Ordeals of this nature by others, instances of which are many in the mythological lore of different religions, are usually self-imposed and disciplinary. Your silence is divinely and spiritually dictated.
With others, it is usually prior and preparatory to Perfection; with you, it is undertaken after Realization.
With others, an ordeal like this is undertaken for self-purification and self-glorification; with you, for the spiritual purification of your disciples and the salvation of mankind.
With others it is penance; with you, it is crucifixion.
With others, it is invariably a vow; with you, it is a divine duty.
In others, it gains strength for themselves; with you, it is meant to impart spiritual authority to others, and I suppose the mandali have been explained what that means.
With others, it is mental struggle for progress; with you, it is a labor of love, purely spiritual and divine.
In the case of others, a round period of time like 12 years, 24 years or 36 has only astrological or at best psychic importance. The spiritual importance of your ordeal evidently belies this position. You first gave out your silence as only for one year and since the period of twelve years is ruled out today, you are likely to end it as abruptly and unexpectedly as begun. With you, our beloved Master, the mandali must have observed, everything is unlimited and infinite. The question of developing libido by such means, I leave for a much more leisurely and serious occasion to discuss.
I have now indulged in a bit of loud thinking in the presence of all. My aforesaid deductions are perhaps entertaining, but not infallible. I, therefore, invite from all the mandali present here candid corroboration and healthy criticism.
Will it be too much to request you, Shri Meher Baba, in commemoration of this twelfth anniversary of your silence, to give us, your loving disciples and servants, some unique spiritual and divine discourse that will feed our minds for some days or years to come?
Subscribing myself to the beautiful and hopeful words of a Sufi saint when he said,
Blessed is he whose lips are dumb;
Through whom shall be given the words of life.
I remain forever at your feet.
Baba consented to Ghani's request and stated:
I have not taken a vow of silence, nor am I observing silence on the basis of a tapas [penance]. Had it been so, I would have ended the silence today which is the beginning of its 13th year.