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

342 THE GOD-MANfollowing morning except one man who was given permission to catch a plane that afternoon. On Saturdayin the rain the party broke up and all returned home. The centre is being maintained. On 26 June Babawrote personally to each of those throughout the world who had attended the sahawas:The following are the orders I mentioned I would send between 10 June and 10 July:For forty days, beginning on 14 July 1958 (1) Repeat (audibly but softly) 500 (five hundred) times a day,at one sitting any time during the 24 hours, 'Beloved God thy will has come to pass in that all our Baba hasdeclared will soon come to pass this year'. (2) Give up one cherished item, i.e. some special food, or drink,or smoking, etc.You should not write any inquiry to India regarding these orders.There were variations in the orders, some being asked to repeat the words 1,000 times, others 1,500times a day. At the end of the forty days those who had the orders were asked to report direct to Babawhether they had done so. There was very little failure. It is not surprising, perhaps, that many of thoseconcerned were uncertain as to the meaning of what they had to do. There was no particular virtue inrepeating the words, however, apart from the obedience, though they must have had a significance thatwas not explained.