DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

CONTROLLING NOT TO KILL SPARROWS

10 December, 1928

Baba then narrated this true tale:

The spiritual path is not a bed of roses. After fourteen years of fasting, the great yogi Farid Shakkar Ganj had reached the fourth plane but only knew how to kill sparrows.  Once a Sadguru was sitting in the shade of a tree observing him. Seeing the birds, Farid said, "Let all the sparrows drop dead!" Instantly all the sparrows were dead. Then Farid, by his command, made them come alive again.

The Sadguru taunted him, "That is nothing! Learn fakiri [control over desires]."

Once Farid found an old woman lowering a bucket into a well and drawing it back up again empty. This happened several times and he expressed his surprise. The old woman, who was a saint on the fifth plane, replied, "It is better than your commands of 'Die and come alive!' "

Hearing this, Farid was awakened to the reality of his powers and began searching for a Master. He found one, and by the Master's grace became a Perfect Master himself.

You say you are troubled, but it is nothing. Your troubles and harassment will eventually result in your gaining the power of not killing sparrows, but of killing your self! There is no use in my describing to you the effulgence of God. One day you will experience it.

Lord Meher On-line page 996

Lord Meher Vol.3 p.1126