Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
1960Page 4,718 of 5,444
The [embodied] Soul's apparent imprisonment becomes so suffocatingly unbearable that a time comes when, by the Master's grace, it literally tears itself free as if from shackles. And when at last freed, the feeling of exultation is as powerful as was its feeling of suffocation. The experience of both imprisonment and release is of illusion, but the experience of the final freedom is of Reality. The emancipated Soul then experiences continuously and eternally its own infinite freedom.
The world exists only as long as the Soul experiences bondage. When the Soul realizes itself as Reality, the world vanishes — for it never was, and the Soul experiences itself as being Infinite and Eternal.
Vishnu was staying at Meherabad at this time. He, Don, Padri and Sidhu were called to Meherazad on the 19th and were taken there by Adi. Baba discussed their work with them and distributed biscuits, chocolate and chiwada . Three days later, Baba was in the mood to hear the complete speech Soman had written on the Prophet Muhammad for the Muslim festival of Id-e-Milad .
While Eruch was reading it, Baba would often gesture, "It is very good, very good."
Eruch was instructed to write to Ramakrishnan to inform Soman that Baba had listened to it.
The delayed monsoon rains had come at last, and on Sunday, 25 September 1960, Baba was driven in the DeSoto, accompanied by the men and women mandali (driven separately), to have a look at Pimpalgaon Lake, which was overflowing.
Baba had earlier remarked, "The reason there has not been any rain is that Indra [the god of rain] has no pity for me in my suffering and refuses to weep!"
Meanwhile, the swelling of his hands and feet persisted, particularly in his right foot. On the 26th there was also a slight swelling in the right half of his scrotum and puffiness in his face; nevertheless on that day Baba walked around the property with the men, taking them to see the fruit trees in Mehera's garden. Despite his poor health, Baba remained preoccupied with Kaikobad, as usual, and indicated his work was being done satisfactorily.
Baba's nephew Sheroo visited on 30 September, and the next morning, Manu Jessawala arrived along with Meherjee. She was permitted to stay until 22 October. The next day (Sunday, the 2nd), Maharani Shantadevi visited Baba and spent the day at Meherazad. Meherjee departed on the 4th.