Working for Meher Baba 1

WORKING FOR MEHER BABA

Meher Baba

ANDHRA, 1954
SATARA, 1954
MEHERABAD, 1955
NEW YORK, 1956
MYRTLE BEACH, 1956
POONA, 1957
AHMEDNAGAR, 1962
POONA, 1962

ANDHRA, 1954

Meher Baba called a meeting of male workers for his 'cause' in Rajamundry, Andhra, March 1, 1954. At 9 p.m. Baba served each man a cup of coffee. He communicated in English using an alphabet board which was read out by one of the Mandali. What Baba 'said' in English was continually translated into Telegu by one of the men. These are partial notes from that meeting.

Baba: Now, today is no political or social meeting, but a meeting for the divine cause, and this meeting reminds me of my previous meetings during my previous incarnations. It has never been truer than in the spiritual cause that history repeats itself. During those periods the circumstances were different, but same God and same cause. The apostles, the asahaabs who worked for my cause, did it at the cost of everything, even life itself.

I am just introducing. The real points will begin after the introduction is over, so listen very carefully. Mass darshan at Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra and Dehra Dun has been enough now. And I tell you as gospel truth with divine authority that these programs, messages, addresses, mean nothing in the spiritual Path. My arti, my pujas, garlanding me, bowing down to me, absolutely mean nothing. From ages eternal, gods have been doing my puja. So why all this unnecessary waste of money through garlands, fruits and offerings? What I want is real work done.

(Ranga Rao and a few others had been in a car accident, and some people believed Baba had miraculously saved them from injury)

Ranga Rao, what saved you is not I. This meeting saved you all. What I want to say is, by attributing such miracles to me, people make me very cheap, and lower my status as the highest of the high. This I say today: the moment I break my silence and utter that original word, the first and last miracle of Baba in this life will be performed. It will be a miracle as I have never performed. I won't raise the dead, but I will make those who live for the world, dead to the world, and alive in God. I won't give sight to the blind, but will make those who see illusion blind to illusion, to see God as reality.

Introduction is over. Now the real point starts, which you must, each and all, listen to very carefully. It is about work. You have been called workers. You must understand what work is. You Andhra workers, big and small, rich and poor, have done your best to make the programs successful. I know that. This I say with happiness, that you have tried to express your love to me by spreading my messages of love. But somehow I feel something very wrong deep-rooted.

It is natural that amongst workers of any cause, political, social, spiritual, there may be differences of opinion - and not only differences of opinion, but also competition, jealousies - which lead to absolute breakdown of the basis of the work. Now, you are working for Baba. Is it necessary? If I am highest of the high and God incarnate, where is the necessity for me in my work to have all these entanglements, organisations, messages, this and that?

If I am not the infinite one, but just one like you, then thousands of such programs will be of no avail. Can I not in my silent way do the universal work myself? Because if I am Baba, which definitely I am, if the whole world goes against me or worships me, it is all the same to me. The only reason, maybe, why I call work and my workers, is to make you share the divine cause. And if you are prepared to share in my work, it must be done 100% honestly. You must work for me, my message of love. How, I will explain.

First of all, you should not at all seek or even expect appreciations from me or from others - and this sounds so easy while just dictated, but is almost impossible. Work in itself is its own appreciation. The moment you seek appreciation, the work is undone. It is true, some of you may be ready to work for me and my cause 100%. Yet because some of you have been poor and have large families, you cannot devote your time and your means for my work. But why work when beyond your means? Why depend upon some help to make you work for me? The moment the worker depends upon anything or anyone, the work is undone. Do as much as you can do, but do it honestly.

I have heard that people have been complaining about money being collected, money being used, money being spent but not accounted for. If this is true, stop all work. One penny, one pie* extracted in my name without true basis is dishonesty. (*pie = a very small Indian coin)

So today I want every one of you to pour out your hearts, and let us decide once and for all to work or to stop it. My dear friends, if you want to make people love me, show them that you really love me. Don't merely make them read my books and messages, but live a life of sacrifice for me, that they may automatically love me.

Last time when I visited Andhra I appointed KDRM four as pillars of my work in Andhra. K is Kutumba Shastri, D is Dr. Dhanipathirao, R is Ranga Rao, and M is Mallikarjanarao. I know each of you four love me wholeheartedly and work for me wholeheartedly, no doubt. But now I find it must be my own mistake in forgetting that north, south, west and east cannot meet at any point - four in different directions. So first let us find out if the four can work together or not as I want. So pour out your hearts to me honestly without any curtain. This will make me say something very original and lasting for all. Don't look at each other or fear each other.

(The four men each told Baba about their problems and disagreements)

Baba: I have not understood myself what work you are doing for me. If you are doing only propaganda, it is absurd. I don't want mere propaganda, or any kind of false publicity, never. Love and honesty I want. If you all cannot do that, then stop what you call work. I am quite capable of doing my work. So today I think we must try to stop the so-called work, that is how I think.

I have often said that I have not yet found one who could love me. There are about 220 men and women from East and West who have surrendered to me in such a way as to do anything I say. It is a fact. For example, Eruch. He is intelligent, has a good heart. If I order him to do anything, he will try 100%, even to cut himself to pieces. Pendu, Meherjee, Mandali who are with me since years together, they all are the same. Each of these 220 Mandali would lay down their lives. What I want to point out is, to surrender is higher than to love. And paradoxical as it may seem, to love me is impossible, but to obey me is possible, though very difficult. So to call yourself my workers and yet not to obey is hypocritical.

(Manik - Y. Manikyala Rao - got so excited criticising KDRM that he would not stop talking, even when Baba asked him to be quiet. Baba sent him out of the hall for five minutes. A little later, Baba had the Prayer of Repentance read out while he and all the men stood. Then Baba served each man another cup of coffee.)

Baba (to Manik): Your enthusiasm and love led you astray. I understand you wanted to spread my name through the books, and you did it with the best of motives, but no tact. You did not observe the principle. Did you see how my confessing tonight for our weakness was done? How I became the confessor on your behalf? Even when I appear to act, not only do I act the part, but I become that part. I confessed now wholeheartedly, did it for the whole universe, but became the one who confesses. My own principles I do not break. I am free, but principle must be maintained.

Q. Without money, how is propaganda possible?

Baba: It is without money only that Baba's real work can be done. Why propaganda? The word makes me look down. What will you tell people? Suppose you have a lot of money, how will you propagate my mission? My work ages ago was done without money, absolutely. As soon as the money question appeared, Judas sold me.

I will now make my points clear. I know KDRM are not dishonest. K is very cautious about money, I know that. D has some money. R has no money, M the same. So it is natural that they think that for Baba's work they must have money. But to depend upon money for Baba's work, and to extract money from others for Baba's work, is absolute dishonesty from my point of view.

Now I will tell you about money and what I think about it. From the day I kept silence, I even stopped writing, I even stopped touching money. But from that day till today, you have no idea how much money flowed past through my hands. Yet I have not a pie (small coin) with me. I am a fakir, but money passes by me, it comes and goes. But if you depend upon money for my work, then do not work for me, because how will you get money? Let us be very practical.

K: I feel it is the life we lead.

Baba: Very good. Live such a life which makes others love me. Show them that you love me. To ask people to give you money, and then you would in turn propagate Baba, how does it sound? So I think that unless you have anything else to suggest, the four of you, stop what you call work, and live the life of love, and by your living let others come to me. If you want to come to compromise, then there will be dishonesty.

Katta Subharao will say, 'I am not a fool. I can do Baba's work independently. Who are KDRM?' Kovvur people will say, 'We are capable of spreading Baba's love. Why must we be dominated by KDRM?' And so forth with others.

Remember, in my sixty years of life of this form, this is the first time such a meeting, where I discussed the details, has been attended by me. Not even in Hamirpur was such a meeting called. But because I felt something is seriously wrong, I called it. Absolute honesty or no Baba. I am Baba, I know it. Let KDRM be dissolved. Have you anything to suggest? Am I unjust in dissolving KDRM?

(Each of the four was asked 'Am I unjust in dissolving KDRM?' and each said no. Baba then said he had decided to dissolve KDRM, dissolve the centers, and said that everyone could become a Baba-center.)

Baba: I know definitely I love Andhra, and Andhra people have expressed their love in a way to touch my heart. Every one of you who is here tonight loves me, I know. So I feel very happy. The unique love expressed by all Andhras during all small and big programs has really touched me very deeply. Now once again I will confess before God, whoever he be, our weaknesses on behalf of you all, because the Elluru people were not here when I confessed the first time tonight. After the confession, if you really love me even a little, I want your hearts towards each other to be clean. Forget your past differences, clean your hearts, and live for Baba if you love Baba.

(One of the men asked how Baba's messages would reach them once the centers were dissolved.)

Baba: You are all the workers of Baba. Those who can afford money can go from place to place, tell people about my messages of love. Those who have little money can go round their own town, and by living the life of love, convert others to love for God. Those who have no money, large family and no time, they should convert their own houses to Baba's love. So then no centers, no offices, no accounts, people won't be asked for money, and Baba's love will be there. Is that not right?

(One of the men asked Baba if they could correspond with him after the centers were closed. Baba told him that he was stopping all correspondence. The man said, 'For others' fault, we have to suffer.')

Baba: It is no one's fault. It may be your fault, who knows? Is there anyone without weaknesses, defects and faults?

(One of the men said, "Only one, Baba. Baba, you are that one. Baba means God.")

Baba: God means all-knowing, all present. So I am in everyone and know everything. So it is my fault, whose else is it? I know everything, I am everything, and I do everything, so there is no fault. If I am God as you say, then there is no one's fault. If I am not God, then there is no one in the whole universe except myself who is at fault.

Katta Subarao, I am now fed up with this board and the silence. I must break silence before I drop the body, and when I break silence, you all who have come into contact with me will have some glimpse of me. Some small, some big, some little more. When the electric power-house switches on its main switch, wherever the connection and the bulb is, it is lighted. If the bulb is small, you get low candle light. If a high power bulb, high light. But if the bulb is fused, there will be no light. That is why I said that I have performed no miracle, but when I break my silence, the first and last of the greatest of all miracles will be performed. Love me wholeheartedly, that is the only thing. Love me, love me, love me, and you find me.

(Baba had the Prayer of Repentance read out for the second time, followed by a message he had recently dictated, 'Existence is substance and life is shadow,' in English. Then the Telegu translation was read out. Baba dictated instructions to Mouna Swami about a forty day fast that he had ordered him to undertake.)

Baba: From you Andhras, I want nothing. No surrender, no obedience, no mind, no body, no possessions. I want only love.

(Baba left around 2.35 a.m., and told the Mandali and workers to go to bed after 3 a.m.)

(The next morning Baba had the workers gather again in the hall)

Baba: Summing up last night's proceedings, I want to make some points very clear. I have dissolved KDRM, and as I said last night, officially I won't be concerned with any of the Andhra Meher centers. Even about books and all other literature about Baba, I won't be responsible or have any concern.

What I want is, those who really love me and want to work for me should each become a Baba center. How those who can afford, and how those who cannot afford can work for me, has been explained by me last night. In villages and in your own houses, that is your concern and not mine.

As I said last night, now I will have to work out alone my own program of silence and breaking the silence, so I won't be bothered with any correspondence. Now this dissolution of KDRM and Andhra Meher Centers might mean complications for those directly concerned, complications regarding office, publications, etc. Therefore I have ordered Adi to help you to clear the difficulties. You can all, if you like, correspond with Adi, Eruch, Pendu, and with any one of the Mandali.

But I order them, the Mandali, now, that not one word of the letters you write to them should be brought to my ears. So if Mandali advise you, when asked by you, don't take the advice as from me. They will definitely advise you for the best, because they have been long with me, yet do not take their advice as from me. If you find difficulty to clear out and close matters dealing with publications, books, etc., do ask Adi's advice and help. I have ordered him to help you all, but I will have no concern with what he advises you.

Certain complications about publications, or Meher Publications Andhra, which was personally entrusted to Mallikarjana Rao, are bound to arise on my dissolving Meher Publications Andhra. There will be difficulty to get over this problem unless helped by Adi. Adi should therefore help Mallik in such a way that Mallik is not put in an awkward position. But let everything be done and executed honestly.

I will have no concern whatsoever with either office or publications, whether this goes on or is stopped. It is the lookout of you four. Even if KDRM of their own want to continue, I have nothing to do. You can add, subtract, or be zero. I will have no concern. I am the servant and the Master simultaneously.

Ask Adi or any one of the Mandali to advise you and help you in your difficulties, because they know my ways. You can trust them not to mislead you purposely. But after asking them for advice and help, you should also think of it yourself, for after all, Mandali are not Baba.

Let me now see how you love Baba and how you work for Baba. I am everywhere and I am in you also, to see you. Now ask me something if you like. Ask me about your difficulties.

Q. What about our failings regarding spirituality?

Baba: I tell you that no one has failed. You love me wholeheartedly. When love is not at its height, it always creates a mess. There is no question of failing. I am very happy with you all. As I said last night, this is the first time I held such a meeting for the divine cause in sixty years of my life. If only you had a little glimpse of my divinity, all doubts would have vanished, and love, real love, established.

Illusion has such a tight grip that we forget reality. After 100 years this form you won't have, and yet today you don't feel this truth. If yesterday's accident to KDRM would have taken them away from this world and killed them, this muddle which is in their mind now, this moment, would not have been there. So KDRM, think that you are dead, and from now on you only live for me.

Venkateswara Rao: We are prodigal children, and not up to the mark. Give us help through Adi; that is my prayer.

Baba: Let us be very honest, absolutely honest. Adi has been with me like the few tested Mandali for a long period, and he has been doing office work for twenty years 100%. And even then, as I said, no one of my Mandali is Baba. Everyone has got weaknesses and defects. Advice you can have from Adi, but not as from Baba through Adi.

Annapurniah (editor of the weekly newspaper 'Velegu'): Will the Andhra lovers be informed of the time and place of Baba's breaking silence?

Baba: My dear 'Velegu,' if this is what is meant by breaking silence, it would be better I don't break it. All will know. Just as I told you last night, the power-house is to be switched on, and all connected with it will be lighted, so it will not be only here, but it will be throughout the world. But bulbs not working or fused will not be giving the light.

That is why I have been telling you all to love me more and more. All this talk of books, literature, is good for preparing the ground. But the time for the power-house to be switched on is so near that the only thing that will count now is love.

Again I say, if you want to make Andhra love me, and make them feel my love for them, then it is in your own individual hands to do so. This does not mean that you must necessarily work individually - I never said that. I say, each one of you be a Baba center, or you can work in groups as Baba centers. But all the same, I will have no concern with any centers.

This does not mean that you should not work on your own. I have now shown you how to work. But bear in mind, it is now all your own responsibility. You can establish 100 centers for Baba, and I will have no concern with any of them. You yourself will be concerned with them. It is all your concern and not mine.

But do bear in mind this much: that those who really want to work for me should live the life of Baba's lovers. That is, show people how you love Baba, and then you will have Baba-lovers all around you.

I want money-less love.

Only remember that although I do not perform miracles, I will give anything to whoever asks for it from the bottom of his heart. If I am Baba, I can do anything. You ask wholeheartedly, and you will get it from me. But this I tell you too, that the one who asks for my love will be the chosen one.

Time is very near when I will break my silence, and then, within a short period, all will happen: my humiliation, my glorification, my manifestation, and my dropping the body. All that will happen soon, and in a short period. So from this moment, love me more and more.

Don't do false propaganda. What your heart says, your conscience says about me, pour out without hesitation. Be unmindful of whether you are ridiculed or accepted in pouring out your heart for me to others.

If you take Baba as God, say so; don't hesitate. If you think Baba is the devil, say it out; don't be afraid. I am everything that you take me to be, and I am also beyond everything. Then why hesitate to say out or be afraid to express what you feel and what you think of me? Say it out frankly. I am both. But do not overrule your conscience, and do not exaggerate merely for propaganda.

If your conscience says that Baba is the Avatar, say it even if you are killed for it. But if you feel I am not that, then say that you feel Baba is not the Avatar. Do not fear, but be prepared to say out what you feel. On my own account, I say again and again, I am the ancient one, the highest of the high.

Meher Baba,
1-2 March 1954, Rajamundry, Andhra,
AD p112-123
Another version: GG5 p236-259

SATARA, 1954

O my lovers, I love you all. It is only because of my love for my creation that I have descended on earth. Let not your hearts be torn asunder by my declarations concerning the dropping of my body. On the contrary, accept my divine will cheerfully. You can never escape from me. Even if you try to escape from me, it is not possible to get rid of me. Therefore have courage and be brave.

If you thus lose your hearts, how will it be possible for you to fulfill the great task which I have entrusted to you? Be brave and spread my message of love far and wide to all quarters in order to fulfill my divine will. Let the words 'Baba, Baba' come forth from every nook and corner of the world, and from the mouth of every child, and let their ignorance be reduced to ashes by the burning flame of my love.

Come together in order to fulfill my will by taking your stand on truth, love and honesty, and be worthy of participating in my task. I give you all my blessings for spreading my message of love.

Meher Baba,
8 October 1954,
Satara, circular letter,
translated from Hindi by C.D. Deshmukh,
Aw 21:2 p1

MEHERABAD, 1955

Wherever I go, people flock about me by the hundreds and thousands. That kind of love is not what I want. Whether people worship or villify me, I remain what I am. Whether the whole world believes in God or denies him, God always remains God. I look forward to the love which enables the individual to obey me, so that he may find me and eventually become me. Therefore I do not want merely crowds to be attracted towards me. I want really sincere souls. I do not necessarily wait for them to come to me - I often go to them. I can - and do - do my own work. You can - and should - share it too.

It is easy to collect crowds, and it is easy for crowds to collect. My greatness cannot be established in the crowds and through the crowds. But even a few with love can make the masses feel my greatness, and keep the greatness established in their hearts. One single person who really loves me can move the whole world.

There is no one here, including myself, who can so love me. If all of you became my real lovers, we would need several more worlds for all of you to work in for me.

My work for you does not consist in your going around beating a big drum for me. Love needs no propaganda. You need love yourself in order to propagate love among others. To spread my love among the people, you have to make them understand me as you understand me. For that you have to bring them to love me as you love me. And that means you have to cause them to feel my love as you feel it. The best way is to show others by your own example how much you love me.

The world is too full of preachers and teachers. Never forget that I have not come to teach, and I need no preachers.

In the intimate spirit of the sahavas, I must be free and frank with you and tell you whatever I feel like saying. Why shout to others, 'Baba says God is the only reality, and all else is illusion,' when you yourself cannot help whispering to me about your own illusions?

There are doubtless many among you here who are sincere and painstaking in your efforts to explain my message to one and all, that they should ignore illusion and awaken to reality. Yet these sincere workers do not hesitate to bring to my attention their own tales of illusory woes and worries, such as 'Baba, I am short of money,' 'My wife is not in good health,' 'I am about to lose my job,' 'There is trouble in my business,' and so on. Would it be truthful for one of these to tell others, 'Baba says, do not worry about illusory things. God knows everything and God does everything'? Why preach at all what you yourself cannot put into practice?

If you do not find yourself free of falsehood, envy, slander, backbiting and hatred, and if you find in yourself lack of love and consideration for others, then instead of telling others Baba says this and Baba says that, you had best keep quiet and not show your face to those whom you would like to win over to me.

Suppose one of my followers is speaking before a gathering, and trying to tell them that Baba is reality and all else is illusion. Suppose that just then a telegram is given to him which tells of a bus accident in which all of his family have been killed. If, in spite of the tragedy and pain of what has happened, he continues to speak with greater conviction, then he has achieved real authority to speak about me and my teachings.

You win the right to tell others what you first accept in letter and spirit for yourself. Show outwardly only what you have won inwardly.

There is no doubt, for example, that I am the Avatar, the Ancient one. But how do you know that I am he? You say so mainly because I say so. I say so based on my own living experience of being that. But for you it is just a belief until you become me. Suppose your belief is wrong?

What I want to impress upon you is this: never give a twist to what you feel deep down in your own hearts. If you feel I am the Avatar, say openly 'Baba is the Avatar.' If you feel I am a fraud, do not hesitate to say 'Baba is a fraud.' I remain unaffected by praise or abuse. If you speak what you feel to be true, you have the force of truth to make others accept truth.

Honest differences between workers laboring in a common cause are signs of the vitality of the work. But a spirit of discipline is also essential in all creative activities of life. How can people work jointly without discipline? And on the other hand, where would there be scope for self-control and discipline if there were no differences between workers?

Your eyes, ears, nose and mouth are placed in different positions to serve varying purposes. They also appear different in size and shape, and yet all are equally yours. Besides serving specific direct purposes, all your organs are also complementary to each other, and in this respect equally valuable to you. There is no question of one organ competing with another for supremacy of position, or service to the body. Each serves in its individual capacity, and all harmonise in the smooth functioning of the whole body.

Differences between workers who toil in the cause of love and truth can either accentuate or mutilate them for other persons, and for the workers as well. Therefore differences must be properly harmonised and fairly adjusted with the aid of discipline, which is more to be lived sincerely within oneself than enforced upon others.

But neither differences nor discipline should ever be raised above love and truth. They should be sacrificed rather than be allowed to mar or cloud the main object. A body without a soul is best buried, burned or disposed of as quickly as possible. No one would like to die to save one's eyes or ears.

Your love for me should have free expression in the mode or form best suited to you. It should shine through you to others, awakening their hearts to receive this divine gift.

Gatherings and meetings in my name should be a channel for the expression of my love, and to give them any other importance is to misunderstand my cause.

Organisations may be necessary for carrying out work of a routine nature. But if I am the Avatar, I need no such things for my own work.

Although I would not be worth loving if I were not aware of someone's unexpressed love for me, why should anyone who wishes to express it be compelled to do so through some office or organisation?

My office should be the heart of everyone who loves me. The heart of each should be my shrine, and my lover the priest of that temple of love. Such a temple comes first, and the priest afterwards. A cart placed before the horse can serve no purpose. Love, and the heart which has love, are of greater importance than questions of the position or prestige of those who choose to take up my work.

A heavy railway train with two engines pulling it in the same direction is quickly moved up a steep grade. But a few cars pulled by two engines straining in opposite directions cannot make progress even on level ground.

Forget the past, and make the most of the present. Keep your own hearts clean. Learn to love each other first, before you tell others about my love for one and all. Give love, receive love, gather love. Everything else is dissolved eventually in the truth of divine love.

Let your own life of love for Baba be the message of Baba's love for one and all.

Meher Baba,
November 1955,
Meherabad,
LH p70-74

Work undertaken with honest intent and love is Baba's work. Such worker's are Baba's men. The greatest work one can do for Baba is to live the life of love, humility, sincerity and selfless service, in which there is not a trace of the slightest hypocrisy.

Baba's love is for all, and for each of Baba's lovers to live the life of selfless service - show an example to others - this satisfies Baba. Such a life and such a love are vital in Baba's work. They carry the weight of the highest responsibility because they really and truly carry Baba's love and message to others - much more than, and in contrast to, mere words.

Take for example A... He is good at heart. He goes to his place, tells of Baba and his greatness. 'Baba is Avatar. Love Baba. Leave the world, it is all illusion, etc., etc.' He also shouts 'Avatar Meher Baba ki jai.' Suddenly a wire comes saying there was a bus accident and that his family died. What happens? As soon as he reads the telegram, he starts fumbling and does not know what to do. What would those who saw him and listened to him think? That force with which he spoke about Baba and lectured (before he got the sad news) is gone...

In that way, whatever you say to others, do it yourself. Otherwise it is better not to say anything to anyone.

Take another example: B. goes to a different place. He says, 'Meher Baba is Avatar. Don't get angry, as Baba says we should not get angry. You will get thoughts of anger, but do not express them in words or action.' All are pleased and shout 'Avatar Meher Baba ki jai.' Suppose someone in the meeting hits B., and B. gets angry and abuses and hits back. Here Baba's man has expressed anger, and all his lecture was mere talk. Therefore the actual life you live must be a real example. Better not to tell anyone anything of Baba that you cannot do yourself. However hard you work to collect a crowd, will it enhance Baba's greatness? Crowds you can gather, but crowds will never prove the greatness of Baba...

Even if there are only a few selected ones who can love Baba, and who, by the example of the actual life they live, can create love for Baba and spread his message of love - that will be real work for Baba. Let your own life be my message of love for others.

The last time I went to Rajamundry I had a meeting of workers. I told what work meant and what workers should do. I dissolved the KDRM group. I dissolved the so-called centers and organisations. Every heart that loves me is my ashram. Only by living one's life as a true Baba-lover can one do my work.

Then some of you workers wanted a center. In the days of my seclusion, you formed a center, and later some differences arose between you. However, let the past be past. Don't look back. Forget the past. All of you love me. That alone will not do. You must love each other too. You must practise in your life what you preach. To gather crowds is no good and of no use. There must be trust and love between you. If you can do such work, do the work. Otherwise it is better you do no work at all.

Let every heart of a lover be a shrine for Baba, and you yourself are Poojari for that shrine.

One very good thing I want to say. If you all follow it, all difficulties will be solved. To the members of the committee: love one another amongst you. Then let them speak of love to others. I tell also every individual lover the same thing. You yourself first establish love within yourself. If you can follow my instructions, even if you are a lover outside the committee, you can do Baba's work better. Only when you love and trust one another can you tell others of Baba's love.

Forget the past. For the future, let love and trust prevail. If you dare to love me, those lovers who are not included in the committee, you can show the committee that you can do better and do more than this committee. Don't think that any member of the committee is greater than any individual lover outside the committee. You too (who are not in the committee) can do Baba's work of spreading his love.

For Baba, what is important is love and heart. Not wealth or prestige or intelligence. If there is heart and head both, it is ideal and exceptional. Love, head, heart and wealth all together is practical and exceptional.

Meher Baba,
November 1955,
Meherabad,
LJ p77-81
Another (partial) version: LB p63-65

NEW YORK, 1956

Q. Have you heard of an American evangelist by the name of Billy Graham? Have you met and spoken with him?

Baba: No.

Q. Have you heard of his work?

Baba: I know.

Q. Can you tell us what you think of his work?

Baba: Any work done in the name of God or Lord Jesus is a good work. But it must be done sincerely, honestly, without taking any pride in it, without wanting to profit through it.

23 July 1956,
New York,
in answer to a reporter's
questions at a press conference,
Aw 4:3 p18

MYRTLE BEACH, 1956

Notes from a meeting, 29 July 1956, Myrtle Beach, a little after 8 am. Filis Frederick wrote:

'After pacing rapidly about for a few moments, he settled himself in a wicker chair under a pine tree, and we all seated ourselves facing him on the dark brown tanbark for the meeting on the groups that had been postponed from the night before.'

Baba: "Last evening I told John Bass and others that in India there are many groups. Each has a group head, and all work for the love of me. All love me. The group heads are responsible for the work the group does. In India, in the different groups, there are different castes, different religions, those of different economic status. There are Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus... but all love Baba. All want to work for me, and to spread my message of love and truth. Muslims work in their own localities to bring Muslims, Parsis and Christians do the same thing.

"Here, I have been hearing for a long time about the two groups in the U.S., but there has been some misunderstanding. What is the difficulty?"

(John Bass was the head of the Monday night group, and Ivy Duce head of the Sufi group. John stood and said that at times the two groups had a tendency to unite, or to try and attract each other's members.)

Baba: "Ivy, are you happy? How do you feel? (she nodded.) Fine. Are you ready for a nice fight? How do you feel? (laughter)

(John continued, saying he always emphasised that those who had met Baba in 1952 did not need any 'ism,' but only to read and study Baba's own teachings.)

Ivy: Since Baba himself has designed and created a charter for Sufism Reoriented, it is silly to say no 'ism' is necessary. Baba wants this 'ism.'

Baba: "I want you all to bear in mind one thing. I now emphasise one point which I emphasised in India also, when I called all together at the Andhra meeting. I said that for me there is no need for centers, for different places, nor different groups with different heads or names. My center is the heart of every lover. Every lover with a heart that loves Baba is a center.

"The second point I would like to emphasize is that whoever wants to work spreading my message of love and truth absolutely needs a central office and groups of workers who can function from that central office. There is always a need for a group to have a center. You can have many such centers. Myrtle Beach is such a center, and it stretches for many miles. But there should be cooperation, harmony, and the group heads should not try to win over other members from one office to another. Why? What for, when all work for Baba. There should be harmony, cooperation.

"Ivy once said to me that if I ordered it, she would just dissolve the Sufi order and have nothing to do with it, but I said no. On the contrary, I gave her a charter to hold meetings, have an office, conduct affairs, which she does. I am the greatest Sufi of the past, present and future. I have ordered the Sufis to continue, and I have also instructed John Bass to hold his group meetings on Mondays, and told Dana Field that he can have his own group to bring together as many new lovers as possible.

"There should be no competition. Each one, especially the group heads, should be an example to the others, be humble as dust. One must become like dust to work for God. The ego should not be tickled about position and office and say, 'I am a group head.' Those that work under certain group heads should not leave them. Under certain circumstances one may change one's group, because all are doing my work. But that does not mean every worker should have his hand 'on both sides of the drum' as we say in India. It also does not mean that people of one group should not be on harmonious terms with the other group... in fact, there should always be loving cooperation for my work.

"Ivy loves me. She tells her Sufi group to love me. John Bass tells his group to love me. Everything comes to me. Everything is as if said to me. You should not gossip about each other. All should be friends. Ivy, you have written wonderful letters about John.

John: Especially since the book 'God Speaks.'

(laughter - John had sold a great many of the books, which Ivy and her group had published)

Ivy: That's unkind. Makes me sound like cupboard love. It's wrong to say that people should not come to Baba through 'isms.' You are welcome to choose your own path with your leader. But you should not go back and forth. All should join in any joint Baba project.

Meherji: What's wrong with attending a meeting now and then?

Baba: They can go. But it usually creates some misunderstanding. In your body, everything belongs to you... arms, hands, but however hard you try, you cannot strangle yourself with your own hands. You cannot do it. Don, you explain.

Don Stevens: Baba says, each of us has our own two hands. our own two arms. Have you ever felt your own hands would strangle you? They may try but they cannot. They could only strangle another person.

Baba: "John Bass is my left hand, Ivy is my right hand, and all of you my throat. So how can these two hands throttle me? Is it possible? Suppose there is a red ant. It's possible the right hand might slap the left hand in killing it...

"What about Elizabeth? To what group does she belong? Yet she may be loving me even more than any group heads, or those working in certain groups. There may be greater lovers of Baba than the group heads; that is not to be judged. Yet, someone who does not belong to any group may be the greatest lover of all.

"What I want is love, and to make others know about truth... what I say about truth and love for humanity. So naturally you have groups and offices. Everything should be done in harmony. Each group should cooperate with each other. If someone belongs to the Sufis today, and wants to join John Bass' group, he can do so. But if he then tells John his group is hopeless, useless, and goes back to the Sufis and condemns John's group, the grace of my love is set aside. I don't like backbiting, criticism, confusion, which creates misunderstanding and confusion...

"If you want to change groups, do it, but do not keep going back and forth."

Sam Cohen: Suppose one feels that meditating by oneself is service. I like to visit the Monday group, but not all the time.

Baba: I would like you all to belong to certain groups. Why? Because you can cooperate and tell others about me and share your thoughts. You learn much more than when you remain by yourself. When you listen, exchange thoughts, prayers, my presence is there. Where there are five collected together, Parameshwar is there, I am there. If you are talking of me, having love for me, then there I am... Is it all clear?

(Bili Eaton asked how they should conduct the meetings)

Baba: "Why be bound by my instructions? Be free."

(Kitty Davy suggested that the groups should meet jointly once in awhile during the year. Ivy said that they did meet together on Baba's birthday. Others said that that wasn't often enough. Then Baba referred to a meeting planned to take place in India.)

Baba: "In India, at the meeting, all points wil be cleared up to those who attend. I don't want to tell anything about this meeting. Nothing has ever happened like it before. Continue to work as you are doing until that meeting. Everything will be cleared up then. I want you all to continue as you have been doing, on the lines I gave out this morning, until the next meeting, when everything will be made clear to you. Until then, continue to work.

"If John Bass comes to know of some good news, it is his duty to tell the others. The other group heads should know about it, and vice versa. Then all can love me. I want to create the head and heart in balance..."

29 July 1956,
Myrtle Beach,
Aw 4:4 p30-32
Another version: HM p263-265

POONA, 1957

I love all. But I do not necessarily need the rich, the respectable and the intelligent for my work. I need the simple common people, irrespective of their weaknesses. Simple-hearted fisherman gathered around Jesus. Krishna was happy in the company of light-hearted gopis, the cowherd companions. Was not Pendya, a lame gopi, very dear to Krishna? I am happy in your company, for it is only love that matters, and not the 'position.'

... What do you understand when I say that your heart should become a Baba-center? In your bhajans you sing of me as being the ancient one. I am the ancient one. But you have not finished your part of the thing merely by singing about me. You have to live up to what you say or sing. This is the true meaning of your being my center. You must be very careful in your everyday life, about your thoughts, words and deeds. Negligence in this respect will be dishonoring me.

Baba: (smiling) One good thing that is common to you all is that you love me, and the second is that you quarrel among yourselves. (Laughter)

Worker: Baba, now there is an end to our quarrels. We work as a team.

(Baba asked if anyone else had anything to say about this)

Second worker: To be frank, Baba, I wish to bring to your notice that there are still some honest differences of opinion as regards the nature of the work that we are doing at the center.

Baba: Yes, go on.

Second worker: Some of our group are of the opinion that you being the Avatar, you alone can do the Avataric work. So they think that there is no need for them to work in the way it is being done through the center.

Baba: But what do you personally think about this?

Second worker: I like to run the center and thus spread your name and message of love and truth to the people.

Baba: I am pleased with this frank discussion. Be what you are, and do what you feel best in my love. If some of you believe in me as the Avatar, it is as it should be. But you should honestly feel it with all your heart.

Now, if you take me to be the Avatar, I pervade and become all beings, including you all. Then it naturally follows that those who believe me to be the ancient one must work, since I myself work. For one who has the irrevocable conviction that I am the highest of the high, work is no work. It all becomes sahaj.*

Work means to love Baba wholeheartedly. You should get lost in it, so much so that you forget yourself completely. But such a love is a gift rarely received. If you do not have such love, obey me implicitly. Carry out my orders, regardless of any comments from others. And you know what pleases me.

If this also is not possible, try, try your very best to remember me, and thus love Baba. Run Meher centers, sing bhajans, and tell others about me and my message. And I repeat, be sincere and honest to act according to what you preach.

I know that I am the highest of the high. So I say unto you, 'love me, love me.' This is the only thing that matters. The law says, 'live for others.' I, being the one without a second, pervade all, including the others. So it is quite in conformity with the law when I say 'love me.'

You are all blessed to have come in my personal contact, but make the most of it. Much can be said, and will be left unsaid, about work. However, for the present, you must be very particular up to 31st March 1958 about observing the following orders... mentioned in the recent Life Circular**:

1. Be determined to obey Baba.

2. Abstain from lustful action.

3. Be honest. Do not deceive or give false hopes to anyone.

4. Don't hurt the feelings of others.

8 December 1957,
Poona,
Aw 19:2 p4, 32
*sahaj = natural, effortless
**Life Circular 37
20 October 1957, LC p79-85

The complete text of the orders was:

"Now, for six months, up to March 1958

1. Be ready and determined to do whatever I ask you to do.

2. Do no lustful action whatsoever; even husband and wife had better remain celibate.

3. Be honest. Honesty demands that you deceive no one, give no false hope or empty promise.

4. Try your very best not to hurt the feelings of others, but not to the extent of doing any lustful action.

Those who have not surrendered to me, or who cannot do so, but would nevertheless like to obey me, should consider the last three injunctions as my order to them."

(LC p85)

In March, Baba extended the order to July 10, 1958, with this exception:

"However, I exempt married couples from the injuction of their remaining celibate."

(LC p86)

AHMEDNAGAR, 1962

I am happy to hear that my lovers at Nagar are inaugurating the Meher center at Khushru Quarters. Though it is true that my real center is in the heart of the individual, it is helpful for my lovers to come together and think and talk about me, to discuss my teachings and messages, compare notes with each other, and cooperatively try to come closer to me in understanding and spirit. The one who does not seek my blessings, and desires nothing from me but to be able to love and serve me, is my true lover.

In view of my long stay at Meherabad and Meherazad, the Nagar Meher center has a special responsibility and a role to play. In the future, when Meherabad and Meherazad become places of pilgrimage for my lovers all over the world, the world will be rightly looking forward to the Nagar Meher center for receiving my love and truth.

It is therefore for you to have these from me by keeping yourself in inner contact with me, by bringing your lives into tune with my will, and by living in a manner that would inspire others to follow you in loving me.

My nazar will be on everyone participating in the functions of the Nagar Meher center, which no doubt will have a bright future, rising up to the expectations which the world will naturally build up.

May you all inherit my life eternal.

My love and blessing to you.

1962, Ahmednagar
for the opening of the Ahmednagar Meher Baba center
'The Early History of the Ahmednagar Center' by Ward Parks
Meherana Messenger 1995: 2 p3
nazar = the glance of the Master. Nazar has also been translated as 'grace' and 'blessing.'

POONA, 1962

Your coming to me from different places, and from across oceans, has pleased me. And although no sacrifice to be near me is too great, I am touched by the sacrifice that some of you have made to come here.

Those who have not been able to come to me should not feel disheartened, for my love is with them, as always, and specially so at this time. I know how they are longing to be near me, even for an hour, and how helpless they are in their circumstances.

You have come from great distances, not for some convention or conference, but to enjoy my company, and feel afresh my love in your hearts. It is a coming together of the children of East and West in the house of their father.

All religions of the world proclaim that there is but one God, the father of all in creation. I am that father. I have come to remind all people that they should live on Earth as the children of the one father, until my grace awakens them to the realisation that they are all one without a second, and that all divisions and conflicts and hatreds are but a shadow-play of their own ignorance.

Although all are my children, they ignore the simplicity and beauty of this truth by indulging in hatreds, conflicts and wars that divide them in enmity, instead of living as one family in their father's house. Even amongst you who love me and accept me for what I am, there is sometimes lack of understanding of one another's hearts.

Patiently I have suffered these things in silence for all my children. It is now time that they become aware of the presence of their father in their midst, and of their responsibility towards him and themselves.

I shall break my silence, and with my word of words, arouse my children to realise in their lives the indivisible existence which is God.

Throughout the years I have been giving many messages and discourses. Today I simply want to tell you, who are gathered here in my love, to shut the ears of your minds, and open the ears of your hearts, and hear my word when I utter it.

Do not seek my blessing, which is always with you, but long for the day when my grace will descend on all who love me. Most blessed are they who do not even long for my grace, but simply seek to do my will.

'My Dear Children,'
November 1962, Poona
to a gathering of his followers,
PS p134-135
from a booklet 'The 1962 East-West Gathering'

In spite of telling you very often that I will not give you any more messages or discourses, I find myself doing just this thing, which is what I do not want to do. This is because most of you do things which I do not like you doing.

I had to give you a message yesterday because you expected one; and the theme of the message was on your being my children, because despite much talk about a Baba-family, there is more a semblance than a reality of kinship among you, who are the children of one father.

True children of one father do not greet one another with smiles and embraces, and at the same time harbor grudges and ill-feelings; but they have an active concern in their hearts for the well-being of one another, and make sacrifices for that well-being.

If you make me your real father, all differences and contentions between you, and all personal problems in connection with your lives, will become dissolved in the ocean of my love.

You are all keen on spreading my message of love and truth, and many of you in the East and West have laboured hard in this work; publishing magazines and other literature, organising meetings, sacrificing your vacations in traveling, building halls, and having statues made of me. But I wonder how much of my love and truth has been in your work of spreading my message of love and truth!

Unless there is brotherly feelings in your hearts, all the words that you speak or print in my name are hollow; all the miles that you travel in my cause are zero; all organisations for my work are but an appearance of activity; all buildings that contain me are empty places; and all statues that you make to embody me are of someone else.

I have been patient and indulgent over the way you have been doing these things, because you have been very young children in my love, and children must have some sort of games to play. But now you are older, and are beginning to realise that there is a greater work ahead of you than what you have been doing. And you have been searching your minds and hearts as to what this work might be.

It is not a different work to what you have been already doing - it is the same work, done in a different way. And that way is the way of effacement, which means the more you work for me, the less important you feel in yourself.

You must always remember that I alone do my work. Although only the one who has become one with God can serve and work for all, I allow you to work for me so that you have the opportunity to use your talents and capacities selflessly, and to draw closer to me.

You should never think that, in your work for me, you are benefiting others; for by being instrumental in bringing others to me, you are benefiting yourself.

My work is your opportunity. But when you allow yourself to intervene between you and my work, you are allowing the work to take you away from me. When you put my work before yourself, the work will go right, although not necessarily smoothly. And when the work does not go right, it means you have put yourself between it and its accomplishment.

The way of my work is the way of effacement, which is the way of strength, not of weakness, and through it you become mature in my love. At this stage you cannot know what real love is, but through working for me as you should work for me, you will arrive at that ripeness where, in a moment, I can give you that for which you have been millions of years seeking.

'My Dear Workers,'
November 1962, Poona
to a gathering of his followers,
PS p135-136
from a booklet 'The 1962 East-West Gathering'

"Baba wants his lovers to spread far and wide his message of love and truth, in the spirit of his message 'My Dear Children' and 'My Dear Workers' given by him during the East-West gathering at Poona in November 1962."

December 1962,
PS p136, also FL p149

Do whatever needs to be done, but do it as a spiritual being; as one who knows he is divine by nature and united with the whole of life in essence.

Do it as if you are doing it for me or for God. Do it with equal consideration for the interests of all concerned, for God is equally in each. Do it with utmost concentration, yet with utter detachment from the results of action. Leave the fruit of action to me or to God.

Do it as if it were the most important thing in the universe, yet let it be destroyed, or ignored, or ridiculed, without concern, or let it be praised without elation. Leave the response to me or to God.

Do it, in short, as if you were not doing it at all, but as if I or God were doing it through you.

date and place unknown,
PS p208
from 'The Unstruck Music of
Meher Baba,' ed. Maude
Kennedy, p1

Working for Meher Baba Book Two

Index - Book One