A few days later, Baba added, "If Britain does not modify her policies soon, she is doomed!"
On the 25th, when someone pointed out the possibility of the Meherabad property being appropriated by the British in the event of war, Baba replied in a good mood, "Don't worry about it. Raise the new school building as soon as you can and leave the rest to me. I won't leave this place. I guarantee to undertake the responsibility that no one comes here. I'll tell the British I won't go. Let us see what they do.
"The key to the world and its affairs is in my hand. When I turn the key internally, there will be an enormous conflagration in the world, and yet it will appear as if I am sitting here quietly."
Baba added, "Sai Baba was the King of Perfect Masters, but I am the Master of Masters! When Sai Baba was smoking a chillum while sitting in Shirdi, as if knowing nothing, he was in fact conducting and controlling the First World War. No one knows this. Similarly, I am here talking with you, but while sitting here, I control the whole universe and everything existing in it."
The head Zoroastrian priest of the Poona fire-temple, Dastur Kaikobad Aderbad, had died recently, and his passing was reported in the newspaper.1 When the priest's death was mentioned, it elicited this response from Baba:
All these priests, pundits, maulvis and dasturs do nothing but pray, preach, and pocket money that a blind public pours out to them. They preach to people solely to earn money. It's not their fault; they accept it because people give them (and then grumble aloud that they are cheats). People should have that heart and courage not to give them. But if I tell people that all these ceremonies advised by priests are useless and a waste of money, they will attack me with sticks!
Take for instance, marriage ceremonies: The priests perform marriages according to religious customs and then bless the man and woman. After some time, the couple starts quarreling. What happened to the priests' blessings and prayers? They are useless! In fact, the priests are hired murmur-ers of prayers and paid conferers of blessings. They pocket the money and walk off. Let the couple then go to the dogs!
Mutual love, understanding, and kindness towards one another is required so the married couple can live in harmony.
Footnotes
- 1.Dastur Kaikobad Aderbad had become the head priest of the S. R. Patel Agyari in Nana Peth in 1908 when Baba was fourteen, so he most likely knew young Merwan and his family (although they most likely attended another agyari J. J. Agyari in the Camp).