… If your mind tries to deceive you, it does not matter. But beware lest your hands deceive you, resulting in the slipping of my daaman from your grasp!
– Meher Baba
Diamond, diamonds in the sand
Hold Love like diamonds in your hand
Diamonds lying in the sand
Love slips through your fingers
Like diamonds in the sand
Diamond Love, Diamond Love
Hold her tightly in your arms
Yes, while you can
Love is glad, Love is sad
It is fickle like that fortune in the sand
It’s elusive, like those diamonds in the sand …
Diamonds in the Sand
by Jim Reeves
https://youtu.be/ait544eu1XA
https://youtu.be/cWRvXftlHjE
20 May 1958,
… Baba reiterated how they must hang on to his daaman, and how difficult it would be: “If six cobras came into this room suddenly from out there, would you just sit still here with me? No, you would be flying out the doors and windows as fast as you could in sheer panic. You would forget all about Baba!
“Peter denied me when I was Jesus. The dark cloud of which I have been warning you is very, very near. It will happen suddenly, from an unexpected angle, just like I have mentioned the sudden onrush of the cobras. You will not expect it from such an angle, and you will feel justified in leaving me. Each will be tried by his own psychological weakness, but try to hang on.”
https://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=4364
8 September 1957,
… Just as I am now quite incapable of doing many physical things unaided, in spite of an otherwise healthy body, I may, at the time of the impending crisis, become even mentally helpless, but without being mentally deranged in the least.
You may then not be able to continue to hold on to my daaman because circumstances will seemingly justify your letting it go. I am infinitely merciful, and so repeat the same theme again and again, so that you may remember my words and try your best to cling to me. For example, in a sudden and terrifying earthquake any man, in the blind hope of saving his life, is likely to run, forgetting in an instant his family and all his possessions, and thus forsake them before he realizes what he has done.
Whatever is to happen will happen. This is the principle, or as I call it, the Law of Must, the law on which universal illusion thrives. It is as if the ready and complete film of illusion, from the beginningless beginning to the endless end, is being projected continually. If it is destined that my daaman should slip from your hands, it will. But it is for me to warn, and for you to remain alert.
https://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=4201
7 December 1959,
… The infinitely crucial phase of my work has been completed to my entire satisfaction on the 28th of October, as stated by me. The essential period of work to follow will end equally satisfactorily on the 24th of December.
The result of this work of mine will be 100 percent established on the 24th of December.
This result will manifest in two stages: my humiliation, and my glorification.
In the stage of humiliation, the measure of your love for me and your preparedness to obey me will be tested, not by me but by the phase of humiliation itself. Blessed will be those among you who will hang on to my daaman through it all, emerging triumphant in the divine glory of my love.
The stage of glorification to follow will be when I break my silence with the Divine Word — the Word that will indisputably assert the existence of God in the mind and heart of man. The Word that will make the world know that God not only exists, but that He alone exists, infinitely and eternally.
https://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=4616
19 May 1957,
… Referring to his recovery from his injuries, Baba commented, “The fractured hip bone is becoming well-set. In the surgeon’s opinion — who happens to be a colonel in the army — my progress is unexpectedly rapid. He told me that even a stout, young soldier would have required at least six months to recover to this extent.”
Deshmukh requested Meher Baba to take care of his body, to which Baba replied, “I have to come again and again in flesh and blood to bear the sufferings of humanity.”
After a few more preliminary statements, Baba began:
I want to tell you one important thing which each of you must remember well. It is a fact that I am the Lord of the universe. I am omnipresent. Now the time is fast approaching and I clearly see the “dark cloud” hovering; I see its picture. By this I am not referring to the recent motor accident that has already come to pass. The humiliation that I was referring to for many years is within sight. During that phase of my life, there is every possibility that I may slip out of your hands.
Now let me first explain what I mean by humiliation. Suppose you are loved by someone very dearly for several years and one day when you happen to meet him, he suddenly begins to abuse you, kick you and spit in your face. In the context of your previous relationship with him, your plight becomes an example of humiliation. In the same way, if some persons who have previously adored me and raised me up to the skies in adoration for years suddenly turn against me and express extreme disdain for me by throwing me in filth, it will be another example of humiliation.
I will also give you an example of circumstances under which this kind of a thing can happen. You are worshiping me for so many years. Suppose you suddenly find me eating rubbish and roaming about naked in the streets, behaving like a madman. What will be your reaction to this behavior of mine? I do not want anyone of you to think or say that Baba is going to become mad! On the contrary, I have come to make the whole world mad after God and Truth.
Only the Avatar, whenever he lives amidst mankind, has to undergo humiliation. When there are five Perfect Masters, who are God Personified and who control and look after the affairs of the universe, what need is there for them to precipitate the incarnation of God on earth? They bring Him down to shoulder the sufferings of humanity. The five Perfect Masters are not as much scandalized or humiliated as the Avatar. I have been made to take this human form by the five Perfect Masters of this age, to bear the cross and to undergo humiliation.
You have read in the Gospels wherein Christ had said to his apostles: “You will deny me.” This did happen when Peter, the chief apostle, denied Jesus. The thing is that during the phase of humiliation, the circumstances will go so awry that you will not be aware when my daaman has slipped out of your hands! At that time, you may even feel justified in leaving me.
But if you feel that this should not happen, there is one remedy. You should grasp well all of what I say and understandingly live up to it. You should also tell everything that you hear today to those who are not present.
In short, I clearly see the dark cloud. I do not wish to make a mere mention of the dark cloud without any reason, but this is my loving warning to you so that my daaman may not slip out of your hands.
Today, I also wish to tell you about some other important points. I will start with the topic of saints. These days this point is often brought to my notice from the letters I receive from my lovers. Some write: “Baba, you often go into seclusion for long periods. Very rarely we get an opportunity to have your sahavas. We are not even allowed to have your darshan for months together. This often makes us feel inclined to visit saints and be in their company.” They also ask me whether they should follow certain instructions given by the saints.
A few days back a wife of one of my devotees wrote to me that a certain person, who called himself a saint, told her that he was ordered by me to guard their house and that he loved me very much. Apart from the truth of this statement, the point which struck me is that if such things were to continue, anybody could approach my devotees and may even demand hundreds of rupees in my name and thus may easily deceive them. To declare whether a man is a real saint or an imitation is my right alone and not yours . . .
… As far as you are concerned, you should neither criticize nor indulge in backbiting [such persons]. If you speak ill of a real saint, it will be harmful for you. You will create dreadful [sanskaric] bindings. You should avoid scandalizing even the so-called mahatmas who call themselves saints, because it is not possible for you to be certain whether they are real or not. The presumptuous saints outwardly act like real saints …
… The sum and substance of this long talk is that you either hold fast to my daaman and me only, or leave me altogether. Do not make any compromise …
https://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=4167
… As the Time drew nearer, beloved Baba warned His lovers more often: “Hold on to my daaman — do not let it slip away under any circumstance.” Now, when the daaman appears invisible, is the time to hold on as never before. Now the “umbrella” has begun to revolve, and time will spin it faster and faster. Drops that are settled on its surface, clinging to the glossy material of promises, are bound to shake off. Drops that surrender their selfness get soaked into the heart of the substance and become part of the fabric. This is what is really meant by holding on to Baba’s daaman; to get so absorbed in it that there is nothing of one’s self left to hold on with; to live so completely as He wills that one lives as His Will. And what else is there worthy of being lived, when one lives for Baba, for God?
How often has Baba stated: “I AM GOD. Remember that!” For His lovers, to remember Baba is to remember that. But they find that their compassionate Beloved still gives them a reminder now and then, in different shapes of events that happen in their daily lives.
– Mani [26th August 1969]
https://avatarmeherbabatrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/familyLetters.pdf
… On the spiritual path, the only sin is hypocrisy. Be honest. You yourself are the veil. Realization is simple, but you yourself make it extremely difficult. From the beginning, you are God! Who has bound you? Your mind! When you are asleep, you are free, but not consciously. When you wake up, all the worldly paraphernalia surrounds you.
So you must become fully conscious in your deep sleep state. Garlanding and bowing down are not enough. If you long for God, you should long for Him on the strength of the worth of your life!
If your mind tries to deceive you, it does not matter. But beware lest your hands deceive you, resulting in the slipping of my daaman from your grasp!
– Meher Baba
https://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=4676
Meher Songs 