The following morning at 8:30 A.M., April 13th, (1959) Baba discoursed on God-intoxication and a mast’s “blissful agony.” Part of what he stated about masts on this and other occasions was as follows:
One who burns in the fire of Divine Love experiences blissful agony. For him, peacefulness is death and restlessness is life. He never wishes that the fire of love should cool down a bit, but longs that it be ever aflame.
In reference to the agonies of a lover, Hafiz has said:
“In love, a stage is reached when the pangs of separation
from your Beloved gnaw your heart;
but every gnawing is experienced as blissful agony.”
When a man drinks wine, he becomes intoxicated. He is overpowered and momentarily “free from cares.” At the time, in his state of intoxication, he does not care for the world. But when the effect is gone, he has a headache and he repents that in his drunkenness he went astray. He is ashamed of himself.
The mast, on the other hand is intoxicated, with Divine Love; his indifference and intoxication are distinct. The mast’s intoxication is always felt. He is unmindful of what the world says. He does not care for worldly people. He has no headache, but his heart has a constant sweet pain. His heart thirsts to realize the Beloved. Under any circumstances and at any cost he does not want this pain to lessen – even at the cost of his life! The pain to him is sweet and he tries to perpetuate it.
For example, a man loves his wife to the extreme. Some time later, she dies. The remembrance of his dear wife is an agony to him, but it is sweet nonetheless.
The worldly man when intoxicated derives a sort of fearlessness and negligence. But that is only for the time being, whereas the fearlessness and indifference of the mast are lasting. Even if you had a taste of that Divine Love just once, all your worries would disappear, and you would continuously enjoy the blissful agony. This heartache of the mast is of such a sublime state that he prefers death to losing it.
It is not like the heartache of ordinary people, but is of a very high order. The pain of separation of the man from his departed wife is nothing compared to it.
Lord Meher, Original Publications, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 16, pp. 5558 – 5559.