THE SUN WAS SETTING AND THE MOON WAS RISING

 
2nd Day, 50th Week, Meher Year 74

This is the true account of Avatar Meher Baba's dropping his body according to the resident mandali.

The three years of intense work in seclusion had an untold effect upon his body and a faint reflection of this on us caused a deep depression among us. But beloved Baba warned us that this was disobeying his order to be always cheerful in his presence. And he quoted as he had many times over the years Hafiz's couplet:

"Befitting a fortunate slave, carry out every command of the Master without any question of why and what."

On 13 October 1968 Baba told us that he would give his darshan to all his lovers all over the world from 10 April to 10 June 1969. Considering his physical condition we were apprehensive of his body standing such a strain. But he said, "It will be easy for me to give my lovers my darshan so you are not to feel concerned about it. I will give darshan reclining and that will be no strain on my body. It will be different from all previous darshans and it will be the last in silence.

"Although I will be reclining I will be very strong. My physical condition now is because of my work, but by then my work will be complete and my exaltation will be great. A very poor man winning a rich lottery can become so excited over his fortune that he collapses and dies. My fortune will be in my work being finished and in the knowledge of its certain results, but my exaltation will not cause my collapse — it will be my glory."

Despite these assurances, Baba's health became worse. But the symptoms were completely confusing to the doctors we called from Poona and Bombay. His blood urea was so high that the doctors said usually an ordinary man in such a condition would go into a coma, but there was not even the least sign of mental confusion or the faintest trace of uremic odor. Similarly when muscular spasms were occurring, when a specialist from Bombay examined him he asked why he had been called because there were no symptoms at all.

Baba's condition deteriorated still further and we wanted to take him to Poona so that further tests could be carried out, but he refused to go and warned us that we should not try to take him against his wish. He said, "If you want me to drop my body now, then take me to Poona. My condition has no medical grounds at all, it is due purely to the strain of my work. Do not call the doctors again until I tell you." And so, helpless before his will, we had to obey his will.

Over the last days Baba's body manifested severe spasms and he told us, "This is my crucifixion." Two days before he dropped his body he told us to call the doctors. The one from Poona came the next morning and said he could do nothing until further tests were done so that a definite diagnosis could be arrived at, and this could only be done if Baba went to Poona. Baba said to him, "My time has come."

The next day the doctor from Bombay came and also one from Ahmednagar. By the time they arrived a great spasm shook his body, the pulse rate fell to nothing and breathing ceased. This was at 12:15 P. M. At twelve noon he had been joking with us about all the medicines he had been given.

In the evening we brought his body to Meherabad. The sun was setting and the moon was rising as we placed it in the tomb for his lovers to take his darshan, fulfilling beloved Baba's word that he would give his darshan reclining.