I know everything. I am infinitely intelligent and so am beyond intellect; I am in eternal bliss, though every moment of my life I am being crucified. This is absolutely true. At the same time I am one in you all. There is absolutely no difference. Once you experience it, the awareness remains and is always there. Neither am I great, nor are you small. We are all One.
I have not the slightest objection to your meeting saints, being in their company and paying them your respects. They are all in me. If you think that a particular being is a great saint worthy of respect, why should you not revere him?
Although you are divided into groups, to me you all are one. But if you want to know God, the only solution is to catch hold of my daaman. If you care for God, if you have a sincere longing for Union, then hold on to my garment firmly. But if you have other wants to satisfy, if you want health, riches, children — then don't come to me. There are many saints who can satisfy your desires.
I am the Shah Saudagar [in Iran, a merchant prince].
Baba asked Aloba to read a certain verse from Hafiz, which Baba explained as follows:
There are three types of dealers: 1) merchant kings who monopolize a business; 2) wholesalers; and 3) retailers.
If you need a small thing like a needle, you go to a retailer, not to a wholesaler and certainly not to a merchant king. So to come to me for physical and material desires is of no use because I do not deal in such insignificant things like granting boons.
It was five o'clock, and Baba and the Telugu group walked to the tent opposite the hall where the Arangaon villagers — men, women and children — had gathered to take Baba's darshan. Being the dhuni day, there was a large crowd. They sang bhajans and kirtans and worshiped Baba by garlanding him and offering coconuts and incense. Baba played on the drum for a while and became one with them, making the villagers feel as if he himself were from Arangaon.
At 5:40 P.M. Baba sat by the dhuni. The mandali and each of the congregation lined up and, in turn, were given a small piece of sandalwood by Eruch, which they threw into the fire after an embrace or pat from Baba.1
Footnotes
- 1.This turned out to be the last time that Baba lit the dhuni at Meherabad.