FROM JUNE 15th, (1953) Baba decided to fast for a week on water mixed with lemon juice and sugar. He first consulted his doctors Donkin, Nilu and Goher, who said it would not drastically affect his health, and they promised not to interfere with his wish. Adi Sr. arrived in Dehra Dun that day and stayed for three days.
In the vicinity of Dehra Dun were four prominent saints: Miran Bhai, Anandi Mai, (1) Sant Ishwar Singh and Sant Mangat Ram. Baba wished to contact three of the saints, namely: Anandi Mai, Ishwar Singh and Mangat Ram. But because he was about to fast, he decided instead to contact them by proxy. He put his head on Elcha Mistry’s feet, and instructed him to go and touch Anandi Mai’s feet, and convey his love and blessings to her. Similarly, touching Baidul’s feet twice, Baba instructed Baidul to go to Ishwar Singh and Mangat Ram and bow to each of them.
Elcha did as ordered, and afterward Anandi Mai expressed her desire to meet Baba. Elcha informed Baba, who sent her this message:
Meher Baba was informed of your wish to see him. He says that there is no need for you to see him. If Baba is the Highest of the High, as people say, and is in everything and in everyone, then he is omniscient, and in you also. Even if that is not the case, then there would be no advantage in a meeting with him. Baba is bowing down to saints, walis, masts, sadhus and the poor equally, and he conveys his love to you. With his love, he sends his salutation to you.
Baba again bowed to Elcha, as proxy, and sent him back to Anandi Mai. After bowing to the woman saint, Elcha conveyed Baba’s message. On hearing it, she said, “Namo Narayana! Namo Narayana!” – meaning, “Obeisance to God! Obeisance to God Narayan!”
After seeing the two other saints and bowing down to them, Baidul returned and informed Baba. Baba asked him, “What did Ishwar Singh say?”
“He asked me who Meher Baba was.”
“How did you answer?”
“I told him he was a great saint.”
This upset Baba terribly, and he stated at length:
Do you take me for a saint? Is this how your heart speaks? Had you said Baba is an ordinary man, I would not have felt bad! After thirty years of association with me, you still call me a saint?
Truth and honesty demanded that you should have told him that you don’t know who Meher Baba is, but still you have accepted him as your Guru. Were this question put to Dr. Deshmukh, he would have immediately replied that Baba is the Avatar! I do not mean that you should have declared that. You could have safely said that I was your Master.
What was the idea in telling him I was a saint? I am not a saint! At the moment there are a number of saints in Dehra Dun, Hardwar and Rishikesh. Here on Rajpur Road (the locality of Baba’s residence) are four saints – Anandi Mai Mangat Ram, Ishwar Singh and Miran Bhai. Only yesterday, I explained to the mandali about saints, in the words of Kabir:
“The advantage one derives by pilgrimage is one.
The benefits one derives by visiting a saint are four.
But the benefits one derives
by meeting a Sadguru are numberless!”
Kabir declares this. Think it over!
(1) This mental-conscious woman “Anandi Mai” was also called “Ma Anand Mayi” or “Anandi Mayi Ma” by her devotees in Dehra Dun.
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 12, pp. 4144 – 4145.