Many visitors came to see Baba at Kandivli. Savak Kotwal came on September 9th (1929) and prayed to the Master to put him on the path. Baba assured him that he was under his nazar – watchful eye. “The path is most difficult,” remarked Baba. “Only heroes can tread it. It is better if you look before you leap. Think well before you ask this of me.
“Think of the untold sufferings and sacrifices to be undergone in this line by giving up everything, even your nearest and dearest ones and the whole world. In this path you must carry your life up your sleeves! After giving all up, you should not have the slightest thought of your sacrifices. You should not even think of it. Your attitude of heart should be fully ready for the renunciation of everything.”
“Shower your grace on me, Baba, so that I will have no other thoughts but of you alone,” requested Kotwal.
“What is grace? To make you like me. That is grace,” replied Baba. “Grace does not lead a person to renunciation; it means that as soon as a person receives a Master’s grace, he becomes like his Master.”
Quoting Kabir, Kotwal then said, “God’s grace consists in giving human form; and the Master’s grace consists in making one renounce the whole world.”
“The whole universe is to be renounced. Making one like his Master, that is grace,” replied Baba.
“Baba, make me yours,” Kotwal said.
“When the Guru’s grace descends, then he himself makes one do everything and the result will be his,” Baba replied. “But you have to understand this and do as he says. There should be no thought at all while carrying out his orders; the mind should not turn to anything else. Are you ready for that?” Kotwal kept quiet, and Baba asked him, “Are you prepared to do so? Now is the time to do so; this is a very cheap bargain – quite easy. Are you ready to accept the bargain?”
Kotwal seemed to be weighing the proposition in his mind and kept quiet. Baba asked, “What are you thinking? There is nothing else except God everywhere. So what is the use of thinking? This won’t do. That is why I say,
Think not once but a hundred times
before stepping onto this path.
“If I asked you to sit on the veranda for one year, you would start wondering why. That would make you sink deeper and deeper into thought, and your mind would harass you. Had you agreed to do it, but not been able to do it, you would have then repented and your mind would have troubled you with millions of thoughts.
“Therefore, I tell you candidly, never try to be friends with us Masters; and if you want that friendship, then seek it with your life in the palm of your hand. Otherwise, instead of gain, you will come to ruin. Instead, it is better if you take darshan and go, thus offering homage from a distance.”
Kotwal’s mind was troubled and he gave no answer at this time. Several years were to pass before he was ready to completely surrender to Meher Baba.
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 4, pp. 1217 – 1218.