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

270 THE GOD-MANHe then asked for the men from Sakori, five of whom came on to the platform and sat down.He said: 'What I am, what I was, and what I will be as the Ancient One is always due to the five PerfectMasters of the Age. Sai Baba, Upasni Maharaj, Babajan, Tajuddin Baba and Narayan Maharaj - these arethe five Perfect Masters of this age for me.'He interrupted one of the interpreters of this statement to say to him that he appeared excited andconfused, 'because you think I am going to drop this body', continued Baba; 'But I am not going to drop thebody today!' Baba then went on, 'Only Maharaj and Babajan directly played the main roles. Babajan, inless than a millionth of a second, made me realize that I am God; and in the period of seven years UpasniMaharaj gave me the Divine Knowledge that I am the Avatar. Before Maharaj dropped his body, wephysically met in a secluded place.' At this point Baba again called the translator to account and asked himto repeat only the words he spelt out on the board, not to interpret them. He went on: 'And before I dropmy body, I had to meet him, so I went to Sakori and bowed down to his shrine and told him, "You know Iam the Ancient One".' Baba again interrupted the translator and replaced him with another. He went on:'Maharaj was Perfection personified. At the head of the Sakori Ashram is Godavri Mai, whom I call"Yashoda". She is a unique female personality and loves me beyond words, and to me she is the dearest ofthe dear.'Baba then introduced the Sakori men. He first asked Yeshwantrao to rise, and said, 'He is the linkbetween Maharaj and Merwan'. Wagh then stood up and Baba said: 'This is Wagh, who has for yearsfaithfully and honestly carried out the office work and the arrangements at Sakori Ashram; he can becalled one of the few main pillars of Sakori.' Vasant Deshmukh stood up and Baba said: 'Here is Sakori'shigh priest; even his priesthood will not save me from the violent death.' Purandhare stood up and Babasaid: 'One of the most honest, faithful workers at Sakori.' Then Bharucha stood up and Baba said: 'This oldParsi father loves God wholeheartedly and longs for God, at Sakori, near the feet of Maharaj.' The Sakorimen then left the platform. Baba said:"Now please pay attention, be wide awake, not drowsy. Since I stopped speaking, and also stoppedwriting, except for my signature when essential, I carried on with this alphabet board all these years of mysilence. From the 7th of October 1954, I shall give up this board too, I won't make any signs with myfingers, like Gustadji, to convey