Symbols of the world's religions

               

INTERPRETATION OF BEGIN THE BEGUINE

a song by Cole Porter

Patricia Sargent

 

I feel very happy to hear music, it reminds me of the First Song that was sung ages ago, and that song produced the phenomena called the universe. God will make me soon break my silence, and that First Original Song will be sung again and the world will realize that God alone is real, and that everyone of us is eternally one with God.
~ Meher Baba

One who amasses the solidified end product of waste, rot, and rubbish (coal) [sic]. It is formed under great pressure from vegetation and other low evolutionary forms. (This indicates a compound of all the sanskaras collected through the evolution of forms — even the lower kingdoms.)

"The work can be compared to the amassing and arranging in a universal heap the accumulated rubbish of men's ignorance in illusion that enmeshes him in the false and prevents him from realising his true identity. The result will be my applying the match to this rubbish heap."

When they Begin the Beguine

In the beginningless beginning and the beyondless beyond

It brings back a sound of music so tender

The original omnific sound of creation was uttered — the perfect sound from which all sounds come — resulting in the original naad, celestial music. The Creation, the universe emerged because of God's highest law — Love.

It brings back a night of tropical splendour

and darkness was upon the face of the deep. For in the vast darkness, inculcating warmth and nurture of the womb of nothingness which is everything, came the everything which is nothing.

It brings back a memory evergreen

God is infinite and eternal, so is His imagination; and Creation, a product of His imagination goes on too.

I am with you once more under the stars

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word was flesh and dwelt among us. "I am that I am."

God clothed in flesh descends from Reality into Illusion; therefore the 'stars', the universe which is within Him is also outside of Him, above Him.

And down by the shore an orchestra's playing

The infinite Whim, God's Lahar the only question — "Who am I?" — is that wave on the silent ocean of infinity that reaches the shore. The shore in finiteness, limitedness; for His yonder Being has no shore. He is greeted by His finite forms of manyness playing the 7th shadow of His original music.

And even the palms seem to be swaying
when they Begin the Beguine

Again the palms, symbol of life, are swayed in exaltation proclaiming the Avatar, the Messiah — (as with Christ on Palm Sunday) — but, they are only a prelude to His Humiliation and Crucifixion.

To live it again is past all endeavour

"As the Highest of the High I am the Wisest of the Wise, yet I have allowed myself to perform an act more foolish than any fool ever would. What is this foolish act of mine? Creating the Creation. Creation is really a mighty joke, but the laugh is at my expense — and now the jest is proving a burden on my chest. Sometimes I am so tired I feel like going to sleep for 700 yrs.

"To the fool, a foolish act is most natural and effortless. But can you imagine the most wise exciting Himself and stretching out to perform an act which is opposite to His attributes of Wisdom! That is why I say you can have no idea of what I mean when I say I am tired — it is beyond human understanding."

Except when that tune clutches my heart

"Whatever I do is the expression of my unbounded love. I suffer infinite agony through your ignorance."

And there we are swearing to love forever
and promising never
never to part

"When one truly loves God one longs for union with Him, and this supreme longing is based on the desire of giving up one's whole being to the Beloved."

What moments divine, what rapture serene

"To those whose hearts are pure and simple, true love comes as a gift through the activating grace of a Perfect Master, and this Divine love will perform the supreme miracle of bringing God into the hearts of men. In this love are embodied all yogas known to saints and seekers."

The Rapture is known throughout Christiandom as the "Second Coming of Christ" — when life draws all His own unto Him.

Till clouds come along to disperse the joys we had tasted

"I do not wish to make a mere mention of the dark cloud without any reason; but this is my loving warning to you so that my daaman may not slip off your hands. At the time of Jesus I uttered many warnings yet none could grasp in advance about my crucifixion."

And now when I hear people curse
the chance that was wasted,
I know but too well what they mean

"Although to let go your hold on my daaman is always easy, it is never easy to hold on to it. But if you try with all your heart to do so, I shall surely help you. Once you let go remember that it will be very difficult to grasp my daaman again. To lose hold of the mantle of this guide is to find only despair. The heart without love is entombed in unending darkness and suffering, but the heart that is restless with love is on its way to realization of the unfading light that shines on the unfathomable sweetness of life divine."

So don't let them Begin the Beguine

"Coming, Coming, Coming — Came. I am tired of the Illusion Game."

Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember

"It is the undying flame that has set life aglow. Love also means suffering and pain for oneself and happiness for others. Just as heat and light go hand in hand, so do love and sacrifice. The Spiritual Path is full of hardships and sufferings."

Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
when they Begin the Beguine

Silence is not only a matter of non-speaking, but silence of the desires, passions, urgings and conflicts of body and mind.

Oh yes, let them Begin the Beguine,
make them play

"I want you to know I will definitely break my silence. All I said was the truth; they were the words of God and all the things said must come to pass in exactly the manner described by me."

Till the stars that were there before return above you

He sends us His Word. It descends upon us. It is the purging, purifying, fiery spirit, the Divine Light of Love and Truth that destroys all the dross in us and catapults us into "new creatures" sharing His Life."

"This much I can say now that soon God will make me break my silence, and then it will mean God manifesting Himself. When I say that My Manifestation is connected with the breaking of my silence, people should not expect an outpouring of verbosity. I will utter the word of words that will irresistibly import to those who are ready 'I am God,' 'Anal Haq' or 'Ahman Brahmasmi' the Christ State."

"I lay down no precepts when I release the Tide of Truth which I have come to give — men's daily lives will be the living precept. The words I have not spoken will come to life in them, when I break my silence with the Divine Word. The word that will indisputably assert the existence of God, in the mind and heart of man, that will make the world know that God not only exists, but that He alone exists — infinitely and eternally."

"Just love me, I eternally enjoy the Christ State of consciousness and when I speak I shall manifest My True Self."

"Let me help you. Rest assured that I will help you. You shall know this when I come in Person and have you share the Treasure that I hold for each and everyone of you — that you may share it with me and all others. It is love. Do not worry."

Till you whisper to me once more — Baba — I love you

"To love me for what I may give you is not loving Me at all. To sacrifice anything in my cause to gain something for yourself is like a blind man sacrificing his eyes for sight. I am the Divine Beloved worthy of being loved because I am Love. He who loves me because of this will be blessed with unlimited sight and will see me as (I am)."

And we suddenly know what heaven we're in

We are in heaven because He has created (He) even in us. God has infused us with His (King) d(om) — the old is destroyed and the "New Being" the "New Human Entity," part of the "New (Human)ity" has been created. The Word is alive, aflame within us and so is His living voice from Heaven nurturing the "New Creature."

When they Begin the Beguine

"Accept my rhythm. Come in tune with it without reservation. It will lift you above yourself. Your inmost Self is crying for help.

"My rhythm of Truth will redeem you. It will open your heart. It will give you new love. It will initiate you in the ancient order of spiritual thought."

 

GLOW MAGAZINE, August 1974, pp. 14-15, 19
1974 © Naosherwan Anzar

               

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