Addressing the mandali in Dehra Dun on June 12th, 1953, Baba stated about Shatrugna Kumar: “Shatrugna says he would die for me if I ask, and I believe him one hundred percent. Also he says he does not love me as love is described, and that also is true. Love is a gift.”
Baba further explained:
Love for one’s wife or children or parents is not love. It is attachment. Love is a gift and it is divine. When one has it, one sacrifices everything. Freedom is sacrificed – sacrifice itself is sacrificed! But from my point of view, obedience is higher than love. Obedience, however, is impossible, more impossible than love because freedom is inherited. Freedom is our birthright because originally we were free. So when binding comes, it (freedom) is refused to us.
The easiest course adoptable in such circumstances is to resort to one binding, which eliminates several bindings, but that too is difficult. Even though a man in obedience may cut his own throat, the idea of freedom is in his action. He is motivated by that idea.
Baba repeated a verse from Hafiz about giving up life for the sake of the Beloved, explaining:
By saying so, Hafiz never meant giving up life itself, for instance, by cutting one’s throat. He was referring to giving up one’s will, which is one hundred percent impossible. He who gives it up realizes – becomes one with – the Master, the Beloved. Another couplet of Hafiz asks:
“Why are you after union, love and spiritual progress?
Leave all these to the will of your Beloved!
Therein you will find everything!”
To achieve the will of the Beloved, do not argue. No why and wherefore here because the chosen ones accept from the bottom of their hearts what the Master says. If I tell Nilu, “Tomorrow I will make you the King of Persia,” don’t doubt it. Accept it. If the next day I tell him, “Nilu, I will make you a sweeper in Africa,” accept that too, willingly. The third day I may order him, “Nilu, leave everything and go out begging.” Accept this too, with full devotion. Then Nilu will become Nilkanth.
Baba asked Nilu what his reactions would be under these three circumstances. Nilu replied, “I will accept being a king in Persia and a sweeper in Africa, but I would not like to beg.”
“Have you any responsibility left?” Baba asked him, and emphasized, “It is not love if you have not relinquished all responsibility completely.”
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 12, pp. 4141 – 4142.