(10 July 1958) Baba then declared: “I am the Ancient One, and I have the divine authority to forgive anyone of anything!”
Moments after Baba declared this, Ravikant Rawal implored Baba to forgive him for his sins, and the interruption displeased Baba greatly. He directed everyone to leave the hall for five minutes, and the atmosphere turned serious. Baba’s mood underwent a sudden and grave change, and when the group had reassembled, he corrected Rawal, “If I am Baba, do I not know your heart or listen to your heart’s voice? What is the need to tell me to forgive you?” Baba forgave him for the mistake.
Recalling the game of atya-patya, Baba asked Dhake to explain its rules to those present, which he did. Baba added, “In this game, if some outsider obstructs a player, he is called manusghan (a dirty player) and the term can well be applied to Rawal.”
Baba asked him, “Did you follow what I just said?” Rawal shook his head no. Baba commented, “You are full of fat but no brains!”
He asked Adi and Burjor Mehta to take Rawal outside and explain it to him. When they returned, Baba addressed Rawal, “Your action displeased me, but you are not to blame for it. Only Baba is to be blamed.”
After a while, on Baba’s asking, Eruch recited the Prayer of Repentance and afterwards, Baba stated:
Now I will give you my final message and suggestion. Thereafter, my final discourse will be read to you. How lucky you are that you have the opportunity to hear the Avatar’s last message and last discourse in his presence. After this, you will not have to listen to any more messages or discourses from the Avatar. Therefore, try to pay close attention to them. After leaving, inform my lovers about everything that took place here. Spread my last message far and wide. Try to give this message to all, irrespective of whether one believes in me or not. It is universal and for all.
After nine o’clock, you are not to touch my feet nor bow down to me, nor are you to acclaim me, nor when I leave after finishing my work are you to follow me.
From the 14th of July to the 30th of November, no one should try to see me or any of my mandali at Meherazad or Meherabad, or to correspond with me or them. No one should send me telegrams under any circumstances, even in the case of the greatest trouble or anyone’s death. I have also instructed Adi not to come to Meherazad during this period, nor go to Meherabad. He can come only when I call him for some work. I have also ordered him to return any gift in cash or kind sent to me. So do not unnecessarily burden Adi’s work by making him return your money or money orders. During this period, none of the Meherazad mandali can go to Meherabad, and vice versa, neither can they correspond with anyone. This rule applies equally to all my mandali – those at Meherazad and Meherabad both.
You know how important Eruch is for my work. By remaining by my side, he serves me twenty-four hours a day, keeps watch by my side, reads my signs and gestures, looks after my smallest chores, and in addition, he handles the correspondence. But, for the first time, during this period of four and one-half months, I will keep him in Meherabad away from me.
From this, you can grasp the significance of my instructions. Follow them completely and make other lovers follow them.
Baba also remarked to those present: “I have not called you here for any meeting, sahavas, darshan or interview, but to hear what I am about to declare to you.”
Baba’s words created a serious atmosphere in the hall. Thereafter, Eruch read Meher Baba’s 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 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.
I veil myself from man by his own curtain of ignorance, and manifest my glory to a few. My present Avataric form is the last incarnation of this cycle of time, hence my manifestation will be the greatest. When I break my silence, the impact of my love will be universal and all life in creation will know, feel and receive of it. It will help every individual to break himself free from his own bondage in his own way. I am the Divine Beloved who loves you more than you can ever love yourself. The breaking of my silence will help you to help yourself in knowing your real Self.
All this world confusion and chaos was inevitable and no one is to blame. What had to happen has happened; and what has to happen will happen. There was and is no way out except through my coming in your midst. I had to come, and I have come. I am the Ancient One.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 16, pp. 5485 – 5487.
(Today, 10th July 2024 is the Ninety-Ninth Anniversary of Beloved Baba’s unique Silence).