DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

 

ALL  ARE  EQUAL  IN   HIS  SIGHT

 

 

22nd September, 1926

 

Baba issued the following three orders:

 

1. None of the mandali, especially the Mahars in the mandali, should have anything to do with the Arangaon Harijans. If anyone is found committing a breach of this order, Baba should immediately be informed.

2. The headman of the village [Maruti Patil] should buy meat daily from Arangaon and throw it to the dogs in Meherabad. Money should be given to him for this purpose.

3. For one minute each day, everyone at Meherabad should pray to God to grant good sense and better wisdom to the Arangaon Mahars.

 

Baba then stated:

 

Had a yogi been in my place and the Arangaon villagers done what they have done, the yogi would certainly have killed half a dozen people with his occult powers. He would have struck terror in their hearts and made them desist from such vile actions.

But a Sadguru never does so. His ways are of kindness and conciliation. He pities such people instead of being angry with them in any way. To us Masters, all are equal; the villagers are on the same level with you.

 

Baba related the following story to illustrate his point:

 

A yogi residing near a village had many followers. People coming to him from long distances were amazed at his miraculous powers. His name spread far and wide and many people would stay with him in hope of material gains.

A river flowed by the village and across it, in a tiny hut, lived a Sadguru. Because he would not perform miracles, very few would visit the Master. He would win people's hearts with love and direct them to tread the path to God.

Over a period of time, the Sadguru's following increased and the yogi felt jealous. He decided to defame the Master in an attempt to turn people against him. One day he called a prostitute and told her, "Go and charm that old man living in the hut across the river. Make him drink and eat meat. Captivate him with your beauty and guile."

 

The harlot, being his follower, readily agreed to do as commanded.

In the evening, with wine and mutton, she went to the Sadguru and said, "Lord, give me a chance to serve you. I wish to sing before you, to entertain you and to feed you."

The Sadguru knew everything, and it was his game to agree. He was sitting with his disciples, the woman made him drink wine and eat meat as she sang and danced for him. And the whole time the Sadguru smiled and laughed and pretended to be enjoying himself.

The following day the woman told the yogi everything, and gathering his followers around him, the yogi in turn recapitulated what had happened. The yogi said that it was not good to have such a false saint near them as he would spoil the morality of the entire village. An angry mob formed and all agreed that he should be forced out. Thereupon, the yogi mounted his horse and with his followers began crossing the river. As they were crossing, his horse stopped in midstream and started to urinate.

From the opposite bank of the river, the Sadguru saw the yogi and called out, "Hey, what are you doing? Your horse is polluting the water of this river!"

The yogi laughed and replied, "You old fool! Do you think the river's water will become impure by the horse's urine?"

The Master replied, "If a little urine cannot pollute a river, how can an ocean be polluted by a little wine and a piece of meat?"

At that moment, the yogi was awakened. He understood his mistake and recognized the Master to be perfect. He at once surrendered to him and dedicated himself to serving the Master. And eventually all his followers did the same.

 

Baba concluded, "God is in everything, one and indivisible; all are equal in His sight."

 

LM O/L p. 715