42951958 MEHERABAD SAHAVAS1958
Referring to Balak Bhagwan and Swami Mangalanand:
In Central India [Madhya Pradesh], people took the boy Balak Meher to be the Avatar, and I instructed him that he should not allow anyone to kiss his feet and worship him because without authority it is binding. When I ordered Mangalanand to observe 40 days' silence and fast, Balak Meher followed him as he was leaving the camp and said: "Heed Baba's orders and follow them! Whatever Baba has to give you, he will give, and whatever I have to give you, I will give." Saying this to him, he returned at once and took his seat on the dais. Somehow I came to know of it and he confessed his mistake. I cautioned him not to do this in the future and treated him lovingly. Mangalanand was in the habit of discoursing on Vedanta to the sahavas group, so I sent him away.
While sipping fruit juice, Baba remarked:
This is pomegranate juice. I take it as medicine. I also take medicines when I want to. Three doctors always look after me — allopathic, homeopathic and ayurvedic. I take medicine from all of them and still my illness persists. My entire physical frame was shattered by two auto accidents, in America and India. Apart from this, my body has gone to pieces on account of hardships in travels, frequent fasts, long foot journeys, rough bullock-cart travels on unmetalled [unpaved] and potted roads, and also visits to different remote places for mast contacts. In all, I have led a very strenuous life. But for the sake of the whole universe, I have to suffer. I must suffer infinitely. If I myself don't suffer, how could I ask my lovers to suffer for others?
Emphatically, Baba declared:
I am the Ancient One, the one residing in every heart. Undoubtedly, I am the Ancient One. So if you love others, make others happy, serve them even at discomfort to yourself, you would be loving me, the Beloved residing in every individual heart.
Now we will have prayers. After the prayers, all of you be seated. Let the ladies come first, one by one, garland my arm, embrace me and take darshan. Thereafter, the men.
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