RAJAHMUNDRY, ANDHRA, MARCH 1-2, 1954

Meher Baba called a meeting of male workers for his 'cause' in Rajahmundry, Andhra, March 1, 1954. At 9 p.m. Baba served each man a cup of coffee. He communicated in English using an alphabet board which was read out by one of the Mandali. What Baba 'said' in English was continually translated into Telegu by one of the men. The following is part of what was taken down at that meeting.

Baba: Now, today is no political or social meeting, but a meeting for the divine cause, and this meeting reminds me of my previous meetings during my previous incarnations. It has never been truer than in the spiritual cause that history repeats itself. During those periods the circumstances were different, but same God and same cause. The apostles, the asahaabs who worked for my cause, did it at the cost of everything, even life itself.

I am just introducing. The real points will begin after the introduction is over, so listen very carefully. Mass darshan at Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra and Dehra Dun has been enough now. And I tell you as gospel truth with divine authority that these programs, messages, addresses, mean nothing in the spiritual Path. My arti, my pujas, garlanding me, bowing down to me, absolutely mean nothing. From ages eternal, gods have been doing my puja. So why all this unnecessary waste of money through garlands, fruits and offerings? What I want is real work done.

(Ranga Rao and a few others had been in a car accident, and some people believed Baba had miraculously saved them from injury)

Ranga Rao, what saved you is not I. This meeting saved you all. What I want to say is, by attributing such miracles to me, people make me very cheap, and lower my status as the highest of the high. This I say today: the moment I break my silence and utter that original word, the first and last miracle of Baba in this life will be performed. It will be a miracle as I have never performed. I won't raise the dead, but I will make those who live for the world, dead to the world, and alive in God. I won't give sight to the blind, but will make those who see illusion blind to illusion, to see God as reality.

Introduction is over. Now the real point starts, which you must, each and all, listen to very carefully. It is about work.

You have been called workers. You must understand what work is. You Andhra workers, big and small, rich and poor, have done your best to make the programs successful. I know that. This I say with happiness, that you have tried to express your love to me by spreading my messages of love. But somehow I feel something very wrong deep-rooted.

It is natural that amongst workers of any cause, political, social, spiritual, there may be differences of opinion — and not only differences of opinion, but also competition, jealousies — which lead to absolute breakdown of the basis of the work. Now, you are working for Baba. Is it necessary? If I am highest of the high and God incarnate, where is the necessity for me in my work to have all these entanglements, organisations, messages, this and that?

If I am not the infinite one, but just one like you, then thousands of such programs will be of no avail. Can I not in my silent way do the universal work myself? Because if I am Baba, which definitely I am, if the whole world goes against me or worships me, it is all the same to me. The only reason, maybe, why I call work and my workers, is to make you share the divine cause. And if you are prepared to share in my work, it must be done 100% honestly. You must work for me, my message of love. How, I will explain.

First of all, you should not at all seek or even expect appreciations from me or from others — and this sounds so easy while just dictated, but is almost impossible.

Work in itself is its own appreciation. The moment you seek appreciation, the work is undone. It is true, some of you may be ready to work for me and my cause 100%. Yet because some of you have been poor and have large families, you cannot devote your time and your means for my work. But why work when beyond your means? Why depend upon some help to make you work for me? The moment the worker depends upon anything or anyone, the work is undone. Do as much as you can do, but do it honestly.

I have heard that people have been complaining about money being collected, money being used, money being spent but not accounted for. If this is true, stop all work. One penny, one pie* [a very small Indian coin] extracted in my name without true basis is dishonesty.

So today I want every one of you to pour out your hearts, and let us decide once and for all to work or to stop it. My dear friends, if you want to make people love me, show them that YOU really love me. Don't merely make them read my books and messages, but live a life of sacrifice for me, that they may automatically love me.

Last time when I visited Andhra I appointed KDRM four as pillars of my work in Andhra. K is Kutumba Shastri, D is Dr. Dhanipathi Rao, R is Ranga Rao, and M is Mallikarjana Rao. I know each of you four love me wholeheartedly and work for me wholeheartedly, no doubt. But now I find it must be my own mistake in forgetting that north, south, west and east cannot meet at any point — four in different directions. So first let us find out if the four can work together or not as I want. So pour out your hearts to me honestly without any curtain. This will make me say something very original and lasting for all. Don't look at each other or fear each other.

(The four men then each told Baba about their problems and disagreements)

Baba: I have not understood myself what work you are doing for me. If you are doing only propaganda, it is absurd. I don't want mere propaganda, or any kind of false publicity, never. Love and honesty I want. If you all cannot do that, then stop what you call work. I am quite capable of doing my work. So today I think we must try to stop the so-called work, that is how I think.

I have often said that I have not yet found one who could love me. There are about 220 men and women from East and West who have surrendered to me in such a way as to do anything I say. It is a fact.

For example, Eruch. He is intelligent, has a good heart. If I order him to do anything, he will try 100%, even to cut himself to pieces. Pendu, Meherjee, Mandali who are with me since years together, they all are the same. Each of these 220 Mandali would lay down their lives.

What I want to point out is, to surrender is higher than to love. And paradoxical as it may seem, to love me is impossible, but to obey me is possible, though very difficult. So to call yourself my workers and yet not to obey is hypocritical.

(Manik — Y. Manikyala Rao — got so excited criticising KDRM that he would not stop talking, even when Baba asked him to be quiet. Baba sent him out of the hall for five minutes. A little later, Baba had the "Prayer of Repentance" read out while he and all the men stood. Then Baba served each man another cup of coffee.)

Baba (to Manik): Your enthusiasm and love led you astray. I understand you wanted to spread my name through the books, and you did it with the best of motives, but no tact. You did not observe the principle. Did you see how my confessing tonight for our weakness was done? How I became the confessor on your behalf? Even when I appear to act, not only do I act the part, but I become that part. I confessed now wholeheartedly, did it for the whole universe, but became the one who confesses. My own principles I do not break. I am free, but principle must be maintained.

Q. Without money, how is propaganda possible?

Baba: It is without money only that Baba's real work can be done. Why propaganda? The word makes me look down. What will you tell people? Suppose you have a lot of money, how will you propagate my mission? My work ages ago was done without money, absolutely. As soon as the money question appeared, Judas sold me.

I will now make my points clear. I know KDRM are not dishonest. K is very cautious about money. I know that D has some money. R has no money, M the same. So it is natural that they think that for Baba's work they must have money. But to depend upon money for Baba's work, and to extract money from others for Baba's work, is absolute dishonesty from my point of view.

Now I will tell you about money and what I think about it. From the day I kept silence, I even stopped writing, I even stopped touching money. But from that day till today, you have no idea how much money flowed past through my hands. Yet I have not a pie (small coin) with me. I am a fakir, but money passes by me, it comes and goes. But if you depend upon money for my work, then do not work for me, because how will you get money? Let us be very practical.

K: I feel it is the life we lead.

Baba: Very good. Live such a life which makes others love me. Show them that you love me. To ask people to give you money, and then you would in turn propagate Baba, how does it sound? So I think that unless you have anything else to suggest, the four of you, stop what you call work, and live the life of love, and by your living let others come to me. If you want to come to compromise, then there will be dishonesty.

Katta Subharao will say, 'I am not a fool. I can do Baba's work independently. Who are KDRM?' Kovvur people will say, 'We are capable of spreading Baba's love. Why must we be dominated by KDRM?' And so forth with others.

Remember, in my sixty years of life of this form, this is the first time such a meeting, where I discussed the details, has been attended by me. Not even in Hamirpur was such a meeting called. But because I felt something is seriously wrong, I called it. Absolute honesty or no Baba. I am Baba, I know it. Let KDRM be dissolved. Have you anything to suggest? Am I unjust in dissolving KDRM?

(Each of the four was asked 'Am I unjust in dissolving KDRM?' and each said no. Baba then said he had decided to dissolve KDRM, dissolve the centers, and said that everyone could become a Baba-center.)

Baba: I know definitely I love Andhra, and Andhra people have expressed their love in a way to touch my heart. Every one of you who is here tonight loves me, I know. So I feel very happy. The unique love expressed by all Andhras during all small and big programs has really touched me very deeply. Now once again I will confess before God, whoever he be, our weaknesses on behalf of you all, because the Elluru people were not here when I confessed the first time tonight. After the confession, if you really love me even a little, I want your hearts towards each other to be clean. Forget your past differences, clean your hearts, and live for Baba if you love Baba.

(One of the men asked how Baba's messages would reach them once the centers were dissolved.)

Baba: You are all the workers of Baba. Those who can afford money can go from place to place, tell people about my messages of love. Those who have little money can go round their own town, and by living the life of love, convert others to love for God. Those who have no money, large family and no time, they should convert their own houses to Baba's love. So then no centers, no offices, no accounts, people won't be asked for money, and Baba's love will be there. Is that not right?

(One of the men asked Baba if they could correspond with him after the centers were closed. Baba told him that he was stopping all correspondence. The man said, 'For others' fault, we have to suffer.')

Baba: It is no one's fault. It may be your fault, who knows? Is there anyone without weaknesses, defects and faults?

(One of the men said, 'Only one, Baba. Baba, you are that one. Baba means God.')

Baba: God means all-knowing, all present. So I am in everyone and know everything. So it is my fault. Whose else is it? I know everything, I am everything, and I do everything, so there is no fault. If I am God as you say, then there is no one's fault. If I am not God, then there is no one in the whole universe except myself who is at fault.

Katta Subarao, I am now fed up with this board and the silence. I must break silence before I drop the body, and when I break silence, you all who have come into contact with me will have some glimpse of me. Some small, some big, some little more. When the electric power-house switches on its main switch, wherever the connection and the bulb is, it is lighted. If the bulb is small, you get low candle light. If a high power bulb, high light. But if the bulb is fused, there will be no light. That is why I said that I have performed no miracle, but when I break my silence, the first and last of the greatest of all miracles will be performed. Love me wholeheartedly, that is the only thing. Love me, love me, love me, and you find me.

(Baba had the "Prayer of Repentance" read out for the second time, followed by a message he had recently dictated, 'Existence is substance and life is shadow,' in English. Then the Telegu translation was read out. Baba dictated instructions to Mouna Swami about a forty day fast that he had ordered him to undertake.)

Baba: From you Andhras, I want nothing. No surrender, no obedience, no mind, no body, no possessions. I want only love.

(Baba left around 2.35 a.m., and told the Mandali and workers to go to bed after 3 a.m.)

(The next morning Baba had the workers gather again in the hall)

Baba: Summing up last night's proceedings, I want to make some points very clear. I have dissolved KDRM, and as I said last night, officially I won't be concerned with any of the Andhra Meher centers. Even about books and all other literature about Baba, I won't be responsible or have any concern.

What I want is, those who really love me and want to work for me should each become a Baba center. How those who can afford, and how those who cannot afford can work for me, has been explained by me last night. In villages and in your own houses, that is your concern and not mine.

As I said last night, now I will have to work out alone my own program of silence and breaking the silence, so I won't be bothered with any correspondence. Now this dissolution of KDRM and Andhra Meher Centers might mean complications for those directly concerned, complications regarding office, publications, etc. Therefore I have ordered Adi to help you to clear the difficulties. You can all, if you like, correspond with Adi, Eruch, Pendu, and with any one of the Mandali.

But I order them, the Mandali, now, that not one word of the letters you write to them should be brought to my ears. So if Mandali advise you, when asked by you, don't take the advice as from me. They will definitely advise you for the best, because they have been long with me, yet do not take their advice as from me. If you find difficulty to clear out and close matters dealing with publications, books, etc., do ask Adi's advice and help. I have ordered him to help you all, but I will have no concern with what he advises you.

Certain complications about publications, or Meher Publications Andhra, which was personally entrusted to Mallikarjana Rao, are bound to arise on my dissolving Meher Publications Andhra. There will be difficulty to get over this problem unless helped by Adi. Adi should therefore help Mallik in such a way that Mallik is not put in an awkward position. But let everything be done and executed honestly.

I will have no concern whatsoever with either office or publications, whether this goes on or is stopped. It is the lookout of you four. Even if KDRM of their own want to continue, I have nothing to do. You can add, subtract, or be zero. I will have no concern. I am the servant and the Master simultaneously.

Ask Adi or any one of the Mandali to advise you and help you in your difficulties, because they know my ways. You can trust them not to mislead you purposely. But after asking them for advice and help, you should also think of it yourself, for after all, Mandali are not Baba.

Let me now see how you love Baba and how you work for Baba. I am everywhere and I am in you also, to see you. Now ask me something if you like. Ask me about your difficulties.

Q. What about our failings regarding spirituality?

Baba: I tell you that no one has failed. You love me wholeheartedly. When love is not at its height, it always creates a mess. There is no question of failing. I am very happy with you all. As I said last night, this is the first time I held such a meeting for the divine cause in sixty years of my life. If only you had a little glimpse of my divinity, all doubts would have vanished, and love, real love, established.

Illusion has such a tight grip that we forget reality. After 100 years this form you won't have, and yet today you don't feel this truth. If yesterday's accident to KDRM would have taken them away from this world and killed them, this muddle which is in their mind now, this moment, would not have been there. So KDRM, think that you are dead, and from now on you only live for me.

Venkateswara Rao: We are prodigal children, and not up to the mark. Give us help through Adi; that is my prayer.

Baba: Let us be very honest, absolutely honest. Adi has been with me like the few tested Mandali for a long period, and he has been doing office work for twenty years 100%. And even then, as I said, no one of my Mandali is Baba. Everyone has got weaknesses and defects. Advice you can have from Adi, but not as from Baba through Adi.

Annapurniah (editor of the weekly newspaper 'Velegu'): Will the Andhra lovers be informed of the time and place of Baba's breaking silence?

Baba: My dear 'Velegu,' if this is what is meant by breaking silence, it would be better I don't break it. All will know. Just as I told you last night, the power-house is to be switched on, and all connected with it will be lighted, so it will not be only here, but it will be throughout the world. But bulbs not working or fused will not be giving the light.

That is why I have been telling you all to love me more and more. All this talk of books, literature, is good for preparing the ground. But the time for the power-house to be switched on is so near that the only thing that will count now is love.

Again I say, if you want to make Andhra love me, and make them feel my love for them, then it is in your own individual hands to do so. This does not mean that you must necessarily work individually — I never said that. I say, each one of you be a Baba center, or you can work in groups as Baba centers. But all the same, I will have no concern with any centers.

This does not mean that you should not work on your own. I have now shown you how to work. But bear in mind, it is now all your own responsibility. You can establish 100 centers for Baba, and I will have no concern with any of them. You yourself will be concerned with them. It is all your concern and not mine.

But do bear in mind this much: that those who really want to work for me should live the life of Baba's lovers. That is, show people how you love Baba, and then you will have Baba-lovers all around you.

I want money-less love.

Only remember that although I do not perform miracles, I will give anything to whoever asks for it from the bottom of his heart. If I am Baba, I can do anything. You ask wholeheartedly, and you will get it from me. But this I tell you too, that the one who asks for my love will be the chosen one.

Time is very near when I will break my silence, and then, within a short period, all will happen: my humiliation, my glorification, my manifestation, and my dropping the body. All that will happen soon, and in a short period. So from this moment, love me more and more.

Don't do false propaganda. What your heart says, your conscience says about me, pour out without hesitation. Be unmindful of whether you are ridiculed or accepted in pouring out your heart for me to others.

If you take Baba as God, say so; don't hesitate. If you think Baba is the devil, say it out; don't be afraid. I am everything that you take me to be, and I am also beyond everything. Then why hesitate to say out or be afraid to express what you feel and what you think of me? Say it out frankly. I am both. But do not overrule your conscience, and do not exaggerate merely for propaganda.

If your conscience says that Baba is the Avatar, say it even if you are killed for it. But if you feel I am not that, then say that you feel Baba is not the Avatar. Do not fear, but be prepared to say out what you feel. On my own account, I say, again and again, I am the ancient one, the highest of the high.