DR. HOSHANG PHEROZE BHARUCHA - Disciple of Meher Baba

DR. HOSHANG PHEROZE BHARUCHA

Dr. Hoshang Bharucha is on Meher Baba’s left

Dr. Bharucha was the devoted Baba lover from Navsari Gujrat. He had a family a father, mother, son and two daughters entirely devoted to Baba. The father died while the children were still young, and the burden of raising the family fell upon the mother. The son grew up to be an ideal young man, diligent in his studies, a blessing and comfort. The mother managed to save enough to send him to London to complete his education.

Dr. Hoshang Pheroze Bharucha, 25, a physician from Navsari. Dr. Bharucha had first heard the name Meher Baba in 1949 while visiting Upasni Maharaj’s ashram in Sakori. There he overheard two men discussing how Meher Baba was going to close His ashrams and leave with a few men and wander throughout India. Dr. Hoshang Bharucha, though, had come to Meherabad for the first time during this sahavas. This darshan in 1952 and this was his first opportunity to meet Baba. During the sahavas, Baba paid much attention to him. Baba would make him sit beside him and would occasionally pat his back.

Dr. Bharucha was a staunch devotee of Godavari Mai and harbored some misunderstanding about fully accepting Baba as his Master. Explaining obedience to him, Baba stated, “Obey Godavari Mai. You should also obey My instructions, but only if they do not contradict hers.” Bharucha followed Baba’s advice, but gradually Baba’s love enveloped him to such an extent that he became Baba’s completely.

Some of his lifetime episodes and conversation with Meher Baba is written below:

Baba wanted one from each group to fast for 21 days from the 15th of February 1955, remain only on water and continuously repeat His name.

He said: It is nothing great to remain on water for 21 days; many have fasted like this for longer periods. But to remain at one place and continuously repeat My name loud enough so that only the one saying it can hear, it is really very difficult.

Even for Baba it is difficult!

Baba asked those courageous enough to do this fast to stand up. A few stood and Baba selected five: Hoshang Bharucha, Minoo Kharas, Burjor Mehta, Eruch Karadia and Minoo Khambatta. Baba instructed them:

For 21 days stay at one place, eat and drink nothing except water, take Baba’s name half-audibly and never sleep. I will give further instructions later on. God is deaf. If you repeat My name mentally, I will not hear it as I am also deaf. Come what may, whether you fall ill or there are other difficulties, follow faithfully and stick to what I have told you.

Most of the lovers of the Gujarati group had been in Meher Baba’s contact for several years, and Baba was quite jovial in their company. Dr. Hoshang Bharucha, though, had come to Meherabad for the first time during this sahavas. He had met Baba in Bombay in 1952, but since then he had not seen Baba because of his close connection with those at Sakori. During the sahavas, Baba paid much attention to him. Baba would make him sit beside him and would occasionally pat his back.

One day after lunch, Hoshang and a friend, Eruch Karadia (also a follower of Godavari Mai), were standing near Baba’s cabin. Baba called them inside and asked Hoshang, “What is the aim of your life?”

I want to realize God,” he replied.

Baba observed, “Very, very few reach that Goal, but he who holds fast to My daaman reaches it.” Then he concluded, “Godavari Mai has not attained Self-Realization. She is not God-realized.”

Hoshang considered Godavari Mai to be his guru, and hearing this directly from Baba, he became confused. His mental agitation and inner turmoil took a long while to subside; but thereafter, Hoshang became completely Baba’s.

In 1956, coming to know of Baba’s visit to Navsari, some of Baba’s “adversaries” from Bombay, (organized by an army major named Sohrab Bamji) had already come to town, held a meeting and decided to organize a boycott of Meher Baba’s visit. Hoshang Bharucha’s mother was also sympathetic to them and forbade Hoshang from inviting Baba to their home. Such activities led the organizers of the darshan to surmise that Baba’s visit would be totally boycotted by the local populace. Lovers such as Hoshang, Cowas Vesuna, Nagindas V. Lapsiwala, Thakorlal G. Gandhi, Bachoobhai Soni, Ader Desai, and the rest of the Desai family were afraid that Baba’s reception by the town would be less than cordial.

Baba and the mandali arrived in Navsari, and even before the train came to a halt, Baba’s lovers acclaimed him enthusiastically. The instant he left the compartment he was surrounded by men, women and children. He was profusely garlanded as the group of volunteers led him through the throng. There were hundreds gathered at the station to receive Baba, despite the air of opposition that dampened the atmosphere. Baba was driven to Meher Cottage, where He was cordially received by the Desai family.

News was brought that the entire town was eager for His darshan and had already collected in the pandal and were awaiting his arrival. The opposition had in fact created more longing and interest among people, and even every child in Navsari knew of his coming.

Baba remarked to Hoshang Bharucha, “I will not visit anyone’s house during My stay, as there is no time to spare.”

Hoshang had not informed Baba about his mother’s feelings and was highly impressed by Baba’s telling him this, which saved him the embarrassment of revealing his mother’s stern attitude. Baba sat down for a hurried lunch of rice and dal, and gave a little to Bharucha and Vesuna before sending them away to make sure everything was in order for the darshan.

Hoshang stopped on the way to inform his mother that Meher Baba would not be visiting their home, but when he arrived he found her marvelously transformed. She too was now anxious for Baba’s darshan, and after Hoshang told her about Baba’s arrival, she left for Meher Cottage and was there with Baba until 9:00 P.M

Almost 20,000 were present, and more kept coming as a continuous stream of people flowed toward the pandal from the main roads. Baba was handing out the prasad at his usual rapid speed when five or six mischievous Parsi boys approached him. Baba simply smiled at them and gave them prasad. They saluted Him with two fingers to their forehead which Baba acknowledged happily. The boys had been secretly planning to set fire to the pandal. But when they were about to do so, Lapsiwala noticed them signaling one another and went to inquire what was going on, and they scurried away. Lapsiwala informed the mandali and others about it, and all were alert to see that the boys did not return.

On the one hand, thousands were eager for Baba’s darshan, and on the other, a handful of opponents were bent on causing trouble. Thwarted in their attempts to disrupt the darshan, the six Parsi boys had climbed up on the wall of the opposite house and were shouting “Meher Baba murdabad (Death to Meher Baba)!” and “Meher Baba chale-jao (Meher Baba, go away)”

Baba enjoyed the contradictory scene; but Hoshang Bharucha, in his anger, wanted to thrash them. Stopping him, Baba explained, “Sit near Me and don’t mind their antics. Some people remember God and repeat His name with love, while others do so with hate. But, they are both repeating God’s name, and so they are forgiven.”

Baba added, “They know not what they do; they are absolutely innocent. They are to be pitied and loved.”

Baba exhorted everyone inside the cottage to stay calm, not get excited, and neither should they scold the boys. He explained, “Be absolutely unmindful of the anti-slogans. It is I Myself who is shouting these slogans through the boys. It is I who does everything — because there is nothing besides Me!”

In Baroda, Baba visited the Sai Baba Center, and also the home of one of His lovers, named Contractor, upon his personal request. From there, He left for the train station. But when they arrived, Baba suddenly expressed his wish to drive into the city, and went and sat in the car again. Hoshang Bharucha was with Him, and Baba mentioned to the driver which way to go. After fifteen minutes of driving here and there, Baba said His work was done and they returned to the station. Hoshang could make neither head nor tail of Baba’s strange request and was thinking about it. Baba smiled and explained, “I wanted to contact a mast, and I contacted him while driving past him in the car.”

Their train pulled in at 11:00 P.M., and after bidding goodbye to His lovers, Baba took his seat in a third-class coach.

The whole night was spent in bhajan singing and listening to amusing tales. Baba touched the heart of every lover and cracked jokes with them to keep the drowsy ones awake. Bachoobhai singing was a constant source of pleasure to Baba, and at every station Hoshang Bharucha loudly shouted Baba’s Jai. He eventually got a sore throat, and Baba forbade him to shout and made him sit beside him. Hoshang placed a soft pillow of His behind Baba’s back. Arti was sung in the train a few times. Sometimes the atmosphere was gay and lively, and at times, serious. The Navsari, Bombay and Poona lovers had Baba’s close company throughout the journey and were indeed fortunate.

At one point, Baba remarked to Hoshang, “If you not only desire but pine for union with Me for twelve years without a moment’s rest, you will attain God-realization!”

When the train halted at Surat, the Navsari lovers got down to return to Navsari by a local train. Hoshang recalled: “When we got off the train and were standing on the station, we were all in tears. All of us were crying, because Baba was leaving us. We felt Baba was going out of our hearts. We had been so engrossed in Baba for two full days that the world had ceased to exist for us. Only Baba existed for us at that time.”

Just as the train whistled, Baba suddenly remembered the pillow and pulled it from behind His back. “What about your pillow?” He asked Hoshang. “May I keep it?”

Hoshang replied, “Yes, of course, Baba. It is yours.” Baba held the pillow to His chest, a sign to Hoshang of how much Baba loved him.

In 1957, Baba had called Hoshang Bharucha (of Navsari) to Meherazad that day, and, pointing to the villagers, Baba remarked to him, “I am in each of them.”

Hoshang Bharucha and Cowas Vesuna from Navsari were among those allowed to push Baba’s wheelchair when He wished to be moved. At one point, Baba’s cotton pajamas got wet when a few drops of water were spilled, and Baba had to remain for some time in His underwear. Baba jokingly remarked, “There is no harm if I have wet My pants, because I too am a child.”

On the 25th, Baba called about 80 Poona lovers to Ganeshkhind, where a music program was held at 3:00 P.M. Hoshang Bharucha of Navsari was also present. Baba discoursed on “Action and Inaction,” expounding on the difference between unconscious inaction, conscious action and conscious inaction. He explained that in the original Beyond, Beyond state of God there was unconscious inaction; the actions done in the physical body in illusion, on the other hand, were conscious actions, which created bindings, while those of the Sadgurus or the Avatar are action less actions, which uproot the bindings of others.

In 1958, when Hoshang Bharucha had visited Meherazad the previous October, he had asked Baba the names and locations of the then living Perfect Masters. Baba had told him to remind him about it during the sahavas program. Hoshang brought up the subject as Baba was leaving on the 24th. The next morning, Hoshang was handed a sealed envelope. He was told not to open it until he returned home. In it, Baba revealed that one of the five Perfect Masters was in South India, one in North India, one in the middle of the country, one in Pakistan and one in Syria. “The one in Syria is a Muslim,” Baba stated. “The one in Pakistani Punjab is also a Muslim. The one in the Punjab in India is a combined Muslim and Hindu, like Sai Baba. The one in old (the former) Madhya Pradesh is a Hindu, and the one in South India is also a Hindu.”

Hoshang was called to Meherazad several times in 1957. During one visit Baba commented to him, “You may think of Me directly or you may think of any other guru — or even a girlfriend — yet, you are thinking of only Me as I am in everyone. But this way it comes to Me indirectly.”

Once, at Meherazad, Bharucha entered Baba’s room with his shoes on. After the usual embrace he saw that the mandali had removed their shoes outside the room. Bharucha asked whether he should take off his shoes outside, but Baba replied, “I am there also (in the shoes).” And Bharucha then sat down with his shoes on.

Each time Hoshang would come, Baba would stop what he was doing and give a discourse on some spiritual subject. Once, Hoshang came with a particular question in mind. As soon as he arrived in Meherazad, Baba stated, “Every time you come here I tell you something, but today you ask Me a question.” Thus he became aware of Baba’s omniscience.

While leaving Meherazad after one visit, Hoshang thanked Baba for calling him to see him. “If you start thanking Me for all that I do for you,” Baba replied, “you will be doing nothing but saying ‘Thank-you, thank-you’ all 24 hours of the day! Instead just love Me and remember Me.”

Hoshang Bharucha had secretly planned to visit Baba on 1st December 1958, after Baba’s seclusion ended. He had not told anyone his intention except his sister, and he was, therefore, greatly surprised when a letter from Eruch came on 29 November, stating that Baba wished to see him in Poona on 17th January 1959. So he abandoned his original plan and met Baba at this time.

Dr. Hoshang Bharucha of Navsari came to Poona several times that summer for Baba’s darshan, the last time being on 7 June 1959. Baba told him to stay an extra day or two and, on the 9th, He gave him what at first appeared to be a simple order. Baba instructed him, “Don’t leave Navsari until the end of August.” Bharucha agreed, not knowing what was to transpire.

A few years before, Hoshang’s sister Tehmie had married a man named Jal Cowasji, and had moved to Bombay. The husband, however, would never allow his wife to indulge in spiritual practices for fear she would renounce him and the world. One day they had a heated quarrel, and Tehmie left the house and went to live in a hotel. Regretting the argument, the husband sent a telegram to Hoshang to tell him that Tehmie had left home.

Just before receiving the telegram, Hoshang and his other sister, Meheru, had been reading the chapter on the four kinds of suicides from the recent book Listen, Humanity. Hoshang Bharucha’s mother asked him to go to Bombay to bring Tehmie, but he explained that he could not leave Navsari because he had Baba’s order. His mother and sister decided to leave Navsari for Bombay on the next train.

On 9th July 1959, exactly one month after Baba had given Hoshang the order, Meheru phoned to tell him, “Tehmie is dead. She has committed suicide. Her funeral is tomorrow morning.”

Despite his shock, Hoshang was determined not to disobey Baba’s order and resigned himself not to attend the funeral. Hoshang’s sister informed Baba about Tehmie’s death, and that evening, Hoshang received a telegram from Baba, stating: “Leave immediately for Bombay, attend all ceremonies, then come to Poona to see Me for two minutes.”

Hoshang’s brother-in-law, Jal Cowasji, was terribly upset over the death of his wife. He wondered what would happen to her soul. Hoshang, who had read about the types of suicides, told him that she would not get another body for a very long time and she would have to mentally suffer in the hell state.

“What should I do,” Cowasji asked. “It is all my fault.”

Hoshang said, “Only one person in the world can tell you — that is Meher Baba!”

Jal Cowasji, though he had never desired to talk or hear about Baba, desperately asked if he could meet him, even though when his wife had wanted to go for Baba’s darshan, he had adamantly refused. On 12th July 1959, both Jal Cowasji and Hoshang left for Poona to see Baba.

Baba asked Cowasji, “Do you have faith in Me? Will you believe what I tell you about Tehmie?” He said yes.

Baba stated, “Because Hoshang loves Me very much and because I was informed within three days of her death, I have saved Tehmie. She will not suffer in the hell state, and I will give her another body soon. She will have to take another birth, because she loves you very much.”

“Baba, I am responsible … It is all my fault,” Cowasji said, weeping.

“No,” Baba informed him, “you are not responsible. Just like the film you see in the movie theater, so is this life like a film. It is predestined. Whatever is in the film will happen.

It is already there. It had to happen this way.”

Jal Cowasji returned to Bombay much consoled.

The following year when Hoshang Bharucha stayed at Guruprasad, his mother and sister came to see Baba. In the course of a discourse, Baba stated, “Perfect Masters have the power to bring back to life a person who may have died 300 years ago.”

When the mother and sister heard this, they said to Baba, “If Perfect Masters can bring back to life a person dead for 300 years, you being the Avatar can bring Tehmie back in the same form!”

Baba replied, “I shall tell you in a dream about Tehmie.”

The following year, when Hoshang’s mother and sister met Baba again in Guruprasad, they made the same request. Baba smilingly replied, “Tehmie has been reborn in the family of one of My lovers. She has been brought to Me here in Guruprasad and has played on My lap.”

Hoshang Bharucha and Cowas Vesuna of Navsari, had been called the previous March to stay at Guruprasad, but Baba sent them back the same day they arrived, promising to call them later in the year to Meherazad.”

Baba gave Hoshang and Cowas further instructions about the work he had ordered them to do in Surat after leaving Meherazad. When they went to Surat to give money to the poor families, they were not to do any personal work. After completing the task, they should send a telegram to Baba, saying whether the work had been done successfully or not, and send a detailed report later. Baba instructed, “Before giving the money, bow down and touch your heads to the feet of the recipient. Before your departure, I will bow down to you, so that your bowing to the recipient will mean that My bowing to you has reached the man.”

On 25th October 1959, Baba discussed the line of medical treatment for some of the mandali with Goher and Dr. Hoshang Bharucha. Later in the hall, Baba asked Aloba to read a verse in Persian from Hafiz. Baba explained the couplet:

The pangs of suffering due to separation from the Beloved were as big as a mountain, while My body had become as thin as a reed in that suffering. How could it be possible for a reed to support the weight of a mountain? But Hafiz says: “I bore it with the grace of my Master for 40 long years.” All of a sudden the Master opened the door of Hafiz’s destiny and stood before him with a cup of two-year-old wine. He only took one gulp of the intoxicating wine and was graced with Realization.

Baba continued:

If a Perfect Master gets a whim, He can in a moment make a reed bear the weight of a mountain of the suffering of separation. A Qutub can shower His grace on anyone He wishes, irrespective of his readiness to receive it or not. If a Perfect Master can do this, just imagine what the powers of the Avatar are, and what he can do for His dear ones.

Baba reminded Hoshang and Cowas that they were to leave that day. They nodded sadly. Their minds had become so blank by the prospect that they didn’t know what they were doing or what day it was. Baba asked Cowas Vesuna, “What is the date today?”

He said. “The 25th of September.”

“No,” Hoshang corrected him, “It is the 15th of November.”

To give them a bit more of his company, Baba decided to go for a walk in the morning. Cowas held the umbrella over His head while Hoshang carried Baba’s chair. After the walk, Baba went for lunch at the main house.

In the afternoon they played cards, and Baba bid goodbye to them. But soon he returned for another game of cards. He left again, only to return a second time. He repeated this three times. A box of toffees lay beside Baba’s chair, and a stray desire that Baba should give them some as parting prasad flitted through Bharucha’s mind. Baba picked up the box and distributed its contents among all. The clock struck 3:00 P.M., and Baba rose from His chair. Eleven days had passed, and the moment of farewell had come. Baba embraced Hoshang and Cowas, who fought to hold back their tears. Baba had once told them: “Cry within so that no one knows you are crying, except Me.” They were crying within, and Baba knew it. His loving eyes poured forth such love that they stood motionless before Him after the embrace.

Adi suggested a darshan program at Khushru Quarters before Baba left for Guruprasad, to which Baba agreed. The darshan was scheduled to take place on 6th March 1960 and a shamiana was erected in the compound. The Navsari group came for this, and Baba called them to Meherazad the day before. Many newcomers were in the group. Hoshang Bharucha’s brother Marzban was among them and Baba asked him, “What do you think I am?”

Marzban, who was not a Baba lover, replied bluntly, “A crook!”

Baba smiled and replied, “I am God, a crook and everything (in between). I am glad you have given Me your frank opinion.

“Do you love Me?” Baba then asked.

“I do not know what love is,” Marzban replied. But soon after this, he began to weep and did not want to leave Baba’s side. Baba called him and embraced him several times. Marzban was a changed man from that day on and became an ardent lover.

In 1962, Hoshang Bharucha was given permission to visit Ahmednagar later that month. Before he arrived, Baba sent him this telegram on 6 August: “You are one of those who should stick to me till the very end, because the time is near when maya might make my lovers let go their hold of me. After November [1962], you will have to sacrifice everything to gain what you are longing for, so you will then have to obey me 100 percent.”

On 26th August 1962, Baba held a special meeting at Meherazad with a few of the Ahmednagar and Poona workers. The meeting lasted for three hours, and important points regarding arrangements for the East-West Gathering were finalized. An estimate of costs for the arrangements was worked out and submitted to Baba for His approval. It was estimated that at least Rs.7, 000 would have to be spent for arrangements inside Guruprasad (the pandal and rented chairs, microphone and electrical fixtures, lavatories, water supply and daily labor charges). Baba selected nine close lovers to share the burden of these expenses: Joseph Harb to pay Rs.1,500; Nariman Dadachanji, Hoshang Bharucha and Kishinchand Gajwani to pay Rs.1,000 each; and Sorabji Siganporia, Meherjee, Bhausaheb Shinde, Minoo Desai and Minoo Bharucha, Rs.500 each.

A small tent cross the main pandal served as an improvised hospital. Three doctors were appointed to treat any medical problems: Dr. Kamla Bhandari for women, Dr. Hoshang Bharucha for Eastern men and Don for Western men.

On 21st April 1963, the third darshan Sunday, many were already present at Guruprasad since early that morning. They were packed into the corner room, but Baba would not move into the hall, even though Eruch suggested it. Baba asked Hoshang Bharucha, “Did you sleep last night?” On his answering in the affirmative, Baba remarked, “I could not sleep even for five minutes. The pressure of the work was tremendous.” (Baba had had a fever the previous day also.)

After all gathered together, Baba turned to Dr. Bharucha and asked what he was thinking? He replied, “Baba, why don’t you share your burden with us?”

In a serious tone, Baba stated, “The time is very near. You all will become bent like reeds from bearing the burden!”

In the evening some of the Andhra lovers invited Adi, Francis, Deshmukh and Dr. Bharucha out to dinner, during which time they discussed Baba’s explanations. The next morning, Sunday, 19 May 1963, the conversation drifted to the previous night’s dinner. Dr. Bharucha told Baba that many subjects had been discussed, including why Baba kept postponing the date of breaking His silence. Bharucha expressed his opinion, “It is immaterial for your lovers if you keep postponing the date, but when other people ask about the reason, it is not easy to convey.”

In reply, Baba assured Bharucha, “I shall positively break My silence after nine months.” Baba asked Hoshang Bharucha that question, and he replied, “God was, God is and God will always be.”

“God is and will always be. That is correct,” Baba stated. “But who created the ‘was’ state? How did God come into being?”

Baba explained: “God Himself ‘created’ God, and so He is called Khuda (the Self-Existing God). God’s imagination in the Beyond state created the world, but God’s imagination in the Beyond, Beyond state created God. This fact cannot be understood with the mind, but can be experienced only with real knowledge.”

While at Guruprasad, Pukar had discussed with Baba an idea that Pukar had had concerning the purchase of a huge piece of land in Hamirpur. Pukar had imagined that a group of devotees might establish a settlement there. Baba approved the idea, and so plans were made on a grand scale to inaugurate the project in Hamirpur at the annual Meher Mela, which was to be held from 15–19 November. Baba sent Hoshang Bharucha of Navsari, and Sanjeevani Dhakephalkar of Ahmednagar, as his representatives, and after first meeting Baba at Meherazad on 6th November 1964, they left for Hamirpur.

Baba embraced them and remarked, “Carry My embrace to the thousands collected at Hamirpur.”

A few men and women had come from Iran. One plump Persian woman sobbed unabashedly in front of Baba and had to be lifted away from his feet. Every mother with her baby coming for darshan would hold aloft her child for Baba to touch. One woman from Hamirpur had brought her newborn daughter, who was only fifteen days old.

In darshan program in 1965, when a baby or child was lifted up to him, Baba would have to bend forward each time to touch it, but the severe shooting pains in His neck did not show on His cheerful, radiant face. At one point, Baba turned to Dr. Bharucha and gestured, “The pain is very severe, yet how cheerful I look.” None of those who came for darshan had any idea that Baba was actually in physical agony, because to them He appeared positively beaming. Only the close mandali knew what pain Baba was enduring.

Hoshang Bharucha was called inside. There were some complaints from people who could not get darshan the day before. In reply, Baba commented, “All these darshan programs are insignificant compared to what will happen when My grace descends after I break My silence. All this is a tamasha (farce)”

S. Murthi of Andhra had arranged a public program in Tirupathi during Baba’s birthday in 1965. Dr. Bharucha had been specially invited to give a talk on the occasion in Tirupathi, and Baba asked him, “Did you say Baba is God in human form?” He replied affirmatively. )
On 24th March 1967, Dr. Hoshang Bharucha and his bride, Maimoona, arrived from Navsari. Adi drove them to Meherazad. Baba, whom Maimoona had not yet met, had specially allowed them a half-hour visit. They arrived at 8:35 A.M. After the usual inquiries about their health, Baba walked the full length of mandali hall and then sat down. “The mandali never expected Me to walk so fast,” he said. “Similarly, the mandali does not expect what is going to happen in 1968. There is not much point mentioning this now, because you cannot imagine what upheaval there is going to be in 1968.”

Baba described the grand birthday celebrations held that year across India, in Iran and New York City. “I am physically 73,” He observed, “but spiritually ageless.”

Maimoona asked why Baba lovers sometimes quarrel amongst themselves. Baba replied, “The twelve apostles of Jesus also fought with each other. Baba lovers fight because each one feels he loves Baba more than the other. It is their ego that breeds such quarrels. But even though they fight with each other, it does not matter as long as they love Me and stick to My daaman. Then I will take care of their weaknesses. What is important is that they should stick to My daaman in spite of their quarrels.”

Baba asked Hoshang, “What is meant by sticking to My daaman?”

Hoshang replied, “One hundred percent obedience.” Baba nodded that that was correct.

Concerning the couple’s having children, Baba commented, “I want one small Hoshang and then stop.”

Hoshang replied, “Yes, Baba, in 1968 or ’69.”

“Why delay so long?” Baba asked. “Give me one now and then stop.”

Baba asked Maimoona, “How many do you want?”

“Two, to give each other company,” she said.

On 13th October 1968, Baba held a meeting to inform His main workers of His decision to give darshan the following year from 10 April to 10 June 1969 at Guruprasad. Besides the resident men mandali, the following men were called to Meherazad: From Navsari, Hoshang Bharucha was one among others.

Addressing Dr. Bharucha, Baba remarked, “It is a great strain for Me to keep the link with My physical body. Goher has told me that to hammer My thighs is not good for My already injured leg, but that was the only recourse. Now My work and seclusion are over, but it will take some time to completely recover. Sometimes My legs get tremors (cramps), but in time this will go away. But do not forget that I am God.”

Hoshang Bharucha was called to Meherazad several times in 1957. During one visit Baba commented to him, “You may think of Me directly or you may think of any other Guru – or even a girlfriend – yet, you are thinking of only Me as I am in everyone. But this way it comes to Me indirectly.”

Hoshang Bharucha sickened and died with Baba’s name on his lips. This information was cabled to Baba. Baba did not immediately convey the news to the mother. Instead, He told Eruch to break it to her gently. This Eruch did. The mother shed no tears and insisted that she was happy that her son had died taking Baba’s name.

Baba then told friends of hers that it was not good for her to repress tears. So they called on her and wept. But she did not. When she learned that Baba had told them that He wished her to cry, she tried but could not. Baba himself then called on her and told her, “Love of this calibre makes Me cry,” and He wept. It was then that the woman burst into tears – not over the death of her son, but because of the tears of her beloved.

Bharucha wrote books & produced several Videos on Meher Baba.

Resources
References/Images from: Various Lord Meher volumes, discontinued website's ambprasarkendra & love-remembrances, images and dates, stories etc from respective copyright owners websites or publications used with permission - i.e. In His Service, Glow International, MeherBabaTravels, MSI and MNP Collections, from AvatarMeherBabaTrust, BelovedArchives websites and from various other website sources, Books, journal etc. More information where ever available with us like letter scans, stories etc are added. Kindly feel free to Contact us with any updates, photos or corrections etc.

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