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On the 16th of October 1949, Beloved Baba and His companions set out on the New Life.
Soon after setting out, Baba instructed Dr Ghani to compose the “Song of the New Life of Baba and His Companions”. Dr. Ghani wrote the New Life
song in Hindi, and after some corrections by Baba, Baba asked him to translate it into English.
Dr Ghani described the following incident regarding the New Life Song in his diary:
“The standing order of Baba for the companions is to retire to bed at 8 P.M. and not before 8 P.M. As usual, the companions were in their beds,
chatting and cracking jokes. Baba visited the hutment with Eruch at about 9 P.M. and the companions were taken by surprise, by this unusual
visit.
The purport of the visit was soon divulged, when Baba discussed the ‘Song of the New Life’, saying, ‘The song composed by Dr Ghani is
excellent. Not only it has incorporated in it, the conditions and requirements of the New Life, but it contains poetical beauty too. But somehow I
feel, that the song is likely to be misunderstood and misinterpreted by the world outside as encouraging atheism and communism.’ A long discussion
ensued and ultimately all agreed that something more be added to forestall and remove such a possible wrong impression. Baba thereupon asked Dr
Ghani to compose a last quatrain for the song. The idea, for which Baba himself supplied.” 1
In the book Tales of the New Life, Meheru remembered, “It used to be sung every day by Adi in
Baba’s presence, and I think Baba used to accompany him on the drum. Other qawali songs were also sung, with Baba accompanying on the drum. It was
actually a dholak, I think. Often in the evening Baba would play the dholak for us in our quarters. We would sit and listen, entranced by the
beautiful rhythm and sound, watching Baba’s slender graceful fingers as he played and the expression of intense absorption in his eyes, as though
he were one with the music.” 2
Below are pages from Pendu’s notebook in which he wrote by hand the “Song of the New Life.” Pendu was a companion on the New Life, and perhaps
wrote the song out to have it on hand for when Baba asked the New Life companions to sing it in the evenings. Note that the last quatrain has been
written to the side; it may well have been added after Baba and the companions’ nighttime discussion.3
SONG OF THE NEW LIFE
Listen to the silent words of Meher Baba;
The life-story of all lovers [of God] is based on the practice of these words.
If you are serious about living this New Life,
Then wholeheartedly renounce this ephemeral existence.
We have taken to this life, in which we rely only on God;
In this, our will [to do or die] is strengthened by the oath taken.
We are merrily singing the song of hopelessness;
We are inviting all calamities and difficulties.
We neither wail over lost hopes, nor complain about [broken] promises;
We neither covet honor, nor shun disgrace;
Backbiting we know not, nor do we fear anyone;
This is now the color of our New Life.
No confusion in the mind, now, nor any ties left;
Pride, anger, lust and greed we know not.
We have no religion, nor care for physical and mental fads.
The Shaikh and the Brahmin - typifying all castes and creeds - are now sailing in the same
boat.
There is no small or great now for us all;
The questions of disciple, Master or Godhood no longer arise.
Brotherliness or fellow-feeling is the link that exists,
And this contributes to our present enjoyment of suffering.
This world or the next, hell or heaven, we no longer bother about;
Shaktis and siddhis, occultism and miracles we no longer think of.
All these false impressions [thoughts] for us have been purged from the mind.
What has value and importance for us now is to live in the active present.
Dear ones, take seriously the words of Baba when he says:
Although now I am on the same level with you all,
Yet all orders from me, good, bad, extraordinary,
You should all carry out immediately, leaving the result to God.
Even if the heavens fall,
Do not let go the hand of Truth.
Let despair and disappointment ravage and destroy the garden [of your life];
Beautify it once again by the seedlings of contentment and self-sufficiency.
Even if your heart is cut to bits, let there be a smile on your lips!
Here I divulge to you a point worth noting:
Hidden in your penniless hands is treasure untold;
Your beggarly life will be the envy of kings!
God exists indeed, and true are the Prophets.
Every cycle has an Avatar, and every moment has a wali.
For us, however, it is only hopelessness and helplessness,
How else can I describe to you what our New Life is? 4
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1 Dr. Abdul Ghani Munsiff, Diary of the New
Life, Avatar Meher Baba Trust Archives.
2 Tales from the New Life with Meher Baba, Narrated by Eruch,
Mehera, Mani and Meheru, Edited by D.E. Stevens, Rick M. Chapman, James M. Hastings, Gary and Patty
Freeman, The Beguine Library, © 1976 Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust. Online
edition pp150-151.
3 Pendu (Aspandiar Rustom Irani), "New Life Prayer and Song notebook”, Avatar Meher Baba Trust
Archives.
4 Meher Baba’s New Life, by Bhau Kalchuri, Introduction by Jeff Wolverton, © 2008 by Bhau
Kalchuri pp156-157
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Meher Baba's Life & Travels
