Avatar Meher Baba's

Brief Life Sketch and His Messages

Avatar Meher Baba's

Brief Life Sketch and His Messages

Published By

Avatar Meher Baba Tamilnadu Centre

(Madras)

Ner-S-Rfst-Street, Third Main Road,C-. -L-Tr-Nagar Extension, Nandanam-P—O.

Madras - 600 G35;

In Commemoration of the 95th

Birthday of Avatar Meher Baba.

Words of Meher Baba

are copyright Avatar Meher Baba PPCTrust Ahmednagar, Maharastra.

Cover photo ; Meelan Studio, Puna.

A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF

AVATAR MEHER BABA

Merwan Shariar Irani, known as Meher Baba,was bom in Poona, India, on February 25, 1894of Persian parents. His father Sheriar MundegarIrani was of Zoroastrian faith and a true seekerof GOD.

Merwan was a student of St. Vincent HighSchool and of Deccan College in Poona. In 1913,while in Coiiege, a momentous event occured inhis life the meeting of Hazrat Babajan ofPoona, one of the five Perfect Masters of theage. Babajan gave him God-Realization by kissmgon his forehead and made him aware of hishigh spiritual destiny.

Eventuaiiy he was drawn to the other PerfectMasters — Narayan Maharaj of Kedgaon, TajuddinBaba of Nagpur and Sai Baba of Shirdi. Saibabaon seeing him uttered 'O Parvardigar* (which meansGod, Almighty) and internaiiy directed him to UpasaniMaharaj of Sakori. During the next seven yearsUpasani Maharaj gave Merwan Divine Knowledge

and proclaimed him Avatar of the Age and allowedsome of his own disciples to follow him. Hisspiritual mission can be said to have begun in1922 wheo he drew around him his first closedisciples. It was one of these early disciples, whogave him the name "MEHER BABA" which means'Compassionate father'.

After giving necessary training to his disciples,Meher Baba established a colony near Ahmednagarwhich is cailed Meherabad. Here, Meher Babainitiated activities iike a free school, where spiritualtraining was stressed; a free hospital and dispensary& shelter for the poor. No distinction was madebetween the high castes and the so-calleduntouchables. All mingled in common fellow-shipthrough the inspiration of the Master. To his disciplesat Meherabad, who were of different castes, creeds,religion and nationality, he gave a training of moraldiscipline, love for God, Spiritual understandingand selfless service.

Through these activities he gave spiritualstimulation to life as a whole, stepping up tohigher level of consciousness, gearing to a newrate of energy and activity, leading humanity tofreedom from bondage in its social, political.

economical, religious and racial aspects, providingopportunities for an all round development of humanpersonality in cultural, educational and spiritual sense.

Meher Baba began observing silence on10th July 1925 and maintained it until he droppedhis body on the 31st January, 1969. His manydiscourses and messages including the major book"GOD SPEAKS" were dictated by means of alphabetboard. From 7th October 1954 he discontinuedthe use of the board and reduced all communicationsto hand gestures unique in expressiveness andunderstandable to those lived around him. MeherBaba travelled to the Western world many times,first in 1931, when he contacted his early westerndisciples. His last visit to the West and tour aroundthe world was in 1958, when he and his disciplesstayed at the Centre established for his workat Myrtle Beach B.C. in America and at Avatar'sAbode, Woombye, Queensland in Australia.

In India thousands came seeking his darshanand blessing. On certain occasions not less thanhundred thousand came to pay their obeisanceto him. Many from ail over the world joumiedto spend a few days, even, a single day or eiVenan hour in his presence.

An important part of Meher Baba's workthrough the years was to personally contact thoseknown in India as "Masts" These are advancedpilgrims on the spiritual path who have becomespiritually intoxicated from the direct awarenessof 6od. For this work he travelled many thousandsof miles to remote places throughout India andCeylon, through these contacts and his work withthem Meher Baba not only gave his healing touchto the entire humanity, but had also releasedthe innate forces of nature from such advancedsouls, who were so to say units of spiritual channelof.-regeneration of the good and the sublime inman. Besides, that qualities of energy and awareness,which had been used and enjoyed by only afew advanced sopis, were made available forhumanity. ,

c Other vital work was the washing the feetof the leppers and the poor; distribution of grain^cloth and money to the destitutes; bathing thechildren of the so-called untouchables, washingtheir clothes and cieaning their latrines. The changepT outlook in man towards lepers/ poor and theuritouchables and the effort to emeliorate their

cbnditions are attributable to the above Work ofthe Avatar in our time.

Meher Baba has asserted that he is thesame Ancient one, come again to redeem manfrom his bondage of ignorance and to guide himto realize his true seif, which is GOD. He isacknowiedged by many followers all over theworld as the Avatar of the Age in the light ofthe proclamation made by him on 7th September1953 at Pehra Dun. the title of which is TheHighest of the High" Those who have been drawninto the orbit of his love know that Meher Babais that rare one among the perfect ones whoappears whenever a world crisis is at its heightand who^e role is tO set the world on a newdirection, in a new age. From 25th February 1894until 31st January 1969 the Savfour of mankindagain walked on this earth.

Meher Baba dropped His body on 31stJanuary 1969, to live in the hearts of His lovers.

Meher Baba has said : "I HAD TO COME,AND I HAVE 00^ I AM THE ANCIENT ONE".

Meher Baba's Tomb shrine (Samadhi) atMeherabad (Ahmedne^ar) has become a placeof Pilgrimage for his followers all over the world.Every year on His Amartithi, which falls on 31st

January, thousands of Baba lovers from all overIndia and abroad gather here in all solemnitytd pay their homage to the Avatar of the agei

FAREWELL MESSAGE GIVEN BY AVATARMEH^R BABA IN APRIL 1947 TO HIS LOVERSAT MADRAS.

To the disciples and devotees of Madrasand surroundings, My Message to them can befittinglybe epitomized in one supremely sweet word 'LOVE'.

Love, as you all know, is dynamic in actionand contagious in effect. It is only the spirituallyalive and enlightened who can appreciably feelor experience the true significance of the ancientadage *Love begets love", which is so cheaplyt>andied about by religious pi'eacKers and moralphilosophers.

In the world of to-day—particularly Indjia —. it has becorhe qujte a fashion to sermonize on

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th0 sacrsd word 'Lovo* — a subtorfugo which barolyhides the ulterior motive and meaning. It mirfcesa world of difference when the Incarnation of Loveutters that word. It at once springs into life, action— spiritual and dynamic.

Love means suffering and pain for oneselfand happiness for others. To the giver, it is sufferingwithout malice or hatred. To the receiver, it isa blessing without obligation.

I am always with you still I have beenvery happy for these few days that you havebeen with me. You may feel that I arh nowgoing away, but you should never find that Ihave gone away. It is for you to hold on tome now and for ever. On my part, I and MyLove will never leave you here or hereafter.

May you be aware of it deeper and deeperfrom day to day! ts -

My Blessings to you all !!

— Meher Baba.

GENERAL MESSAGE GIVEN BY AVATAR MERERBABA IN APRIL 1947 AT MADRAS.

What Is wrong with the world to-day andwith India in particular? Such and allied questionsare bound to arise in thinking minds, but theanswers are not altogether honest and straight.

The diagnosis given and the remediesadopted have all been biased and one-sided ;the whole situation stands hopelessly vague andundetermined.

The Crux of the situation lies in the correctunderstanding and re-interpreting of the ancientword 'religion'.

The west has very little of religion andwhenever we hear of it, it is subservient to politicsor at best a handmaid of life material.

The East is suffering from an over-doseof religion and consequently it is desperatelyhankering for a material antidote thereto. Religionin the West is synonymous with scientific progresswhich is destructive in its manifestation. In the

East and particularly in India, religion, instead ofestablishing the Kingdom of God on earth, hasgone underground in the guise of crude ceremonies,rude rituals and dead dogmas. Instead of engenderingthe seeds of peace and plenty, the underdrivenreligion tries to shoot out communalism, fanaticism,nationalism and patriotism, which have becomebye words for leadership and greatness, sufferingand sanctity. In short, religion as a living force,has become obsolete.

The urgent need of to-day to resuscitatereligion is to dig it out of its narrow and darkhidings and coverings and let the spirit of manshine out once again in its pristine glory.

The most practical thing to do in the worldis to be spiritually-minded. It needs no specialtime, place or circumstances. It is not necessarilyconcerned with anything out of the way of anyone'sdaily life and day to day routine. It is nevertoo late or too early to be spiritual.

It is just a simple question of having aright attitude of the mind towards lasting values,changing circumstances, avoidable eventualitiesand a sense of the inevitable.

Spirituality is neither restricted to nor it canbe restricted by anyone or anything anywhere atany time. It covers all life for all time, yet itcan very easily be achieved with selfless serviceand pure love that knows no bondages and seeksno boundaries.

A mighty surge of this Spirituaiity is aboutto sweep over the world. My blessings to youail.

— Meher Baba.

UNIVERSAL MESSAGE

I have come not to teach but to awaken.

Understand therefore that I lay down no precepts.

Throughout eternity I have laid down principlesand precepts, but mankind has ignored them. Man'sinability to live God's words makes the Avatar'steaching a mockery. Instead of practising thecompassion He taught, man has waged crusadesin His name. Instead of living the humility, purityarid truth of His words, man has given way tohatred, greed and violence.

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Because man has been deaf to theprinciples and precepts laid down by God in thepast, in this present Avataric Form I observe Silence.You have asked for and been given enough words- it is now time to live them. To get nearerand nearer to God you have to get further andfurther away from "P, 'my' 'me', and 'mine'. Youhave not to renounce anything but your own self.It is as simple as that, though found to be almostimpossible. It is possible for you to renounce yourlimited self by my Grace. I have come to releasethat Grace.

I repeat, I lay down no precepts. When1 release the tide of Truth which I have cometo give, men's daily lives will be the living precept.The words I have not spoken will come to lifein them.

I veil myself from man by his own curtainof ignorance, and manifest my Glory to a few.My present Avataric Form is the last Incamatfonof this cycle of time, hence my manifestation willbe the greatest. When I break rny Silence, theimpact of my Love will be universal and all lifein creation will know, feel and receive of it. It

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will help every individual to break himself freefrom his own bondage in his own way. I amthe Divine Beloved who loves you more thanyou can ever love yourself. The breaking of mySilence will help you to help yourself in knowingyour real Self.

All this world confusion and chaos wasinevitable and no one is to blame. What hadto happen has happened; and what has to happenwill happen. There was and is no way out exceptthrough my coming in your midst. I had to come,and I have come. I am the Ancient One.

— Meher Baba

10.7.1958

HOW TO LOVE GOD

To love God in the most practical wayis to love our fellow beings. If we feel for othersin the same way as we feel for our own dearones, we love God.

If, instead of seeing faults in others, welook within ourselves, we are loving God.

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If, instead of robbing others to help ourselves,we rob ourselves to help others, we are lovingGod.

If we suffer in the sufferings of others andfeel happy in the happiness of others, we areloving God.

If, instead of worrying over our ownmisfortunes, we think of ourselves as more fortunatethan many many others, we are loving God.

If we endure our lot with patience andcontentment, accepting it as His Will, we are lovingGod.

If we understand and feel that the greatestact of devotion and worship to God is not tohurt or harm any of His beings, we are lovingGod.

To love God as He ought to be loved,we must live for God and die for God, knowingthat the goal of all life is to love God, andfind Him as our own self.

— Meher Baba

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THE SEVEN REALITIESimDortance to creed,Meher Baba gives no

dogma, caste or the p UNDERSTAND-ceremonies ^nd rites, but to .. .ING ot the following seven H

1. The only REAL EXISTENCE is that of theone and only God »ho is the Sell ,n eve^f(finite) self.

2. The only REAL LOVE is the Love for thisInfinity (God), which arouses an intenselonging to see, know and become one withits Truth (God).

3. The only REAL SACRIFICE is that inwhich, in pursuance of this love, all things— body, mind, position, welfare and evenlife itself — are sacrificed.

4. The only REAL RENUNCIATION is thatwhich abandons, even in the midst of worldlyduties, all selfish thoughts and desires.

5. The only REAL KNOWLEDGE is theknowledge that God is the inner dweller

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in good people and in so called bad, Insaint and so-called sinner. This knowledgerequires you to help all equally as circumstances demand without expectation ofreward, and when compelled to take partIn a dispute, to act without the slightesttrace of enmity or hatred; to try to makeothers happy with brotherly or sisterlyfeeling for each one; to harm no one Inthought, word or deed, not even those whoharm you.

6. The only REAL CONTROL Is the disciplineof the senses to abstain from IndulgenceIn low desires, which alone ensures absolutepurity of character.

7. The only REAL SURRENDER Is that Inwhich the poise Is undisturbed by any adversecircumstance, and the Individual, amidst everykind of hardship. Is resigned with perfectcalm to the will of God.

— Meher Baba

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Avatar Meher Baba Tamilnadu Centre hasbeen registered as a Public Trust . 7"The main object of this Trust is to disseminate'the information on the Life and Messages ofAvatar Meher Baba. besides other charitableactivities. Weekly Prayer meetings a""® "eld onevery Sunday from 4.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Donations to this Trust are exempted fromIncome Tax Vide L. No. 1146 - HI (97) / 88dt. 30.9.88 of Commissioner of income Tax,Madras.

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ifiiL

Corm all

unto me

— MEHER BABA