DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

 

MASTERS DUTIES & WORKINGS

 

 

14th May, 1926

 

In the 1920s, Meher Baba never publicly declared himself to be the Avatar, but his Masters, Hazrat Babajan and Upasni Maharaj, did reveal this to their devotees who informed others.

 

A few weeks later, Baba explained:

 

Some Masters are known to the public and some are unknown. But that makes no difference in their duties and workings. These go on as usual.

 

This question of publicity depends generally on the circumstances during the Master's lifetime. Take the instance of, Babajan, Upasni Maharaj and myself. There is a big difference: Babajan has no publicity given to her through books; Maharaj had none until the publication of his biography; while I have had publicity from the very first year of my public appearance at Meherabad.

 

Every Master has at least one Master. In my case, I had two [principal ones] — one a Mohammedan and the other a Hindu.

 

Now the reason why I had two gurus. I was born in an Irani [Zoroastrian] family. This taking birth in a certain family and community, etc. is due to previous sanskaras. The sanskaras of a Zoroastrian are equal to those of a Hindu plus those of a Mohammedan. (Maharaj has also said so and we shall see why.)

 

For instance, a Hindu who believes in the existence of only one God, in spite of so many deva-devis and other higher powers mentioned in Hindu Shastras and scriptures — if he is not Realized in that birth, his next birth will be in a Mohammedan family, as Mohammedans staunchly believe in the existence of one God and His Prophet.

 

Then again, a Hindu who is fond of eating meat, and argues the doctrines of Hindu scriptures in that connection — Why should meat be prohibited and vegetarian food forced upon Hindus? — and begins to partake of non-vegetarian food and spend time outside his community, he too will collect those sanskaras, which will give him birth in a Mohammedan family in his next life.

 

Now let us see how the sanskaras of a Zoroastrian are equal to those of a Hindu and a Mohammedan. Zoroastrians believe, respect and pay reverence to fire and the sun, both of which are also considered sacred elements amongst Hindus — hence Hindu sanskaras. But in spite of the Zoroastrian's belief, honor and reverence for the elements of Nature, a Zoroastrian is a staunch believer in the existence of one Ahuramazda as the Creator of all universes — just the same as held by Mohammedans — hence Mohammedan sanskaras. Therefore, a Zoroastrian has the sanskaras of both a Hindu and a Mohammedan.

 

It means that, at this time, it was necessary that the Master should be manifested in this Zoroastrian form, whose sanskaras are a mixture of Mohammedan and Hindu ones. And to "drive away" both types sanskaras, two Masters were required — one a Hindu and the other a Mohammedan.

 

Lord Meher On-line page 652-3