I have activated maya's "machine" for a definite purpose. I permit humanity to have a thousand and one experiences by passing through various acts. The masses will come out of it all in the end. When they are capable of perceiving it, they will find that all this was a part of a great play, which God, in His unbounded cleverness, had staged with the objective of extricating humanity from maya, through maya.
The generally accepted idea of renunciation or detachment is an illusory way of getting away from maya, because you miss the main point by running away. The inner reaction to such renunciation is that the mind soon goes out of control, leaving the person concerned in a morass, which only creates more complications. To overcome these new complications is still more difficult. The real remedy lies in remaining in maya, but not being of it.
On 14 February Ghani arrived in Bangalore with his family. A swami from Madras came the same morning for Baba's darshan and said, "A millionaire in Madras has sent me to you and if I am impressed by your darshan, he too will come."
Hearing this, Baba smiled, spelling out, "The millionaire has found a new way of having darshan — darshan by proxy! He seems to be quite clever. It is something quite new. But, tell me, how can one drink water without thirst?"
The swami understood and respectfully left after he was shown the masts.
On Thursday, 15 February 1940, Baba's 46th birthday was celebrated at the Links with a concert in the ballroom. Memo had come and stayed with the group for ten days.
The Mysore Engineering Company had been hired to construct the proposed Universal Spiritual Center at Byramangala. Naoroji was present to see that everything went according to Baba's instructions. The contractors, however, tried to use inferior materials, which Naoroji would not allow. In the middle of February, there was a big argument between Naoroji and the contractors over the work.
When Baba was told about the fight, he jested:
"Make it, break it, but don't shake it; but I'm sure that's the only thing you'll do!"
On 16 February, a long meeting was held with the contractors in the morning. Finally, it was decided to terminate the contract and let the work be completed by the mandali, departmentally. Baba approved of this. The Dewan had also "cooled" towards the project, despite repeated meetings sought by Norina.
On the 18th, he informed the men mandali,
"It was not the contractors' fault that the contract was broken.1 It was because of my own spiritual reasons."
Footnotes
- 1.The final settlement to the contractors came to: Rs.16,564/-.