When Don returned to America, he dug out Deshmukh’s five-volume edited version of Baba’s Discourses. He was struck by the tremendous meaning and pungency of virtually every sentence.
Now, back in India again, Don had been so impressed by what he had been reading in the Discourses that he brought up the subject with Baba, saying, “Baba, I have fulfilled my promise. I went back and re-read the Discourses and think they are absolutely terrific.
“In fact, I have the feeling that God Speaks and these Discourses will probably be the basic books — virtually a Bible — given out by you for the young people.
Baba said, “Yes, there is a force, a spiritual force, in my words which is of great help to the sincere aspirant. So you should work with them and strongly encourage others to work with and read Baba’s words.”
Don Stevens continued, “But in reading the Discourses, I did notice that the style is more Indian-English than American-English. At times, it is a bit awkward, and I had to spend time unconsciously re-inverting sentences to understand their meaning. I think you should get someone to reedit them into accepted Western style… Baba, would you entrust that editing job to me?”
Baba agreed.
After Don had worked several months on the Discourses, on a subsequent visit to Meherazad, Baba asked him how the work was progressing. As sometimes happens in any project, Don was apparently at a low ebb in his vitality, and without thinking he blurted out, “Almost finished now, Baba, but I don’t know how much good all this work will do.”
Baba looked surprised by his comment and made his accustomed gesture for Don to continue his thought. “Well, I hear so many people say that words, if anything, obscure Truth, and the mind finally cannot grasp Truth.
Even some of the people who love you most dearly say that even Baba’s words can well be left aside in the pursuit of God-realization.”
“People say that about Baba’s own words?” he almost exploded, he was so angry.
Don nodded mutely, “Yes.”
Quite upset, Baba continued gesturing rapidly, which Eruch interpreted:
“You must understand that whenever Baba gives out words for his lovers to use and read, he attaches a spiritual energy to them — something like an atomic spiritual bomb! Then, when one reads those words, even if he does not understand even one word of what he reads, a part of the spiritual energy will be absorbed by that person. And this energy will be very important for that person in his spiritual progress.”
Baba concluded, “It is your duty, Don, to tell people what Baba has said, and to tell them to work with and read Baba’s words, as this will be a great help in their spiritual ongoing.”
Extracted from:
www.lordmeher.org, p5098-5100
Nov, 1964; Meherazad