DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

 

KINGS OF OLD

 

 

 

19th October, 1929

 

After their bath on the 19th, the talk turned to the kings of old. Baba remarked:

 

Akbar was large-hearted, kind and broadminded; he wasn't as brave as Shivaji. He was matchless among the Moghal kings.

 

Shivaji was brave; knew no fear. Was very kind and clever. He was the founder of a kingdom and so big-hearted he was willing to sacrifice even his empire at the feet of his guru Ramdas. That's no small thing. He was incomparable among the Marathas. He had two masters, Ramdas and Tukaram. He used to go daily to hear Tukaram Maharaj's abhangs. Once when he was with Tukaram, his enemies surrounded him. But Tukaram's grace prevented any harm being done to Shivaji as the enemies could not see one Shivaji but so many. All the people around him looked like Shivaji to his enemies.

 

Akbar's son Jahangir was indolent, easy-going, fond of pleasures. His good fortune got him Nur Jahan [his wife] who was ruling and dispensing justice well.

 

Aurangzeb was industrious, hard-working; a man who earned his own bread from working. But his fanaticism wiped everything out — massacres. It brought about the ultimate ruin of the Moghal empire.

 

Babur was brave but lazy; too fond of the good things of life.

 

Alexander the Great was very brave, most fearless, but too ambitious and power-hungry.