AT MIDNIGHT, July 6th (1933), Elizabeth drove Baba to the station and the train left at 12:30. Baba was feeling terribly indisposed before entering his compartment, but by the time they arrived in Rome at 8:15 A.M., he was quite all right. Physical illness always seemed to precede any of his important spiritual work.
They stayed at the Hotel Elyseé, where Baba informed Norina, “I want to contact people who are searching for Truth, but I will see them today only. Arrange for interviews with them at three o’clock this afternoon.”
After breakfast, Baba was driven around the seven hills of Rome, and later they all went to the Vatican to see Saint Peter’s Basilica. Baba was wearing a French beret to hide his hair and did not wish to remove it, which was required to enter the church. He therefore walked around inside surrounded by the group, concealing his appearance so he was able to keep his hat on. Baba walked all the way into the great church and stood in the center beneath its dome; turning to face all four directions, he made signs in the air. He then rapidly strode out the west door, not allowing the party to linger to look at the exquisite paintings and statues, of which one was the Pieta statue of the Madonna and Christ sculptured by della Robbia – the model for Norina’s role in the play The Miracle.
Afterward Baba went to visit Capitoline Hill, the Forum and the Colosseum, into which he went for a few minutes. Later, he directed that he be driven twice around Benito Mussolini’s office. (1)
Baba had asked Norina to arrange for interviews that afternoon, since she had lived with her husband in Rome when he was the ambassador prior to the Russian revolution. Unfortunately, she had not been in Italy for the last several years and had lost touch with even the closest of friends. For her to call people on the telephone and get them to come and meet an Indian spiritual Master was next to impossible on such short notice. Norina made a list of the names of thirty-two persons whom she thought worthy to meet Baba and submitted it to him before making the appointments.
Baba glanced at it and crossed off all but three. They were a Russian army officer, a simple, good-hearted Italian and a very worldly young professor of philosophy. Norina had no trouble convincing the first two to come; their meetings with Baba proved to be cordial and beneficial to them, but the professor’s attitude was defiantly negative. Norina once described this young philosopher’s meeting with Meher Baba:
After hearing my enthusiastic description over the telephone of a Perfect Master, he decidedly refused to accept the privilege of a visit with the “suspectful man.” When I suggested that, for his own sake, he be a more courageous adventurer in the search for Truth, he agreed to come.
At the Hotel Elyseé at 2 P.M., he stood in the presence of, as he so ironically qualified Baba before meeting him, “your phenomenal man.” His attitude was arrogant and critical. He coldly viewed Baba, sizing him up as if taking notes for a newspaper article.
In his unparalleled simplicity, Baba affably invited him to sit down. The young erudite at once started the mental attack. He provoked and examined Baba’s knowledge from the cold, intellectual standpoint of erudition, asking question after question. To this most complicated cross-examination, Baba replied with such clear wisdom and in plain, concise, almost lapidary sentences that I, who was the translator, felt like divine Gospel was coming alive!
But the professor remained dissatisfied. He was not in an accepting mood. He was unable to grasp the positive sense of Baba’s pure wisdom. His mind was blurred by its own struggle in duality. Suddenly prompted by an uncontrollable inner anger, he abruptly interrupted Baba, bringing an end (to the relief of us all) to his own awkward position. He turned to me with these words, “Tell your Master that he has not given me any new answers. He has repeated all over again the old, worn-out formula for Truth!”
Immovable in his divine bliss, Baba merely smiled with benign humor and instantly solved this embarrassing situation by putting his hand on the excited man’s head. Baba looked deep into his eyes, settling the mental storm at once. It was as if the man’s life energy were exchanged for a deeper substance. He began breathing deeply, as if his mind’s reactive attitude were stopping. He became a transfixed receptacle of grace before my eyes.
An instantaneous act of expansion of consciousness took place. After a while, he regained his normal composure and he bowed his head to Baba with the expression of a newborn soul christened by divine waters, saying, “I know love is the only answer to all questions. Love is Truth and you made me realize it. I now know only love can solve an individual’s problems, duality, and the battle of life.” He then knelt before Baba and said, “Take my whole life and use it.”
Baba replied, “Do not be confused; do not struggle. Do not change the mode of your life but make an effort with all your heart to create longing to be one with God. This longing will make you see the Self.”
Cautioning him, Baba then added, “The glimpse I have now given you will not last, but you will understand more and more of the Truth. You will go deeper and deeper into it, and in the due course of time, you will be able to be of great service to humanity.”
After he left Baba’s room, he stood for a while before the closed door. With tears in his eyes, he said to me, “To think that I did not want to see God! I thank you for making me come. Please let me know whatever I can do for him. I am at his service.” Wiping his cheeks, the professor slowly left.
After the interview, Baba and the group went to the Aragno al Corso, a famous cafe and well known gathering place where politicians and persons in various walks of life sit and discuss the issues of the day over cups of espresso. The cafe is located in the very busy center of Rome. They sat down at the sidewalk tables and ordered sweet rolls, cakes and lemon ices. Baba watched as the crowds and traffic passed by, gesturing with Minta and Norina sitting at his side. As they sat there enjoying themselves, a heavy middle-aged man with blond hair drove by them very slowly in a red Fiat sports car convertible. Baba later explained that this was his direct agent in Europe, referring to him as “Christiano.” (2) Baba remarked that the indirect agent whom Herbert had contacted in Warsaw took orders from Christiano, who lived in Rome with his wife, but she knew nothing of his spiritual status. Suddenly, Baba was absent from them and they all turned toward him and sat still. His eyelids flickered open after a while and he stood up, indicating that it was time to leave.
Despite his being dressed incognito, several people along the street stared at him. Baba and the group walked to a movie theater and saw White Shadows, a delightful film which Baba particularly enjoyed for its Hawaiian dances. They returned to the hotel and all went to bed, but Baba worked on the invisible planes throughout the night.
(1) Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was the Fascist leader and dictator who took over Italy and led it into World War II, invading Ethiopia, Albania, Greece and North Africa. Until his reign of power came to an end, Mussolini was an ally of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. When the Nazis’ reign collapsed in Europe, Mussolini was captured by the Italian partisans and brutally executed before the public in 1945.
(2) Christiano was the direct agent for Europe. There are four such direct agents in the world, including one in Asia, America and Africa. Each of these direct agents function from the fourth plane and use the tremendous occult powers of this plane for the benefit of others.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 5 pp. 1783 – 1785.