Meher Baba Books Los Angeles

I never come, 
I never go 
I am never born, 
I never die. 
- Meher Baba -  
Weekly Reflections No. 12
from Meher Baba Books
(Los Angeles, California)
Greetings from Los Angeles!

Dear Friends and Companions: 

Hello again with a smile from us to you. Wishing you happy times in Baba's Love.

Welcome to the world of this mini-circular, which is now 12 weeks old!  May Beloved Baba be pleased with it. The week's circular is a tribute to Beloved Baba's 46th Amartithi

This "Eternal Date" commemorates the day Meher Baba dropped His beautiful physical form (January 31, 1969). This is a special time of the year where Meher Baba's majesty is all out.
Baba had promised His lovers, "Sometime, somewhere, somehow I will meet my old and new Western lovers before I break my silence."  On July 30, 1968, Baba had said, "My work is done. It is completed 100% and will manifest from the end of September."

Once (in 1968) Baba had said, "Come, coming, coming -- came!" He said, "None of you can know what it means." A few days later He added another line, making it: "Coming, coming, coming -- came! I am tired of the illusion game." He gave many hints that He was leaving His physical body. He then left on January 31, 1969, and made Himself available with full divinity. May we remember and love Him the way He should be loved.

As you may have noticed, we have begun to reflect on the life of Meher Baba, partly for sake of some of the newcomers who are now coming into His orbit of Love. This week we continue with Part 4. 

 
We hope you enjoy these small occasions for reflecting on the power of Beloved Baba's words. Enjoy His presence especially in this Amartithi time.

In His Love and Service,

Meher Baba Books
                                                  

        
Who is Meher Baba? (Part 4)

....  He set up an ashram called Manzil-e-Meem, meaning "House of the Master," where his close disciples lived under severe spiritual discipline. A strict set of rules was established for the residents of this Bombay ashram; his followers were expected to give up all possessions, selfish thoughts and to obey even Baba's most stringent rules of moral discipline. The ashram's purpose was to prepare Baba's disciples to aid him in the universal work that he was to accomplish during and after his life. A handful of these disciples remained with him after the ashram was dissolved, to became Baba's Mandali, or intimate circle, who were to serve him always, through pleasant and trying conditions.

 

The ashram then moved near Arangaon, outside of Ahmednagar. The place later became known as Meherabad, a permanent center of Baba's activities. During 1923 and 1924, Baba fasted, gave spiritual discussions and travelled around India; but he also kept a close watch over the development of Meherabad. By 1925 Meherabad had a post office, an ashram for lepers, and a hospital.

 

1925 marks the beginning of Baba's controversial and symbolic undertaking. At the beginning of July he stated that he would observe Silence - which meant that he would not speak or make vocal sounds - to "save mankind from the monumental forces of ignorance." The breaking of his Silence would occur when suffering on earth was at its height; it would "not be an outpouring of verbosity," but will be in connection with his Manifestation, or the universal awareness of God on earth. His Silence started on July 10, and he uttered no words since.

 

Initially he communicated by writing, stating that he was going to break his Silence soon. For a year and a half he worked extensively with his Mandali, held fasts, and diligently wrote a book containing spiritual messages that remains unpublished to this day. Also he welcomed curious visitors and gave discourses. In 1927, Baba gave up, for the most part, handwriting, and started to use an alphabet board to convey his messages.

 

To Be Continued ... 

[Copyright � 2000-2015 JaiBaba.com]

 

 ~~~~~~~

A Tribute to Meher Baba's 46th Amartithi

 

  What is Amartithi?

Amartithi is the day which commemorates Meher Baba's death 

on January 31, 1969.

The word "Amartithi" appears to have been coined by Meher Baba

and means "deathless day"

(Literally, amar, deathless; tithi, day or date, in Hindi).   

Also translated as "eternal date" or "date with the Eternal."   

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  

  "Today is the day of my crucifixion"

Although Baba's condition was serious, whenever Mehera was in the room, he perked up. Mehera, of course, knew that Baba's health had deteriorated, but she felt that he would recover. Baba instructed Goher not to tell Mehera how critical his condition was; he wanted her to remain cheerful and not to worry. Toward the end, however, Goher did reveal more details about his health, as Baba was not eating anything..  "Naturally, all the mandali were coming and going," Goher said. "Ginde was coming, so Mehera realized it was very serious. She would ask questions about what is being done, and I reported to her about his condition, but I intentionally made it out to be less serious than it was. I myself was misguided, because these things had happened to Baba so many times before, and I said to myself, it was just because of the big darshan coming [as his health always declined before any such program].

"Mehera felt that Baba would be all right after some time; we all felt the same way, invariably. We didn't realize the situation. I never expected Baba to drop his body; that thought didn't even pass through my mind. Baba always prepared Mehera for things. This [the dropping of his body] was the one thing he didn't prepare her for." ♦ In the days preceding the 31st, Baba often sent Mani, Goher, or Rano to Mehera with this message: "Be brave. Remain cheerful and do not worry." ♦ "Not to worry is very difficult to obey," said Mehera. "I told Baba, 'Your health is not good, how can I not worry? I am worried. But I will try and be brave.'" ♦ It would be Baba's last order to Mehera. ♦ Tuesday, 28 January was the worst day so far. Baba had spasms the entire day, and not even Mehera was spared witnessing his suffering. He experienced severe spasms as the men massaged him, and they actually had to hold down his body. ♦ The next day, surprisingly, Baba was somewhat better. "One day, Baba appeared so strong and well," Mani observed, "so Eruch wrote home that Baba was feeling much stronger each day. It gave you the feeling that he would now be improving, but the next day, he could be worse; the following day, fine again." ♦ At 3:45 A.M., [31 January 1969] all of the men mandali were summoned. Violent spasms shook the Beloved's body. At about 4:00 A.M., Baba told Goher to wake Mehera and Mani. Goher kept the inside door ajar. Mehera stood in the doorway, since the mandali were in Baba's room. She could not see Baba, but she heard what he said through Eruch. ♦ Goher related: "I used to always worry and tell Baba, 'I don't know whether I'm doing the right thing for you or not. I feel so responsible, there's no one to help me.' " ♦ Now, Baba declared to all: "Whatever Goher has done, she has given me the right treatment. She is not to be blamed for anything that happens to me. She is not responsible." ♦ Said Goher: "Even then, I didn't realize that Baba was saying this because he would drop his body." Mehera and Mani left, but they did not go back to sleep. Instead, they washed and remained ready, as Baba might call them at any moment. The mandali stayed until 7:00 A.M., when Baba told them to have tea and breakfast; the women would look after him now. ♦ Baba was using a surgical bed, which had been raised, so he was sitting up in bed. Mehera washed Baba's face and shaved him with the electric razor, while the others cleaned his room and changed his drinking water. Since it was cold, Mehera did not change Baba's sadra. Baba was not able to drink, so they gave him straws to sip some water and tea. He drank very little tea that morning. ♦ Baba was breathing heavily, and Mani asked, "Baba, should we call another doctor?" ♦ "What is the date today?" Baba asked. ♦ "The 31st" ♦ Baba had a spasm. Still, he wrote with his finger on his chest. "Thirty-first. Today is the day of my crucifixion. How I suffer nobody knows, and yet I have to suffer for seven days more." ♦ Today is the day of my crucifixion. How I suffer nobody knows, and yet I have to suffer for seven days more.Today is the day of my crucifixion. How I suffer nobody knows, and yet I have to suffer for seven days more.Mehera asked, "Seven days more from when?" ♦ "It starts from tomorrow." ♦ Mehera said, "But let it start from today. Let it [your suffering] be cut down by one day, by starting today." ♦ "All right," Baba said. "Let it be from today." Mehera had no idea What she was asking

 

- Mehera-Meher -- A Divine Romance, p. 478

  

 

 

 
"I Am Not This Body"
Bhau Kalchuri

 
During the night of January 30th, 1969, Meher Baba gestured to me on three separate occasions,

"Remember this, I am not this body . . .

 Remember, I am not this body . . .

 Remember, I am not this body."

Baba had often told me this before, but when he repeated this to me, just hours before he dropped his body, it was with a force which I cannot describe. These last words have sustained me through these years without him. They have made me feel his presence. His words have given my heart the wine of his manifestation.

 

Avatar Meher Baba often declared,

"I am not this body that you see."

Yet, some people think that when the time comes for him to manifest he will appear again in a physical body. But, if this were so, why would he have discarded his body? Meher Baba would not discard the physical body to appear again in the same form. Even if he were to appear in the same body, as some feel he will do, this would not be his manifestation. The Avatar in Reality is divine, and therefore when he manifests his divinity it is his manifestation. Meher Baba's physical body was the medium of his universal work on the gross level of consciousness. The result of his universal work is the manifestation of divinity. The awakening of human consciousness toward his divinity is when he manifests in the gross world. And this is why his manifestation for the world can only begin after he drops his body.

  

from Bhau Kalchuri, Avatar of the Age Meher Baba Manifesting (1985), pp. 218-219   

 



                                                  ~ Painting by Wodin 

  

On Amartithi

The whole universe knowingly or unknowingly
is brought in to Meher Baba's Samadhi

It is the OM point of Creation
and with unlimited refills, for one and for all

It is a Tavern filled with wine of Love, with no doors
It is the touch of the Reality in the middle of Illusion

The Waves of humanity from all over the world
from the north and the south, the east and the west
to offer their weaknesses to the God-Man
are flowing into the Samadhi
to receive His Grace!

Layers of flowers have been placed on Meher Baba's tombstone
continuously and their fragrance
to the celebration of HIS distribution
is spreading along the roads
to welcome HIS Lovers
with Prasad of Love!

What a beautiful moment
What a holy ground
on the side of the road
where the intellects have lost their minds
where even the angels are fully drunk
and the stars are bowing down
to kiss the air!

The Phoenix "Huma" of Happiness is flying in the air
and is making the rainbow color of HIS flag
renewed with the gentle touch of its feather
to make the sky a joyful display of His seven colors!

Oh Meherabad is filled with joy
the singing, the dancing and the music
goes on and on for days and nights!
and celebration
where the babies are having
their sweetest dreams of their lives

Dreaming of Meher Baba in their mother's arms!
The young and the old all are gathered
to receive His Prasad of Love
that, once it is received,
one desires more and more of it!

Being in Love with Meher Baba
is the name of the game of Amartithi
Who know how to play this game to please Him
fortunate are those

Oh Beloved Meher
at Your Samadhi, the air
breathes the fragrance of the earth
and every dust mote on Your pathway is blessed
which is carried with a sweet melody
and it is a gift from you

To be carried by Your Lovers
to their hometowns!
The minutes of Silence
 capture all the hearts

in a harmony
reminding us of Who you Really Are!

Oh Beloved Meher,
at Your samadhi,
You have gifted us the most precious gift
Your physical form of God-Man
for all times!

yet this gift of yours
cannot be measured, weighted
or comprehended

It is Your gift of Grace that
can only be felt and received
by all the living things in the Creation!
of renewal of our promises and commitments

Amartithi is the anniversary
in Love with the Beloved
and people gather year after year
to renew their vows!
Oh those pilgrimage
with their sleepy eyes and tired feet
the travelers of days and nights!

 all their hardship is well worth it
on Your holy Land
for a few moments
spent on Your rose-covered tombstone
where Heaven lives!

Oh Meher,
at the end of the road where this wave of humanity lands
and where the differences fade away
and the oneness is experienced
You are present with your open arms
embracing one and all!

Oh at Your Samadhi
where your Love alone exist
and every cloud of doubt
is vanquished in this Fire

Where Your Silence alone prevails
quieting the minds and
capturing the hearts

May You bestow Mercy on us
since we all have gathered here
to take shelter from the chaos
and the agony of the world
within the hearts

and may your Graceful Nazar always shine upon us
so we become worthy
and capable of receiving Your
Ever-lasting Infinite Love!

Poem by: Meheru M.





 "Your being with Me physically is immaterial.
 
It is My being with you that matters. 
So keep Me with you always."

~Meher Baba
as quoted in Arnivaz Dadachanji, Gift of God (1996), p. 191



In November 1968, Meher Baba said he would give "darshan on His own Terms". He said that this darshan would be unparalleled -- it would be the last darshan given in silence, and that when he would start giving darshan to his lovers it would not be for a limited period, but for all time. He also said he would give his darshan in a reclining position. All these were hints that he would not be with us physically but spiritually.

At 12:15 PM on January 31, 1969, Meher Baba dropped his body, which was then kept in the tomb at Meherabad Hill for seven days for Baba-lovers from across the globe to come take his darshan. Since then, Meher Baba's tomb-shrine at Meherabad has become a place of pilgrimage for his lovers from all over the world. Therefore every year on his Amartithi (January 31) thousands of Baba-lovers gather here to pay their homage to the Avatar of this era.
 
 
 
~~Beloved God Prayer ~~

Beloved God,
help us all to love You more and more
and more and more
and still yet more,
until we become worthy of union with You;
and help us all
to hold fast to Baba's daaman
till the very end.

~~ Beloved God Prayer is the name of a prayer composed by Meher Baba on August 25, 1959.  

 

 


By way of conclusion, this week we'd like to offer
a music-video with footage of Meher Baba (adapted from films of Meher Baba drawn from the Sufism Reoriented Archive).The accompanying song by Mischa Rutenberg also features the voices of Mehera, Mani, Eruch, and Katie Irani speaking. Their voices are joined by Dr. Goher in the Baba chant. Eruch leads the "Avatar Meher Baba Ki jai"s during the Great Darshan in 1969.

Music & Lyric by Mischa Rutenberg
Jai Ho Meher Baba!
Jai Ho Meher Baba!

See you all next week. Keep Happy in His Love.
Jai Meher Baba! 


Meher Baba Books (Los Angeles)

 

www.meherbababooks.com

Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California 
1214 S. Van Ness Avenue 
Los Angeles, CA  90019 


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