BABA GIVES SAHAVAS TO THE WESTERN GROUP 1954 ~ PART XVII Western Men's Sahavas Begins In response to the invitation from Meher Baba, twenty of His dear Western men arrived in Ahmednagar in September. Among them were Will Backett and Charles Purdom from England, Darwin Shaw and Malcolm Schloss from America, and Francis Brabazon from Australia. They had come to spend several weeks in Baba's company, a brief visit with the Timeless One, which they came to remember fondly as "Three Incredible Weeks." In His ever- thoughtful manner, Baba had arranged every detail concerning their health and comfort. An upper story and a tower had been added to the water tank at Meherabad in 1938. The building was now converted into a dormitory for the Westerners. Sarosh Irani was in charge of the overall arrangements; his wife, Villoo, was responsible for planning and preparing their meals; and Dr. Donkin looked after their health. Savak Kotwal stayed at the retreat, and would get up very early in the morning to make sure that everything ran smoothly. Most of the men had arrived in time to attend the large darshan program in Wadia Park on September 12. Two days later, on the morning of the 14th, they eagerly awaited Baba's arrival on Meherabad Hill. It was in such a surcharged atmosphere of love that their real sahavas with Baba began. When Baba arrived, He lovingly embraced each of the men, and then spelled out on His alphabet board, "I want you to be completely natural and absolutely frank." The men were sent to fetch their sun hats, and then Baba led them on a tour of Meherabad. He took them first to the place which He had prepared to be His future Tomb, the "Final Resting Place," as He sometimes referred to it. He told them about His seclusion in the crypt in 1927-28. Then He showed them the beautiful 116 BABA GIVES SAHAVAS TO THE WESTERN GROUP murals that had been painted on the interior walls of the Tomb by Helen Dahm of Switzerland. Will Backett, the oldest of the group, whom Baba used to call one of His "archangels," described his impression of the Tomb as follows: At each of the four corners of the domed roof is a symbol of a great world religion — a cross for Christianity, a crescent for Mohammedanism, a flame for Zoroastrianism, and a temple-dome for Hinduism; Baba has come to put new life into each religion. Under the wonderful Indian sky this beautiful snow-white building, bearing the inscription over the door, "Mastery in Servitude," might seem to have descended from Heaven itself to witness the triumph of Divine Love on earth. Then, setting off with His brisk and graceful stride, Baba led them down the hill to Lower Meherabad, where some of His men disciples stayed. As they reached there, a private bus arrived, bringing fourteen women disciples of Upasni Maharaj from his Ashram in Sakori. With them was Godavri Mai, who, until her death in 1990, was in charge of Upasni's Ashram. One by one, Godavri and the other women paid their homage to Beloved Baba by placing their foreheads on His feet. Speaking to all of the group through Eruch, Baba stated, "I am the One Reality."1 With this combined group of Western men and Eastern women, Baba continued the tour of Meherabad. He showed them the small, low wooden cabin known as the Table House, where, during months of seclusion beginning in 1925, He started writing the still unpublished "Book." He also pointed out the site of the dhuni (sacred fire), which was in front of the cabin. The dhuni had been lit there for the first time under Baba's order in 1927. Leading the entire group back up the hill, Baba showed the women His future Tomb and a few other places of interest. After this, He sent them back to Sakori, saying that He would come there one day soon with the Western men. Below the dormitory where the Western men were staying, 1 Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba, p. 20. 117 GLIMPSES OF THE GOD-MAN a lounge had been prepared in the room that is now the museum. Baba led the men inside, reminding them again to be perfectly natural and frank with Him. He gestured, "I am your Master, but I am also your Friend. I am one of you, and one with you." Thus, Baba gave them His assurance that the Infinite One is also the most Intimate One. With reference to His Divine status of Oneness with everyone and everything, Baba continued, "I am one with you on every level, but you know this only when the ego and intellect do not interfere. I am what I am, whether the world bows down to Me, or whether it turns against Me; it does not matter. It is no one's fault."2 Baba wanted the men to be with Him every day from nine in the morning until midday. He told them that He would explain some spiritual points in the coming days. He concluded: "Before I met My Beloved in Union, I lost everything — ego, mind, and lower consciousness, but thank God, I did not lose My sense of humor. That is why I appear amongst you ... on your level ... When I am with sadhus, no one is more serious than I am. When I am with children, I play marbles with them. I am in all, and one with all. That is why I can automatically adapt Myself to all kinds of people and meet them where they are."3 Baba devoted the following day to having personal interviews with the men at Meherabad. Thursday, the 16th, brought the men to Meherazad. Baba looked happy upon meeting His dear ones, and introduced them to some of His men mandali: Kaikobad, Kaka Baria, and Gustadji. Then He showed them around the grounds of Meherazad, taking them first to a room that had been constructed out of two asbestos cabins used by Baba during the Manonash period of the New Life. From there, He led them through the beautiful garden, where they met Rano and Dr. Goher. In the main house, Baba guided them through the various rooms, including His own bedroom on the upper floor, which He used until some days after His second auto accident in 1956. Leaving the Meherazad compound, Baba took them across the open countryside and up the slope of Seclusion Hill. Reaching the top, He pointed out where the two asbestos cabins had 2 Ibid., p. 23 3 Ibid., pp. 25-26, 27. 118 BABA GIVES SAHAVAS TO THE WESTERN GROUP originally stood. When they returned below, a refreshment of fruit juice was served on the veranda of the house. Then came what was perhaps the most moving event of the day: one of the women mandali emerged from the house with a bundle carefully wrapped in a shawl. On opening the bundle, the men viewed the old patched coat, the kamli coat, that Baba had worn so often for about eight years, from 1921. Baba told them that this was a sacred possession to Him. He also showed them the sadra and sandals He had worn with that coat. Before embracing the men and sending them back to Meherabad, He conveyed to them: "So what would be best would be for you to play with Baba's Love from now on ... What I would like, in short, is for you to take Me with you when you go back." This message — to carry Baba in one's heart, which is His home — applies even to this day for any pilgrim visiting Meherabad or Meherazad. By the way, on the same day, September 16, Kalemama, one of the early Meherabad mandali, passed away peacefully at Meherabad. He was born into a well-educated and wealthy family with seemingly everything that life could offer. However, he was drawn into Baba's orbit through his contacts with Narayan Maharaj and Sai Baba. He had at first felt reluctant to follow a guru, fearing his inability to render total obedience. But when he met Baba at Meherabad in 1926, he was transformed by the divine, forgiving Love that shone from Baba's eyes, and he surrendered to Him. By the late'20s, Kalemama and his wife and son were part of the Meherabad family. In his capacity as a civil engineer, he designed and supervised the construction of various buildings at Meherabad, including Mandali Hall. His life was dedicated to the service of his Beloved Master, Meher Baba, until his last breath. On the following day, the 17th, Baba arrived twenty minutes after nine. He apologized for being late, then conveyed: "On very special occasions, I hold prayer meetings with a few of My most intimate disciples. Today I shall hold one of these meetings so that you all may be included." All went down the hill to Mandali Hall. Baba ordered that the doors and windows be closed. Then Zoroastrian, Moslem, 119 GLIMPSES OF THE GOD-MAN Hindu, and Christian prayers were offered. After this was done, Donkin stood beside Baba, facing Baba's portrait. He read the following prelude: O the Eternally Benevolent Paramatma! O All-Merciful Allah! O the Most Merciful God Almighty! O Giver of all boons, Yazdan! Being fully aware of Your absolute Independence and Your absolute Indifference, Baba, with all humbleness, implores You, O Merciful God, to accept the Prayer of Repentance from Him on behalf of all His lovers and on behalf of all who are worthy of being forgiven.4 The Prayer of Repentance, which Baba had given in 1952, was recited.