Question: Many people accuse you of mass hypnotism. Can you explain?
Baba: In mass hypnotism by others, the effect on the masses is temporary, but my effect on them is permanent.
In mass hypnotism by others, the effect is on the mind; but in my working, it is the soul that is affected and advanced. There are certain yogis in India who, for their self-interest, hypnotize the minds of people coming in their contact, and get their objective fulfilled. What happens? People whose minds are hypnotized, after being free from the temporary effects, neither gain nor lose spiritually, even if, during hypnotism, they are made to commit the worst of sins or crimes. Their spiritual position, however, remains the same.
Once, in the time of Janak [a king of ancient times], there was an incident. He had many enemies, and their ring leader was one who was loved by Janak’s courtiers. Janak wanted these very courtiers, who loved his enemy, to kill him. So he sought the aid of a yogi and told him what he wanted. This yogi had great powers. He summoned the courtiers, about ten of them, hypnotized and influenced them to such an extent that they went and killed the enemy [of the state] whom they loved. Later, after the deed was done and the influence wore off, they repented for having killed one whom they loved. What I want to point out is that for this action, even that of killing a man, they [those hypnotized] are not responsible. Their spiritual position remains the same.
My spiritual influence is permanent. It is on a person’s life, body, mind, and soul; in short, on everything.
–Silent Teachings of Meher Baba, compiled and edited by Naosherwan Anzar, p133