Meher Gazette Volume Two Number Two - Raw by AMBCSC ARCHIVES PRINT LIBRARIES

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Registered No. 54]

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MEHER GAZETTE "Me her Asramam " : Saidapet, (Madras).

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A bi-monthly review devoted to the Propagation of

Sri Babaji's Message and of Universal Brotherhood Through Meher League. MAY-JUNE 1933

Vol. 2

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· SRI MEHER BABA Tha t is real service -, J Where there is no 'thought of,self at all. - .~ , '' Sri Meher Baba."

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SAY.IlfGS OJ' MASTER MEHER BABA THE MA8TER'S MESSAGE NEWS ABOUT THE HOLY MASTER ·

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BHARATA VARSHA, THE BLESSED LAND OF SAINTS EDITORIAL N 0. 1

·1 CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT MYSELF (by in 'Liberty')

Fre~erick L.

Collin

12 14 15

POEMS

n ,..

SPIRITUAL TOPICS

16 17 18

THE LADIES' PAGE · ~GE

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MEHER GAZETTE. A Bi-monthly review devoted to the Propagation of ·, Sri Babaji's Message and of Universal Brotherhood Through Meher League.

VOL. 2

No.2

MAY-JUNE 1933

;: ."r;,

Sayings of the Master Sri Sadguru Meher Baba.. , 1. The really happy are those their lot.

who are always contentBd

w.ith .. I.·/ ,. ~

_..

.'f

2. Freedom is realized in its true, origin a l form only by hir:p. -.yhq has experienced binding; 3. It is not wise to conceal one's knowledge of what one feels one really is. . ' .. :' ~

l .. ;

One must try to be cheerful even in tr y i ng periods.

...

5. How can one know happines's unle ss he has l~ nown unhappiness?

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THE MASTER'S MESSAGE. II I am not come to establish any cult, society or organisation, nor even to establish a new Religion. 'Ph-e Religion I shall give teaches the knowledge of the one behind the many. T~e book that I shall make people read, is the book of the heart, which holds the key t,<;> the mystery of life. As for ritual, I shall teach humanlty to discriminate, express, a~d live rather than utter it. I shall bring al:))ut al,lap.p y . . :· } . ·j. : blending of the head and heart. ~

Societies and organisations have never succ.eeded: in bringing truth nearer. Realization of Truth is solely the concern of the inaividual;: ' He that stays in the valley

will never ~et over' the hill.

MEHER GAZETTE

(1933

Every being is a point from which a start could be made towards the limitless ocean. of Love, Bliss, Knowledge and Goodness already within him. No spiritual Master brings religion to the world in the form which it eventua~ly assumes. His very presence is a blessing and radiates spirituality. He imparts it to others by personal contact. The so.ealled religions are an effort to commemorate the associa· tion with a great spiritual Master and to preserve his atmosphere and in~uence. It is like an archaeological department trying to preserve things which only resuscitate the past. 'Ihe living spirit being absent, religions or organisations gradually lose their glamour. The result is a mental revolt against the establishsd order. Something more sub. stantial and practical is required which expresses the life of the spirit. There exists at the moment a universal dissatisfaction and an indescribable longing fo;-~omething, that will end the chaos and misery that is holding the world in its grip. I will satisfy this craving and lead the world to real happiness and peace by making people look more deeply · into things hitherto. As a rule Masters help individually according to the temperament a:Qd fitn .e ss of the aspirant, but this being an Avataric period, (which means the end of the previous cycle and the beginning of a pew one) my spiritual help to humanity will be both individual and collective. The period of Junction of the old and new cycles usually connotes the advent of a Master who rejuvenates religious thought, infusing new life and meaning into the old order of things. Besides imparting the highest state of spirituality to a select few, he gives a general spiritual push to the whole world.

(To be continued.)

NEWS ABOUT -THE HOLY MASTER. ' The Holy Master is now in N asl.k. ·,. The party of English and-American devotees who had come to India recently to pay.a visit to Him left India on 27-4-33. For reasons best known to Him, His visit, with the party, to Madras was cancelled. This_-sudd~n cancellation of His visit to Madras caused much disappointment to the numerous devotees who eagerly wished to have His ' dai'sa.na.' l3~tter

a. !'lip witp the fopt tb~n the ton~-u~.

NEWS ABOUT THE HOLY MASTER Brother Dadachanji writes to me that the Master may visit Madras in the near future. So there is hope yet. Since writing these lines I received a wire from Bro Dadach.anji o'D the 1st instant, that our beloved Master was bu's y-preparing to go 'to the West. I wired to him praying that the Master may go to Madras ;a fter His rehrn in September, when He might stay there for a few day!!!. We, His faithful bhaktas, humbly wish him bon voyage·; .

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[As stated in the previous issue of this.; Maga~ine the biography ol my Master Sri Sadguru Meher Baba wil(appear: Ed.] . '·

CHAPT:iR I

BHARATA VARSHA, THE BLESSED ! ... AND OF. SAINTS .. "This land [Indi a] is not dead. On the contrary it has · survived all the great Empires, which were its contemporaries · in' past ages. ' Egypt, Persia, Babylon, Gr~ece, and Rome live only iti their influence upon the civilizations which suceeeded them. India is yet alive though ·· nc;>t fully awake today. It is precisely becaus·e it is a living force, that ' provokes antagonism from those who dislike or fear its culture. Does any one now fume against, or 'ridicule the life and morals of Egy.pt or Babylon? They and other past civilizations are left, as things .which· . are dead and gone, to the scientific dissection of the.cool historian. But.- · when ~ouch i ng India, even scholars . cannot . be impartial. Why:? . Because I ndia is not the subject of~ mere academic talk, but is a living ., force. India is still feared where she is not loved. Why again? Precisely because, she lives. Because, she is still potentially powerful to impose he'r ideas ·upon the world. She is still an antagonist to be reckoned with in the conflict of cultures; · Why has she,· with bet civilization so un ique, so different from any other. of East.or West, been preserved? India lives because of the world-purpose, which she ha., to fulfil : because, the world will be en_riched by what she . . can give to it", . [Sir John Woqdroffe]. "When we read with attention the poetical and philosophical monU· ments .... .. of India ... we discover t here so many truths, and truths so profound, and which make such a contrast with the meanness,. .of tl1e Pride go&s before a fall.

GAZETTE

MEHER

:re3ults at which the European genius has sometimes stopped, that we are constrained to bend the knee before that of the East, and to see in this _c radle of the human race, th~ native land of th(l highest philo" sophy," [Victor Cousin]~ . India-...-::"• the cradle of the human race ' \ It is now a settled ques'tion 'that our J"emote ancestors did not immigrate into Bh~rata Varsha, but emigrated from the Land of th"e Seven Rivers to other parts of this Globe: The Arctic ~ome, European, and the Oentral Asian theories have been completely demolished: As M. Louis Jacolliot says our beloved India is ''the world's cradle". It has been clearly proved that our Rig-Veda ancestors lived in the Tertiary Epoch, which ended about 80,000 years ago. They lived at a time when Saraswati rose in the Himalayas i n to the Sea. The River and the Rajputana Sea .. . . . and flowed disappeared in the Pleistocene Era~(Rig. Veda VII. 95-2). It wa8 then that the immortal Rig Veda was given by Sacred Rishis. A careful s tudy of the Rig Veda proves that o_ur Rig-Veda ancestors were then basking in the sunshine of a glorious civilization. The other civilizations, which came into existence later, are dead, but that of our Motherland continues without sacrificing mu'ch of the splendour of Her profound Soul, in spite qf foreign aggressions and inroads. She always ungrudgingly gave and gives to the world har b 3St from her inexhausti•, ble sp~ritual mine, and so she lives. Judged by the criterion that it is th_e litet·atut·e, art, science, philosoph'y, morality and last but not least spirituality of a nation that mark it·s ~ivilization, ·and not its brutal conquests, it may be stated without hesi~tat~on tl~at the civilization of our Motherland has always been a living force,' and will live as it has a world purpose to fulfil. . _,. . ~

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· •. It is clear that India'·s civilization was solely due to the sagacity; coruage; education,. freedom, and strength of character of our Vedic moth:i:Jrs-. · 'As ·Professor. Weber observes "The free position held .by WDnien at this time is remar.kable. We find songs of the most exquisite 1~i1td attributed to poeteRses and queens, among whom the daughter of Atri appears in the foremost rank.'' Many of the Vedic Hymns show in ~]}at ~i_gl~ re!'l p~ ~ t Ved_i~ _l~dieswere_ l}eld in thos e lJ.alcyon· days (I{ V:.v: 61'6). ~.adfes like- Visvavai:a, Ap ~ ta, and G~sha cot~posed . Mantras and of Rishis. The incidents related. in . . . rose. to the position .. ~

· Wine is a.

turnc~at;

first a friend , then an enemy.

,-(

·1933]

'rHE BLESSED LAND OF SAIN'l1S

Bdhadaranyakopani.shad ahout Gargi aild Ya.jnavalkya, and Maitreyi and Yajnavalkya testify to the wonderful wisdom of Vedic women 'to which thei'e is no parallel in the his tory of the world. As Mr -:Pavgie 'o bserves" She has had the dominati ng influence in all our domestic, Mcial, religious·. and even political affairs ~ especially, as during our halcyon days, she had had an equal ' sha1'e in the education of the day which having been liberal and of a varied character, gave her courage and sagacity, firmness and perseverance, legitimate freedom and strength of character." Says Manu, "Let women be always honoured · (Pujyante) : "Where women are honom,ed, great men (Devataha) are horn: Where they are not honoured, the family perishes." It is only in later days when India, on account of he1: bad kar·ma, was subject to frequent foreign raids by wickeq races, that the seclusion of Indian women became unfortunately a custom, and consequently we find in some parts of India the subordination and degraded condition of ·our sisters. But as Tod observes " though immured and invisible, their influence on society is not less certain than if they moved in the glare of open day." As long as the four classes (Varna) in India-there was .. n9 .fifth or depressed class in .those days-were det ermined according t0 their qualifications, accomplishments and character, as enjoin~d by~ , the Vedas and Smritis, her civilization shone like the Orb in thefi~m~m~nt'. People then faithfully d ischarged th e duties pertaining ty .their cla,sse&, and there was perfect harmo ny everywhere. Our a~eestors th~I1 knew not subjection (N atvevaryasa dasabhavaha) as l{autilya $ays -i.n. . . ' his Arthasastra. Wlth the incoming of uncivilized foreign races t_his ' harmony disappeartJd, and the caste system on birth slowly . . based solely . . came into existence, which was, to my mind,, the qeath kne~l of tha;t glorious civilization.'' '

The Iiteratut·e of India i::; the grandest in, ~he ~<:>,rld , First, we have the S).cred Ve:lic Eterature.. Professot· Ma~ Mullet· . stated emphatically, "there exis ts no literary relic that ca,rries us back to a mor~ primitive state in the history of man. than the Ved~· ••: As Swa'mi Dayananda Saraswati has observed th-e re·is no knowledg~ equal to the divine knowledge cJntai.ned· in the Vedas. :He con"ClusfVely proved that they emphaticall y assert the existence: ofon ly one God. Referring to the Vedas and Upanishads, Yaska and "Sa~apatha Brahmana, the Beware of a silent dog and

w..t. ter.

h933 only true authorities on _those scriptures, he gives the correct meaning of the word 'deva ', and states that the learned and wise describe the one existing God (Ekam Sat) by many names, such as Indra (the glorious), Mitra Hhe glorious), Varuna (thcl greatest), A.gni (the adorable), Aditya (the imperishable), Vayu (the Omni-present), Ohandrama (the giver of happiness), Sukra (the Creator), Brahma (the Great), Vishnu (the all-pervading), Siva (the source of happin ess ), Apah (the all-pervading), Pra.japati (the lord of all creatures) a nd so on. Here · we have at the' earliest times the true conception of G od, and the grandest philosophy based on it. The great G er man philosopher, Schopenhauer, wh.'o read a Latin transation of a Persian translation of the Upanishads, observed: " ' Ft·o~l every sentenc e deep, original and sublime thoughts arise, and the whqle is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit. Indian air surrounds us, and original thoughts of kindr~d spirits. And oh, how thoroughly is the mind here washed clean of ~ll early en15rafted Jewish superstitions, and of all philosophy that cringes ,before th?se superstitions! In the whole world there is DO study, except th~t of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as tha~ of the Oupnekhat (Upanishad). It has been the solace of my life, it will be the s~lace of my death!" This is nothing but the truth. E~en Prof~~sor Max, Muller stated that. "the. earlie st of these philoso~ . • r . • • phica.l treatises will always maintain a place in the literature of the world, among the most astounding production s of the human mind in a:ny age and in any country ". We have also the Smritis, the Puranas, and other classes. of religious literature, and the Epics, the R a mayana and the Mahabarata. Homer's lliad and Vit·gil's Aen eid stand no comparison to these Epics either in grc'tndeur of diction or depth of thdught . . Kalidasa is one ofthe greatest epic poets and dramatists in the-· world. Goethe, the German poet-philosopher, wrote thus about Sakuntala :· "Wo~ldst thou the young year's blossorr.s and the fruits of its decline, )

And. ail by which ·the sout is charmed,

enraptured, f~asted, fed-l

Wouldst ~h~~th~ ~arth a~d heaven its elf in one sweet name combine ? ,J •t

...

t name thee, Sakuntala, and all at onc e is sa id '' . Happy is _he that is happy in his Children.

1933]

THE BLESSED LAND OF SAINTS

Sanscrit literature is rich in poetry, drama, ly'ric, pros_e romance a r,d fables. There are numerous books on technical literature, drama-turgy, poetics, grammar and lexicons. Rajatarangani, a history of Ka!!hmir written by Kalhar,a in the 12th Century A. D. is really history in the modern sense of the term. The Rig-Veda clearly shows that our forefathers had a system of Go ve1nment, which, in my bumble opinion, is the best. They had the three Estates of the Realm viz., (i) Vidadah or the Lords Spiritual (ii) Samiti or the village commune and (iii) Sabha. or the National assembly or the Commons. The people elected the king. In course of time Politics and Economics 1Âˇeached a high degree of development. The Arthasastra of Kautilya or Chanakya., Kamandakiya-Niti and Sukra. Niti are works of much importance. Music attained a high degree of development in India. The SarnaVerla Samhita comprises Gramageyam, Oohaha, Oohyam and Aranyaganam, which are set to music. India has produced some of tlie greatest inspired musicians of the world. Mr. Leopold Stokowski, of one of the best symphony Orchestras in America, came to India and said ''Music, the divine Indian music. That is what has brought m~ here. We westerners have much. to learn from the highly developed rhythm of Indian music". 'Ihe world was benefitEd by the Scientific literature of India. Our forefathers attained a high level of success in Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics and Chemist.ry. The Siddhantas were the earliest scientific works. Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Brahmagupta, and Hhaskarachary~. are some of the celebrated names in the field of Science. In his introduction to the Vedic commentary Swami Dayananda Sqraswati states that there are mantras in the Vedas which refer to the revolution . and rotation of the Earth, Gravitation and Attraction, machanical arts and sciences, and to the art of building ships and aircraft.' We have very interesting and important books on medicine. Charaka and Susruta are the authors of the samhitas bearing their names. Our forefathers made considerable progress in medicine and surgery. We have a splendid literatur.e on ag~iculture, horticulture, architecture, sexual science, horses, elephants, and Âˇall the different phases of human thought.

MEHER GAZETTE

[1933

True religion teaches us the Unity of all selves, and this is the f-oundation of the ethical science. Sheetashavatarop Upanishad says that · ' 1 On1e Go·d is hidden in a·ll beings, all-pervading, the inmost Self ·Of all". · Theim'1hortal Bhaga vat Gita emphasises over and over again the recognition of the Unity of the Self and His presence in everything. Love ~lone ._. e>an nnd~erstand this Truth. Realization of the Unity of Self, Love, and Virtue. go tGgether : Ma ny-ness, Hate, and Vice go .' tpgether. The Vibhrat hymns (Rig-Veda) on Truth are the grandest in yedic literature. As Professor Max Mulle1· truly says the literature of the ,Hindus "fro1~1 one end to the other is pervaded by expressions of ~qv:e and reverence for truth". Again he says '·Were I to quote from aJI the law-books, ·and from still later works, everywhere you would :. . hear the same key-note of truthfulness vibrating through them all . ~'. Our Vedic forefathers . ' . were all lovers of truth, and they denounced the ·rule 'o f the wicked. W·f!, h-ave ·the unimpeachable testimony of Megas"the11es abo.ut the Indians · of his days: He says "The Indians li~e ' happily enough, being simp!e in their mannet· and frugal. They never l drink wine except at sacrifices. Theft is of very rare occurren~e. Their houses and property they generally leave unguarded. The ·'s implicity of their laws and their contracts is proved by the fact that 1they Eeldom go to law. Truth and Virtue they hold alike in esteem". He also records "It is accordingly affirmed that famine has never visited Indi~ .and that there has never been a general scarcity in the supply of nourish!ng food", .~

· From the earliest times our forefathers realized the value of sound educ'a tion, and students were educated in the ancient Universities of Takshasila· and Nalanda, The Chinese traveller Hiouen Tsang, who studied ·at Nltlanda, says· that there were thousands of similar institutions in India. The Gurukula system of education has no parallel in the world. The ~raveller describ es the re sults of such an education: "When they have fini shed their education and have attained thirty years of age, then · their cha,racter is formed · and their knowledge . :ripe. r ~ ..:With them there is honour in knowing truth and there is ~o . disgrace in being destitut_e ''.

,··· "':We have seen that o~Lir Vedic forefather s, many centuries ago, gave · th~ >world' true religious knowledge, and that India had a glorious civilization. It is clear that whenever the selfishness of the priestly ~------------------------------·------------------------~

Humility often ~ains lnore than· prid e.

1933]

THE BLESSED LAND OF SAINTS

class brings about Adharma, and poor people begin to suffer, great Sadgurus or Saints appear and remove the dross which obscure tlie true religion. When the simple true theism of the sacred Vedas degenerated into polytheistic worship, Spitama Zarathustra taught the erring people the Truth -the realization of the one God Ahura. When 路 the wrong interpretation of holy mantras gave rise to awful animal sacrifices, and the iniquit.o us caste system worked havoc among brothers and sisters, Lord Budha proclaimed the equality of human beings and the sacredness of animal life. The Lord Jesus incarnated to purify Judaism. The prophet Mahamed incarnated to preach Monotheism to people who behaved worse than brutes. Kabir, Guru Nanak, Vallabha路 charya, Tulasi Das, Guru Govind, Swami Virajanand, Swami Dayanand, Swami Ram Tirath, and the ;leaders of Brahmo Sama.j-Rajah Ram Mohun Roy, Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, Ke sav Chandra Sen, Pratapachandra Mazumdar, Sasipada Banerji, Ananda Mohun Rose and Pandit Sivanath Sastri, incarnated to purge the degenerated Hinduism of their day of its .路supers titions. It is very interes ting that our Lord Sri Kri l'l hna revolted against the degenerated Hinduism of His days, and proclaimed to the world in His immortal Gita the existence of one God, the equality of all human bein gs, and kindness to all creatures. The present condition of the world has been graphically described by M. Romain Rolland in his message to Mahatmaji: "Under the miserable conditions existing at present-when the whole world is drowned in cruelty and violence; when every moment wars, greater both in cruelty and massacre than all previous ones are imminent ; when mankind has been divided into two camps, oppressors and oppressed: when drunk with power the rulers suppress subjects, at 路such a time your resolution of self-sacrifi ce in the cause of peace, justice and truth , is comparable to that of Jes us and is equally holy and precious for the whole world". At such a time great Masters are necessary for saving such a world. In s pite of our present condition. it may be truly said that our dear Mother India has not lost her spirituality. Great Masters have been assiduously guarding Her interests. All the great Saviours of mankind incarnated in the East. Indi'a is now the custodian of spirituality. Brothers and Sisters, listen to Her spiritual trumpet call. Cast off the errors of ages, understand true Virtue is ihe beauty of the soul.

MEHER GAZETTE

[1933

spirituality, which is your birthright, and work for the spiritual welfare Âˇ of the world. My dear master His Holiness Sri Sadguru Meher Baba is a godrealized personage, who has incarnated for the spiritual upliftment of humanity in these days when adharma is rampant. He is a Persian Zoroastrian by birth, but He has incarnated with a message for the whole world. I have no doubt that His name is carved deep on the illuminating !.'Croll of our Indian Spiritual History. I am proud that it is my privilege to write, under His directions, His interesting and instructive life-story. In the next chapter we shall write what we know of the parents of ' our beloved Master.

CHILD MARRIAGE. Editorial I] In 1931-March-issue of this Journal I wrote about the Grihapravesa (Home-entry) ceremony. Then we have the Pravesa-homa-ceremony (Entry'- sacrifice) . The husband shall keep the nuptial fire ablaze. He shall spread a hull's hide, and the bride shall sit on it. While she touche -, him be shall, uttering the following mantras, make the four obtations with ghee: May Prajapati give us children; may He bless our bipeds and quadrupeds. Enter your husband's house auspiciously: bring blessing to our bipeds and quadrupeds. Accept this: This offering is to Surya Savitri. ii

Not evil-eyed, friend of thy husband, bring happiness to the cattle. God-loving, bearing heroes, bring blessing to our bipeds and quadrupeds. Accept this: This offering is to Surya Savitri.

iii

0 generous Indra, make my wife blest in sons and fortunate. Give her ten sons and make her husband the eleventh (Ekadasam Vrithi). Accept this: This offering is to Surya Savitri. Examples are the best

lesson~

for youth.

THIRD PART GARBHADANAM

l933] IV

•

Ove·r thy father-in-law ami mother-in-law bear sway (Samragni). Also over your sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Accept this : This offering is to Surya SavitrL

Then comes the Hridayavamarsanam (Uniting of hearts). The husband besmears the heart region of himself and his wife with some of the remaining ghee uttering the following mantra i "May all learned men, and the waters join our hearts. May Matarisva, Dhata, and Deshtri bind us ". (N.B.-As I have stated elsewhere Surya [Life and Light of the Univerr;;e], Matarisva [Powerful like wind], Indra [All-powerful], Aryama [One who Judges] etc.1 are the names of the One God).

UPASAMHARAM. (CONCLUSION) The husband shall then say ''May the Yegnes wara be pleased with this pravesahoma ''. Then while ladies, who h~ve husbands and sons, shall make arati' and Brahmanas utter benedictions, the husband will sit with his wife happily.

THIRD PART-GARBHADANAM. (CONSUMMATION OF MARRIAGE) _The husband and wife should, for three nights (Triratram), observe Brahmachari Vritam (brahmacharinow), wear ornaments and sleep on the ground. They should not eat saline ·and pungent food (Asharalavanasinow). At the end of this Vritam, the husband and wife should hear the Surya Suktam, and consumma te the marriage. Th~ bride's two cloths should be given to the person who recited the hymn. The brahmans should then be fed. These brahmans shall then bless the couple. To~ day

must borrow nothing of to-morrow.

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MEHER GAZETTE

(Iti Vivaha.prayogaha: Thus the marriage ceremony). Instead of this simple ritual we have now a very complicated and wasteful one. 'fhere was the marriage proper, and consummation on the fourth day. It is therefore clear that the Vedic ritual does not sanction Kanya-dana, or Mangalasutrabandhana to which our ladyfolk attach much importance! Our Vedic marriages took place between a man and young woman, who understood the significance of the mantras they uttered. Child-marriage is at present India's curse. It has not the sanction of the Vedas and the ancient Smritis and Grihya Sutras, Nirukta emphatically says that a person who does not understand the mantras is a dull fellow who is fit only to bear burd~m. (Sthanurayam). The brahmin, who is proud on account of his birth, has begun to sufler. Let him wake up. He is a brahmin who has head and heart. Let him understand everything properly and become the simple, learned, sympathetic brahmin of old, always carrying the mighty banner of Love before him. If he doe s not tak e time by the forelock, he and his friends are doomed to become hewers of wood and drawers of water. Editorial 2]. Mp dear Master emphatically states: " India became depresse u with the establishment of the depressed classes. When the depressed classes will be elevated, India will find herself to be one of the greatest countries, if not the greatest, in the world". He also reminds us "Real happiness lies in Oneness: wherever there is duality, there is trouble". Has not India produced the untouchable (I studder to use this word because i honestly feel that I a.m not fit even to touch their feet) Saints-Nanda of Southern India, Ravi Das of Hindusthan, Chokamela of Maharashtra, and Haridas of Bengal? I shall give a short account of these Saints in: the next and subsequent issues of this journal. We have ill-treated our dear brothers and sisters. N em isis has been inflicting on us deserved punishments. Let us now at least embrace our brothers and sisters and realize that Life is One.

I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT MYSELF. by~ l<rederick

L. Collins in ' L ibn·ty ·.

[A portrait of a happy Man, silent seven years, who is -seeking to . right the world through Love : Sri Meher Baba.] A bird

in the hand is worth two in the bush.

1933]

1 CAN HARDLY BELiEVE IT MYSELF

" I want you to come to tea," said my friend, " with Shri Sadguru Meher Baba. '' " With What"? My friend smiled in her most superior manner. "With the new perfect Master from India". I am not much on perfect Masters, myself. Or on tea. But my friend was insistent. So off we went to visit her Globe-trotting Parsee â&#x20AC;˘ But in the taxicab my reluctance grew into a sort of tetÂˇror. " \Vhat language does this friend of yours speak? " " He doesn't speak at all,'' was the reply. seven years ".

I asked.

He hasn't spoken for

The interview was looking sourer and sourer to me, "What did you say his n a me was? "

I a s ked in desperation.

My companion was very patient, "Shri," she said'' which means Sir, Sadguru, which means Perfect Master. Meher, which means compassionate. And Baba, which means Father". Sir Perfect Master 8ompassionate Father! That was a large order. But I mu st say tha~ Shri Sadguru Meher Baba, in spite of the fact that he had dressed up for tea in an imitation-Chinchilla Coat and lightgray flannelpants, looked every inch the part. Not very in any inches, to be sure; for Baba-that's what I decided to call him-was small, in the oriental fashion; yet some how strangely impressive. How, in such a get-up, he managed te be anything but funny was more than 1 could see. Certainly it was not the sartorial or tonsorial effect of Shri Sad~uru Meher Baba, as he sat draped over the soft red upholstery of Mrs, Phelps Stokes' best square-backed couch, that kept me from laughing out loud. It must have been-although I was loath to admit it-the man himself. A stunning yellow-headed, ruddy Englishwoman was J>Ouring Baba's tea-on her knees by a small tabouret in front ef th~ Sadguru . Baba is not married. At thirty-se ven, h e even flirts ten tati vely with the doctrine of celibacy as a sor t of world sedativ e. But his disciples made it clear that he did not prescribe celibacy for his followers. "Sex for me," he said," does not exist. ". Temperance is the best of physic.

MEHER GAZETTE Of course, he did not say it ; bu t he communicated it to me by a method I'll explain in a minute. " Modern marriage is too mu ch of a business affair," he continued "No wonder it so often results in divorce. Hu sband and wife should put each other first. It is essential for a happy family life that self-less love should predominate over lust". I ventured to suggest that we who live in America had a good ~1any problem s right now besides sex problems. Baba s miled sympathetically, humorously. His smile was like an open fire in a cold bouse. Things have been messed up a good deal here " he said, " by lack of understanding ". The fact that this Parsee Messiah was discussing our American problems in American language a s naturally as if he had lived here all his life didn' t seem so strange a s you might think. (To be continued.)

POEMS. TO SRI MEHER BABA. Daily, hourly do I pray To thee, the Perfect and the Pure. Thou art the Life, the Truth, the Way That must eternally endure. With burning heart I worship Thee, My love, a constant Stream, is poured Into the bosom of Thy sea ; Thou art the soul's immediate Lord. · I long to lose myself in The_~. I seek to comprehend thy Love, . So that which is belo-w may be Like unto that which is above. Meredith Starr.

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God reaches us good -things by our own hands.

193~]

SPIRITUAL TOPICS

SONG OF MY CONVALESCENCE. (TO BABA) In a golden nest I make my home, And sing the whole day through ; And all of my thoughts, Beloved, Are filled to the brim with You. I pass the idle hours, In laughter and in song; And all of my thoughts, Beloved, To your own sweet self belong. And what shall I do, Beloved, When I must leave my nest? I'll fly to your arms, Beloved, And find eternal rest I

JO Âˇ[A disciple of Sri Baba] N ew York. March 6, 1933.

HEROES AND SAVANTS. Men of light and meJ? of lore Are to the world like sun and moon : The former by their nature pour Their splendour like the sun at noon And-scattering clouds from drooping core Make life boil with its own might; The latter come at the end of day With soothing breath and lucent light To bosoms yearning for a ray Of warming light in hours of night. P.M. Hari.

SPIRITUAL TOPICS. (1)

Sadgurus are really Devas on earth. They intercede for us with the Great God. N anjiyar used to say " Whenever I met a saint, I fell at His feet. I then felt as if my hunger vanished". The wolf loses his teeth, but notÂˇ his

inclination~.

MEHER GAZETTE

.[1933

(2)

CHARITY IN SAINT'S HEARTS. A low caste woman in Srirangam had filled her pots with Kaveri water, but there was no one near her to help them to her- head. The high caste Sa int Azhvan , who was near her, at once helped her. Will our pres ent day Sanatanists note this ?

(3) A person offered a proposal of marriage to a lady and informed the blessed Prophet Mahamed nf the same. The Prophet asked him Âˇ'Have you seen her?". The latter answered in the negative. ThertJUpon the Prophet sai.d "then see her, for it will be most conducive to love between yourselves " .

(4) "Oh prophet of God! what is the best thing which a man is given? " ~' Go od manners", said the blessed Prophet. (5) 'The Lord J es us said "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them 1hat curs e you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which des pitefully me you, and persecute you". The Lord Buddha said: " ''Hatred does n ot cease by hatred at any time, hatred ceases by love : this is its nature. Let us live happily, not hating those who hate us. Among men who hate us, let us live far "from haired. Let him overcome anger by love : let him overcome evil by good'' . (Dammapada, v: 197 and 223).

THE LADIES' PAGE. 1. The great Lawgiver Manu says: ''Let a maid wait for three years after she has begun to menstruate (Trini Varshanyudisheta Kumaryurthumathi sati) and th en let her choose for herself a husband, who is her equal (sathrusam patim)''. 2. The same authority says " It is better that men and women [though they attain puberty-Rutumatyapi-1 should remain single till death rather than marry unsuitables. ScornÂˇdelights and live laborious days.

1933]

THE CHILDREN'S PAGE

3. Did not the great sage Yajnavalkya discuss abstruse questions of philosophy with his dear wife Maitreyi? (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 2nd chapter 4th Brahmana and 4th chapter 5th Brahmana). Did nor Gargi, the daughter of Vacaknu, ask the sage Yajnavalkya abstruse question~, and was requested by the latter not to press the last question "On what then are woven and rewoven the worlds of Brahman?'', Sisters, you are the descendants of Gargi, Maitreyi and Ka.tyayani, It is said that Maitreyi was fond of discussing the nature of Brahman, and Katyayani wis e in the duties of a house-wife. Sisters, education is your birthright. You should try to be Maitreyi and Katyayani in one,

THE CHILDREN'S PAGE. Astronomy joT May. (1)

You have see n the beautiful constellation Southern Cwss. It is not visible in England. In Australia it may be seen high in the sky. In Indi a it is visible near the southern horizon. It was named "Southem Cross'' by a Spanish exploser named Amerigo Vespucci in the sixteenth century. The southern star in the con stellation is its brightest. It is a triple star. The western star is a double-star. (2)

On tbe western side of this constellation are the two bright stars, Alpha and Beta Centauri. These are the principal stars in the const.allation Centaurus. Alpha Centaurus is the third brightest star in the sky, and the nearest to the earth. It is a double star. My dear child, if you travel by a mail train at 60 miles an hour without stopping any where, it will take you 50,000,000 years to reach that beautiful star. And, do not forget, it is our nearest star. Light travels at the rate of 186,000 nules a second. It takes 4Y3 years to tra vel from that star to us. The light from Beta Centaurus takes about 100 years t9 reach us. /

We have a number of stars in this consellation named' Omega Centauri'. Through a stong telescope we can see thousands of stars there. These are n'?t visible in England.

(3) Near the Centaur is the smal!. constellation named Ara, the Altar, ,,

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The many fail : the one succeeds.

[1933

MEHER GAZETTE

(4) To the left of the Centaur is the cons tella tion Lupus, the wolf. The ancients called the wolf " the wild beast ''. It is bounded by the constellations Scorpio, Libra and Centaur. '

(5)

Libra tThula) means ' scales'. It is the seventh small constellation of the Zoliiac. It is between the constellations Virgo (Kanya) and Scorpio (V rischika). When the Sun

in Libra, the days and nights are equal.

Children, see these wonderful constellations in the heavens, which are the work of the one Almighty God and offer your prayers to Him.

THE HARIJAN PAGE. 1. The class system was inaugurated by the great Manu, and in the days of Rig Veda ensured order and happiness. It was based, as Sri Kri shna says, on 'attributes and actions '. It is truly said ·• By birth every one is a Sudra. By Samskara he becomes twice-born". 2. That great system fell into decay. J.t is pride and gelfishness that brought into existence the tyrannical caste system. 3.

There was no fifth caste or Depressed cl(l.s s.

4. W e have now begun to realize our folly. Y ou are our- brothers and sisters. You are the descendants of Nand11, Chokamela, Ravidas and other Saints.

5. We embrace you: arise: we will help you: Our dear Master Baba blesses you. He and Mahatmaji are making .Tapas for you. 6. Just as we go to the press we learn that Providence enabled Mahatmaji to complete his fas t. May he live lor1g and remove the curse of untouchability from this sacred land of Ri shis. This successful fast has conclusively demonstrated to the mater,i.al world thq.t he, who conquers flesh, can only r ealize God. Our beloved Babaji quietly fasted many a time for the purification of the world. 7. It is extraordinary, but I am glad, that some sanatanists have made up their minds to go-to England to give evidence- before the Joint Select··- Committee on behalf of the . Sanatanists. 'Mr. M. K. Acharya is - - - -··---·... -_--:-;:·· - -·-· .. ---.-- -.. . - ,--- ·

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. Health is best for fQOrtal

man:

1933]

THE SPIRITUAL RETREAT EAST CHALLACOMBE

sailing on the3rd June. Raja Baha.dur Krishnamachariar M.L.A. regrets tha.t he could not go on account of ill-health, and prays "God will spare me for such service as He may call upon me to render in the. holy cause of His dharma and motherland by restoring me to health". In spite of the opposition of many sanatanists to foreign travel our sanatanistt~ friends are now going to England, though it is against their Sastras! Well don e, my fri ends! we request you to apply this principle of yours to our brethren, the so-called depressed class es.

THE SPIRITUAL RETREAT EAST CHALLACOMBE, COMBE MARTIN, NORTH DEVON, ENGLAND. (Vide pape IJ of No. I of last issue). This asramam is situated in one of the loveliest s pots of England. Ilfracoinbe is the n earest rail way station. We alight there and a bus takes us to the village Comb e Mutin, which is nea rest the farm. There we alight, and climb up about a mile with the Atlantic Ocean on our left side. It will be convenient to use galoshes as we have to walk through soggy soil. The solitary Retreat is an old farm house situ a ted in grounds of sixty acres of open country. "Individual help and instruction in meditation and practical psychology are given by the Founder. Visit(5rs usually divide their time between meditation, study and exercise according to individual requirements ''. I w as in this charm. ing Retreat from the 14th October to 18th O ctober 1932, spending my time in calm meditation and in the in~eresting up-io-date library. The experiences of a sincere soul in this charming Retreat have been described in sobe r earnest, in an illimitable way, by Mr. Richard Ince in his very interesting autobio g raphy, the Shadow Show (published by Eric Partridge at the Schola rtis Press, 30, Museum Street, London W.O., p.p. 170 to 188). This spiritu al Retreat (or Asramam) is run on western lines, by Mr and Mrs Meredith Starr, sincere followers of Sri Meher Baba. Those seriously interested may apply for full particulars to. The Hon. Secretary, East Challacombe, Combe Martin, . _N"Âˇ ))EVOlif, England. Fresh air is cordial of incredible virtue.

MEHER GAZETTE

[1933

M:ffiHER LEAGUE. When His Holiness Sri Sadguru Meher Babaji graced Saidapet with his Presence the following res olution, among others, were passed in His immediate presence :i. That a League called " Meher L eague" be formed with the object of promoting Universal Brotherhood.

ii. That all persons who are aged 15 and above might become members of the League. iii- That the only condition for becoming a member is that he or she should undertake in writing to promote Universal Brotherhood in thought, word and deed. iv. That the League should spread the message of our Divine Lord Meher Babaji viz, Universal Brotherhood. His Holiness Sri Meher Babaji is the Patron of the League. President: Mudaliar Esq.

C. V. Sampath Aiyangar. Vice-President: M. Vadivelu

Treasurer: C. V. Ramanujacharlu E sq. Secretaries : Sister V. T. Lakshmi M.A.; L.T.; M.R.A.S. K. S. Srinivasan Esq. [N.B. Those who wish to join Meher League may apply to:-

C. V. Sampatb Aiyangar, €6, 3rd cross . Road, Sankarapuram, Bangalore City, or V. T. L a kshmi M.A.L.T. ; M.R.A.S. (s ame address as above).

I\1:EMBERS OF 'MEHER LEAGUE'. 173. 174. 17 5. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. lo2.

·.

SisterS. Rajamanikkam. M. A. Sivaswami Pillai. Thandavakrisbna N ayudu. Karunakara Parida. S. V. "Narasimhulu. Shewakram Cha nd. Mrs. Gulmae Kaikushru Irani. Dinsha Hormusji Sanjana. Bomansha Pestonji Marker. :I>aikushru J amasji Minodhe Herhamji. ..

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Love is the light a·nd sunshine of iife.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

1933]

183. Hormuz Jehanghir Irani• .184. Mrs. Pila. Hormuz Irani. (N. B. Members are requested to write to the Editor the change of their addresses, if any).

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS . .Messrs. 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6,

7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

u. lJ. 14. 15..

16. 17. 11:S. 1\J. ~0.

.H .

22. 23.

P. C. Atchen. Khan Bahadur B. D. Pudumji. Dhunjishaw F. Shroff. K. S. Sriniva.sula. N aidu. A. Vedaoha.Ham Mudalia.r. B.S. Lokia.h Naidu. S. Balu Pilla.i. N. Ga.nesa Pillai. C. R. Doraiswa.my Muda.liar. T, G. Logana.tham Piiiai. Y. N. ::ir.inivasuiu Na.idu, Deena.thayalu Muda.liar. Gopala.swa.mi Naidu. 0 . .&. 'l'nanika.chaiiam Muda.liar. S. N a.tesa. Mudaliar. C. Deva.ra.juiu Uhetty. G. Kesa.vuiu Na.idu. R. Kothand~~opani Chettiar. Rao Sa.hlb V. ::i. Tiruvenglf.daswami Muda.-liar. Srimathi.-U. V. Kamalamrna.l. · V. T. Lakshmia.mma.l. " A. K. Ja.na.kia.mma.l. V. Ra.jamrnal. ,

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~~lai ~~ UJ 4~~~~~~~~ UJ -~~ Printed at The Guardian Press, Ltd., 158-B, Broadway, Madras and Published by •

C. V.l!lampath Aiyangar, the President of Meher League, Meher Asramam, Saidapet, (Madras) Editor: C. V. Sampath Aiyangar,