japan," Baba answered.
Baba did not say he would take birth there. As Meher Baba, he did not physically visit Japan, nor did he go to South America, South Africa, New Zealand and many other countries. Baba did say in my presence that when he comes the next time he will be educated as a great scientist — that he will not have to suffer so terribly for the world, because people will be more loving and at the zenith of spiritual living. "But," he added, "it will not stay that way!" It should be understood that the Avatar does not take on the karma of the world. He takes on the results of karma — that is, suffering.
(1) Meher Baba, « God Speaks », 2d ed., p. 266 (2) Elizabeth Patterson recently replied to a man who was talking about how complicated the subject of reincarnation is: "No, it is very simple — it explains all the seeming waste of life — we just get recycled." This happens on a grand scale in the Avataric age. (3) Apparently the Maratha Empire had to be united before the Advent of the Avatar. Being veiled, Shivaji surrendered his life to Swami Ramdas and all his possessions to Tukaram — both Perfect Masters. (4) Because his Godhood was veiled from him.
Because Of The Tears Of Her Beloved==
Dr. Bharucha tells at length of a family — a father, mother, son and two daughters — entirely devoted to Baba. The father died while the children were still young, and the burden of raising the family fell upon the mother. The son grew up to be an ideal young man, diligent in his studies, a blessing and comfort. The mother managed to save enough to send him to London to complete his education.
While there, he sickened and died with Baba's name on his lips. This information was cabled to Baba. Baba did not immediately convey the news to the mother. Instead, he told Eruch to break it to her gently. This Eruch did. The mother shed no tears and insisted that she was happy that her son had died taking Baba's name. Baba then told friends of hers that it was not good for her to repress tears. So they called on her and wept, but she did not.
When she learned that Baba had told them that he wished her to cry, she tried but could not. Baba himself then called on her and told her, "Love of this caliber makes me cry," and he wept. It was then that the woman burst into tears — not over the death of her son, but because of the tears of her Beloved.
[modifier] Silence
In a speech given by Sri G.S.N. Moorty on the occasion of the opening of a Baba Center called Mehersthan at Kovvur in 1963, Dr. Moorty expressed his own interesting theory about Baba's silence. He reminded the audience that today the world is passing through a great catastrophe of evils and process of destruction at tremendous speed. Dr. Moorty regarded Baba's silence as a powerful "sound-brake" which was breaking the wheel of the world from rushing too fast toward its destruction.
[modifier] Sound
One day at Meherazad, Mani was talking to me about music and she remembered an incident when one of the girls asked Baba if it were true that in the old times there were singers who could light candles and start fires by their singing. Baba replied that once there was a majzoob who had no consciousness of the world and was completely absorbed all the time. He never ate or drank or paid any attention to his body. This mast had attendants who wanted to look after his physical well-being, but how could they ever feed him or bathe him or put new clothes on him when he was so completely drowned? So, they had a fakir come regularly to sing to this mast. His singing was so powerful that the majzoob would sit up and become aware of his surroundings enough to be fed and bathed.
Baba then said, "If sound could do this, of course it could do the other, which is so insignificant in comparison." Baba asked, "Where does sound go?" None could answer him. Then Baba said, "It doesn't go anywhere, but rather it collects. All the sound gathers together and is ultimately used for spiritual creation." To Mani, this spiritual construction also meant physical destruction.
At another time, Bhau mentioned to me that Creation is like a universal container or bowl that has a limit to how much sound or noise it can contain, and that this container can never overflow. Therefore, when the noise builds up to such an extent that it might overflow this container, three-fourths of the world is destroyed, and in this process the accumulated universal sound is the factor that causes the material or sanskaric destruction.
[modifier] Spiritual Advancement
There is a well-known story in India, many versions of which exist, which points up that the Avatar brings his close disciples through the planes under veil. It seems that Lord Krishna had a disciple named Narad who, after many years of service to Krishna, began to be discouraged because he could see no sign in himself of any spiritual advancement. He hungered for spiritual experiences, which he felt would indicate his spiritual progress, like many people today. He complained to Krishna that although he had lived with him all his life, he still was no better than any person who had never met the Master. Krishna assured him that by living a dedicated life with Krishna he was literally on the threshold of God's abode, and that some day he would come to know where he was spiritually.
Narad, however, persisted in feeling gloomy about the years passing by without his having acquired any knowledge. Finally after some years, the Lord Krishna told him that on a certain day he wanted Narad to go to a particular spot under a tree and just watch the ground. Narad did this, finding there only a large lump of fecal matter. He became more and more agitated over having to stand and stare at this. His feelings of unworthiness intensified. Finally a worm crept out of it, and as Narad gazed upon it, the worm keeled over dead on the spot.
Narad journeyed back to his Master and related the incident when asked what had happened. Narad's mind was full of protest that here he was, living with the God-Man and not even having the experience that he had lived a worthwhile life. Krishna ignored him for a while and then ordered him to go to another place in the woods, where he was to stare at a certain tree. On the prescribed day Narad did so and suddenly noticed a bright parrot on a branch. As soon as the bird caught his eye, it dropped dead. This frightened Narad, and he felt that since the very sight of him caused creatures to die, he was most unworthy. However, the deep impression of unworthiness now caused him to feel that living with the God-Man was his only recourse.
Krishna ignored Narad for some time, then one day told him to go to the house of a village patel (headman), where a little colt had been newly born. This prospect frightened Narad, but he felt that he had to obey the Lord Krishna. The patel was quite religious and received Narad reverentially. He finally asked Narad what had brought him to his dwelling, and Narad replied that he had heard about the newly born colt and would like to see it. This flattered the owner, who brought out the little colt with great pride. As soon as Narad's eyes fell upon the colt, it dropped dead. Narad was beside himself, although the owner did not connect him with the death of his little colt.
Some time later a neighboring King came to Krishna and begged him to visit and bless his newly born child. Krishna decided to send Narad as his representative, but Narad was terrified that his glance might kill the little prince. Krishna, who knew everything, offered comfort and encouragement to Narad and stated that although there had been three failures, the disciple should now go to the palace amd visit the newly born child.
Since it was known that Narad was one of Krishna's favorite disciples, when he arrived in time for the naming ceremonies the king, with all due respect, conducted him to the cradle to bless the child. Narad stated that the child had Krishna's blessing, but steadily refused to really look at him.
The story goes that the child sat up in his cradle and thanked Narad for all he had done and asked, "Why now do you deny me your glance and darshan?"
Narad was stunned and asked what he was supposed to have done. The princeling said:
"When I was a worm I had your darshan, which enabled me to avoid many rebirths. I at once assumed the form of a parrot, and in that form I again was blessed with your darshan. This helped me to be born immediately in the form of a colt. While I was a colt, you again appeared before me, and that blessed meeting has hurried me here."
When Narad returned, Krishna with a smile asked him if now he believed that he had gained some spiritual status by serving him, whereupon Narad fell at Krishna's feet.
[modifier] Sheba Became Famous
When Baba was at Dehra Dun — Dehra Dun is in the north — somehow one of the Baba lovers presented him with a very fine horse, a brown mare. Baba took it, and the only thing that mare could do was to love Baba, love Mehera and Mani, eat and drink, and that's all. No exercise or anything. But as long as Baba was there, he kept her.
When Baba went to Satara, the mare was taken with him. Baba stayed at Satara for a long time — two or three years — and then came to Ahmednagar. He said, "Sarosh, now I've finished work with this, you take her away." Whenever he used to finish work with anything, it was to be taken away. I asked Baba what I could do with her. He said, "You keep her or you give her to any good home."
When he said give her to any good home — being in the army, I spoke to the commandant and said, "Sir, I'm going to present you with a nice horse." We had a riding club there, so I gave it to the riding club. With Baba she had had lots of love and eating, but here she had lots of beating, because she was to be trained. She was very finely trained. One day Mehera, Mani and all wanted to see the mare, so I took them there. They were very happy, and the mare at once recognized them.
Poona is seventy-five miles from Ahmednagar and we have horseraces there. So the commandant said, "Sarosh, we are going to race Sheba (her name was Sheba) at the races." Though we had no authority, because the mare had been given away, we then went to Baba and asked him about this. Baba asked Mehera and then said to let her race. Baba asked me, "Are you going to the races?"
I said, "Yes, Baba."
"Will you be betting on her?"
"Yes, Baba."
So in an army vehicle, nicely padded, we took Sheba to Poona for the races. From start to finish she won the race. I sent a telegram to Baba, and he was very happy.
Next day Baba called me and said, "Come and give us the account." Mehera was there, and I told how Sheba won the race. Baba said, "How much did you win?"
I said, "I won 300 rupees."
"Where is it?"
"It is there; if you want, I'll bring it." But he said no, to keep it.
So that is how Sheba became famous. You might have seen her in pictures.
[modifier] Boxes Of Monkeys
Norina related to me one time a story concerning the period in which Baba was working with animals. He sent out word that he wanted monkeys sent to him because he had to have one monkey who would recognize him.
Myriads of crates and boxes of monkeys began to arrive from all over India. Every time, the disciples would have to sit in a room together; the crate would be opened in the center of the room and the monkey allowed to climb out and go whither it willed.
They were getting rather hopeless about any monkey ever recognizing the Master, when one day a very tiny monkey, as soon as the box head was removed, rushed like a streak of lightning straight for Baba, climbed up on his shoulder and chattered wildly into his ear.
Baba was delighted and handled the monkey for several weeks, I believe, but he became a great problem. He was small and there seemed to be a constant danger of tripping up people as he would dash frantically to the Master, and the disciples feared he would trip up Baba as he pranced around his sacred feet.
When Baba's work with the monkey was done it seemed impossible to detach his small lover, so the Master thrust him into Norina's hands and commanded her to care for him.
The Princess gave a hilarious picture of her problems with said monkey. He insisted on sleeping with her, messing up her bed and belongings, and generally creating more tension than any other situation with which Baba had faced her. She was forced to manage and endure this problem for three months before Baba sent the monkey back to its environs.
I am sure that most spiritual aspirants would prefer being told to recite mantras for years than to take care of a monkey. Baba brings us down to the realities of living and makes us learn selflessness actively rather than letting us dwell in the ivory towers of psuedo-spirituality.
[modifier] Every Day
From his chair in the main hall at Guruprasad, Baba could see directly into the garden. One morning, he pointed out that every day the gardener put water into the fountain for the birds to bathe. Yes, every day the gardener put water in the fountain for the birds, and he didn't forget!
"Yes," said the mandali members who were there, "yes, Baba."
After a while Baba mentioned a second time that every day the gardener remembered to put water in the fountain for the birds to bathe.
"Yes, Baba — oh, yes!"
A little while later Baba once more drew attention to the fact that every day the birds bathed in the water which the gardener remembered to put into the fountain for them.
"Yes, yes, Baba!" said the mandali, until at last it occurred to one of them to investigate, and sure enough this day the gardener had forgotten and the fountain was dry.
The fountain was replenished, and the birds began to bathe, but Baba's gentle persistence had alerted and awakened all to the significance of this day in the matter of every day.
[modifier] The Future Of World Religions
Lud: Sam, you were telling us this evening about a conversation you had which led to Baba expounding on the future of world religions. Would you tell this to our friends here?
Sam: I don't remember exactly what year it was, but it was during one of my short stays in India — just got home on leave after my three-year contract. In Meherazad I was talking to one Baba lover named Shatagan Kumar from Dehra Dun, and I told him that one thing I liked very much about Baba's statement was that after his Advent, this religious ceremony and all that would be mostly discarded. I said thank God, at least this will happen, because ceremony seems to be a big burden of mankind today. But Shatagan Kumar said that he didn't feel it in the same manner, because right in Baba's own living presence such things as singing Baba's arti, performing certain prayers and all, were allowed by Baba himself, with the result that even after his Advent, things like artis and performing pujas will be adhered to.
This conversation was slowly taken up to Eruch and thence to Baba, and Baba then said that yes, things like arti and puja will continue, but there will be one difference. There will be no such thing as sectarianism about it. They will all join in and sing the praises of the Lord from the bottom of their hearts, irrespective of what religion they belong to.
On our way from the cars to where the ascent of the holy hill (on the great plateau of Mysore at Sravana Belgola — the seat of the Jain Community) began, we noticed the eyes of the Master turn towards a narrow side street. What was it that held his gaze along that street of shambled houses? We were more interested in the approaching climb and the anticipation of the summit, but Shri Baba knows and feels all.
Only on our way back we came to realize that here dwelt a holy life of today, a torchbearer and living link with a thousand years of spirituality. Shri Baba sent two of his mandali into the narrow side street, and there on an inconspicuous veranda exposed to sun or rain, sat a nude man (reminiscent of the ancient ascetic Jain) who, feeling the presence of the Master at a distance, looked out so that we chanced to see his face.
The Master's eyes met his and the inner contact was made in that moment; to those who are advanced spiritually, how little time is needed! This man is recognized in the vicinity as the present guru of the Jains, though few there are who have actually seen him. Shri Baba told us that despite this ascetic's peculiar behavior, he is not a mast but consciously on the spiritual path. As guru, he directs spiritually many Jains today, and this "contact" with the Master will bear fruit we may yet witness among this ancient sect, which like all the religions of today, needs a reflowering. On the other hand, it could be that one spiritually longing soul, aspiring to God, drew the Master.
[modifier] He wept All Night Long
Minoo told me that the most difficult order he had ever received from Meher Baba came at the beginning of the New Life. That order was that Minoo was not to lay eyes on Baba during this period (he had been accepted as one of those who was to remain behind but obey implicitly). If he were to lay eyes on his Master at any time, at any place, he was not to acknowledge Baba in any way. He could not speak his name or speak to him or even look upon him. If this ever happened, he was to immediately leave that place.
Minoo told Baba that he didn't believe that he could ever carry out this order, but Baba said to him, "You must!"....
Many months elapsed, and Minoo, like many others, longed for just a glimpse of his beloved Baba. In the second year of the separation, one day in Delhi near the railroad station, Minoo looked up as he rounded a corner to see none other than Baba standing near the platform with the men disciples. He remembered his order from Baba, and with great difficulty he did not cast his eyes upon Baba but fled from the spot. (As Minoo told me this, one could see his heart breaking anew, though it had been many, many years before.)
Because of the work he had to do in the city, he remained there to spend the night. He chose a hotel that he had known and retired early, trying not to give way to the sorrow in his heart in not being able to even touch or speak to Baba. During the evening, a knock came at his door and someone inquired if he knew where Meher Baba was staying — that he had been told he was in Delhi and wished to see him. Minoo replied that he did not know Baba's whereabouts. He then went to bed and tried to sleep, but he could not. He wept all night long.
The next day he went back to the work Baba had assigned him, and it was not until many months later that Minoo learned an astonishing fact. On the same night that he lay in the hotel, crying for the love of Baba, his beloved Baba lay on a bed in the next room against the same wall that divided them, for Baba had decided for his own reasons to remain overnight in a hotel right next door to the hotel in which Minoo stayed. So all the time he wept, Baba was lying near to him. Again, what a demonstration of love and example of why our faith is so important.
Ivy O. Duce. © 1975 Sufism Reoriented, Inc.
[modifier] Notes
- ↑ Dr. Abdul Ghani Munsiff, Meher Baba Journal, vol. 2, no. 3, January 1940, p. 173.
- ↑ Since the spreading of Meher Baba's clarification about true spirituality not [being] dependent on physical endurance or keeping immune to the laws of nature, the attitude of Indians is slowly but surely undergoing a change. They have begun to give less importance to physical immunity than to inner development. --Adi K. Iran
- ↑ One of Baba's mandali named Chanji (short for Framroz Dadachanji) kept diaries of the daily life the mandali had with Baba. With the permission of Baba's secretary, Adi K. Irani, I am including Chaji's write-up of the period from February to May 1936, which gives a good picture of how stark was their suffering, how maddening the opposition. In one of his other journals, Chanji related that during a water shortage in the Ahmednagar district the mandali asked Baba why they had to suffer this, and Baba replied that Muhammad's greatness was not in Ka'aba but in Kerbala. In Mecca the Hajj to the Ka'aba is still made every year by faithful Muslims, but in North Arabia lies Kerbala, the desolate and barren site of the Prophet's suffering.
