MY GREATNESS DOES NOT LIE IN PERFORMING MIRACLES

 
Once in Meherabad, down the hill, when there was a big colony and I had dissolved it all and moved to a new place named Toka, a few miles away, a few were kept here. An Irani who was good in heart, but a bit "cracked," had to keep guard at night. He had to shout out at intervals, "All's well," to keep himself awake as well as to show others that he was awake.

At that time there was a very notorious thief who had robbed and killed a number of people, called Satyamang. One night this man had robbed a man on the road from here to Ahmednagar. The following night something happened to this dear man (Irani): a donkey wandered here and he thought it was Satyamang! One old Mandali fainted. All the time the man was shouting "Satyamang is here!" After a time a lantern was lighted and it was seen there was nobody there; then the door was opened and the donkey was seen.

When I heard this story I thought this illusion beats even the universal illusion I created ages ago! Then I sent for Satyamang, who was so proud of his strength that the police feared him and the villagers were afraid to report his threats.

"I don't know Baba, get out," he said to My messenger and he abused Me. But later on he came, saying he had seen Baba in a dream sitting on his chest. I was sitting as usual, and as soon as he saw Me, Satyamang prostrated himself and started weeping.

I called him and made him sit quietly by My side. "I want you from today to give up robbing and killing and to disperse your gang, and for your living come to Me and I will supply you," I said. He promised. From that day the man dropped his old ways.

Once there was a lapse: after some months he thought of robbing someone. A money lender had left his house empty, and Satyamang was tempted to rob it. He broke in and saw My form standing there in the doorway. So he came at once to Me and said, "You have saved me." When I went away to Persia and left only one family here, I told him to look after the place.

At times I have plenty of money, at other times I have little or none. In the New Life, I begged food and made the Mandali beg. Satyamang had stopped robbing. He was living close by and he brought food to the family, begging from village to village for them.

There were many other incidents attributed to Me as My miracles. Even now people say they see Me in My physical form. But I have not yet performed a single miracle. I know nothing about them. Their love and faith gives them the experience.

When I break My silence I will perform the greatest of miracles — My first and last miracle in this Incarnation of Mine. If people tell you Baba has performed this or that miracle, let the story go out of the other ear. My greatness does not lie in performing miracles. My greatness lies in suffering for the universe, because I love all.