DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

 

NOT A SINGLE MAN AMOUNG YOU

 

 

 

14 September, 1927

 

On the way back to Meherabad, Baba quoted the proverb, "The path of Truth is not a bed of roses" and commented:

 

The path of Truth is indeed not a bed of roses, and there are hardly any who can stand the severe trials imposed by the guru, much less succeed in them.

 

They all fail, one after the other, for one reason or the other.

Hence it is that I say, Stand firm! Stick to your guru and to the cause of Truth alone. Do not change like weather cocks [vanes]. Boldly face the opposition of the whole world while upholding and sticking to your guru. Do not leave, whatever may be the odds you face. The force of maya is indeed very, very great, at times irresistible even for great heroes and hardened soldiers for Truth. But stand firm like a rock, letting the strongest winds of difficulty blow past without affecting you. For remember, he who intends to get himself established in this line and who is sincerely desirous of advancement has to experience hardships at every step. For instance, if one wishes to surrender himself to a guru, he encounters difficulties from the very beginning coming at him from his own family and society.

If he manages to overcome that, then another difficulty arises — monetary or financial problems, if not for him personally, then for his family or dependents. If that problem is circumvented, a third difficulty is ready and waiting for him in the form of physical difficulties that disable and dishearten him. And so it continues. Only those who have created within themselves a general dislike or apathy towards all material maya can withstand all these obstacles. And yet, they are where they are, with Truth and Realization a very, very long way off. Simply to think of the extraordinary trials that the guru subjects you to would make even the staunchest among them run away.

 

About Chhagan, Baba remarked,

 

Chhagan was quite firm, resolute, and determined to stick to me, renouncing all else. But he actually disobeyed and broke a series of my orders specially given to him, that he should go to his family and wife in advance, before the wedding party arrived at the destination. Thus he creditably stood all the trials and tests that I intentionally subjected him to. But, in spite of his firm will and intention to stick to me, under pressure from his wife's family, he gave in at last — for whatever reason, good or bad. That should not be. He must stick to one word, one attitude, one aim — even if the whole world opposes him.

I have been cautioning the mandali to take a firm decision either to stay with me or not to stay, and Chhagan decided to remain with me — leaving everything.

 

He should have stuck to his decision, especially when he had invited me to his father-in-law's house. He should not have remained behind with his in-laws. If he had any sense he would have accompanied me back to Meherabad. He is still kacha [unripe, raw] and inexperienced. This was the reason I drew your attention this morning to the fact that there was not a single real man among you. This hint referred to you all in general and Chhagan in particular.

 

In this particular episode today, Chhagan may have been impelled by an honest and sincere motive and by genuine consideration for me, since he may not have been able to bear the words of others of his family and of outsiders against me and the mandali. But what are these "words" of ridicule or blame or defamation? To us Sadgurus, they are the chirping of sparrows and nothing more. So should you, ordinary human beings, treat the taunting words of the people of the world quite lightly, indeed, disregarding them utterly — particularly those of you who want to enter into the spiritual line.

 

In conclusion, Baba stated:

 

Look at your own shadow. It seems so near you, indeed, not even separate from you. Now try to grasp at your shadow. The more you try, the more it flies away and eludes you. Even if you follow it till doomsday, still it won't come within your grasp. In the same way, God is not only actually attached to you but within you. So near to you, yet so queer; so distant, so hard, so inaccessible is God! For though He is near you, you cannot even see Him, much less grasp Him. To see or realize God is not so easy a task as most people think. It is actually death — death in the real sense of the word.

 

 

 

 

 

Lord Meher On-line page 775-7

Lord Meher V3 p.908