HIS HUMILIATION AND GLORIFICATION

 
Meher Baba would tell us, now and then, about His humiliation and of His glorification which would follow the humiliation. But we all missed the point. We thought that the New Life period was His period of humiliation, a time when there were many humiliations — such as gossiping and backbiting, being mistaken for bandits or political agitators, and so on — and that His period of glorification was the period following the New Life, when hundreds of thousands throughout the country hailed Him as the Ancient One. We felt that was His glorification.

We had led a life of great seclusion, and we were quite unprepared for the spectacle, time and again, of a sea of humanity adoring and worshipping Him as the Highest of the High, the Expected One.

I remember one occasion that gave me a fright. We were in the South of India, considered the stronghold of orthodoxy. Brahmins, the highest class, have greater power here and control the minds and hearts of people. Baba was seated on a dais, I was with Him, and we were surrounded by an immense sea of humanity. It would have been impossible to escape if the mob had turned against us, or even if they had all sought to hug and kiss Baba.

As usual on these occasions, the locally prominent people, the leaders in each profession and branch of life, gave Baba welcoming speeches. Then Baba conveyed, "Remain seated. I am going to bow down to you. Do not think that this bowing down is for you individually; I bow down to your love for Me. That will avoid any necessity for each of you to physically bow down to Me."

After doing this, Baba had me read out a short message which He had prepared beforehand. On such occasions, Baba might give a further impromptu message. This is what now happened, and that stands out in my memory of my life with Baba.

For the first time in public, Baba conveyed, "I am the Ancient One." And he went on, "I am the same Ancient One come once again in your midst. My message is of love. I have come now, this time in your midst, to do away with all rites, rituals and ceremonies."

As I read out Baba's gestures, I became frightened. I was aware of all those people, that sea of humanity surrounding us, and I knew that many of them were Brahmins whose power rested in those very rites, rituals and ceremonies."

As I read out Baba's gestures, I became frightened. I was aware of all those people, that sea of humanity surrounding us, and I knew that many of them were Brahmins whose power rested in those very rites, rituals, and ceremonies. I shuddered to think what might happen next.

But Baba seemed to know what was going through my mind, for He pulled a corner of my coat and gestured, "Don't be frightened," and he gave me a reassuring smile. So I continued reading out Baba's gestures, and because I was speaking out Baba's words for Him, I made them as forceful as I could, as was appropriate for the message, and when I was finished giving this message, there was pin-drop silence.

And then, as if with one voice, there was a mighty ovation as all hailed Baba. We thought such occasions, when thousands hailed and accepted Baba, was part of His glorification. But Baba smiled when I suggested this and gestured, "This is not My glorification. Wait, wait, My humiliation will come, then My manifestation, and My glorification. This enthusiasm and emotion that you witness is not My glorification."