DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

DON'T WALK BAREFOOTED,

TAKE MY CHAPPALS

  1st June, 1929

Soon after his return to Meherabad, one day Baba went to the Family Quarters near Arangaon. He sent for Vishnu, who came running barefooted to Baba. After a brief discussion, Baba directed Vishnu to summon Raosaheb. Vishnu was about to leave when Baba directed him, "Don't walk barefooted; take my chappals."

Vishnu picked up Baba's sandals, touched them to his forehead and put them down again by Baba's feet. "Master," he replied, "I could never wear your holy chappals."

Thereupon, Baba bitterly remarked to the others present, "How unlucky Vishnu is! When I give him my chappals to wear, he just touches his forehead to them and puts them back. This type of worship and reverence pains me. By disobeying me, Vishnu does not worship me; he punishes me. And the sad part is that he thinks he is revering me.

"Not to keep my word and to worship one's own sentiments is sheer disobedience. Vishnu does not revere me. He reveres his own emotions, and to him, they are apparently superior to my orders. Such things deeply pain me."

Disturbed, Chhagan asked, "Are we not to consider your sandals as sacred?"

"Every belonging of mine is sacred," Baba replied, "and to have a feeling of reverence for them is good. But they are not more important than I am. My word is the most supreme! For that reason, revere my word rather than my things. While carrying out my wishes, let there be no room for the expression of your own emotions and feelings."

             Vishnu Deorukhar                                   Raosaheb Afseri                 Chhagan Deshmukh