ChaptersChapter 40Page 5,361

Chapter 40: Age Weeps Again

1968Page 5,361 of 5,444
Suddenly, Baba asked, "Are you all happy to see me?"
Everyone enthusiastically said that they were.
Baba asked them, "Have you heard of Dr. Allan Cohen? Allan is a fiery worker. He is an assistant professor of psychology at John F. Kennedy University in California. He has even traveled to England to give talks about me, although he has not met me yet."
Baba directed Eruch to read out the draft of Life Circular No. 70 (later issued on 1 November 1968) which began:
All lovers of Avatar Meher Baba in the East and the West, are eagerly awaiting word from him regarding his giving darshan "sometime, somewhere, somehow."
Avatar Meher Baba now declares that he will give darshan to his lovers, BUT only on the terms laid down by him in this circular."
The circular went on to list the conditions for darshan. Baba repeatedly stated the darshan would be strictly for his lovers, old and new, Eastern and Western, and not an open darshan for the general public.
"When I break my silence, crowds will come to me. If you do not adhere to this instruction you will be the losers, since you will not get as much time with me."
Baba again stated he would be seeing the Westerners in the morning and the Easterners in the afternoon separately. Lovers coming from Europe, America and Australia were not to stay in Poona for more than one week, and that Baba would see them only four times during their one-week stay.
Lovers from Pakistan, Iran and Africa were to stay for not more than four days, and Baba would see them twice. Those coming from India were instructed to stay not more than three days in Poona and that Baba would see them only once. Those living in Poona were likewise permitted to see Baba only once during the darshan period.
Since the darshan was to be given solely in the main hall of Guruprasad, which could only accommodate a limited number of persons at a time, the Eastern and Western lovers were divided into groups, and dates were fixed for each group's coming. Several of these points were discussed, and the dates for darshan for certain zones extended.
Baba was adamant in saying: "Those lovers who cannot avail themselves of the darshan opportunity on the day scheduled for them will not get darshan — no matter what the cause of their absence."
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