During the night of February 8th. (1923) , Ghani was reading to the Master from the book The life of Ghouse Ali – a Mohammedan Qutub who was a ghouse type Perfect Master like Sai Baba, and separated his physical body as an aspect of his spiritual working. Ghani asked, “Why did Ghouse Ali Shah have to contact nineteen different Masters – eleven Mohammedans and eight Hindus – prior to God-Realization? Why was it necessary for him to contact so many spiritual Masters?”
Meher Baba replied:
In actuality, God-Realization is always given by only one Master. But to gain normal consciousness and Knowledge, it is sometimes necessary to contact other Masters. It is also very often the case that the Perfect Master who realizes a person also brings him back to gross consciousness.
In my case, Hazrat Babajan gave me God-Realization in a moment by kissing me on the forehead, but for worldly consciousness and Knowledge I had to spend seven years with Sadguru Upasni Maharaj. During this period of my return to normal consciousness, I had connection with other Perfect Masters, and I contacted Narayan Maharaj, Tajuddin Baba and Sai Baba. Thus, if a Master realizes or advances one, he is then entitled to be called one’s Murshid or Guru; although, as far as Realization is concerned there is only one Master.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 2, p. 475.