UNION AND SEPARATION AGAIN

 
We had a get together at Gopi's place. He was a boatman and though his cottage was as humble as a poor man's cottage could be, it was as clean as a five-star hotel. He had left no pains to keep it spic and span for the occasion and it was his love for Baba that prompted all the labours.

In the evening about thirty of us assembled and as the songs were sung, the atmosphere was being charged with devotion for the creator of all loving and non-living things. Afar-away the Dhuadhar cataract roared, otherwise the silence that hovered over the place of the rocks and the river was broken only by our singing.

I felt highly inspired. I wanted to pour out my love for Baba in the form of a bhajan (devotional song). I chose to sing a song composed by Madhusudan Sri Pund — 'Ayee Gokul Ke Firsey Sawariyaa' meaning 'The Beloved Krishna of Gokul has come again to us'. As the song progressed I felt one with the words — my heart was testifying to the words for I really felt that Meher Baba was the self-same Beloved Krishna of Gokul.

Suddenly I saw a man come towards the assembly. No one noticed him as the listeners faced me. But I faced the man. He looked at me, his eyes big and black, and then he smiled. Well, He was Baba! Meher Baba! For no one could smile that way! He smiled again and my fingers playing the harmonium stopped. He peered into my eyes and my throat choked and the song would not come out any more.

I gazed at His divine face and burst out into tears. Here, 700 miles away from where He physically lived, Beloved Baba had condescended to appear and give me His love and His smile of pleasure. But it was only a matter of few seconds. He turned away and then mingled with the darkness outside.

Much though I tried to continue with the song, I could not. My voice would not cooperate at all. My heart had again met the Beloved and Oh! how compassionately He had come all these miles in His inexplicable manner to give me His Darshan. I told no one about what I saw and got up. The programme could not be continued obviously for no other reason except that I was too moved to sing.

Everyone else although ignorant of what had happened felt a strange awe overcome them. I motioned to M. P. S. to return to his house. B.V.C. who had come from Jabalpur supported me and led me to M. P. S.'s home while all others returned to their respective homes.

Lying on the bed, I silently enjoyed and suffered from the erstwhile union and separation again from Beloved Baba at Bhedaghat. That was the first time Baba appeared to me at a place far from where He was physically staying.