When they found their son’s welcome change of mind, their joy knew no bounds and they were deeply grateful to Baba. Thereupon, at 12:30 on Wednesday, 4 October 1933, Ali Hyderi visited Baba. After a cordial introduction, Baba explained to him:
“What kind of nature the mind has that it becomes a slave of desires and continues to do so, turning the desires into habits! It is next to impossible for a person to extricate himself from a set pattern of habits. If he is freed, he is saved. He who gives up habits attains God. But habits are a great harassment on the Path. They bring even a good soul to ruin.
[Citing Pleader as an example, Baba continued.] A man once came to me with a prayer to show him the spiritual path. I told him if he followed what I said, he would surely find it and he agreed. I instructed him to lock himself up in a room, keep silence, not read or write, and remain on milk only. For the last four years, he has been doing it and he is radiantly happy. This is called naad [divine infatuation] and this type of naad makes one realize God.
There once was a man who had the bad habit of smoking cigarettes. He could not give up smoking, and he came to me for help. Since he has been with me, he has not smoked even once in the past five years! In short, a bad habit ruins a man. It makes the mind, body and soul miserable and makes all those around you unhappy, too.
Real life consists of making others happy. So try to make people around you happy. Do not be afraid. All will be well. Do not worry. My nazar is on you.”
–www.lordmeher.org, p1551
October, 1933; Aboard the ship Victoria