TO GIVE THE WORLD MY DARSHAN

 
During the last four years of Meher Baba's life, he was in strict seclusion and stopped all external communication with those who knew and loved him. Still, people would write requesting just one thing: his darshan.

In October 1968, while Baba was deep in seclusion work, I used to think, "Why isn't Baba giving darshan to his lovers? Why does he remain so secluded, not permitting his lovers to see him?" One night, as I was seated near Baba, such thoughts entered my mind.

Baba asked, "What are you thinking?" So I told him what I had been thinking about his seclusion and his lovers.

Baba listened and then observed, "My work is different. It is not my work to travel continuously and hold darshan programs simply to allow people to bow down at my feet. It is not my work to give discourses, to perform miracles, or to attract crowds to me. I do not come for this. I come for all. I come to awaken all. Never before in any age have I given as much darshan to people as I have given during this advent! And still you complain! My darshan-giving is something quite distinct."

He continued: "You have no idea what I am really doing. The more you stretch a bow, the greater the distance the arrow will fly and the harder it will hit the target. I am in seclusion now, yes, but I am drawing back my bow farther and farther so that when I release the arrow of my love, it will strike deep and wound the hearts of all. The wounds will make them have my darshan continuously. They will have that longing for me, and that is my real darshan.

"I am working in seclusion to give the world my darshan," he concluded. "It is this darshan that will have meaning for those who know and love me."