Bhau’s ‘Yad Rakh’ Retraction
Meher Baba Never Broke His Silence?
This is the article referred to in the post “Yad Rakh Never Happened?”
Source: Glow International, Spring 2012, p. 3. Posted by permission.
Meher Baba Never Broke His Silence
The words “Yaad Rakh” were expressed in gestures
In a Glow International Exclusive, Bhau Kalchuri, Chairman, Avatar Meher Baba Trust, clarifies his earlier remarks about Meher Baba’s Silence.
[Note from Kendra: The following is the article as it appears in the magazine. Inexplicably, the dates are out of order: the January 5 message and the short undated message in the left column, and the December 28 message at the right of the page; and the original letter to Bhau is not included.]
Dr. Venkat Saride wrote to Bhau Kalchuri on December 27, 2011 requesting him to clarify an event pertaining to Meher Baba’s breaking his silence. Thirty years after Meher Baba had dropped his body, Bhau had indicated that Meher Baba had uttered the words “Yaad rakh, remember this”in a verbal communication. Since several versions of the story emerged, Dr. Saride wrote to Bhau to “throw light on the veracity and authenticity of the story.”
With Bhau Kalchuri’s written permission, Glow International publishes two letters written by Bhau Kalchuri to Dr. Saride:
Date: Thursday, 5 January 2012
Subject: “Yaad Rakh”
Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!
My dearest Dr. Venkat,
I received your email dated 4 January, 2012. This is your dream, and you don’t remember your dream. Baba never broke His silence. “Yaad Rakh,” is the important thing, and that was in gestures that He told me. “Yaad Rakh.” In English, too, “Remember this.”
So what should I tell you? After many years, when Baba departed, I was feeling so lonely. Still I feel lonely because I did not see Him speak from beginning to end. I was waiting and waiting for this—that Baba would speak to me. But “Yaad rakh”—this incident was in my heart, not in mind. Mind had no scope to reach me.
Please note it down and know well that He did not speak, either in English or in Hindi. Only gestures. Really speaking, Baba said in Hindi, “Yaad Rakh,” not in English. This much I know.
With all love and Jai Baba to you,
In His Love and Service,
Bhau
Dr. Saride emailed Bhau again:
Jai Baba Dear Bhauji,
Thank you very much for your reply.
From your reply myself and other Baba followers have understood that —
1. You clearly ‘heard’ the sound of Baba speaking’ “Remember this” in English on the night of 30th January, 1969.
2. “Yaad Rakh” in Hindi was with gestures only.
Please confirm this.
Thanking you,
In His Love,
Dr. Venkat
On Fri, December 30, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Bhau Kalchuri wrote:
To: Venkatlaxman Saride
Date: Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Subject: Remember this…Baba did not break His silence
Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!
My dearest Dr. Venkat,
I received your email dated 27 December, 2011. As you have asked me to reveal what is the truth, so I tell you. Baba did not break His silence at that time. He told me in English, “Remember this.” I am telling you. You just always remember this — He would show me ‘Yaad Rakh,’ through signs. He would not speak.
Eruch, of course, was not there at that time, no Mandali member. It was night time; I was keeping watch. My dearest Dr. Venkat, I tell you the truth, because you have asked. All this time, I was silent, but anyone may interpret in his own way.
But this is the truth, I am telling you: Baba did not break His silence at that time. Through His gestures, He would speak different languages, and “Yaad rakh” is also one of them. It is His word. Up until now, I kept quiet; I did not say that “No, Baba did not break His silence.”
But now, the matter has come up to my throat. I must tell you the truth. Baba had said, “Yaad rakh,” through gestures. He would speak different languages through His gestures.
In Andhra of course, different languages — so His gestures would be such that people would know that He knows the language of Andhra. Marathi, Hindi, Telegu, Russian! all the languages, through the board, and then through gestures, while keeping silence. He would not speak, but through gestures, He would show as if He was telling the truth through gestures, and He knows the language. They would feel it in Hamirpur; His gestures would be different. Eruch was interpreting.
Afterwards, Baba would send me to Hamirpur because I knew their language. They would accept anything when I said, “Baba had said this: ‘Satchitanand Raramanand Meher Baba Vidyanand.’”
I was thinking, “They will ask different questions, and if I say this prayer, ‘Satchitananda Paramananda, Meher Baba Vidyanand…’ what will happen? I did not tell Baba, but when I told the people of Hamirpur,
“This prayer is given by Baba,” they started singing, “Satchitananda Paramananda, Meher Baba Vidyanand….” And still it is going on.
People from different countries also go there and sing, “Satchitananda Paramananda…”The Andhraites find that people are very much interested in this prayer, because Baba has given it, so they sing Satchitananda Paramananda in Telegu.
There was one Bhaskar Raju in Andhra who had the party of five persons to sing “Satchitananda Paramananda.” They would come every year during Amartithi and they would sing it. Bhaskar Raju’s own son was in America. Then he would also sing “Satchitananda Paramananda,” there. I would come every year to America and he would come with a party of five persons: “Satchitananda Paramananda!” I was amazed how his prayer had become so popular. Every year I would hear it, even in America! Why has it become so popular? Baba is behind it.
And Baba said, “Hamirpur is My heart, and Andhra is My mind.” “My mind,” remember this: that mind which takes you towards Baba.
This is the truth, and I revealed it. It is not because of different interpretations of different persons that I am revealing this truth. . .
With all love and Jai Baba to you,
In His Love and Service,
Bhau
[Note: On 4/19/2012, Naosherwan Anzar, Editor of The Glow, wrote to me: “When this exchange of correspondence was sent for publication in The Glow by the doctor from South India, I promptly wrote to dear Bhauji seeking his written permission to publish them. He responded by enthusiastically endorsing the publication of the letters.”—Kendra, emphasis added ]