Kutumba left his home for my work immediately after his young brother had died in the house. Kutumba, as the elder brother, did not even wait to perform the funeral rites demanded by custom. When questioned by visitors, the family replied by repeating what Kutumba Sastri had told them: that the man loved Baba and had merely dropped the coat of his gross body. Kutumba had felt certain that his young brother would have wanted him to go ahead with Baba’s urgent work, at once, because he had always looked upon the service to Baba as infinitely more important and rewarding than any ritual.
The point I wish to drive home is that it is never too late to obey me; that you should obey me to the end; that you should obey me with a courage undaunted by any disaster.
And that, above all else, you should obey me when I stand face-to-face with the dark cloud.
For six months, you take care of what I say to you, and after that, I shall take care of you. I say again, do not leave me and live to repent later, when there will be no remedy for your loss. For six months, do not give up obeying me at any cost — come what may — remember me and do as I say. Make all other thoughts subordinate to your resolve to please me with all your heart.
Although to let go of your hold on my daaman is always easy, it is never easy to hold on to it, and it may, during the next six months, be more difficult than ever before. But if you try with all your heart to do so, I shall surely help you. Once you let go, remember that it will be very difficult to grasp my daaman again.
Bayazid, who is known as the Sardar [Chief] of Sufi Masters, realized God at a very advanced age and also became one of the five Perfect Masters of his time. Once, he asked the two disciples who loved him most what was their greatest desire. One said: “I want the Master.” The other said: “I want the Master’s state of Perfection.” Both wanted the same thing, yet, there was a world of difference in their approach. The first desired, above all, the pleasure of his Master, because he did not want to let go of his hold on the Master’s daaman to the end.
Baba then issued the following instructions:
Now, for six months, up to March 1958:
1. Be ready and determined to do whatever I ask you to do.
2. Do no lustful action whatsoever; even husband and wife had better remain celibate.
3. Be honest. Honesty demands that you deceive no one, give no false hope or empty promise.
4. Try your very best not to hurt the feelings of others, but not to the extent of doing any lustful action.
Those who have not surrendered to me or who cannot do so, but would, nevertheless, like to obey me, should consider the last three injunctions as my orders to them.
In conclusion, Baba exhorted those present: “Take the decisive step of resolving, here and now, that you will try 100 percent to obey me for these six months and that, while embracing me silently, you will concentrate on that resolve and remain faithful to it.”
–Date and place: 8 September 1957; Meherazad
www.lordmeher.org (Revised 2014), p4199