You Alone Exist

I've copied the following from the Avatar Meher Baba Bombay Centre's daily email so that it can be easily located:

(Sept. 1962) . . . Bhau was translating some of the discourses into Hindi. One day, Baba handed him the manuscript and gestured, “I want you to translate this into Hindi and make it interesting [for the Hindi speaking people].”

Bhau said, “If it is interesting in English, naturally it will be interesting in Hindi.”

Baba replied, “That I don’t know. I want you to make it interesting and the language should be simple.”

Bhau thought over what Baba had said. It occurred to him to put the whole book in dialogue form, and he completed one discourse in this style. He read it to Baba, who was pleased and complimented him, “Yes, this is what I meant.”

Baba also suggested songs should be included, and mentioned there should be a prayer, too. Bhau remembered that back in 1959 Baba had given him a special couplet in Hindi: He found the couplet, made it the first couplet of the ghazal, and composed eleven more to go with it.

The next evening when he went for watch, Baba asked, “Did you compose the prayer?” and hearing that he had, Baba asked Bhau to read it to him. Baba was pleased, but stated the prayer should be longer. Baba was in a very good mood that day and, drumming his thighs with his fists in rhythm to the lines, he began composing new couplets, which Bhau wrote down. Sitting on his bed, Baba dictated seventeen more couplets, and thus, the poetic prayer Tumi Tau Ho (God, You Alone Exist) came into being. In a later period, Meher Baba stated that one day this prayer would be recited by people in their homes throughout the world. The following is the entire prayer. (1) 

YOU ALONE EXIST

 

O priceless treasure of Knowledge!

You are within and without, and You are the Ocean of Mercy.

You are in all the worlds; You are the Ocean of attributes!

O Meher, God-Incarnate, You alone exist!

You are Yezdan. You are Ezad.

You are Allah and Ishwar.

You are Ram and You are Buddha.

You are Beloved Lord Krishna,

Who with one finger lifted the mountain; You alone exist!

You are the Beyond God and the Beyond-Beyond God also.

O Ocean of Kindness, You alone exist.

You are Muhammad, You are Perfection Personified.

You are Knowledge Itself, and You alone exist. 

You live in everyone and You are everyone.

O Beloved, You are the Enlightened One, and You alone exist.

You are with attributes and without attributes!

You are the sole player in the divine game. You alone exist.

You are matchless, the Only One!

You reside in every heart, and You alone exist.

You are eternally motionless, and immovable is Your abode.

You are the Highest, for You alone exist.

You are the Doer, the deed, and the cause of doing!

The sustainer You are, and the Master of Masters.

You alone exist.

You are the seeker, the worship and the sadhana. (2)

O Meher, God-Incarnate, You alone exist!

You are in front and behind, You are above and below,

O Lord, You live in every house, and You alone exist.

You are beyond Beyond, yet You remain within everyone.

You are All-Pervading, and You alone exist.

You are in each neighborhood. You are the Sustainer.

You Yourself are all worlds, and You alone exist.

Everywhere, whether above or below,

You are complete; You alone exist.

You are unseen, yet seen also.

You live in everyone forgiving each his sins. You alone exist.

There is no one without You!

You are manifesting and unmanifest, as You alone exist.

You are man. You are birds.

You are fish and animals, for You alone exist.

You are bugs and gnats, You are snakes and scorpions,

You are ants and mosquitoes, for You alone exist.

You are insects. You are lice.

You are dogs, asses and pigs. You alone exist.

You are deer and elephants;

You are cats and monkeys; You alone exist.

You are the moon and the stars, the dawn and the night,

and the sun and also the light. You alone exist.

You are wind and water,

and the animals of the water; You alone exist.

You are silver and gold, You are copper and iron,

You are brass and stone; You alone exist.

You are tea and coffee, and the sugar also; You alone exist.

You are paper and the book,

You are the school and office; You alone exist.

You are pen and ink and You are the gifted writer. You alone exist.

You are the door and window.

You are the marble floor; You alone exist.

You are the medicine and the disease

and the Doctor also; You alone exist.

You are the game and the Player,

and the spectator also; You alone exist.

You are the flower and the thorn,

and You are the fragrance. You alone exist.

You are the Singer. You are the musical instrument.

You are the sweet tunes, for You alone exist.

You are the Prayer and the words of the prayer.

You are the forces of evil and the powers of light. You alone exist.

You are the soldier, the army, and the Supreme General.

You alone exist.

You are the Sailor, the ship, and the wide Ocean;

You alone exist!

You are the storm’s turbulence and the tranquil waters.

You are the pearl and You are the shell. You alone exist.

You are the shore, the Ferryman, and the sea also, 

for You alone exist.

You are the Beggar, the giver, and the charity; You alone exist.

You are the slave and the Lord;

You are the Beyond God. You are God. You alone exist.

You are Mother and Father;

You are Master, brother and friend.

You are family and relatives; You alone exist.

There is no one besides You!

Eternally You are, for You alone exist!

You are Pran (3) and You are heart.

You are also the Beloved of the heart; You alone exist.

You are the Beloved and the Lover,

and You are the nectar of Love, as You alone exist!

You are breath and life itself.

Our minds are enthralled by Your beauty! For You alone exist!

You are the house. You are the inhabitants

and the bricks and furnishings. You alone exist.

You are the Worshipper, his worship,

and the One worshipped, as You alone exist.

You are Consciousness and the Way to Consciousness!

O Meher, God-Incarnate, You alone exist!

You are Khwaja, (4) You are Qutub!

You are Pir and Qalandar! (5) You alone exist.

You are Hafiz, You are Sanai! (6)

You are Dara and Alexander! (7) You alone exist. 

You are Jesus Christ! You are Elahi!

You are the Ocean, infinite and pure; You alone exist.

You are the Koran and the One who prays!

You are Vali, (8) and You are the Messenger; You alone exist.

You are the Beginning, and You are the End.

You are also beyond the Beginning and beyond the End.

You alone exist.

You are infinitely beautiful and infinitely close!

O Meher, God-Incarnate, You alone exist!

You are Brahma and You are Vishnu;

You are the guileless Shankar. (9) You alone exist!

Bhau says, “O Beloved Meher, You are The Word

and You are The Letter! You alone exist!”

 

1. This prayer was first printed in its entirety as part of the introduction to The Nothing and the Everything by Bhau Kalchuri, which was his first book published in English written under Meher Baba’s direction, 1982.
   
   
2. Sadhana is a yogic spiritual practice or discipline. Refer to Meher Baba’s Discourses.
   
   
3. A Sanskrit word, Pran is the original underlying Force or Energy in the universe, as the original Space is called Akash. Refer to The Nothing and the Everything, pages 32-34, regarding the original conflict between Pran and Akash causing the beginning of creation or Matter.
   
   
4. Khwaja, meaning Lord, may refer to the Persian Perfect Master Khwajah Khizr, who is a legendary figure who discovered and drank the water of life and became immortal, and from time immemorial presides over the well of immortality.
   
   
5. Khizr is a divine post of a Perfect Master who bestows Realization and Perfection upon a man who has no physical connection with a living Perfect Master. In such instances, Khizr takes a physical form and bestows his divine grace of Perfect Masterhood. Two known instances when Khizr intervened was the perfecting of Francis of Assisi and Narayan Maharaj of Kedgaon.
   
   
6. Qalandar, literally meaning freespirited in Persian, is a Muslim ascetic or monk who gives up all possessions and wanders in the world.
   
   
7. Sanai was a Persian Sufi Perfect Master and renowned poet of Shiraz, Iran, author of Hadiqatul Haqiqat — Garden of Truth. Died 1131.
   
   
8. Alexander refers to the Greek conqueror of Persia, Alexander the Great, king of Macedon, (356 B.C.-323 B.C.) 
   
   
9. In Arabic, a Vali or Wali-Allah means a Friend of God, a fifth plane mental conscious pilgrim who is said to speak with God, or hear the voice of God. In Vedanta, a man of the fifth plane is called Shiv. In Sanskrit and ancient Hindu mythology, Vali was the name of a king who was punished by God (Vishnu) in his incarnation as Vamana (the Dwarf), for his excessive charity and condemned to rule over the nether world. The name Vali was also of a monkey chieftain mentioned in the epic Ramayana. He was killed by Ram.Shankar is another name for Shiva; in Hindu mythology, the First Man. Shankar is also the abbreviated name for the Vedic philosopher, Sankaracharya (788-820).

Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 18, pp. 5932 – 5935

A Simple Message

BABA’S INSTRUCTIONS TO A GROUP OF HIS LOVERS IN MAY 1943

The following instructions, if carried out wholeheartedly by you, will allow you to help my work of spiritualizing the world. They are not to be treated like long-established sermons, read, heard and forgotten. They are not to be understood in the light of philosophical slogans preached merely for the sake of preaching.

They are simple, eternal truths which I want all of you to try your utmost to live.

The instructions are:

1.  Amidst all your duties and attachments, let the background of all your thoughts be only the one thought that: “God alone is real, and all else is illusion.”

2.  Infuse into others the idea that the ultimate goal of all life is to know God in His true, infinite aspect.

3.  Think less of yourself and more of others by trying to make others happy, even if you have to suffer for it.

4.  Learn for yourself, and teach others that recognition of God’s Will means not to complain of your lot, that control of the mind means not to be upset by misfortunes;

6. That loving all as children of the same One God means not to be jealous of anyone, and not to hurt the feelings of anyone.

Lord Meher, Online Version, pp. 2340 – 2341

Avatar Meher Baba Bombay Centre - AMBBC 

Meher Baba on March 14th

It's been a while since I used my notebook for Meher Baba in NotebookLM. I decided to test it out to find out what Baba was up to on Pi Day (March 14th) through the years. Here was the result.

Based strictly on the provided Lord Meher volumes, here is a comprehensive and detailed record of Meher Baba's activities explicitly dated March 14th across the years.

• March 14, 1923: More articles appeared in the Bombay newspapers slandering Meher Baba. Amazingly, the more this opposition spread, the more his name came into prominence. One Gujarati newspaper, Insaf, even printed an appeal to public leaders to "take drastic steps to rip to pieces the net of the corruptive and depraved trio of Meher Baba, Babajan, and Upasni Maharaj!".
  
  
• March 14, 1930: The disciple Anna 104 arrived from Ahmednagar and requested that Baba grace the wedding of Anna’s nephew in Sholapur.
  
  
• March 14, 1944: Meher Baba traveled to Paithan with Adi Sr. and Jalbhai. Over the five-day period he spent there, almost 3,000 persons were given grain, and Baba personally oversaw this charitable work.
  
  
• March 14, 1947: In the morning, Eruch drove Baba and the women mandali from Poona (where they had stayed the previous night) to Meherabad. Baba stayed there for six days, sleeping at night on the hill and coming down during the daytime for his work.
  
  
• March 14, 1948: Baba traveled to Bombay in Elizabeth Patterson’s green DeSoto, driven by Adi Sr. He was accompanied by Jalbhai and the Pimpalgaon women mandali. The women stayed with Arnavaz at her and Nariman’s apartment (Ashiana), while Baba, Jalbhai, Adi Sr., and Baidul stayed at Meherjee’s home.
  
  
• March 14, 1965: Sarosh was permitted to bring his grandson and family to Meherazad so the baby could be with Baba on his first birthday.

I can use the prompt for any day I choose so that's useful.

The Limited Ego

This was the daily quote from the Avatar Meher Baba Bombay Centre:

(Jan. 1939) . . . Dr. Deshmukh arrived from Nagpur to see Baba in Jabalpur. His mind was quite troubled and he told Baba that people were asking him why Baba was calling himself “God.” They were saying, “Isn’t this the expression of his ego? Isn’t he a supreme egotist?” Deshmukh did not know how to answer them. To pacify Deshmukh, Baba gave this explanation:

In all that a God-Realized soul or an ordinary man says or does, the “I” in him asserts itself. The difference between the two is that the “I” in the ordinary man is limited, whereas in the God-Realized being it is unlimited. If Deshmukh says, “I have written the book,” it is the limited “I” in Deshmukh asserting a certain job he has done. But when I say, “I am God,” it is the unlimited “I” asserting its universal aspect.

The limited “I” must go for the unlimited “I” to take its place. The limited “I” is like a seven-headed demon. The seven heads of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy and hatred must be killed so thoroughly that not even the slightest trace remains. When the false “I” is completely destroyed, another “I,” which is Real and Unlimited, takes its place.

 Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol.7, p. 2354. 

I put the final paragraph to Gemini with the following prompt:

Imagine the following quote as an image that encapsulates the essential message in the text. Harte is the text: “ The limited “I” must go for the unlimited “I” to take its place. The limited “I” is like a seven-headed demon. The seven heads of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy and hatred must be killed so thoroughly that not even the slightest trace remains. When the false “I” is completely destroyed, another “I,” which is Real and Unlimited, takes its place.” 

Figure 1 shows its Gemini's response:

Figure 1

Here was Gemini's thinking leading to its creation:

Dissecting Key Elements

I'm now focusing on deconstructing the quote to isolate the critical components. I've pinpointed the key elements: a "limited 'I'," represented as a seven-headed demon, the "Real and Unlimited 'I'," and the core process of destruction and transition. The goal is to visually represent this dynamic.

Defining Visual Representation

I'm now progressing toward the creation of a visual representation. I've broken down the central quote to clarify its key elements. I'm focusing on the "limited 'I'," the "Real and Unlimited 'I'," and the process of change. I'm developing imagery of a seven-headed figure and a glowing orb.

Considering Symbolic Visuals

I'm currently focused on the symbolic representation within the generated content. The aim is to ensure the visual elements effectively convey the intended meaning, specifically the contrast between limitation and boundlessness. The core concern is the accurate depiction of this transition.

Refining Symbolic Depiction

I'm now zeroing in on the visual metaphors used to communicate the core concept. The central focus is on refining how the images depict the shift from constraint to freedom. I will emphasize the relationship between the visual elements to ensure clarity, as this is critical to the image's effectiveness.

Figure 2 shows a seven-headed Naga:

Cambodian seven-headed nāga
at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

Meher Baba's Silence

The following has been generated by NotebookLM from source material located at lordmeher.org.

Meher Baba's decision to maintain silence was a profound and sustained aspect of his spiritual work, lasting for 44 years from 1925 until his passing in 1969. He often spoke of its deep spiritual significance and its connection to his universal mission.

The Commencement and Purpose of Silence

Meher Baba formally declared his intention to observe silence on 4 June 1925, stating, "I will observe silence for one year. I will not speak to anyone. But all should hold fast to my feet. Those who stick with me until the end will be greatly benefited and highly rewarded". This initial declaration was postponed briefly due to an incident on 13 June 1925, when Gulmai, while cleaning the Post Office building at Meherabad, fell and sprained her ankle; Baba declared he was postponing his silence until she was well enough to walk.

He later announced on Friday, 26 June 1925, that his silence would commence on 10 July 1925. Notices were printed and mailed, and a sign was erected at the entrance to Meherabad to intimate this decision. On the evening of 9 July 1925, the day before his silence began, Baba conveyed his final instructions to the women's quarters, telling them, "Now listen to my last words, because from tomorrow I will keep silence for one year. ... When my work is done, I shall speak". He also spoke his last words to the mandali, reminding them of their duties and the dangers of snakes, stating, "I have my own reasons for keeping silence. I must do it". A snake incident that evening provided a final opportunity for the women mandali to hear his voice: "How fortunate you are that you have heard my voice so many times today! This incident with the snake took place to allow you to hear me speak for the final time".

Meher Baba's silence, which began on 10 July 1925, was not merely a vow or penance. He explained its purpose was "to lessen the difficulties and bear the burden of my circle members, who are to be God-realized and who otherwise would have had to undergo certain physical afflictions". He also linked it to "excessive spiritual work that will result when Babajan drops her body in the near future". He frequently stated that his silence was connected to a future manifestation and a "Word" that would revolutionize the world.

Methods of Silent Communication

Throughout his 44 years of silence, Meher Baba employed various methods to communicate:

• Writing: Initially, from 10 July 1925, he communicated by writing instructions, wishes, and discourses swiftly and emphatically. He even began writing a book, mostly in English, after his silence began. He also composed poems on his slate about the difficulty of not speaking.
• Chalk and Slate/Paper and Pencil: In the early days, a young boy named Bal would accompany him with a pencil and paper or chalk and slate for communication.
• Hand Gestures and Alphabet Board: By 1927, Baba ceased writing and began conveying his thoughts through hand gestures or by pointing to English alphabet letters in a newspaper. He later used a dedicated alphabet board for this purpose. He continued to give messages to thousands this way.
• Cessation of Gestures: By 1 December 1954, he had stopped using his forefinger for gestures to convey thoughts, marking "the last link of conversation" with the mandali through physical signs.
• Interpreters: As his gestures became more minimal, his close mandali, such as Eruch, would interpret his signs.

Reception of His Silence by Others

Meher Baba's silence was met with varied reactions:

• Mandali's Perception: Many mandali initially doubted he could maintain silence due to his "outgoing and voluble" nature but were "greatly impressed" by his perfect control. They found his not speaking "considerably more disconcerting" than his usual goading or censure. Later, it became "painful for the mandali to witness Baba's continued silence".
• Public and Media: His silence was often described as "imposing, impressing and inspiring". People noted that his eyes spoke volumes, expressing much without words. Media attention sometimes misrepresented facts, leading to misunderstandings. Some followers were disappointed when he postponed breaking his silence, and he even lost some followers due to this. Opponents, like Colonel Irani, used his silence as an excuse for false propaganda.
• Inward Experience: Despite his outward silence and seclusion, his presence was often felt more intensely by his lovers, as their attention became focused on him. He often stated that his silence did not impede his work, but rather increased its intensity.

Incidents Related to Maintaining Silence (1925-1969)

Throughout the 44 years, numerous incidents highlighted the nature and impact of his silence:

• Early Tests and Strictness (1925-1927):

  • In 1925, Baba instructed Gustadji, a naturally loquacious person, to observe silence for his work; Gustadji maintained it until his death in 1957. He later gave similar instructions to Daulatmai and Bala Tambat.
  • He explained that the silence of his devotees was for their own benefit, while his own was "to drown the world in the Ocean of his silence".
  • In a meeting, when asked why he was quiet, he gave curt replies like "My choice".

• Seclusions and Working (1928-1930):

  • He entered seclusion in a Table Cabin in 1928, fasting on one meal a day. He assured the women mandali, who had begun keeping silence out of worry, that he was not displeased and that they should resume speaking.
  • In January 1930, he entered a strict seclusion inside a cage, fasting partially. He compared this confinement to Jesus's 40-day stay on a mountain, explaining it was for work in "non-physical realms" and was "apparent, not real". Paradoxically, more visitors came during this strict seclusion.
  • In May 1930, he planned a strict six-month seclusion with nine people fasting on milk, where he would give up the alphabet board and all darshan. He expressed "grave doubts" about two participants, who indeed left the next day. A rumor spread that he would miraculously emerge from a sealed cave, drawing crowds.

• Interactions with Gandhi and World Tours (1931-1933):

  • During his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi on the Rajputana in 1931, Gandhi expressed his astonishment at Baba's seven years of silence and eagerness to hear him speak.
  • Baba clarified to Gandhi that references to him "speaking" were always through his alphabet board, not his tongue.
  • He explained that he kept silence to "make the world know me after breaking my silence".
  • On a trip to the US in 1932, he was heralded as potentially breaking his silence in Hollywood, with plans for radio broadcasts. However, he postponed it, stating "conditions are not yet ripe". This led to disappointment among some followers.
  • He assured a reporter in 1932 that he was "one hundred percent" confident he would speak when the time came, despite his long silence.

• Intensification of Work and Health (1936-1941):

  • In 1936, he wrote to Westerners that his long silence served a "great purpose" and taught them "the lesson to suffer".
  • His intense inner spiritual work often affected and strained his physical body.
  • In 1937, he stated his silence was not a vow and he might speak in the 13th year, as he liked the number 13.
  • From 1938, he dictated discourses for the Meher Baba Journal, often using "ghostwriters" to draft them based on his points.
  • He stopped signing his name for his passport due to his "own reasons".
  • He started an intense four-week fast in 1941, which "considerably weakened his health".
  • He announced a stricter six-month seclusion from 1 August 1941, during which he would not be seen or even hear a human voice in the last three months. He declared, "From February 1942 onward, I will start speaking to myself and afterwards to the public. Be ready to hear me speak".

• "Universal Work" and "New Life" (1942-1949):

  • He stated his greatness lay "in suffering for the universe" rather than performing miracles.
  • At a momentous meeting in October 1941, it was decided he would speak any day between 15 February 1942 and 15 February 1943, unannounced. He explained his silence would coincide with "the breaking of the long-awaited silence of God," and "The Word that will move the heart of all... will carry infinite power behind it".
  • His 49th birthday in 1943 was celebrated in six cities, with representatives delivering his message, "The Task for Spiritual Workers".
  • He broke a brief fast in March 1943, stating, "Hereafter, no more seclusion. I will come out publicly for darshan as often as required".
  • He revealed his final instructions for his biography in verse to Bhau Kalchuri on 24 January 1969, seven days before dropping his body. This was his last order. He told Bhau that he liked his writing and to disregard criticism.
  • On 24 January 1969, he uttered the words "Yad rakh" (remember) to Bhau. Bhau clarified that this was not the breaking of Baba's silence or the "Word-of-Words," but a demonstration that his vocal cords were still functional, refuting any idea that he was physically unable to speak. The true breaking of his silence would be his universal manifestation.
  • In 1945, he indicated that his "spiritual death" would occur in November 1945, and his suffering during a "conference of the Five" almost threatened his physical existence.
  • In 1947, he stated the world was approaching a "great upheaval" before he broke his silence, leading to "great suffering" but also a "profound change of heart".
  • The 22nd anniversary of his silence on 10 July 1947, was observed by followers worldwide with a 24-hour fast.
  • In 1948, he dictated that his devotees should abstain from taking part in political activities or discussion.
  • His "Great Seclusion" began on 1 July 1949, where all his mandali and followers were to keep silence for the entire month. On 10 July 1949, he broke his fast that began with the seclusion.
  • On 1 August 1949, he ended his seclusion, appearing radiant and healthy, as if returning from a holiday. This marked the end of his "Old Life" and the beginning of his "New Life" of renunciation and helplessness from 16 October 1949. During the New Life, his name was not to be disclosed, and begging was to be done cheerfully. He also instructed that if asked why he was silent, companions should say, "It is his personal and individual desire".

• Continuing Seclusion and Universal Work (1950s-1960s):

  • He stated in 1952, "If my silence cannot speak, of what avail would be speeches made by the tongue?".
  • On 7 October 1954, he announced he would give up his alphabet board and finger signs, and that his speaking was "very near". He declared an end to mass darshans, meetings, and correspondence. His last public appearance was in Pandharpur on 6 November 1954.
  • From 1 December 1954, the "last link of conversation" via finger gestures ceased, intensifying the "seriousness" around him.
  • He confirmed in 1958 he would break his silence in "sixteen months".
  • He also famously stated, "I am really the only one who is not in seclusion. It is the rest of humanity that is in seclusion. I have come to make it emerge into eternal freedom!".
  • On 10 July 1960, his 35th anniversary of silence was observed with Baba fasting and lovers observing silence. He stated then, "I shall not break my seclusion until I break my silence".
  • He repeatedly indicated that his silence would break due to a "universal crisis" and that "the moment is not far away".
  • In 1962, he emphasized, "When I break my silence it will be heard infinitely more clearly than the loudest of speech uttered by anyone".
  • He explained his suffering was immense because his inner work intensified, particularly from 1963 onward, when he compared the nine months leading to his speaking to a "gestation period" for the "birth" of a new dispensation of Truth.
  • On 10 July 1966, his 41st anniversary of silence, he gave the message: "God’s first Word was ‘Who am I?’ God’s last word is ‘I am God.’ And the Word that I, the God-Man, will utter soon will be the sound of my Infinite Silence".
  • He stated in 1967, "I bind myself with silence that, when I break it, mankind will realize what real freedom is". During this period, he would work with Kaikobad daily for three hours in silence, with Kaikobad repeating God's names and Baba bowing to his feet. This rigorous work left him exhausted and soaked with perspiration.
  • His seclusion was prolonged several times in 1968, indicating the "fate of the universe hangs on his seclusion". His birthday in 1968 was celebrated with great anticipation of an "unprecedented" event after his seclusion.

Final Days and Last Instructions (1969):

• As his health deteriorated, Baba experienced painful spasms when moving his fingers to communicate.
• On 24 January 1969, seven days before he dropped his body, Meher Baba gave Bhau Kalchuri the "very important work" of writing his biography in verse, instructing him to include the lives of the five Perfect Masters and his father's life. This was the last order Meher Baba ever imparted.
• In this same poignant moment, Baba uttered two words, "Yad rakh" (remember), to Bhau. Bhau later clarified that this was not the true "breaking of Baba's silence" or the "Word-of-Words," but rather a demonstration that his vocal cords were still capable of speech, dispelling any notion that his silence was due to physical inability. His real speaking would be a "universal manifestation".

Meher Baba's silence was a dynamic, active process that intensified his connection with the world, leading him to engage in tireless inner and outer work, preparing for a future spiritual awakening of humanity.

Rome and Home

Baba taunted the man, replying, “Yes, you cannot follow because you are in Rome, and I know because I am at Home! This is the difference between you and me. You are in Rome and I am at Home!”

The priest then left, quite puzzled by his encounter with Baba. What Baba meant by “Home” was that he was one with God, and “Rome” was the church – rites, rituals, orthodoxy. God abided in Baba, and Baba abided in God. But to the priest God was in Rome – the church in Rome.

Above is an excerpt from a story from Lord Meher that I received in my inbox today and quite like. The punchline of course is the following:

 You are in Rome and I am at Home

This quote carries more weight for me because I attended a Catholic school and was nominally a Catholic until about age 15 when the penny dropped so to speak. While I'm not in Rome anymore, I'm still far from home or "walking far from home" as the Iron and Wine song lyrics go. What follows is the full story and a wonderful photo of Baba taken in 1936 when he was 42 years old. He looks magnificent. The story immediately follows the photo. 

(March 1937) Baba was in Nasik. Malcolm Schloss had met a Catholic priest at a religious conference in Nasik and he urged the priest to meet Baba, but he declined. When he told Baba, he also seemed uninterested. However, due to Malcolm’s persuasion a meeting was arranged. The following conversation between the priest and Meher Baba then ensued:

When they met, Baba commented to him, “All the Mullajis (Muslim priests) are good; the Pope is good; the Pandits (Hindu scholars) are good. But only the Sankaracharya (1) (head of orthodox Hinduism) can speak for hours on end!”

The priest had recently returned from participating in the religious conference, and hearing Baba’s words, proudly refuted, “It was not the Sankaracharya, but I who spoke during the whole conference. The Sankaracharya could not argue convincingly at all. He could not say a word to me and I rebuked him severely.”

“Yes,” replied Baba, “these Mullajis, and the Sankaracharya, all need to be warned. They deserve lecturing and need to be taken to task.”

“You just said they are good and now you say they need to be lectured,” the priest said. “I don’t follow what you mean.”

Explaining, Baba spelled out, “The Sankaracharya and high priests have big heads – they are intellectuals – but they have small hearts. You, however, have a good heart.”

Baba added, “There are many to teach in the world, but very few to learn.”

“What do you mean?” asked the priest.

“They all teach but none of them wants to learn – and those who teach do not know the Truth themselves!”

Baba then recounted a striking incident concerning Baily: “A chap named Baily was my school friend and he just could not believe how a boy like me who used to play marbles with him, could as a man attain such a high state while he was still in the same state where he was. The difference between him and me was so phenomenal that he wanted to see some miracles as proof in order to gain conviction about me. One day, when Baily was writing something in my thatched hut in Poona, all of a sudden the inkwell began dancing up and down! He was flabbergasted. After a little while, the pen jumped from his hand and also started to dance. He started shouting, ‘Baba! Baba!’ and wept continuously for some days. From that day on, he was convinced of my powers and had faith in me.

“I told him, ‘You are a fool. If this small phenomena could convince you of spirituality, why don’t you go and follow Muhammad Chhel, who was a well-known tantric magician?’

“All miracles are child’s play, whereas spirituality is far above them. Miracles in themselves have no spiritual value or significance. But they are necessary and, at times, performed by the Master as a means to convince people of Truth and spirituality. Jesus performed miracles not for his own gain, but to make people recognize the Truth and to create faith in them. Yet, when he was crucified, he who could raise the dead, did not stop it!”

Changing the subject, the priest asked, “Why do you keep silence? Why don’t you speak?”

“I always speak!” Baba smilingly replied, “I continually speak through you, through all the high priests and through everyone.”

Not following what Baba meant, the priest asked, “Then why do you use the alphabet board?”

“I talk through you and all, and I answer questions through this board.”

The priest looked more perplexed and asked, “How? I don’t understand.”

Baba taunted the man, replying, “Yes, you cannot follow because you are in Rome, and I know because I am at Home! This is the difference between you and me. You are in Rome and I am at Home!”

The priest then left, quite puzzled by his encounter with Baba. What Baba meant by “Home” was that he was one with God, and “Rome” was the church – rites, rituals, orthodoxy. God abided in Baba, and Baba abided in God. But to the priest God was in Rome – the church in Rome.

(1) Footnote: In Hinduism the Sankaracharya is similar in status to the Pope in Roman Catholicism.

Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 6, pp. 2129 – 2130. Link.

Mu’inuddin Chishti

The following appeared in my inbox today from the Meher Baba Centre in Bombay and quoted from Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 7, pp. 2391 – 2393:

(Feb.1939) On one occasion, referring to the purpose of his visits to different shrines, tombs or dargahs of saints and Perfect Masters, Baba stated:

By my living presence, I clean the tangled atmosphere of the shrines of the dead saints, Sadgurus and Qutubs. This complicated atmosphere is of the thought world. Thought force is really very strong and powerful. Chaitanya did not go to places of pilgrimage for the sake of pilgrimage, but for cleansing their atmosphere which were full of the sanskaras of thoughts of worldly people. Chaitanya was a Hindu Perfect Master, during the time of Shankara. He originated the ecstatic song or evocation, “Hare Krishna, Hare Ram!”

For my work, a pilgrim on the third plane is more helpful than the place of a dead Master of the seventh plane; but a well-known dead saint or Master may have a strong influence due to the multitudes going to his tomb. That is why I thin down the effect of this complicated thought atmosphere by visiting such places.

Meher Baba went to the shrine of Mu’inuddin Chishti several times. Chishti is responsible for more converts to Islam in India that any other man. He converted over two hundred thousand people during his time in India; no one else ever did such, even the Mughal warlords during their invasions. On a later occasion, Meher Baba revealed that the Sufi Master Mu’inuddin Khwaja Saheb Chishti was the Qutub-e-Irshad of his time.

I asked Bard to explain the term Qutub-e-Irshad (link):

The term "Qutub-e-Irshad" is a composite phrase consisting of three words:

• Qutub: This word in Arabic can have multiple meanings depending on the context. In Sufi terminology, it often refers to a "pole star" or a spiritual guide who serves as a central figure within a specific lineage or order. It implies the individual holds high spiritual authority and wisdom.

• e-: This is a Persian connecting particle, meaning "of" or "belonging to."

• Irshad: This word in Arabic signifies "guidance" or "instruction."

Therefore, when combined, "Qutub-e-Irshad" translates roughly to "Pole Star of Guidance" or "Master of Instruction." It refers to a highly respected spiritual leader within a Sufi tradition who offers guidance and instruction on the path of spiritual enlightenment.

Meher Baba explained that at any given time on Earth there are five Qutubs or Perfect Masters overseeing the affairs of the world. One of these five in charge and is referred to as the Qutub-e-Irshad. Of the five Qutubs in Meher Baba's early life, Sai Baba was the Qutub-e-Irshad:

Was this ascetic a Hindu or a Muslim? People of every religion and caste in India would seek him out. This holy man belonged to no caste or religion or "ism." He himself was the true fakir, the Emperor of Emperors. Why would people journey hundreds of miles to see him? Because his eyes shone brilliantly with a magnetism that drew them towards him. The light in his eyes attracted thousands to his feet.

Hidden in this extraordinary fakir was the Qutub-e-Irshad of the age — the head of the spiritual hierarchy and the leading Perfect Master of his time. He who held the key to all worlds and universes in his very hands appeared as a ragged beggar in a nondescript village in India. In his hands the conflicting forces of the world's turmoil and the throes of the universes were kept balanced! It may be difficult for a worldly-minded materialist to believe this, but it is a spiritual fact. Source.

Bard had this to say about Mu’inuddin Chishti (link):

Mu'inuddin Chishti: A Revered Figure in Sufi Islam

Mu'inuddin Chishti, also known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz ("comforter of the poor"), was a revered Sufi preacher, scholar, and mystic who played a significant role in spreading and shaping the Chishti Order of Sunni Islam in the Indian subcontinent. Here's a summary of his life and contributions:

Life and Lineage:

Born in Sistan, Persia (present-day Iran) in 1141 CE.

Descended from both Prophet Muhammad and Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Received spiritual guidance from renowned Sufi masters in his youth.

Embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca, spending time in Baghdad and Delhi before settling in Ajmer, India, in 1206 CE.

Contributions:

Established the Chishti Order in India: He is considered the founder of the Chishti Order in the Indian subcontinent, known for its emphasis on love, devotion, and inclusivity.

Promoted interfaith dialogue: He cultivated relationships with people of different faiths, fostering peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.

Emphasized service to humanity: His teachings stressed compassion, generosity, and service to the poor and marginalized.

Attracted diverse followers: His charismatic personality and message resonated with people from all walks of life, regardless of caste, creed, or social status.

Left a lasting legacy: His tomb in Ajmer became a major pilgrimage site, attracting devotees from all over the world.

Significance:

Mu'inuddin Chishti's contributions are considered pivotal in the spread of Islam in India, particularly Sufism, which offered a more mystical and inward-looking approach to faith.

His teachings and personal example resonated with diverse communities, contributing to social harmony and interfaith dialogue in the region.

He continues to be revered as a spiritual guide and source of inspiration, not just for Muslims but for people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Further Exploration:

If you're interested in learning more about Mu'inuddin Chishti, here are some resources:

• Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu%27in_al-Din_Chishti

• Ajmer Sharif Dargah website: https://ajmerdargahsharif.com/

• Books and articles on Sufism and the Chishti Order

I hope this overview provides a helpful starting point for understanding Mu'inuddin Chishti's life and significance.

This news article from January 29th 2019 provides additional information.

God versus Godhood

How much better it would be if God were conceived of less as a person and more as an experience. Boys pass into to manhood, girls pass into womanhood and some humans pass into Godhood. All humans have the capacity to experience Godhood but very few do. The more God is objectified, the more humans project human qualities on to this notion that they have of God. God becomes a sort of super-person who is all powerfull, all knowledgeable, all merciful etc. The attempt is made to contain God within the bounds of human intellect and understanding.

The so-called Perfect Masters, also called Sadgurus or Qutubs, have experienced Godhood or God-consciousness and returned to worldly consciousness for “universal duty”. Others, called Majzoobs, have also experienced Godhood but remain oblivious to the world, their bodies are here but they have no awareness of their physical surroundings. The majority of those who attain Godhood drop their body within three days, as they have no further use for it. Meher Baba has told us that there are always 56 God-realised souls on Earth at any one time. It is only on Earth that these God-realised souls can be found and on none of the other approximately 18,000 worlds supporting human life.

The first human to attain Godhood is known as the Avatar or Ancient One. This human was a male and His “universal duty” is never-ending. Unlike the Sadgurus who return to consciousness of the physical world only once, the Avatar returns periodically (every 700 or 1400 years) and always in a male body. Zoroaster, Krishna, Ram, Buddha and Christ are some of the forms He has taken. His most recent incarnation was in the form of Meher Baba (1894-1969).

Meher Baba’s life has been recorded in great detail and Bhau Kalchuri’s epic biography, Lord Meher, remains the most authoritative account of His life. Unlike previous Avatars, Meher Baba did not establish a new religion because He said that there were enough of them already. To quote His Universal Message (source):

I have come not to teach but to awaken. Understand therefore that I lay down no precepts. Throughout eternity I have laid down principles and precepts, but mankind has ignored them. Man’s inability to live God’s words makes the Avatar’s teaching a mockery. Instead of practicing the compassion He taught, man has waged crusades in His name. Instead of living the humility, purity and truth of His words, man has given way to hatred, greed and violence. Because man has been deaf to the principles and precepts laid down by God in the past, 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 nearer and nearer to God you have to get further and further away from “I”, “my”, “me” and “mine”. You have not to renounce anything but your own self. It is as simple as that, though found to be almost impossible. It is possible for you to renounce your limited self by my Grace. I have come to release that Grace. I repeat, I lay down no precepts. When I release the tide of Truth which I have come to give, men’s daily lives will be the living precept. The words I have not spoken will come to life in them.

It can be noted that the Avatar Himself uses the term God but He makes it clear, via His other utterances, that God is not an external entity but an inner state to be attained. To find God is to experience Godhood: Oneness without Division. Meher Baba emphasised the importance of the Perfect Masters and Avatar as well as alluding to the formless state of God (Godhood) in the following quote:

On May 27th, (1926) Meher Baba discoursed on the Personal and Impersonal sides of God:

The foremost and highest object in life is personally serving a Sadguru and complete surrenderance to him. The second is constant meditation on the divine name. The third is selfless service, and the fourth is the offering of worship (prayer). Serving a Sadguru is like taking a course for a Master’s degree; meditating on the divine name is like studying for a Bachelor’s degree; performing selfless service is like obtaining a high school diploma, and offering prayers is like learning the alphabet. Once one attains the Bachelor’s degree, it does not take much time to attain the Master’s degree.

Were someone to ask me who is greater Personal or Impersonal God, Tukaram or Bhagwan, Zarathustra or Ahuramazda, Jesus or God the Father, I would definitely answer that Tukaram, Zarathustra and Jesus are greater. In fact, they are the Greatest of the Great because by being a Sadguru or the Avatar they render infinite service to the universe and suffer infinitely by taking upon themselves the burden of the world’s infinite amount of sanskaras. Undoubtedly, a conscious divine person such as Tukaram or Zarathustra, compared to the unconscious Bhagwan or Ahuramazda (formless God), is definitely greater!

Zarathustra was actually God in human form – an Avatar. In order to work in creation, he had to come down as man among illiterate, fanatical and hot-tempered humanity. Had Zarathustra told them to worship him, they would have denounced, harassed and murdered him. They would have thought him an enormous egotist and absolutely crazy. So he taught them to pray to formless God. But in reality, by worshiping formless God, they were worshiping him; and consequently they gained the impression that Ahuramazda was greater than Zarathustra, which was wrong.

Lord Meher, Original ed., Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 3, 803.

The Four Pillars of Meherabad

Vishnu came into Meher Baba’s contact as a teenage boy in 1918, and from the days of Manzil-e-Meem in 1922, he was always with Baba. His almost forty years of service, love and obedience to the God-Man were as close to perfect as perfect can be described. His mother, Kakubai, had died in Meherabad, and now Vishnu had laid aside his body at the Beloved’s side. Vishnu was incomparable in forbearance, and Baba was always pleased with him. Even under the most trying circumstances, he would never utter a word of complaint, and he put up with every hardship. Vishnu was called “One of the four pillars of Meherabad,” along with Adi, Pendu and Padri. Among the men, he was sorely missed.

The above is a quote from this source. In reading “Lord Meher” it’s sometimes difficult to clearly distinguish between the different mandali. I’m prompted in this post to explore the life of this pillar of Meherabad, using Meher Baba’s Life and Travels as my source of information. Vishnu Deorukhar was also known as “Bazaar-Master,” because he did the marketing for many years at Meherabad, Meherazad and other headquarters. Figure 1 shows a photo of him. The text following is taken from the just quoted source and is reproduced in full because it’s difficult to read on the actual site. I took a screenshot of the text and then used Google Keep to grab the text from the image. It did a good job and I only needed to make a few minor corrections.

Vishnu
Born : 21st June 1903
Died : 13th May 1962

When the disciple is ready, it is said, the Master appears. Vishnu Deorukhat, later known as “Vishnu Master,” must have completed his preparations in previous births, since he met Baba when just a boy of fifteen, and remained His permanently. The year was 1919, and the place was Poona. Vishnu lived with his mother just across the street from Merwan’s toddy shop located in the Kasba Peth district, a neighborhood near the river inhabited by poor fishermen. In these days, Baba would perform arti in a small room adjacent to the shop that He had established as a temple, and after prayers He gave gave prasad to all-comers. Baba was drawing many of His earliest disciples to Himself at this time.

One day while Baba was distributing prasad, a boy came forward, holding out his hands. Before he could leave, Baba asked him, “Where is your father!” Young Vishnu told Baba that his father had died and that he lived with his mother. Baba told the lad, “From now on I am your father” With these words Baba sealed the connection, which proved to be lifelong. Soon after this Vishnu’s mother, who was cooking Baba His lunch each day, complained that her son was associating with a bad group of boys and going to movies. Immediately Baba set off to the neighborhood theater, caught the boy, and slapped him several times. Shocked, Vishnu protested that he had bought the ticket with his own money. “But did you ask me if you could go to the movies? Baka scolded him. “Didn’t I tell you that I would be your father!”

From that time on, Vishnu knew that he could not do anything without Baba’s permission. Four years later, in early 1923 Vishnu was called to join Baba as one of His mandali at the Marsil-e-Meem in Bombay; and a year after that he came to live with Baba at Meherabad. During this period Baba designated Vishnu as bazaar-wali responsible for shopping and keeping the accounts. And this duty stuck throughout the years, whether Baba was on tour, in Meherabad, in Meherazad, in Guruprasad, or other places.

Vishnu accompanied Baba on His first trip to Persia in 1929 and during His sensational, high-profile visit to the West in 1932. On other tours during this phase of Baba’s intensive world travel, He assigned Vishnu the duty of sending Him a daily telegram reporting on the routine activities and health of the mandali back in the ashram. If Vishnu happened to miss a day, Baba would demand, “What happened! Why hasn’t Vishnu sent the telegram! And Baba would have His own telegram sent out asking the reason for the lapse.

From the mid-1920s until he passed anang, Vishnu was closely associated with Meherabad. Indeed, he was one of the “Four Pillars of Meherabad,” along with Padri, Pendu, and Adi Senior. Baba give them this title in the great meetings in August 1949 in which He announced the New Life. During those meetings Vishnu came forward as one of the “yes-walis” and set out with Baba as one of His twenty companions on October 16.

After the New Life Vishnu continued in his role as one of Baba’s resident mandali. He was one of Baba’s fellow-travelers when He met with His second automobile accident in Satara in December 1956. When Eruch regained consciousness and staggered out of the car with broken ribs in the accidents immediate aftermath, he asked Vishnu, who was the least hurt, what had happened. But it seems that Vishru had experienced a vision of Baba in His universal body, surrounded by effulgent light. Stunned by what he had witnessed, Vishnu could only speak to Eruch about the radiance of Baba’s face, who had appeared to him like Krishnu triumphant on the battlefield of Kurukshetra! Perhaps Baba had granted him some glimpse of the inner dimensions of His Avataric working on that momentous occasion.

Though Vishnu did not often stay at Meherabad, when Baba shifted residence to Guruprasad in Poona in the summer months, Vishnu accompanied Him there. And so it came to pass, one afternoon in 1962 shortly after the usual Sunday darshan gathering had dispersed, that Vishnu passed away after a heart attack. Informed by Goher of what had happened, Baba came from His room and sat by His old disciple, who had worn out his life in his Beloved’s service, for a full hour. “Never before have I sat near the body of any of My mandali as I am doing today by Vishnu,” Baba commented.”He is most fortunate. Vishnu is now merged in Me.”

A “smallish man of regal bearing” as Mani afterwards described him, Vishnu kept a low profile among Baba’s mandali, but was one of the stalwarts in His work. His body now tests in the men’s graveyard in Lower Meherabad next to the grave of his fellow disciple and longtime friend Nilu.

The author of Meher Baba’s Life and Travels makes the odd statement on the site that Meher Baba claimed the Vishnu was Napoleon Bonaparte in a previous life. However, a reading of Lord Meher (page 2209 online edition) makes it clear that this is not the case. What Baba actually said was:

Meanwhile, at Laksar, the men mandali had to change trains with Chatti Baba, who refused to board it. The train was about to leave when Vishnu thought of this trick: He told the mast, “We are trying to take you back to your native place, but we can’t, if you won’t board the train.” The ruse worked and Chatti Baba happily climbed on board. When Baba heard of it, he laughed, and joked, “Vishnu is short and does all the work of marketing and travel arrangements. But now I see that not only does he look like Napoleon and labor like Napoleon — even his brain works like Napoleon’s!”

The Ancient of Days

Figure 1: The Ancient of Days
by William Blake (1794)

In my mid-twenties I had a quite large poster of Blake's "The Ancient of Days" that adorned the walls of the various abodes in which I lived during those years. To quote Wikipedia:

Ancient of Days is a name for God in the Book of Daniel. The title "Ancient of Days" has been used as a source of inspiration in art and music, denoting the creator's aspects of eternity combined with perfection. William Blake's watercolour and relief etching entitled The Ancient of Days is one such example. This term appears three times in the Book of Daniel (7:9, 13, 22), and is used in the sense of God being eternal.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Daniel 7:9

In this sense, "The Ancient of Days" is more akin to what Meher Baba termed "The Beyond the Beyond State of God" in his book "God Speaks". However, Christians nowadays clearly associate the phrase with Jesus. In the well-known song "Ancient of Days" by CityAlight this is clearly the case, although Jesus is not mentioned explicitly:

Ancient of Days

CityAlight

Though the nations rage, kingdoms rise and fall

There is still one King reigning over all

So I will not fear for this truth remains

That my God is, the Ancient of Days

None above Him, none before Him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power, all the glory

I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul

He is here with me, I am not alone

O His love is sure, and He knows my name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

None above Him, none before Him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power, all the glory

I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Though I may not see what the future brings

I will watch and wait for the Saviour King

Then my joy complete, standing face to face

In the presence of the Ancient of Days

None above Him, none before Him

All of time in His hands

For His throne it shall remain and ever stand

All the power, all the glory

I will trust in His name

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

For my God is, the Ancient of Days

Source: Musixmatch

Van Morrison also has a song titled "Ancient of Days" from his album "A Sense of Wonder", released way back in 1985. The lyrics are quite different:

Ancient of Days

Van Morrison 

Saw you shining in the sun this morning 

Saw you shining in the moon at night 

Saw you shining in the sun this morning 

Saw vou shining in the moon at night 

Ancient of days, ancient of days, ancient of day a a a ays 

Saw you standing by the winding river 

Saw you standing by the shining stream 

Saw you standing by the winding river 

Saw you standing bv the shining stream 

Ancient of days, ancient of days, ancient of day a a a ays 

Felt you stirring in my heart this morning 

Felt you moving in my heart at night 

Felt you stirring in my heart this morning 

Felt you moving in my heart at night 

Ancient of days, ancient of days, ancient of day a a a ays 

Saw you shining in the sun this morning 

Saw you shining in the starry night 

Saw you shining in the sun this morning 

Saw you shining in the starry night 

Ancient of days, ancient of days, ancient of day a a a ays   

 Meher Baba often referred to himself as "The Ancient One":

"I was Ram, I was Krishna. I was this One, I was that One, and now I am Meher Baba. In this form of flesh and blood I am that same Ancient One who alone is eternally worshiped and ignored, ever remembered and forgotten."

Lord Meher Online Edition 

"I belong to no religion. Every religion belongs to me. My own personal religion is of my being the Ancient Infinite One, and the religion I teach to all is of love for God. This love can be practiced by anyone, high, low, rich, poor; and everyone of every caste and creed can love God. The one God who resides equally in us all is approachable to everyone through love. So I give my blessings that at least some of you will love God as He is to be loved."

Lord Meher Online Edition

"I am the Ancient One. I came as Ram in the world. I was Krishna and Muhammad. And I was the Christ who was crucified."

Lord Meher Online Edition 

"People say that I am the Avatar, but when it is impossible for rishis and munis to understand me, how can they know me? Only the Perfect Masters know me. I am that Ancient One — Zoroaster, Ram, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad. But how will you know that I am the Adi Purush [Supreme Power]? Rare are those who have the fortune to know me. So do one thing. Leave the thought of understanding me altogether. Love me, obey me; that is all. "

Lord Meher Online Edition 

"I am the Ancient One, the one residing in every heart. Undoubtedly, I am the Ancient One. So if you love others, make others happy, serve them even at discomfort to yourself, you would be loving me, the Beloved residing in every individual heart."

Lord Meher Online Edition 

The Van Morrison song would be impossible for me to sing but the CityAlight song is relatively easy to play. Here is the Ultimate Guitar link to the chords. Baba also referred to himself as the Avatar but this term has become somewhat debased by its association with an icon or figure representing a particular person in video games, internet forums, etc. and also the James Cameron movie "Avatar". Therefore the term "The Ancient One" is preferable to both "Avatar" and "God", both of which terms carry a lot of baggage.

That's not to say that "The Ancient One" doesn't have any baggage. It does. For instance, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

The Ancient One was the Sorcerer Supreme as well as the leader of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. For centuries, the Ancient One protected Earth from mystical threats, and dedicated herself to helping others in need by educating them in the magical arts to give them new hope.