Volume 5 Number 3 Page 14

hardships, discomforts and inconveniences for my lovers.

Baba commented again: "This reminds me of what happened once in Andhra at a darshan program where I gave prasad to thousands, distributing it with both hands to long lines of men and women. Afterwards, I was taken to the home of a wealthy man who loved me. It was crowded with hundreds of his relatives and friends. As I entered, as usual, they performed arti. Arti is performed in honor of God — Rama, Krishna, by waving a plate of lighted camphor. So this man waved a seven-tiered plate of burning camphor around me—and it was suffocating! I thought any minute the whole thing would fall on me but I kept smiling! And with each smile the man came closer!" Baba acted out the whole incident, in which "devotion" almost burned the Beloved!

When Baba's brother's son Sheriar approached Baba for an embrace someone said that he was Baba's nephew. Hearing this, Baba said: All of you gathered here are my near relatives.

When someone was introduced to Baba and all his qualifications enumerated, Baba said: I am unmindful of all these qualifications you have. The only qualification which I want you to have is love. I see to whether one loves me or not. You love me and I am pleased with you.

When someone remarked against display of emotion, Baba said: "Emotion is not bad; but love is quite different."

My spiritual burden gets lightened when l am engaged in playing games or when l laugh at jokes cracked by my lovers. But I do not come only for such play. It is for other things too that I take this body. l am the ocean of love and mercy. The worldly judges do their duty and pass judgment after trial. They give justice and punishment depending upon whether the accused is guilty or not. If in their judgment the accused is found guilty, their justice demands that the person found guilty most be punished. I am the universal judge. There is one thing with me which is unique, and that is that not only do I give real justice by bringing guilt to the guilty but also forgive the guilty at the same time. My justice is tempered with mercy and l always forgive.

There is a mast at Meherazad. He is there now for three days. He has no body consciousness. He remains in the same position for hours together without moving his limbs in the slightest degree. He appears as though he

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