HE IS MATCHLESS — UNIQUE!

 
Adi Sr. and Padri had come to Ahmednagar from Meherabad to purchase supplies, after which they visited Khushru Quarters. Adi saw his mother, Gulmai, and he and Padri were about to leave for Meherabad when an unexpected car drove into the compound and stopped at the entrance of the bungalow. Padri shouted in amazement, "It's Upasni Maharaj!"

Alighting from the car, Maharaj entered the room in the bungalow where he had stayed in 1921, and which was always kept unoccupied for him. In that room, Gulmai had kept a ghadi seat especially for Meher Baba and Upasni Maharaj alone, and on it their photographs. Maharaj then sent his secretary, Wagh, who had come with him from Sakori, away on some errand in the city.

Upasni Maharaj's usual custom was to occupy his ghadi and allow people to bow down to him. But this time, he stood before Meher Baba's photograph and began uttering a prayer. Just then Adi silently entered the room to take Maharaj's darshan. But when he saw Maharaj praying before Meher Baba's photograph, he was stunned. He thought: "The Master is praying before the photograph of his disciple with folded hands! How wonderful! What is it that Maharaj feels and sees?"

Upasni Maharaj stood praying motionlessly for five minutes, looking straight into the eyes of Meher Baba's photograph. Then, turning to Adi he said, "I like this place very much." Maharaj pointed to the photograph on the ghadi, and said, "I like this photograph of Merwan. I love Merwan. He is great! He is matchless — unique! I bow to him. Let me pray in his presence. Convey my salutations to him."

Adi was profoundly affected by this incident. Amazed, he kept thinking what extraordinary love it is when the Master worships his disciple. It is the disciple who always owes and shows respect and allegiance to his Guru. What Maharaj was doing was beyond praise or devotion.

Maharaj then told Gulmai, "Bring me the arti tray and lamp. I wish to perform Merwan's arti today. Gulmai, tell Merwan that I came here on his birthday and I prayed in front of his picture and performed his arti." Gulmai immediately brought the necessary items and Upasni Maharaj began doing arti, chanting mantras as he waved the arti tray in his hand before Baba's photograph. Ending, he brought it to his forehead and then put it down.

The sight of Upasni Maharaj worshipping Meher Baba deeply touched Adi, Padri and Gulmai. Tears welled up in Gulmai's eyes as she watched this. Maharaj had especially come from Sakori to Ahmednagar for this purpose [on Baba's 42nd birthday in 1936].

After the mandali in Mysore were informed of Upasni Maharaj's visit and what he had said, they understood why Baba had forbidden any celebration on his birthday. As Age explains, "What the Sadguru does, he does for the whole universe. Through the body and mind of Upasni Maharaj the whole universe worshiped Meher Baba on his birthday! The Ocean expressed its love for the Embodiment of the Ocean. Were all the drops in the whole of creation to offer worship to the Ocean, it could not compare with this type of worship done with the love of a Perfect Master for the Avatar!"