But this does not mean going daily for a swim or hunting and killing tigers! Have you come to want to do such things because Rustom shot a tiger?
Take long or short walks, but don't make new suggestions. Read through the restrictions carefully and do as you are told. It is because I love you that I am saying this.
Turning to Margaret, Baba inquired, "You did not leave your ballet school to poor Mabel for killing tigers, did you?"
Baba then continued:
Picnics once a month are all right. I am happy about that, but don't ask me for other privileges. This displeases me. If I did not like your going out for picnics, I would not have said to Elizabeth, "When will you go? Why don't you go too?" And if every day you go out walking for miles or go to the bazaar for shopping, I do not mind. But you are not to go bathing [in the river] or go hunting.
The main point is that you should not bring up new suggestions. Don't ask for more than I give you. If I give you a finger, don't try to reach for the whole arm.
Now just because I have given certain freedom to one does not mean that I should give it to everybody. What is good for one might not be good for another. You must keep this in mind.
As I have said, on picnic days, meditation and Urdu lessons will be forgone, but not for those who choose not to go. For them, meditation continues as before. This aversion to meditation and learning Urdu many have. Meditation — some of you love it, and some of you don't like it. I hate it, but I like being meditated upon because then I help directly.
Love is meditation in its highest form, but only that love which does not forget the Beloved for a single moment.1 Then meditation is not necessary. It is superfluous. Majnun thought of nothing but Laila. He saw Laila in everything.
Urdu is like castor oil. But if you really plan on staying here five years then you must learn it, and the sooner the better.
Baba then quizzed the group on a few imperative Urdu verbs!
Later in the day, Baba mentioned his silence:
For nearly twelve years no word has passed my lips.
Footnotes
- 1.The story of Majnun and Laila is a famous Persian tale of the height of human love. Majnun and Laila loved each other profoundly, but they were from different tribes and were never united in love. Because of that pain of separation, Majnun nearly went mad with love. His love intensified to such heights that he came into contact with a Qutub who bestowed God-realization upon him.