On May 19th, as planned, Baba sent Dr. Donkin, Nilu, Meherjee, Gustadji and Adi to drive across America in Elizabeth’s Plymouth station wagon to Meher Mount in Ojai, California, to see that proper arrangements were made there with Agnes Baron before he and the women mandali arrived. The day after they left, he sent them this poetic message through Dr. Donkin:
“Avoid all temptations, and most of all lust;
Be honest and fair and noble and just.
Do not talk faltu (gossip*), but of Baba, talk you must,
For center night duty find a boy, not one dry as dust.
And do not boil the flour taking too much crust.
I do not doubt, but warn you in loving faith and trust.”
Dear Don,
Read this to the others. I want you all to feel assured that it is not doubt which made me write this, but just that I was in the mood to send you this verse, and it is also to avoid unnecessary complications unconsciously made.
– Baba
–Lord Meher (First Ed), p3831
*Footnote (LordMeher): The word faltu in Gujarati means useless, good for nothing; in other words, useless talk or meaningless talk about nothing — gossip. Dr. Donkin used to tease certain ones when he caught them gossiping. Meher Baba's words are often cryptic or enigmatic. "Do not boil the flour" does not appear to make sense in English. It may mean something similar to "not over-bake" or "overcook" or "do not get burned by lust or passions."