Spiritual Rรงax of *
LtCoi.M.S.lrani
THE SPIRITUAL HOAX OF
LT.-CQL. M. S. IRANI B DR. A. G. MUNS1FF MEHFR BAJ3A’s disciples are sometimes blamed for theif having a Publication Committee on the ground that a saint does not require publication for his teachings. However unfounded this argument may be, the amusing part is that the disciples are also blamed almost in the same breath for not contradicting false reports and rumours concerning their Master and it is argued vehemently that if false information is not corrected and published, how are people to know the truth? The attitude of Meher Baba himself towards opposi tion has been explained in the recent publication, “Meher Baba’s Raf of Truth” by his Eastern and Western disciples (Bangalore Press). His love for his opponents, his extreme kindness towards them and his great forgiving principles have baffled even some of his seasoned disciples. “Meher Baba’s Raj of Truth” was published to place before the public some facts about the Master, so that mis conceptions arising out of the activities of a few local illinformed persons may be removed. Since then one Lt.-Col. Irani of Poona visited Bangalore and delivered two lectures concerning Meher Baba and as they contained a pervert ed account of certain incidents and writings, we owe it to the public to explain to them the position and to place before them facts leaving them to form their own opinion concerning the question affecting their interest, as to whether they would be justified in respecting the opinion of Lt.-Colonel Irani as one of a scientific investigator, actuated by praiseworthy motives or of one prejudiced, biased and bent upon be littling the reputation of a great saint for questionable if not strictly personal reasons,
I 2 In the beginning some people in Bangalore thought that Lt.-CoL Trani had come to tell them frankly of his personal ex periences of “pseudo-saints but they were soon dis illusioned, as will be seen from the remarks of the Mayor of Bangalore, Mr. N. Balakrishnaiya, B.A., LL.B., who presided at one of the lectures of the Lt.-Colonel. We quote below these remarks from the “Daily Post” of Bangalore, dated 1st February 1940 “In his concluding remarks the President observed that al though the meeting was convened for a lecture by Lt.-Col. Irani on his experiences of’ Pseudo-saints’, the speaker had given them a sarcastic account of Meher Baba only. In his opinion, Lt.-Col. Irani had failed to deal with the subject seriously as was expected, but had indulged himself in humour and sarcasm. Mr. Baiakrishnaiya proceeding said that although lie was himself a hard materialist, he was prepared to seriously consider questions relating to the spiritual domain provided they were presented in the serious manner they deserved. He told the audience how they had heard only one side of the question relating to Meher Baba and how each one of them should form his own individual opinion after hearing both sides and obtaining individual experience. The President proceeded further and pointed out how Meher Baba had clearly declared that, ‘he has come not to teach but to awaken’ and if this was the case and if he was able to show the people how to find the ultimate Truth or God, they may follow him. He then pointed out how some people declared thtt Meher Baba’s claim was not true and how others from their own experience say that he is a Perfect Master. It was therefore necessary for all to experience for themselves the truth. In con clusion the President said that some remarks of Lt. -Col. Irani suggested that the presence of Meher Baba may encourage immorality, but in his opinion that was a point where the State and public could immediately intervene and that therefore there was no cause for anxiety. The President thanked the speaker for the critical manner suggested by him.” “,
The above remarks vividly bring out how the public was
2 In the beginning some people in Bangalore thought that Lt.-Col. Irani had come to tell them frankly of his personal ex periences of “pseudo-saints but they were soon dis illusioned, as will be seen from the remarks of the Mayor of Bangalore, Mr. N. Balakrishnaiya, B.A., LL.B., who presided at one of the lectures of the Lt.-Colonel. We quote below these remarks from the “Daily Post” of Bangalore, dated 1st February 1940 “In his concluding remarks the President observed that al though the meeting was convened for a lecture by Lt. -Col. Irani on his experiences of’ Pseudo-saints’, the speaker had given them a sarcastic account of Meher Baba only. In his opinion, Lt.-Col. Irani had failed to deal with the subject seriously as was expected, but had indulged himself in humour and sarcasm. Mr. Balakrishnaiya proceeding said that although he was himself a hard materialist, he was prepared to seriously consider questions relating to the spiritual domain provided they were presented in the serious manner they deserved. He told the audience how they had heard only one side of the question relating to Meher Baba and how each one of them should form his own individual opinion after hearing both sides and obtaining individual experience. The President proceeded further and pointed but how Meher Baba had clearly declared that, ‘he has come not to teach but to awaken’ and if this was the case and if he was able to show the people how to find the ultimate Truth or God, they may follow him. He then pointed out how some people declared thit Meher Baba’s claim was not true and how others from their own experience say that he is a Perfect Master. It was therefore necessary for all to experience for themselves the truth. In con clusion the President said that some remarks of Lt.-Col. Irani suggested that the presence of Meher Baba may encourage immorality, but in his opinion that was a point where the State and public could immediately intervene and that therefore there was no cause for anxiety. The President thanked the speaker for the critical manner suggested by him.” “,
The above remarks vividly bring out how the public wets
3 attracted by a catchy title of the lecture “My experiences of pseudo-saints,” and what they felt when they had to listen to a distorted and perverted account of a holy personality given by a prejudiced speaker. The lecturer claimed himself to be a scientific man habituated to investigate matters in a scientific way. But the above remarks of the President will leave none in doubt about the nature of his “scientific” or rather pseudo-scientific method. His admission in one of his lectures that his “personal experience” may be contradicted shows how diffident he is about it. We will presently see the obvious reason for this confession on the part of the lecturer. In his first lecture he devoted a negligible fraction of the time to give an account of two or three other persons prob ably to justify the title of his speech, but even then he tried to connect them directly with .Meher Baba. In the second speech he probably forgot to use the device and throughout indulged in what the President of the meeting described as a “sarcastic account of Meher Baba only Would a sincere scientific investigator actuated by dignified motives, try to hoodwink the public in such a manner? Scientific investigation means examining all the relevant points both in favour as well as against a cause in a frank manner. In the present case the Lt.-Colonel contented him self by merely reading out those passages, from some of the books of Meher Baba’s disciples, which he could mis construe to suit his purpose. He did not read out or refer to any of the numerous beautiful writings concerning the real and laudable teachings of Meher Baba. The point arises as to why this one-sided or in other words “pseudo-scientific method” was adopted to deal with the question if the inten tion was really to put before the public the pros and cons of the problem to enable them to form their own opinion. It is a point which cannot be overlooked while judging the motives of the lecturer. “.
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It is not necessary in this pamphlet to deal with the question of the long personal relations of the family of Lt.-Colonel Irani with Meher Baba. But for reasons of public interest already referred to it is sufficient to say that some of his dear and near relatives are staunch followers of Meher Baba for a very long time. It will also interest the readers to know that although Lt.-Col. Irani wanted the audience in the beginning to believe that he had personal knowledge of Meher Baba, he was later forced to admit that he never had even an interview with him. A scientific investigator, if he were a real seeker after Truth, would not hesitate to go to the other end of the world, if necessary, to find out the Truth. Why the Lt.-Col. who says that he has investigated Meher Baba’s claim for the last twenty years has not even met him although people who are considered authorities in spiritual matters (and not self-styled specialists in saints) have written so laudably about Meher Baba (see “Meher Baba’s Raj of Truth” in which some extracts from the writings of a number of great men who have met Meher Baba are given). Is the argument tenable that the Lt.-Colonel would not see Meher Baba because he does not speak and uses an alphabet board to convey his thoughts? It is a well-known fact that Meher Baba has been observing silence for spiritual reasons from 1925. How easy it is to follow him on the board, as there is always an attendant to read it for the visitors, is known to all who have seen him in different parts of the world. Besides would a scientific man assume that it is really absurd to follow Baba on the board easily without verifying the fact himself? Could it be on the other hand probable that the unfortunate “scientific investigator” may have other private or inconvenient reasons for not approach ing Meher Baba and getting first-hand information before belittling him?
I 4 It is not necessary in this pamphlet to deal with the question of the long personal relations of the family of Lt.-Colonel Irani with Meher Baba. But for reasons of public interest already referred to it is sufficient to say that some of his dear and near relatives are staunch followers of Meher Baba for a very long time. It will also interest the readers to know that although Lt.-Col. Irani wanted the audience in the beginning to believe that he had personal knowledge of Meher Baba, he was later forced to admit that he never had even an interview with him. A scientific investigator, if he were a real seeker after Truth, would not hesitate to go to the other end of the world, if necessary, to find out the Truth. Why the Lt.-Col. who says that he has investigated Meher Baba’s claim for the last twenty years has not even met him although people who are considered authorities in spiritual matters (and not self-styled specialists in saints) have written so laudably about Meher Baba (see “Meher Baba’s Raf of Truth” in which some extracts from the writings of a number of great men who have met Meher Baba are given). Is the argument tenable that the Lt.-Colonel would not see Meher Baba because he does not speak and uses an alphabet board to convey his thoughts? It is a well-known fact that Meher Baba has been observing silence for spiritual reasons from 1925. How easy it is to follow him on the board, as there is always an attendant to read it for the visitors, is known to all who have seen him in different parts of the world. Besides would a scientific man assume that it is really absurd to follow Baba on the board easily without verifying the fact himself? Could it be on the other hand probable that the unfortunate “scientific investigator” may have other private or inconvenient reasons for not approach ing Meher Baba and getting first-hand information before belittling him?
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5 Before we leave the question of motives referred to above, a very significant incident may be described. Some of the local Parsis thought that as the Lt.-Colonel had come all the way from Poona, he might really have been prompted by humanitarian motives in the matter. With a view to take advantage of his solicited or unsolicited presence and to clear up doubtful points, if any, abOut Meher Baba, they presented an application to the President of the first meeting, requesting him to tell the Lt.-Colonel to agree to attend a small com mittee of leading citizens to thrash out all the points. The Parsis inquired of Meher Baba whether he would agree to send his representatives to such a committee to explain matters and Meher Baba gave the most willing consent adding that he was always happy to remove ignorance. Sur prising as it may sound, the Lt.-Colonel did not accept this open and most frank offer to arrive at truth saying that he had no time. Probably the Lt.-Colonel was conscious of the fact that it would have been very inconvenient for him if the committee had dismissed his allegations as market-place humour and sarcasm as the President of one of his lectures actually did. It was on the other hand so• easy tO give a prejudiced account to an audience taken by surprise and to pack off soon after. We will presently consider almost all controversial points raised by Lt.-Colonel Irani in his two lectures. The first lecture at the Cantonment Y. M. C. A. was attended by about 150 persons including about half a dozen Parsis (as per corrected report in the “Daily Post” of Bangalore, dated 12—2—1940). The second lecture at the City Y. M. C. A. was attended by about 250 persons with about four Parsis. Why the Y. M. C. A. halls were chosen in preference to the Town Hall and Kothari Hall (for Parsis) for his lectures, the Lt.-Colonel himself knows. Perhaps he expected to rouse a greater response or rather resentment in a Christian 2
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atmosphere over the use of the word “Messiah” in connection with a saint of India. In this the Lt.-Colonel was not far wrong in his surmise. Even as an avowed Zoroastrian, he tacitly allowed his Prophet Zoroaster to lose ground to Jesus Christ, out of gratitude to the English clergyman—the Presi dent of the lecture—when the latter affirmed that Jesus was and is the only “Messiah” and Saviour of the world. It was merely a question of give and take and none regrets it— much less the Lt.-Colonel. He was out to dislodge one “Messiah” and he did not mind losing his own in the bargain. The following points formed the main plank of the Lt.-Colonel’s two lectures consisting mostly of allegations, insinuations, affirmations and postulations and they are rearranged as far as possible in his own language for the purpose of our answer. Lt.-Colonel Irani said (a) “I was wondering why a philosophic ruler like that of Mysore, his able ministers and enlightened people should object to such laudable activity (of Meher Baba) in the State at a time when there was bloodshed in the world and nations were out to destroy one another. Prophets have come and gone but have failed to bring peace and happiness in the world.”
Explanation.— Apart from the ironical tone of the statement, what fund of first-hand knowledge and information it supplies! A little propaganda by a few ill-informed or misguided people is exaggerated out of all proportions to convey to the public at large that it is a State-wide agitation. After all why should the State feel concerned about Meher Baba whose only ‘fault’ is that he takes the name of God and claims to teach people how to take the name of God to realize God? Perhaps to the Lt.-Colonel this activity of Meher Baba is not the fashion of the day, as suspected by the Sufi poet,
Akbar Allahabadi, who said
7 “My rivals have filed complaints in police courts, That I dare to take the name of God in these times.” The fact is that the State never took any objection to the establishrnent of Meher Baba’s Universal Spiritual Centre but even sold land to him for the purpose. A few ill-informed people tried to make an agitation and the Lt.-Colonel himself wrote to a local advocate saying that he would visit Bangalore if he were invited by His Highness the Maharaja or the Divansahib. The authorities however knew all the facts and the Colonel was never invited by them. The point to be noted further is that although the Lt.-Colonel did not receive the tall invitation he came over to the State for “sight seeing” and “incidentally to give a talk to the people on his ex periences of pseudo-saints” or perhaps he thought it worthwhile to accept an invitation from a much humbler source for reasons best known to himself. As for the historical importance and implication of the statement “Prophets have come and gone but have failed to bring peace and happiness in the world,” we leave it to the protagonists of different religions to appraise it for what it is worth. To us the statement reeks of ignorance in matters connected with prophets and the circumstances necessitating their appearance on earth. The Lt.-Colonel said further (b) “In the last census report, half a million people in india :are classed as saints. They are a burden and a great loss to the country. What good do they do to the country? Very few people investigate what these people do.” Explanation.— By “saints” the Lt.-Colonel evidently means the sadhus. This sweeping statement is rather a direct challenge to Shri Shankaracharya of, Jyotirmath, who gave out in the course of his discussion during his visit to Meher Baba’s Ashram at Meherabad, Ahmednagar, that he had under his command
8 thousands of sadhus near about the Himalayas. He emphati cally maintained that all along throughout history, it is the sadhus, who have won or established temporal power on earth. The political agitators are mere puppets in their hands. This question of sadhus had better be referred to Shri Shankaracharya in charge of the Northern division of Hindu India. When the Lt.-Colonel questioned the utility of sadhus in general without qualification, the audience laughed and did not ask the question as to what utility a demobilised Lt.Colonel had for the world. Isn’t it a laudable quality that the real sadhus retire within themselves and refuse to gather about them the superfluities of life, consequently• occupying: as little space as possible on God’s earth; thereby enabling others directly or indirectly to scrape a decent living? There is a parable of Scriptures which says that Moses was one day seated holding communion with his God. A. lizard happened to trickle out a few drops of water on his body, which disturbed Moses’ meditation. Being annoyed hesaid, “0 God, why have you created this meaninglesscreature the lizard, what useful purpose does it serve ?“ God replied,. “0 Moses, this lizard also is daily pestering me with a similar question, as to why I created Moses ; what disease is Moses a remedy for ?“ The Lt.-Colonel would perhaps justify his existence, with his ‘butter and jam’ philosophy as against sadhus symbolising the spirit of renunciation which is not for weaklings to emulate. The Lt.-Colonel further said (c) “Mahatmas do not go about from place to place. They do not open schools or Ashrarns. They do not publish books and There are many advanced souls. they do not like publicity. amongst us ; they do not have flower garlands or halos in their photographs.”
9 Explanation.— Now here is something “scientifically” new for every one of us, even for the Mahatmas. The Lt.-Colonel in his zeal forgot the spiritual atmosphere of India as typified in the thousand and one Ashranzs, Khanqas and Mathas The throughout the length and breadth of the land. Raniakrishana Ashram has got its branches throughout the world and the Khanqas of the Muslims are noted for giving religious, spiritual and secular education as well. Did Swami Vivekananda and Swami Ramatirtha indulge in cheap publi city by writing books and delivering lectures throughout the world? According to the Lt.-Colonel’s logic, all those responsible for the spiritual and religious literature that the world possesses to-day, were not Mahatmas because Mahatmas ought not to write and publish books. The devotees and bhaktas should beware lest they overdo thing, out of faith and devotion .to their Master, be good a cause according to the Lt.-Colonel Shri Krishna loses Avatarship by being painted with garlands round his neck and Zoroaster and Christ jeopardise their prophethood by having halos round their heads. The Lt.-Colonel’s discussion about what MaI’iatmas like or dislike is ludicrous rather than serious. He should know that they like simple faith and heart being expressed in any form rather than an intellectual head believing in nothing except its own ego. Numerous specific instances of Masters, their writings, lectures, travels and their institutions would take a volume to describe which is not possible in this small symposium. The argument therefore that Mahatinas do not travel, they do not have Ashiarns and schools and do not publish books, has little weight. Meher Baba’s extensive travels and frequent tours in different parts of the world as well as his establishment of Ashrams at different places have the obvious significance of
1, 10 awakening people spiritually and of keeping them linked to his great mission. Even after coming to Bangalore he has made two trips in Southern India including Cape Camorin.. He will be again out on tour from the beginning of April l94O with about thirty of his disciples and will be at his Meherabad (Ahmednagar) head-quarters for a few months. The accounts of the various tours and travels of Meher Baba have been given in different publications by his disciples and the reader inter in ested in the subject may find the list of publications given tive. illustra the concluding part of this pamphlet to be The Lt.-Colonel said (d) “Strange as it may sound, there is always a great follow ing for these ‘pseudo-saints’. Human beings are of two types— es are the credulous people whose judgment and mental faculti milder type paralysed and liable to be fooled for all times ; and the
who are taken in for some time only and they secede very soon.’ Explanation.— Being confronted with the problem that Meher Baba the has a large and distinguished following in India and saying West, the Lt.-Colonel tries to explain away the fact by never He that all “pseudo-saints” have a large following. ” having cited a single example of any other “pseudo-saint sed even unexpo a large following to-day and yet remaining after a vilification propaganda of twenty years. all We agree with the Lt.-Colonel that “one cannot fool years twenty of the people all the time.” Is not a period come? long enough to expose Meher Baba for all times to as But here is Meher Baba before the world, going on off unconcernedly as before. One falsehood after another drops refu of e volum a of itself. He lives on, and every day he lives h” it is tation to his slanderers. In “Mèher Baba’s Raj of Trut other explained how the campaigns of” John Bull” and a few disci papers, and the disgruntled outbursts of a few misguided ago. long others of ples, met their natural death at the hands
11 To say that it is the credulity of the people that accounts for the large and distinguished following of Meher Baba. is merely shirking the situation ostrich-wise by refusing to face reality. The outside world should know that those who have renounced their worldly life, their comforts and luxuries, their name and wealth, their dear and near ones, their hopes and aspirations, are still there with Meher Baba having surrendered themselves to the service of his Cause and Mission. Some of them are there with Meher Baba for nearly twenty years, you may say, for God, for spirituality, for the realization of their ideal ; and they are happy and contented in his love in spite of the life of resignation and self-denial (if one knows what it means) and they are not disillusioned. The disillusionment if any ought to be on the side of the Lt.-Colonel, who could not cite a single instance of anyone being monetarily swindled by Meher Baba. The instances of two defections from Meher Baba’s discipleship oft quoted by the Lt.-Colonel are of persons who have sacrificed nothing mentally, physically or economically. It is, very often such people that clamour the loudest. These two disciples came to Meher Baba in a bargaining spirit and everyone knows that bargaining and one’s pre-conceived notions never pay at least in the domain of spirituality. The Lt.-Colonel further said (e) “I went to see a saint at Sakori, Ahrnednagar District, and asked him some questions to which I did not receive satis factory replies. His disciples told me to read his books which by the way contain a lot of irrelevant matter.”
Explanation.— The Saint referred to here by the Lt.-Colonel, is Sadguru Upasani Maharaj of Sakori, who derived his spirituality from Hazrat Sai Baba of Shirdi. Now, can any one imagine saints entertaining question by people approaching them in an examining spirit’? They certainly are never open to the
I 12 vulgar test-examination of people. Their spiritual status does not stand in need of any certification by a self-appointed examiner who would not even approach the questions of spirituality in the serious manner they deserve as pointed out by Mr. Balakrishnaiya, B.A., LL.B., the Mayor of Bangalore, who presided at one of the lectures of the Lt.-Colonel and gave out what he thought of the manner in which the Lt.-Colonel had approached the subject of spirituality. As for the Lt.-Colonel, not seeing anything enlightening in the books of Upasani Maharaj, we quote the words of a sage who said, “Works like this are as a mirror: if an ass looks in, you cannot expect an angel to look out; and when a head and a book come into collision and one sounds hollow, is it always the book ?“ The Lt.-Colonel further said (f) “In one of the books of Upasani Maharaj or by his bio graphers it is stated that if you want to reach highest spirituality, eat human filth. Now I leave it to you to judge if such a man can be spiritual.”
Explanation.— Probably bent upon picking holes in other people’s garments, the Lt.-Colonel could see no symbolic interpretation of filth-eating referred to in those books. He wanted the audience to treat the question of filth literally. For the edific ation of those who care to know, the circumstances in which Upasani Maharaj referred to “filth” are given as under Whilst at Khargpur in Bengal, Upasani Maharaj was in a dazed condition spiritually known as Majzoobiyat or Pishachya-Vritti. He had very little body-consciousness and was to be seen in filthy surroundings. Some Anglo-Indian • boys taking him for mad, placed a wreath of old rotten shoes round his neck and even went to the length of putting dog’s filth in his mouth. For days together, Upasani Maharaj went about with the garland of shoes round his neck and
13 resisted any attempts at their removal. Seeing this state of affairs, the elders of the Anglo-Indian community felt penitent and with much pursuations and apologies exchanged the shoes round Maharaj’s neck with a flower garland. It is on this occasion Upasani Maharaj said, “Unless you are ready to eat ‘filth’ how can you aspire for spirituality ?“ It simply meant that one should overcome the idea of good and bad, virtue and vice, pain and pleasure. Upasani Maharaj once describing his spiritual state, said, I have become nothing (a state of desirelessness)—i know nothing. I, am like an empty cave re-echoing for you what you bring to me by way of knowledge and information.” No wonder, if a filthy mind gets nothing out of him but filth! The Lt.-Colonel further said: (g) “Another method suggested by Shri Upasani Maharaj for salvation, is that people should dedicate their daughters to saints. One England-returned man has dedicated his daughter.” Explanation.— This question is for the Hindu Shastras and Pandits to answer. The South Indian Hindus ought to know better because the “devadasi” system is reported to be peculiar to this side of India. The only strategical point worth noting is that the Lt.-Colonel raised this point only in his first lecture to an Anglo-Indian audience, but conveniently dropped it in his second lecture, in which the Hindu element was pre dominant. We emphatically affirm ohce again that Meher Baba never advocates the dedication of girls to saints. The Lt.-Colonei further said (h) “How can a man selling toddy become a saint ?“ Explanation.— It need hardly be said that even an intelligent layman would hesitate to make such a narrow-minded statement. Com ing as it does from a person claiming to be a “scientific
14 investigator” of saints, it is of importance in judging how far the “investigator” has approached the subject with his pre-conceived notions and a biased mind and to what extent he can be expected to investigate the problem in a fair manner with an open mind when he starts with the assumption that nobody can be a saint who started with an humble profession in life. Everyone knows that saints appear from unexpect ed quarters, however lowly. If one cares to gather statistics,. it will be found that saintliness is not reserved only for the Church or the titled people! Herbert Spencer has rightly said : “There is a principle which is a bar against all informations, which is a proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” The Lt.-Colonel further said (i) “Meher Baba is attributed with miraculous powers, why does he not cure the sick with miracles instead of by medication? I proposed that I would like to take Baba to a chronic ward of a modern hospital and that if he cured a single person from those declared incurable, I would become his disciple. The people know that his own father died of a long-drawn illness.’ Explanation.— What a reverential attitude to the subject of saints and their miracles ! It is not surprising that the Lt.-Colonel with such an acid taste in the matter discovered everyone to It would enlighten the Lt.-Colonei be a “pseudo-saint to know the words of a sage regarding miracles when he said, “True prayer lies in not asking for a violation of natural law, but in the acceptance of natural law as the unchangeable will of God.” We quote below the reply given to a local Arya Samajist over this question (and for more information on the subject of miracles, we refer the reader to an article by Dr. A. G. Munsiff in the June 1939 issue of the Meher Baba Journal) “.
15 “What an intelligent question when you ask why Meher Baba allowed his own father to die when he claims miraculous this line of argument Yes powers to himself 9 completely shatters their claim to prophethood and miraculous powers, when Jesus did not save himself on the Cross, Zoroaster allowed himself to be murdered, Mohorned did not make himself invisible to the pursuing enemies, Shri Krishna did not destroy the opposing armies on the battlefield of Kurukshetra by merely sniffing at them, Swami Vivekananda allowed his sisters to die of starvation in spite of his importing millions of rupees into India, from his American tour, and Shri Rarnakrishna Paramahamsa allowed himself to die of cancer. All the great Masters, Prophets, Avatars and Sages of the world have died and you expect that the miraculous powers of Meher Baba should withhold a natural death to his father!” The Lt.-Colonel further said (j) “Those who read Yoga philosophy know that the pupil need not go in search of a Guru but without effort the Guru comes to him.” Explanation.— This is some fresh knowledge for the aspirants of the Path vouchsafed by the Lt.-Colonel! Was Saint Kabir wrong in his gnosis when he said :— “Some realise after great research, Some find Him without seeking; Some long for Him with no lesponse, Withsome He ignores dealing.” In the second lecture the Lt.-Colonel must have forgotten what he said in the first lecture when he said, “You know that a person whose soul has advanced does not want pupils.” The pupils of spirituality would find themselves in a dilemma when the advanced souls are not expected to need them and neither the latter have to be keen about the Gurus who are expected to come to them.
16 The Lt.-Colonel further said (k) “We know what Lord Zoroaster, Krishna, Christ, and others have told us. They have told us all about good and bad and we are told every day to follow them. I now ask what good Meher Baba can possibly show or give us ?“ Explanation.—
Here the Lt.-Colonel unwittingly betrays himself and that accounts for his not contacting or describing any genuine saint in India when asked to do so in the lectures. Pope wrote the lines “Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in night, God said, let Newton be and all was light.” While Newton the great scientist himself said, “I am like a child picking up a few pebbles on the shore of the ocean of knowledge.” This is indicative of the inexhaustible source of all knowledge, material or spiritual, in spite of people like Pope and others thinking that Newton had discovered all that was to be discovered. After the manifestation of the above-mentioned Prophets, the Lt.-Colonel would have us believe that there is no more need for Saints and saintliness. This is about the limit in ignorance as to the raison d’etre of Saints who are the goal of all religions and the fairest flowers of humanity. It is only the Saints that can deliver the. goods ; they only are capable of transforming sincere seekers from the stage of believing into “being”. Meher Baba has clearly defined his mission to the world when he said, “I have come not to teach but to awaken.” The Prophets, Saints, and Sages of all times have advocated the life of the spirit, which alone yields eternal happiness. If a man of science comes up before an audience of lay men and says that all the good things have already been said by the great men in the past and that nothing new can be said
17 by anybody else, it leads one to suspect whether it is not another device to prejudice the audience, because scientists if they hear such a dogmatic statement, would merely laugh it out. The Lt.-Colonel said (1) “Now we are told that there are two Western ladies who have given up their wealth to him and are following him. They are titled ladies and the pedigree of one of them has been traced to a thousand years. Could any of you trace your genealogy to this extent? One of them has a big name. How many of you can pronounce it even? The other lady is not a princess but who has a name known all over the world. As they follow the Prophet we must follow him.” Explanation.— Would a man of science and a retired public officer care to stoop to this length of holding up to ridicule a lady of status playing upon the humour of an audience unacquainted with foreign names, if he were actuated with dignified motives?’ Is it surprising if such an attitude and arguments to justify a wanton attack on Meher Baba and his disciples compelled the President of the meeting to condemn the speech politely yet emphatically as market-place humour and sarcasm?’ In “Meher Baba’s Raj of Truth” the antecedents of both Princess Norma Matchabelli and Countess Nadine Tolstoy are so plainly given that the lecturer felt himself gratified by publicly mocking one of them at her foreign name and her unchallenged nobility. The important circumstance that these lady disciples following the tenets of Meher Baba care to use none of’ the worldly methods in their defence except that of “forgive ness and tolerance” against their persecutors and those who malign them may explain the reasons for the attack and might also throw a flood of light on the cynical question sometimes asked by the enthusiasts as to how even cowardly attacks are tolerated by the disciples of Meher Baba.
18 It would be an eye-opener to people to see the Westerners and the two ladies mentioned above leading a life of selfdenial having forsaken their position, possessions and all they held worth living for. In their holy pilgrimage to the land of spirituality, the living symbol of which to them is Meher Baba, they are not catering for the opinion of the world. nor are they out to please the world but they wish to live up to the principle of Highest Spirituality—and that is to deny one’s self. The Lt.-Colonel said (in) “Of all the places to visit in the West this saint has even visited Hollywood and when you are out to teach people you cannot ignore such a place as Hollywood for nàwhere a Messiah is so badly needed.” ‘
Explanation.— Perhaps the Lt.-Colonel does not know that Hollywood is considered a cultural capital of the Western world to-day and most of the esoteric institutions have first taken root in the Western Hemisphere in California. Many of these spiritual institutions are functioning in the vicinity of 1-lollywood (Los Angeles) and have many thousands of followers and they are also patronised by a larger number of the well-known stars and directors of the filmiand. The following are some of these institutions run by Western and Eastern exponents of :spirituality :— VEDANTA CENTRE—Swami Bodhananda (Hollywood: Los Angeles). THEosoPHIsTs L0DGES—(Los Angeles and elsewhere in California). KRIsHNAMuRTI CAMP—(Ojai Valley, California). BAHAT M0vEMENT—(Los
Angeles
and
elsewhere
in
elsewhere
in
California). SuFI
M0vEMENT—(Los
California).
Angeles
and
19 RosicRucIAN BR0THERH00D—(San Diego and elsewhere in California). ARCANE SCHOOL—Directed by Mrs. Alice Bailey (Los Angeles and elsewhere). (La Paramananda CENTRE—Swami RAMAKRISHNA Crescenta, Los Angeles). FELLOwsHIP OF FAITHs—(Los Angeles). MANLY P. HALL—The well-known Western Mystic (Los Angeles). BALLARD MOVEMENT—Following the mystical contact of the Master Count de St. Germain (Hollywood, Los Angeles). NEW TH0uGHT—(Los Angeles and elsewhere in California) CHURCH OF DIVINE TRu-rH—(California). LIBERAL CATHOLIC CHuRCH—Breaking away from old rituals and dogmatism (Los Angeles). The above list, a partial one at that, as there are so many ‘with head-quarters in California, will give an idea to the readers of how the Western world, particularly Hollywood ‘(Los Angeles) is alive to the problem of spirituality and they ;are eager to learn, assimilate and imbibe whatever is likely to add to the knowledge of this life and the Life hereafter. The Eastern advocates and preachers of spirituality are wel come everywhere there and they can always be assured of a lively and eager audience. It would interest the reader to note how every incident depicted by the Lt.-Colonel has been sarcastically described by him playing upon the credulity of the people or taking advantage of vague popular ideas in Indian society about life in general in the West. Meher Baba’s visit to Hollywood is a concrete instance of how the lecturer tried to make most of it by ironically referring to Meher Baba’s •photograph taken at Hollywood with some well-known A full account of Meher Baba’s visit to actresses.
20 America and Hollywood is given in “The Perfect Master (by C. B. Purdom, published by Williams & Norgate, Ltd.,. London), and we invite the readers to read it for themselves to know all the facts. We will here quote the relevant paragraph about his contact with the actresses “Baba attended a reception given in his honour by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Mary had a ‘talk’ with Baba. for about 40 minutes, while others of the gathering listened with interest.” Everybody who has experience of the West, knows how an army of press people and cameramen follow a well-known personality. It would be obvious how when Meher Baba attended receptions like this given in his honour, a large number of his photographs must have been taken. To hold up one of such pictures before an Indian audience unacquaint ed with details of Western life and having vague ideas of morality in the West, is to deliberately prejuidce them by adopting dubious or rather a pseudo-scientific method of misconstruing the photograph. It would be interesting to note here that Mary Pickford is a seeker of truth and her books” Why Not Try God?” and. “My Rendezvous with Life” may give an idea to the people of her noble thoughts and character. It is also worth noting that Meher Baba grants interviews to people of all classes, great or small, good or bad,, saints or sinners, belonging to either sex. In one of his dis courses he said: “From my point of view no one is so bad as not to improve and become good. Everyone, however depraved, can improve and become better till he becomes the best person and reaches the true goal. Thus the worst speci men of humanity can become the best example for mankind.. There is always hope for everyone.” We mention this here for the information of those who are apt to form hasty opinion by hearing tales of how Baba receives in his presence all types of people. There are innumerable instances of persons
21 who have improved their lives after coming in contact with Meher Baba. Their letters of gratitude would touch the As we have pointed hearts of even the hardest critic. out Meher Baba takes little heed of praise or slander and blesses those who abuse him in the foulest terms as well as those who have extolled him to the skies. In “Meher Baba’s Raj of Truth” the point with regard to Meher Baba’s principles of morality and integrity was described in the words of one of his most vehement critics. This critic, K. J. Dastur, had been Meher Baba’s disciple and knew about his private life. He would have denounced anything immoral or dishonest with the greatest force after his defection. We repeat the quotation here for information of the public in view of the loose remarks of the Lt.-Colonel with regard to the questions of morality and integrity in connection with Meher Baba. It is to be remembered that this statement was made by K. J. Dastur after his defec tion “I must make it clear that some of the statements they (people) made against Meher Baba were entirely groundless and false. For example, it was stated that Meher .Baba was in the habit of privately speaking by word of mouth with certain female disciples, that he extorted money from his disciples, and made a wrong use of it, and that the boys of his Ashram did not receive good secular training and were not well taken care of. All these statements are entirely false. Meher Baba has always been true to his vow of silence. Regarding money, I am bound to assert that every pie that was given to him, was given entirely voluntarily by his disciples, and that on the whole he made very good use of all the money given to him. As regards boys—Meherashram boys —I must say that they were given good secular training and their parents would not have taken better care of them than Meher Baba did.” * * The Meher Message, VoL III, No. 10, October 1931, “My Heart-to Heart Talk,” p. 74.
22 it may further interest the people to note that Meher Baba’s disciples are living under a discipline which allows them very little contact with members of the opposite sex. In fact for special spiritual reasons a section of the group of Meher Baba’s lady disciples who have been with him for years, are not permitted to talk to or even to ee the members of the male group. The admission of K. J. Dastur also completely shatters all the loose and ironical remarks of the lecturer about the nature of education and the treatment of the boys at the Meherabad school patronised by Meher Baba. It may be noted that the Meherabad school was closed as Meher Baba had to undertake long tours in connec tion with his spiritual work and as he personally could not attend to the piritual part of the training of the students which was the most important item of their training. All the boys were duly settled with their parents and in other institutions before the school was finally closed. The Lt.-Colonel also placed before the public a perverted account of a film proposal that came up while Meher Baba was in America. The facts about this are as follows It is a fact that Meher Baha intended the Hollywood studios to bring out a film version of the various stages of evolution, reincarnation, the spiritual planes ; and God realisation. A Hollywood syndicate wanted to produce a film based on the ideas of Meher Baba and expressed readi ness to finance the project. The Master ultimately postponed the project as no one from the West could evolve a story satisfactory to him. Beyond this Meher Baba had no further interest in the project and it is a bare-faced mis representation to say that he was to ‘star’ therein. The idea of having a film produced based on his spiritual ideas is still there and may be realized some day.
23 We will now briefly consider the qualifications of Lt. Colonel irani to see how far his claims to be a specialist in saints can be entertained. The Lt.-Colonel never once avow ed in the course of his lectures that he was a seeker of saints and saintliness. A mere self-made statement that he was a student of comparative religions and that he had studied yoga, does not necessarily go to prove that he is a seeker after Truth. Under such broad interpretation of the situation every human being is potentially spiritual ; even an illiterate person has his own practical philosophy and a religious out look on the problem of this life and the life hereafter. it is difficult to believe that the Lt.-Colonel spent all his time over “pseudo-saints” and could not afford even a little of his leisure to the study of real and genuine saints. Although he admitted that there are many advanced souls in India, he could not name a single one of them even to compare and contrast him actually with the “pseudo-saint” of his imagi nation There is thus nothing substantial to show that the Lt.-Colonel can be regarded as anybody in the spiritual line—much less a specialist whose opinion can be respected. In fact the biased and flippant way in which he dealt with the subject and the remarks of the President about his lecture are circumstances which cannot be ignored while considering the question as to whether the Lt.-Colonel is to be regarded as a pseudo-specialist in saints or a sincere student of spirituality. We do not propose to bore the reader with the account of the well-known controversy about “the Parsis and Persia” published in the Times of India” in 1929. Those who care to know what other responsible people think of the modus operandi of this scientific man and his claims to be a ‘protector of the people’ may find enough material in this controversy to help them in judging what value can be given to the opinion of such a lecturer and his claims (see the” Times of India dated 22—7—1929 and 14—9—1929). “
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24 To enable the readers to know the details of the great teachings of Meher Baba and his life we would recommend the following publications which may be helpful to those who are interested in the subject :— Discourses by Me/icr Baba, 1938—39 (Bangalore Press). The Savings of Shri Meher Baba (Published by the Circle Editorial Committee, 50, Charing Cross, London). The Perfect Master—Life of S/in Meher Baba. By C. B. Purdom. (Published by Williams & Norgate, Ltd., London.) Meher Baba—The Awakener. By Dr. C. D. Deshmukh, M.A., Ph.D., Morris College, Nagpur. Foreward: Princess Norma Matchabelli. (Bangalore Press.) Shri Meher Baba—His Philosophy and Teachings. By A. K. Abdulla. (Published by R. K. S. Trani, Nasik). Meher Baba. By his Eastern and Western Disciples. (Bangalore Press.) Meher Baba Journal. Published monthly by the Meher Editorial Committee. (Bangalore Press.) It is with the sincere desire to explain the circumstances and to elucidate facts about all concerned to the public and with a view that they may not form hasty judgment on perverted or interested account about Meher Baba or his devotees, that we have attempted in this pamphlet to do service to our fellow beings by trying to remove misconcep tions about one of the great saints of the age, so that people may understand him and his teachings and be blessed. Be it known to all that the disciples of Meher Baba are under no illusion whatsoever with regard to their spiritual aspirations and their standing with Meher Baba. They do not believe in mass production in the spiritual domain but they have full faith in what the company of the Master can achieve for them and hence they are prepared to sacrifice their existence in the greatest of enterprises any one can undertake—Realization of God. 3a4.40
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