When Hafiz used to recite his ghazals to his Master, the Master would enjoy them, [have someone write them down] and hand them on to his other disciples to study and benefit from, saying, "They will be important to future generations." But Hafiz did not value them, and it was only after his death that they were collected.

Referring to Hafiz's earlier life, Baba said:

Twenty years passed and all this time Hafiz was full of the fire of love for the beautiful woman, and he loved his Master, too. Once, Attar asked him: "Tell me what you want."

Hafiz expressed how he longed for the woman. Attar replied: "Wait, you will have her."

Ten more years passed by, thirty in all, and Hafiz became desperate and disheartened. In the beginning, he fulminated against his Master, then gradually cooled down. When alone with Attar one day he began weeping. The Master asked him what was the matter. Hafiz blazed out: "What have I gained by being with you? Thirty years have gone by!"

Attar answered: "Wait, you will know one day."

Hafiz retorted: "I knew why you asked that question!" Exactly 39 days after this meeting with his Master Attar, Hafiz performed chilla-nashini, that is, he sat still within the radius of a drawn circle for 40 days to secure fulfillment of his desire.

It is virtually impossible for one to sit still for 40 days within the limits of a circle. But Hafiz's love was so great that it did not matter to him. On the fortieth day, an angel appeared before him and looking at the angel's beauty, Hafiz thought: "What is that woman's beauty in comparison with this heavenly splendor!"

The angel asked what he desired. Hafiz replied that he be able to wait on the pleasure of his Master's wish. At four o'clock on the morning of the last day, Hafiz stepped out of his self-imposed chilla-nashini and went to his Master who embraced him. In that embrace, Hafiz became God-conscious.

Clarifying Hafiz's poetry, Baba explained: "Half his ghazals he composed before Self-Realization, and the other half after he was realized by Attar. These ghazals are beautiful beyond words, quite unique and most wonderful. His earlier compositions depicted his great joy and bubbling enthusiasm. Immediately after his 'coming back' [to normal consciousness] after Realization, Hafiz wrote two ghazals that are among his most famous."