Meher Baba

There was a boy of 10 years found washing tea cups and supplying tea to the customers.

The same boy was engaged in kite flying, playing marbles and also playing cards.

After some time, as a college student he was fond of cricket – He used to go to college on a bicycle daily.

The soul resting in that boy all these years found an outlet and awakening when he found an old woman sitting under a tree just by the side of the road. Hewent to her on being called and she just kissed on his forehead.

Well, a new personality began to take shape. He was restless. No food, no sleep, no college, no communication with others. His mother took Meher to that old woman. “What have you done to my boy?” she asked.

“He is not your own boy. He is the child of God who has sent him here to awaken the world.” Mervan was the first name of Meher. He spent some days with Babajan (that lady) and took leave from her in 1914 along with her blessings. Prior to that Mervan spent nine months undergoing unknown fear, pain, sleeplessness, loneliness – and all these features gave birth to a great spiritual personality in him.

Then Meher came into contact with four more great saints – Narayana Maharaj, Tazuddin, Shirdi Sai Baba and Upasini Baba. It was Sai Baba who just directed him to go and meet Upasini. Mervan always says that Shirdi Sai was the unique onewho directed him to a right person at the right time.

While Mervan was spending lot of time with Upasini, his mother went to him and claimed his son. Upasini said, he is not only your son, but he belongs to the whole world. For six years Mervan had undergone training - of course not in the formal sense - and in 1922 Upasini declared that thereafter, Meher would take care of his spiritual work and thus handed over the spiritual keys to him.

Meherabad was the centre of activity where Meher founded a number of institutions for the poor and oppressed.

Free hospital
School in the name of Babajan
Lepers’ hospital
Spiritual training camp
Prema Ashramam

Social service and selfless service were the bases of all these institutions. He worked along with them. He washed clothes of the inmates. He gave them baths. He reared pigs.

Of all the things, one important feature in his life was his observance of silence from 1925 to 1969, that is, till he left this world. He says, this was one of the greatest steps in his spiritual reconstruction work. He toured the whole world more than ten times. He visited China and Ceylon. For four years from 1965-1969 he observed silence and preferred solitude. No body was allowed to seehim. He maintained a secret diary. And no body knew what it contained.

Baba was travelling by a ship to England in 1931. He took that secret diary along with him. Gandhiji, who was also traveling by the same ship met Baba. Meher gave a few pages of his diary to Gandhiji to go through. They discussed several things. Meher wanted him to leave politics and enter spiritual arena. But Gandhiji too was born with a mission. So, there ended their meeting. They met again in England on October 2nd, which was Gandhiji’s Birth Day. Baba spoke to Gandhiji: “You do your duty, leave the result to God. I will extend my support in my own way.”

Similarly Meher had great affection towards Nehru. They came close to each other in 1953 in connection with a Cricket Match in Bombay, though they did not speak to each other they understood each other. Once Nehru said he was his guest for three years meaning that he was imprisoned in Ahmedabad Fort.

Mother Theresa once said that Meher was Jesus but she wanted that to be kept confidential. Meher used to say very often - “You love me and you love meabsolutely. I will give you what you really need but not what you want. Do not expect any material gains from me. I do not perform any miracles. I have gone beyond that stage.”

Meher toured Andhra Pradesh twice. East and West Godavari Districts and Guntur and Bezvada (now Vijayawada), Kovvur was his spiritual Centre.

Baba used to say, I came to you in the past as Krishna, Rama, Lord Buddha and Jesus. Finally he said I am God. In 1968, Baba declared that he had completed his mission. “Now I am tired. I wish to take rest. I will come to you after 700 years. I will break my silence. Then I will speak one word. And that will bring about a great change in the world.” But some how that did not happen at least from our stand point.

Baba gave clear instructions as what should be done to his body, when the soul leaves. His body was laid to rest as suggested by him. For oneweek people thronged from all over the world to have his Darshan. His body remained very fair and shining, as if he was just sleeping. After one week, the bin was closed.

Baba’s Last Declaration on 30.9.1954, Baba conveyed his last message to the world. Evil will perish – A number of incidents will take place – One need not fear. This is all inevitable. Only then a new world-order will come into existence.

Epilogue

On one occasion, Baba suggested certain norms of conduct. Though they were intended for oneof his disciples, they apply to one and all.

Do not speak lies.
Do not lead immoral life.
Smoking and drinking prohibited.
Do not go for non-vegetarian food.
Not even eggs.
Daily spend one hour for meditation.
“Om Para Brahma Baba” write this name for one hour every day.
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‘I am a lover of words and phrases and try to use them appropriately. Whatever my opinions might be, the words are meant to express them intelligently and in ordered sequences.’
Jawaharlal Nehru (during Gorakpur Trial, 3-11-1940)