To: Bhau’s Dear Ones
By email:
Date: May 6, 2001
Subject: An “Awakening” from Bhau - Mastery In Servitude: Its Essence
There was another revelation given by Beloved Baba during last night. It is really very useful for all. When I was lying down, I heard the voice in my heart, which I am interpreting in words with great difficulty.
The voice which I heard, uttered the question, "What is Mastery in Servitude?"
And the voice itself told me, "Service. Service. Service to humanity, selfless service. But what is service in fact? Service is that service which has no self, and thus how can people do such service? It is therefore necessary to catch hold of the feet of the Beloved if you wish to do service in real sense.
"But how to catch hold the feet of the Beloved?
"It is impossible. It is just like becoming the sandals of the Beloved’s feet, so that you always remain with the Beloved, without any desires or thoughts. Sandals are always on the feet, not on the head, and therefore Mastery in Servitude means to become the sandals of the Master’s feet. Then only can one do selfless service under the motto "Mastery in Servitude.”
"You see marble? You construct a palace of marble. You find floors of marble. You also construct toilets of marble. You make a statue from the marble,. You garland and worship the statue, but the statue does not feel happy. You go to the toilet and clear your bowels there; and the marble does not feel unhappy. You walk on the marble, spit on it, but nothing happens to it. No feeling of either misery or happiness befalls the marble.
"Likewise, one has to become the sandals of the feet of the Beloved. Remain as marble, so that the Beloved takes care of His lovers. They will become His true slave, and His service becomes the real service, which gradually wipes out the self.
Later, Beloved Baba said to me.
“I have given you the example of catching hold of my feet and becoming the sandals of my feet. Sandals I can take anywhere I like--in the dirt, on the Hill, in the mud, on a good road or a thorny road. Sandals do not complain against me, but you people can complain at every step. And as you have the mind with you,>mind creates different thoughts, desires, temptations, et cetera.
“So how can you become the sandals of my feet?
“It is not possible. But know well, when you have even a little longing to become the sandals of my feet, I help you. I clean my sandals. If they tear, I get them stitched. I take all care to protect them. Even the longing to become the sandals of my feet, I create.
“I have also given the example of marble. But marble I cannot take under my feet all the time. I can put a piece of marble in my pocket, or I can even put it on my head. But sandals, I cannot put on my head. Therefore, have the longing to become the sandals of my feet and yet remain as marble. Sandals are always used for feet. But marble is used for different purposes. Therefore, when I say, “Catch hold of my feet,” sandals are the appropriate example.
“You don’t know how you serve the whole world when you have the longing to become the sandals of my feet. When you do social service, you know that you are doing this. You think that you are doing good work. You are helping other people. You are something great. Such thoughts you cannot avoid. You make your ego-self-strong. But when you have the longing to become the sandals of my feet, you cannot think whether I should keep you on my head or on my shoulders. Because you have the longing to become sandals, you will not feel happy when you are praised, and you will not feel miserable when I torture you.
“When you have such longing, what happens? You are serving me truly. Though you still have different desires, wants and temptations, you remain detached from them because your longing is to become the sandals.
“I am in everyone and in everything. When you serve anyone in the form of my sandals, you serve the whole world, and you know not. This is selfless service.
“Only the perfect ones can do selfless service. It is not possible for ordinary persons to do selfless service. At the most you can become modest. Your outward statement will be, “I am just sandals of my Beloved’s feet.” Start thinking that you are doing nothing, only the Beloved is doing everything for you. This will be the most difficult. But once you have the true longing, you will become very natural.
“There will be left nothing for you to pretend, as you have really become the sandals of my feet. I therefore tell you, I have the responsibility to make you the real sandals of my feet.
“That’s why I have put on my Samadhi, for all time, my motto of “Mastery in Servitude.” This is the great message for the world. It inspires my true lovers to become the sandals of my feet.
“In my previous advents, I used to give words. In this advent also I have given more words than in my previous advents, while observing Silence. At the same time, I would warn my lovers to be careful. Do not to treat these words as rituals and ceremonies but put them into action. This is the reason I was observing Silence, to draw the attention of the world. The people have to become silent. That means to silence the mind. My Silence is active, and you will see how my silence awakens the world. My silence will make the mind less active and make the heart more and more active.
“I therefore say to my dear ones: Create the longing to become the sandals of my feet, and for this purpose, follow my commands. Do not get involved in rituals and ceremonies. Truly love me by following my commands and having the longing to become the sandals of my feet. I have been reminding and reminding you about the three couplets from Hafiz on obedience.
“The day I was dropping the body, I called the boards with these three couplets to be brought to my bedroom. Afterwards, I dropped my physical body. So consider this as my last message to you. If you follow my commands, you will truly become sandals of my feet, and you will experience the essence of the “Mastery in Servitude.”
“So remember these couplets of Hafiz:
“Befitting a fortunate slave carry out every command of the Master, without question of why and what.
“About what you hear from the Master, never say it is wrong because, my dear, the fault lies in your own incapacity to understand Him.
“I am slave of the Master, who has released me from ignorance; whatever my Master does is of the highest benefit to all concerned.
In His Love & Service
Bhau Meherabad May 6, 2001