THE DIVINE LIFE

 
We have seen in the second chapter, that just two days before the hero appeared on the scene, the Master had begun to influence the boys directly to higher aspirations with constant hints, and an occasional silent lecture on love.

These stray explanations and lectures on Divinity and Spirituality, that the Master had conveyed so far, since the year 1922, to His many disciples and visitors, if put together, would, I make bold to say, provide an unprecedented illumination on Divine points such as has never appeared in print or manuscript to this day!

While the story of the deep effects, that these discourses have had on many a stony heart, would be another inspirational reading for those who aspire to spirituality. And much as I like to repeat some of the discourses here, the question of space and the sequence of this narrative compel me to leave them for a separate work.

Though I cannot help adding that it was only one of these that really saved me from the clutches of Maya, and made me surrender myself to the Master some six years ago.

But the series of Divine Explanations, that His Holiness was pleased to convey since the 23rd of November, two days after the advent of Ali, made all the young and old, who had the good fortune to be present at the time, to hold their breath with amazement. From that day, the separate sections of the spiritual instruction classes, such as the Gujarati, Maratha, Persian and Urdu, were postponed for some time. For more than a month after this date, the Master continued to convey for a couple of hours every evening these explanations, and all the boys as well as the older disciples were held spellbound with rapt attention and enthusiasm.

And the wonder of it was, that the Master did this merely through gestures and alphabet pointing, maintaining His grim silence through-out. Besides, He conveyed the deep subject matter as He alone can convey, in such a way that the little ones were no less interested and enthralled than the grown-up.

Since then, these have been compiled and form a small booklet, which can well be styled Creation and its Causes. It is all very novel, fantastic and fairy-tale-like, yet it is the most logical explanation of Divinity and the whole of the creation as far as the reach of the intellect allows, that has ever been brought to light in this way.

The suns and the moons, the skies and the planes, the ethereal, mineral, vegetable, animal and human kingdoms, births, deaths, heaven and hell, the subtle and the mental worlds, Saints and Prophets, and the very source of all, the Soul of souls, are described, explained and shown by the Master as one would describe a city, explain the effects of wine, and show what is music after actually seeing, drinking and hearing them all. He would explain and elucidate points so very clearly and logically as would carry the hearers almost to the verge of subjective experience.

So far as this Creation and its Causes concerns this narrative it was the Master's inimitable tact in creating the moral of love out of all the various subjects at the end of the discourse every evening. "Love and you will find Me. I am ready to make you Vivekanandas and Ram Thirthas, Alis and Arjuns; the only prize asked for is Love. Spirituality is offered as a loot. Love alone will get the lion's share. Divinity is being auctioned, make the highest bid with all the Love that you can create and command."

Such was the gist of the Master's constant remarks that He kept on adding, from time to time, during and after this special spiritual class as the spiritual sauce to the great Divine Feast that was freely being served to the lucky Ashramites.

On the 28th November, 1927, in the course of such remarks, the Master even went to the extent of disclosing a part of His internal game to the boys and conveyed through the usual signs, "At first I had intended to advance you gradually in the path, but the time of the great spiritual outburst that takes place in the world at long intervals is near at hand, and so I have changed the programme. I am going to advance a few amongst you, who will be ready with Love, very soon. It is not late yet. Let your hearts strive and strain to the utmost and create Love and feelings for me."

But amidst all such suggestions, the boys were equally impressed upon not to strain their brains. They were frequently reminded that painful attempts would not avail in creating Love as free attempts, made with joyous enthusiasm and boyish glee, would.

Besides firing their intellect with spirituality in this way, Divinity was directly imparted to the boys by the Master through frequent embraces and pats and fondling them for a number of times in a day. At times, the boys were patted till they fretted and fumed with Love and feelings, and out of sheer ecstasy even disobeyed the Master when asked to go away or take to studies, save the hero, who even in the fever heat of Love, stuck to his watchword, obedience, and never defied the Master through word or deed, as did some of the other boys amidst the sobs and throbs of their little hearts.

Thus within a fortnight, the atmosphere became surcharged with Love in the Meher Ashram. Many of the boys, and some of the grown-up members of the institution began also to look greatly changed. They became reserved and less talkative. They were frequently found preoccupied in the thoughts of the Master, and were found averse to eating, playing and sleeping. Ali led this group prominently.

To a casual observer, Ali still remained the same picture of innocent mischief and boyish activity, but when watched carefully, the great change in his heart was easily perceptible in many ways. Every now and then, the Master's name was on his lips. His hands too worked with the vibrations of his heart, and scribbled out his uppermost thoughts in words such as "Meher Baba is my Master," "Aga Ali, the son of Meher Baba," "This book belongs to the humble servant of Meher Baba," etc. on his books, papers and on all odd things that he came across with, and on which the music of his heart could be reproduced whether through a pencil, a pen or a scratch with a piece of stone or metal.

Besides, things that belonged to the Master seemed to have a great attraction for the boy, and he could be often seen fondling and playing with the Master's sandals, pillows, coat, etc. Unlike many of the other boys, Ali did not seem to be much attracted towards the Master's photos or in playing with and adoring them, but was very keen in collecting the Master's hair, nails and even a piece of cotton wool that He might have once used to stuff His ears with.

He would treasure these up as one would treasure diamonds and pearls and constantly feast his eyes on them. But the most remarkable point was the great attraction that Ali began to have for the Master's personality. Just as the needle would rush at the magnet when brought near to it, Ali used to seek proximity of the Master at the first opportunity, and remained by Him as long as he could. Still, for a casual observer, there was nothing like a show about him.

It was however on the 17th December that the depth of his feelings came to be known generally. Some days before this, he got eczema, on his hand, and on this day, the Master decided for Ali to remain in the hospital, aloof from every-day life, till it was cured.

And when he was removed there, tears began to roll down his checks in a string of sparkling pearls. Why? Simply because he could not bear the thought of separation from the Master even for a few days. He did not however allow this fact to escape from his lips voluntarily. It was only when the Master argued with him for about an hour or so that the real reason for his crying came to light.

His weeping did not cease, until the Master conveyed to him a solemn promise that he would not have to remain in the hospital for more than two days, and that during these two days, He, the Master, would go to see him occasionally.