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

292 THE GOD-MAN'daaman' because circumstances will seemingly justify your letting it go. I am infinitely merciful, and sorepeat the same thing again and again so that you may remember my words and try your best to cling tome."Whatever is to happen will happen. This is the principle, or as I call it, the Law of 'Must' - the Law onwhich universal illusion thrives. It is as if the complete film of illusion, from the beginningless beginningto the endless end, were being projected continually. If it is destined that my 'daaman' should slip fromyour hands, it will; but it is for me to warn, and for you to remain alert. In illusion, you may die at anymoment. The illusory life has no guarantee because no one can know for certain what will happen the verynext moment. Except God, everything is illusion. This world and all its affairs are so insubstantial that it ismeaningless even to say that they have no substance."It is no joke to realize me. Those who develop inner sight and even those who are established saints failto fathom me. This is because Fana stands between all illusion, from the lowest to the highest, and the OneReality. The practice of Shariyat, that is, living in strict compliance with the laws and precepts of one'sreligion, may lead one to tariqat, the path of Gnosis, which has six stages. But tariqat has its end in Fana.Imagine, for example, that your body is your self and that your body must be totally consumed by you inthe course of the six stages of gnosis. You will have to do this with your own mouth, piece by piece, atevery stage. Ultimately, in the last stage, your own mouth must eat itself1 This is what I mean by the finalFana, and this is why I tell you that it is impossible to realize me without my help."Although I appear to be quite different in every Avataric period, I always am and always remain thesame from beginning to end. I live the worldly life that is lived by the people, in order to help them live thedivine life that I live simultaneously. To be established in the hearts of the people, I need no religiousorganization. On the contrary, religious organizations need me in order to be established after me. Thosewho do not love me fail to understand me; and those who do not realize my divinity fail to understand it."I am often touched by the outpourings of love, faith, sacrifice and service on the part of the growingnumber of those who believe in me here and in the West and I do not mind the attitude of those whoremain unconcerned about me, even of those who oppose me. But I am constantly eyeing your obedienceto me, because it is futile to have love from the whole world in the absence of the required degree ofobedience from you.