FRIDAY, AUGUST 22nd, 1958, marked the end of the first forty-day period of Baba’s seclusion and work (with Nilkanth and Kaikobad), which Baba stated was done one hundred percent satisfactorily. On August 25th, from his seclusion, Baba sent this telegram to some of his lovers, which was distributed as a Life Circular six days later:
Circumstances during these three months will put to test both the love and faith of my lovers. So try your best to keep a firm hold on my daaman. Do not talk ill of others, and try not to think ill of others. Remember my instructions about not going to Meherabad or Meherazad, and not corresponding with me or with anyone in Meherabad or Meherazad.
Baba would also emphatically impress on those with him not to have any bad thoughts about anyone else. Once over a domestic squabble one morning, he remarked, “Why do you worry over such a trivial thing like that when the whole world is at stake? Help me in my work by obeying me implicitly, and when you are in my presence, I want you to be unperturbed, cheerful and never out of mood for any reason.”
Occasionally though, Baba would purposely bring up some topic in the newspaper. If in the course of reading it aloud in mandali hall any of the men was unintentionally critical of any leader or authority of any country, Baba would immediately correct him and warn him that they should desist from backbiting. He would repeatedly tell the mandali to always be pure in thought.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 16, p. 1500.