Who is Meher Baba?

WHO IS MEHER BABA?

Pune (or Poona as it was formally known), is the birth place of Avatar Meher Baba – the Avatar of the age. For all His followers, Pune holds a special significance as it was here that Meher Baba was born, grew up and in His later years held Darshan programs. Pune was also the summer abode for Meher Baba when He would come and stay along with some of His resident Mandali members at Guruprasad – the palace owned by Maharani Shantadevi of Baroada who most loving used to offer it to Baba for His exclusive use. The Avatar Meher Baba Poona Center was inaugurated by Him on May 1, 1964, the only Centre in India to have gained this distinction and fortune. The Centre continues to function actively, carrying out various programs and meetings to welcome new seekers into His fold and to continue to fan the flame of love in the hearts of His former followers.

Meher Baba was born as Merwan Sheriar Irani on February 25, 1894, in Poona, India. His parents were Zoroastrians, Sheriar and Shireen Irani. Sheriar was a Dervish or true seeker of God. Merwan led a normal childhood attending St. Vincent’s School and later Deccan College at Poona. As a boy Merwan formed “The Cosmopolitan Club” dedicated to remaining informed of world affairs and giving money to charity. He was a multi-instrumentalist, poet and fluent in several languages. He enjoyed the poetry of Hafiz,Shakespeare and Shelley.

At the age of 19, during His second year at Deccan College in Pune, Merwan encountered Hazrat Babajan, a centenarian Muslim saint who was one of the five Sadgurus or Perfect Masters of that age. With a kiss on the forehead, Babajan initiated Merwan into the state of God-Realization or unveiling of his true status. The event affected Him profoundly and He experienced visions and mystical feelings so powerful that He could not lead His normal activities.He was then inwardly prompted to contact the other four Perfect Masters of that age — Sai Baba of Shirdi, Upasni Maharaj of Sakori, Narayan Maharaj of Kedgaon, and Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur, each of whom played a significant role in the process of His unveiling.

Upasni Maharaj helped Merwan to integrate His divine experiences with normal consciousness, thus enabling Him to function in the world without diminishing His experience of God-realization.In late 1921, at the age of 27, after living for seven years with Upasni Maharaj, Merwan started to attract a following of His own. His early followers gave Him the name “Meher Baba”, meaning “Compassionate Father”.

Avatar Meher Baba​ — AN INTRODUCTORY BIOGRAPHY ​

CHILDHOOD – MEETING BABAJAN

Meher Baba was born Merwan Sheriar Irani on February 25th, 1894 to Irani parents, in a Jewish Hospital in Poona, India. He had a normal childhood and was educated at a Catholic school where He was a natural leader, loved and respected by his peers. He excelled in sports as well as poetry and music. His life changed abruptly at the age of 19 during His first year of college. One day as He was bicycling home, Hazrat Babajan, the Sufi Muslim saint who was one of the five Perfect Masters of the age, beckoned Him to come near her. She embraced Him and began to awaken Him to His destiny as Avatar. After seven months, with a kiss to His forehead Babajan unveiled Merwan’s true state of God-consciousness. For the next 9 months Merwan lost consciousness of the world.
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MEETING PERFECT MASTERS – EARLY DISCIPLES

But eventually He was inwardly compelled to visit the other four perfect masters of the age including Sai Baba of Shirdi, who sent Merwan to the Hindu Sadguru, Upasni Maharaj. Over the next seven years, Upasni Maharaj fully integrated Merwan’s divine consciousness of infinite knowledge with complete worldly consciousness of creation which He would need to fulfill His unique responsibility as Avatar. By that time a number of disciples from diverse backgrounds began to gather around Merwan, referring to Him as “Meher Baba,” which means “Compassionate Father.” Meher Baba trained these early disciples over the coming years as He began to carry out His universal mission. Meher Baba and His close disciples maintained a lifestyle of purity and high moral standards.

MEHERABAD – MASTERY IN SERVITUDE

In May of 1923, Meher Baba established “Meherabad” in the rural district of Ahmednagar. Within two years Meherabad became a thriving colony whose residents followed a disciplined life, exemplary of Baba’s motto “Mastery in Servitude.” By Meher Baba’s direction, a hospital and dispensary, and schools were established providing a variety of free services to the needy local population, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
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HIS SILENCE – GOD SPEAKS

On July 10, 1925 Meher Baba began His great long silence, which He maintained for the rest of His life. This was not undertaken as a spiritual exercise but rather, a limitation He assumed in His Work for the benefit of humanity. For many years He communicated by pointing to the letters on an alphabet board. In 1954, He deepened His Silence by giving up the board, and communicating through His unique, eloquent hand gestures and expressions. However, in His Silence Meher Baba gave unparalleled explanations concerning the spiritual Truths of the universe and authored several books. God Speaks (1955) offers comprehensive explanations of the fabric of the universe and depicts the journey of individual souls through creation, evolution of consciousness, reincarnation, involution of consciousness, and realization. Discourses (late 1930s-40s) provides thorough, practical, and inspiring spiritual perspectives on life and existence.

WORLD TRAVELS – WORK WITH GOD-INTOXICATED

Beginning in 1931 Meher Baba began a series of world travels, contacting thousands and ‘laying cables’ for His spiritual work. Another important part of Meher Baba’s work through the years was to personally contact and serve hundreds of people lost in the inner spiritual world referred to as “masts.” These are advanced souls who have become spiritually intoxicated from deep inner awareness of God. Baba traveled many thousands of miles to remote places throughout the Indian subcontinent, working to advance the masts spiritually and to engage them in His great work to benefit humanity.

THE NEW LIFE

1949 Meher Baba went with a few companions on what He called ‘the New Life’ of complete renunciation, absolute helplessness, and sole reliance on God. By living this New Life, which included wandering and begging phases, Meher Baba became the ordinary seeker on behalf of all humanity, and along with His companions, re-established the clear path to God.

1950s – TWO AUTOMOBILE COLLISIONS – MASS DARHAN PROGRAMS

During the 1950s Meher Baba travelled three more times to the West and visited Centers in America and Australia that were established for Him there. In 1952 in America, and in 1956 near Satara, India, Meher Baba was injured in two serious automobile collisions. He explained that in each advent the Avatar takes on physical and spiritual suffering as part of the work He does for humanity.

During the mid-1950s Meher Baba travelled to different parts of India to give mass darshan programs to over a million people, sowing His love “deep in their hearts.” Through the 1960s Meher Baba continued to do His Universal Spiritual Work, often fasting in strict seclusion just as He had done since the early years of His life’s mission.

DROPPING HIS BODY

The purpose of Meher Baba’s life was to fulfill His Work of giving the great ‘spiritual push’ to the universe. In July of 1968 Meher Baba announced that He had completed His Work 100% to His satisfaction, but His health was shattered, and on 31st January 1969, Meher Baba dropped His physical form “to live eternally in the hearts of all who love Him.” In keeping with His directive, His body was brought to Meherabad and placed in His Tomb-Shrine. Today, Meher Baba’s Tomb is a site of world pilgrimage to many thousands who journey there to pay homage to the Avatar of the Age.

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