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MEHER  BABA'S  BOOK

Since the very early beginnings of the settlement of Meherabad, India, those who were with Meher Baba, knew that he was writing about all aspects of the mysteries of spiritualism mainly on the timber structure known as the Table Hut ( as shown below ).

These manuscripts, notebooks were always with him as he travelled and no-one was allowed to read the contents.

At times these manuscripts ( bundled up ) were left in the care of individuals and at banks. The years past and the whereabouts of these manuscripts disappeared and that remain so till this day.

The following video tries to unravel the mystery around these written documents by Meher Baba.

Early October 1925 - Meherabad, India

The Master had ordered Ajoba to construct a large teakwood table, 15^3/4 feet long, 5^3/4 feet wide and 4^1/4 high. Attached underneath it, he was to build a small cabin of the same width, but only 8 feet long and 3 feet high. The Table Cabin was built in such a way that there was only room inside for a person to sit. It was first kept near the Post Office building, but on 4 October, it was moved under the neem tree opposite the Jhopdi.

Baba's gaadi ( bed-ottoman ) was placed alongside the cabin, under the overhanging top. The hand grinding mill was affixed beside the table, where Baba, along with his brother Jalbhai, would grind grain each day.

Baba had been writing his book in the Jhopdi ( hut ) since mid-July. Although he wrote in the mornings, after his supervisory duties were over, he would sometimes retire to the Jhopdi and continue his writing during the day, with the door closed. Baba did not reveal what he was writing in his book or allow anyone to read its contents at that time.

On Sunday, 11 October 1925, after Angal Pleader's usual Puranic recitation in the morning, Baba and the mandali were treated to tea and sweets in the afternoon in the village, and then participated in the annual dinner held in honor of the saint Buaji Bua's death anniversary. When Baba returned from Arangaon, he left the Jhopdi and began spending the night in "the cupboard" of the Table Cabin. From that day on, he wrote continually inside that cramped space.

When Baba moved into the Table Cabin he began fasting, declaring that he would remain only on water and weak tea without milk for an indefinite period. He forbade all to come near his new abode and said he would no longer be able to spare time for sports or games.

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1926

For four months — from 11 November 1925 to 28 March 1926 — Baba's seat during the night had been inside the Table Cabin, but from 29 March, Baba began staying in the box-like cabin in Sai Darbar. He continued writing his book there and would leave only at noon for his daily round of inspections, and return there at 6:00 P.M.

Although Baba did not reveal what he was writing in his book, he would on occasion make spontaneous remarks regarding spirituality or esoteric points. On Tuesday, 30 March, during one of his inspection tours, he revealed to the mandali:

Sanskaras assume different colors according to the language one uses when discussing a subject. For instance, three brothers once saw their mother on the road. One called her "Mother," another addressed her as "Wife of my father," and the third said, "Woman who has physical relations with my father!" What all three meant was the word mother, but their ways of expressing it were vastly different. And so, one's choice of words brings about different color sanskaras and different reactions.

Later the same day, while explaining about the beginning of creation, Baba remarked, "Creation came out of Nothing. And though it is nothing, it is something; but ultimately there is Everything. When one says that it is nothing, the nothingness of this nothing has being!"

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1 July 1926

Then, at eight o'clock at night, Baba went up the hill to the Water Tank, but returned shortly carrying his bedding. From that night on, he began resting on a raised platform in front of the cabin in Sai Darbar. Baba's stay in the tank had lasted for almost two months, from 3 May to 30 June.

Now he began his second stay in Sai Darbar, where he continued writing his mysterious book which he indicated was still incomplete.

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1931 - On board the SS. Rajputana sailing to France from India

At nine o'clock on Tuesday, 8 September, Mahatma Gandhi came to Baba's cabin with his secretary Mahadev Desai. After Gandhi was introduced, he looked at Baba and said, "I have read much about you and wanted to see you one day when God willed it; but I never expected it to be so soon."

Baba expressed how happy he was to meet him and dictated from his alphabet board: "Do you have the time to stay?"

"Yes, I have come to sit and listen," Gandhi replied.

A conversation about Upasani Maharaji's book took place for a short while.

Baba narrated a summary of his own life and experiences to Gandhi — his attraction to Babajan, Sai Baba's pronouncement, his encounter with Maharaj at the Khandoba Temple, his many visits to Maharaj in Sakori, his terrible suffering during his coming down, the establishment of the ashrams at Meherabad, his many fasts and seclusions, his silence for the last six years, and of his writing a special book.

Their conversation then proceeded, in English and Gujarati:

Gandhi asked, "Where is that book?"

Pointing to a trunk, Baba replied, "In there." 

"Can I read it?" Gandhi asked.

"Have you the time?" Baba dictated.

"Oh, I can find time to read it. Why not? I will definitely read it. Give it to me."

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continued...

Concerning reading that book, Gandhi pointed to the trunk. Baba replied, "Unfortunately, the key has been left behind in India."

"I will have it opened."

Handing the tin box to Gandhi, Baba explained, "After opening it, bring the case back to me and I will select the things for you to read with my own hands."

"Certainly," Gandhi answered. "It will be my pleasure to read it."

Baba warned him, "Be careful. Up to now I have not allowed anyone to see it — not even my mandali. As the first person to read it, I am giving it to you alone. You may go through it, but allow no one else to read it."

"Assuredly. I will go through it with great joy."

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continued ...9 September 1931

Gandhi came to Baba's cabin at nine that night with the box containing Baba's book, which he had had opened with the help of the ship's crew. Baba gave him certain chapters of the "Creation Series" for him to read.

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In these few days where Meher Baba connected with Gandhi, there were long conversations over a range of subjects. The highlighted extracts only deal with the subject of Baba's Book.

The next day, Thursday, 10 September 1931, Baba sent Chanji back and forth to Gandhi's cabin. Baba sent him some additional writings and messages, inviting Gandhi's opinion about them. However, Gandhi had no opportunity to meet Baba during the day.

After dinner and a discussion with the mandali, Baba retired for the night. Soon after, there was a sudden knock on the door. Gandhi had come again to see Baba. "Forgive me; today I am somewhat late. If you are resting, I will leave," he said.

"Come in and sit down," Baba gestured. "But what about yourself; do you have the time?"

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continued... Gandhi started to speak to Baba

"To listen to you, I can snatch the time from somewhere. You may explain without hesitation. Look, I have taken my seat and will remain seated. I will stay as long as you wish. Where will I ever get such an opportunity again?"

Gandhi was in a very happy mood, and Baba welcomed him to express his views on his writings. Gandhi stated:

These [writings of yours] should be in their original form, else they will lack sweetness. Whatever is yours is yours, and whatever is from others is others'. I have gone through your sayings and have grasped their truth. All these I have drunk and digested. I have clearly understood what you wish to convey. But the writings by other new, raw and inexperienced hands are difficult to follow. [K. J.] Dastur has an eye only for grammar and language, and murders the sweetness of your original words. There is as great a difference in your description of a thing and Dastur's translation as between heaven and earth! Your saying go is not merely a word. Behind this go is your power to make one go, which Dastur does not have.

Suppose my son has climbed up a tree, but finds himself in such a predicament that he can neither climb further nor come down. He just keeps hanging on. I tell him I will bring a mattress, but it is doubtful that he can hold on until my return; and if he falls down, he may be lost to me forever. So, remembering God, I tell him, 'Jump! Jump down!' Although I have no strength to catch him, I raise my hands and he jumps. No one is injured.

When the boy was ready to leap from such a height, it was not due to my telling him to jump. No, behind these words were a father's love and faith. The child thinks: 'I will fall into my father's arms and he will save me.' With this belief and confidence, he jumps; I catch him and he is saved. Similarly, there is a vast difference in your saying go and in my or anyone else's utterance of the same word.

Regarding your book, whatever you have written by hand in English [in the book] and whatever you want to express cannot be expressed in English. I suggest that such works ought to be written in Sanskrit or Gujarati.

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continued ... Gandhi is still talking to Baba

First and foremost, there are no appropriate words in English for some or most of the terms, which would bring out their real meaning. For instance, avidya in English is ignorance; that is, the want of knowledge. But the term ignorance does not carry the true meaning and connotation of avidya, which it can never evoke. What is avidya is avidya and nothing else! It just cannot be translated.

The reason for my saying this is that, though I am able to follow your writings, it might be difficult for others. So if your writings are kept in Gujarati, it is better because they can be explained better in Gujarati. Gujarati is more useful here.

Baba remarked, "I can write all this much better in Persian than in English, because Persian contains the equivalent Sufi terms, and I also write much better in that language. In English, these things cannot be as well explained as they can be in Persian or Gujarati."

Gandhi concurred, "Those languages are the best. There is no harm if you write in Persian, because the knowledge you are gifting, the philosophy you are preaching and the new light you are showing will be a help to the desirous and the inquisitive who can read and understand Persian. When such a book of excellence is published, people will hasten to learn Persian, enabling them to translate it properly. So you'd better write in Persian, not in English. What harm is there if only a few can read it? When the time comes, the book's translations will be published and then its worth will be known.

If you write in Gujarati, it is better still; no, it is best. But it should not be in English, as it is hard to understand its meaning in that language. These days, such things in Gujarati are very necessary. The more this knowledge is spread, the more the benefit. And I am quite ready to render whatever help I can in this regard."

Addressing Chanji, Gandhi said, "You may write to me at any time regarding this matter."

Gandhi's comments referred mostly to the Master's discourses as published by Dastur in the Meher Message magazine. When Gandhi referred to whatever Meher Baba had written by hand, he meant the secret book, a few pages of which had been given to Gandhi to read.

Gandhi continued:

I have read all your sayings today, which I also understood fully.

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continued..... Gandhi continues talking to Baba in his cabin.

They are fine, yet I find they are quite distorted. They are bereft of their sweetness and importance when put in Mr. Dastur's language. However simple your own original style may be, however faulty from a grammatical point of view, it has that sweetness and significance which this "polished" version does not.

I have read and studied the scriptures very deeply and hence I can make out what you mean to say behind these words. But the language in which they are presented to people is quite erroneous and conveys quite another sense from the original. It is due to the editor's desire to give it a garb of flowery language and make it more impressive. On the contrary, it quite alters the sense and murders the spirit behind it.

So, to beautify the language by doing away with your original terms and expressions and polishing them, has taken the taste out of it. The words have lost their beauty. The words of saints and Masters require no gilding or garb of academic expression and embellishment. Their beauty is in their simplicity. They have a deeper inner meaning.

The name of Omar Khayyam has become immortal due to the translations of his Persian Rubaiyat into Western languages. Pure gold is gold, and impure is adulterated! Where is the need for embellishment of words that have come out of the mouth of a Dnyani [Knower, Seer] like you!

Therefore, these messages should also be put in simple language, as the meaning contained in such short, pithy sayings can only be understood and appreciated if your originality is maintained. The originality turns into imitation and the worth is valueless if the language is polished. It really would be better if you write them either in Persian or Gujarati.

Looking at Chanji, who was interpreting Baba's alphabet board during the exchange, Gandhi said: 

Write to Mr. Dastur — write him from me — and tell him to pay less attention to the construction of language while publishing Baba Saheb's discourses, sayings and messages. Also, tell him to pay more attention to maintaining the original terms and words than to the beauty and grammar of the language. What necessity is there in polishing these things? To do so is an injustice to such excellent writings. If Dastur accepts what I say, then he should publish a footnote in the magazine each time he alters Baba's writings.

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continued....  Gandhi is concluding talking to Meher Baba in his cabin.

The writings that the reader grasps and finds beneficial are by Baba, and those found difficult to understand are from Dastur. With proper footnotes the reader may know that the translation is by Dastur and not in its original form as expressed by Shri. This clarification should be there. Write him in my name to do this at once, starting with the next issue. You should write him right now, as the night mail will be going soon.

After more discussion regarding India's struggle for independence, Baba ended the meeting by remarking, "Try as much as possible to do as I have told you." Gandhi once again reiterated his endearing invitation to Baba to see him in London and Baba consented to visit him.

The following day the ship arrived at the port city of Marseilles in France.

Baba met Gandhi at Kingsley Hall in London weeks later on October 2nd 1931.

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1952

When Adi Sr. and Gulmai saw Baba at Meherazad on 14 March, Baba instructed Adi to have Sarosh continue to pay for the safety-deposit box at the Central Bank of India in Bombay, where among other things, Baba had kept the handwritten manuscript of the book he had written at Meherabad in 1925–26.

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1969

Mani's Family Letter of 26 January 1969, was read out to Baba before it was mailed throughout the world. Considering his health, Eruch pointed out, "Baba, if you wish to cancel the approaching darshan, it is still possible to do so."

Baba smiled and replied, "No, it is not to be canceled. I will give my darshan to my lovers. I will give it on my own terms."

He emphasized to them repeatedly: "Simply do as I say, whatever it may be, for I know what I am doing."

He again warned: "Hold on to my daaman. Do not let it slip away under any circumstance."

At one point, referring to Baba's book, which had not been seen since 1958, Eruch asked, "What about your book?" Baba assured him, "It is in good hands," and gestured tipping a hat (which, depending on the context, could be interpreted as either Adi Sr. — in the West — or with a Westerner).

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VIDEO

Don Stevens talks to Merwan Jessawala at Meherazad, India in 2004, about the content and whereabouts of the book written by Meher Baba whilst in seclusion. The book was written in a small outdoor table cabin ( see above ) at Meherabad in 1925.

The other man in the video is Laurent Weichberger.

The video was produced by Martin & Christine Cook