Several Brahmin devotees were among those who came for Baba’s darshan on the 27th. One named Subramanium had painted long sectarian marks on his forehead with saffron-colored paste. Commenting on it, Baba remarked:
Various castes have distinctive marks applied to their forehead. Similarly, people of different religions stick to traditional customs. Hafiz used to tell this story in reference to this. Once there were 72 very ugly old hags who represented the different religions of the world. The one belonging to the Hindu religion says to the others: “Among all, I am most beautiful. None can compare with my beauty.”
The one representing Islam declares: “No, I am younger and more beautiful.
No one can match me!”
The one of Zoroastrianism speaks out: “I am the finest and prettiest of all. None can hold a candle to me!”
“No, no,” the Christian hag asserts. “No one can compare with my beauty!” In the same way, all traditionalists of various religions take their religion to be the best, and belittle and put down that of others.
As the 72 hags are quarreling back and forth, a woman treading the path of divine love passes by. She is a true seeker and beautiful. Hearing their boasts, she feels pity for the old, barren ones who consider themselves good-looking and progressive, but who sadly only indulge in worthless, superfluous chatter. Keeping Beloved God aside, they act as the spokesperson for their religions and give importance to dogmas, rituals and ceremonies. All 72 hags, on seeing the seeker, shout out against her, “See how ugly she is! She follows no religion!” But the true lover of God goes her own way, without caring for such babblers. She tastes the essence of divine love, while they fight over dry bones!
The true lover can also be represented by an elephant, and those opposing her as dogs. The dogs, by nature, bark at the elephant, but she goes on her way without any fear of the dogs.
The God-Man or Sadguru knows that these 72 women and also the follower of true religion are none other than himself.
In conclusion, Baba observed, “To be a lover is most difficult. The real lover never poses, and this type of lover, which I want, is most rare. To [reveal the utter] helplessness of a lover, Hafiz has said, ‘In loving my Beloved, I have become like an ant under the foot of an elephant — safe and secure, but helpless to move!’ ”
Place: Guruprasad, 27 March 1960
www.lordmeher.org (Revised 2014), p4647