THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

170 THE GOD-MANrespect. I shall live amongst you as one of you like a brother. I may even fall at your feet andask you to spit upon me. That is why I have been saying that the conditions will be such thatvery few would remain with me to the end. But at all times and under all circumstances youmust continue to look upon me as your Master and to obey me implicit1y. Scrupulous caremust be taken by those going with me to avoid creating any occasion or situation by word ordeed whether direct1y or indirect1y that may be capable of inviting or encouraging anyhomage or reverence to be paid to me or to any of you by anyone. If by any chance anyrespect or homage happens to be paid unsolicited to anyone, that action of respect or homagemust instant1y be met with an identical action on the spot by the mandali concerned, exceptwhen I happen to touch the mandali's feet or fall at their feet or salute them. Above all, I shallno more be taking care of anyone's health or have any concern with anyone's moods and likesor dislikes as I have been doing so far. Under all these circumstances those of you who reallysucceed in remaining with me to the end will become worthy to be worshipped by me. I shalltherefore be glad to have as many more of the mandali as can go with me, but looking to thedifficulties ahead and to the conditions I have in mind to lay down in order to meet all likelysituations and circumstances, I have my own doubts if five would be able to remain to the endeven if 500 were to accompany me.According to the points given to them by Baba, Donkin and Ghani drafted the conditions.Before these were completed Baba, on 21 August, offered the following prayer at about 10:30that morning:"May it please God to give his absolute strength to Baba to adhere to everything that is in hisconditions to the very end."He continued to dwell upon the gravity and finality involved under the New Life and theirrevocable and unchangeable nature of the conditions:"There is going to be no change in the decisions that I have taken, or in my helplessness.That fact has been made permanent by the oath-taking ceremony performed through the fourmandali members the other day. I was very glad to receive the injuries on my hand that hadrested upon the religious books. That ought to be an eye-opener for the mandali that thosewho go with me will have to face suffering."Baba also kept on expressing his doubts as to the ultimate number of those who would beable to stick to him to the last: