Sunday, May 7th (1961), was the day Baba’s state of disinterestedness turned into one of interest, for on that day he gave darshan to over three hundred children in Guruprasad. At a time when he had been touching the hearts of his lovers with his Will Supreme, Baba’s heart was touched by the children of his lovers, whose hearts contain absolute dependence. Children are fully dependent on their parents, and their dependence binds their parents with the responsibility of looking after and maintaining them. In turn, the parents’ responsibility is fulfilled by depending entirely on the God-Man’s Will in every way.
Therefore, Baba first allowed his darshan to children that year, and while among them, the apparent serious distaste in everything around him from which he suffered was replaced by the joy of his usual keen interest in everything around him. The function took place in the afternoon from 4:30 to 6:00 P.M. Children (up to twelve years of age) of Poona lovers were invited. To care for the tiny toddlers, one adult from each family was permitted to accompany them. So, mostly mothers and an occasional aunt had the good fortune to enjoy the delightful interplay between Baba and their children. Toffees were purchased as prasad, and each candy was wrapped so that it whistled. Starting the function, Baba picked up one of the sweets and blew it, and the shrill sound drew the attention of all toward him. Sardar Raste, who brought an orphaned boy, looked at Baba amazed. Giving him the toffee, Baba signaled to Sardar, “Take this and whistle it! Be a child among children!” Taking the toffee, Sardar blew it so loudly that none of the other children could match him. Baba’s grandniece, Gulnar’s nine-month-old daughter, Mehernaz, was the youngest participant; but his nephews, Sohrab and Rustom, being almost sixteen, had not been invited. To gain admittance, they decided to dress up as mother and child. Donning a sari, Sohrab was the mother, and Rustom her baby boy. Sohrab entered Guruprasad with her “baby” on her back and went toward Baba. Rustom was holding a bottle in his hand, sucking it with such force (and hollering for all he was worth), as if he had been starving for days. Everyone was laughing, but the greatest merriment arose when, being unable to bear Rustom’s weight, Sohrab collapsed. The baby clung on! Rustom at once changed positions and laid down on Sohrab’s lap, and Sohrab gave him his bottle. Everyone enjoyed their performance, and Baba gave each a toffee.
Baba met all three hundred children, kissing some, patting others, taking a few on his lap and giving them the candy. The program had originally been scheduled to last an hour, but it went on for an hour and a half. No garlanding or bowing down was allowed, but at the end of the program, all three hundred children shouted in praise “Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!”
After months, at last Baba appeared in a joyous mood that day. His face was flowing with divine beauty and his smile spread its message of joy. Seeing him, no one could imagine how terribly he had suffered; no one could see what lay behind the veil of his smile! Such was his divine play.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 17, pp. 5820 – 5825.