FREEING OF KARMIC ENTANGLEMENTS

Meher Baba

The spinning of the yarn of Karmic debts and dues would be
endless if there had been no provision for getting out of the
Karmic entanglements through the help of the Master. He can
not only initiate the aspirant into the supreme art of unbinding
Karma, but can become directly instrumental in freeing him
from his Karmic entanglements. *The Master has attained
unity with God, Whose cosmic and universal life includes all
persons. Being one with all life, he can become, in his
representative capacity for the sake of the aspirant, the
medium for the clearing up of all debts and dues which have
come into existence through the aspirant's dealings with
countless persons contacted in his incarnations.* If a person
must get bound to someone, it is best for him to get bound to
God or the Master, because this tie ultimately facilitates
emancipation from all other Karmic ties.

When the good Karma of past lives has secured for the
aspirant the benefit of having a Master, the best thing that he
can do is to surrender himself to the Master and to serve him.
Through surrenderance the aspirant throws the burden of his
Karma on the Master who has to think out ways and means
of freeing him from it. Through serving the Master he wins an
opportunity to get clear of his Karmic entanglements. The
relation between the Master and the disciple is often carried
on from one life to another for several reincarnations. Those
who have been connected with the Master in past lives are
drawn to him by an unconscious magnetism, not knowing why
they are thus drawn. There is usually a long history to the
apparently unaccountable devotion which the disciple feels for
his Master. The disciple is often beginning where he had left
off in the last incarnation.

DISCOURSES, Vol. III, pp. 93-94

BECOMING MASTER OF DESTINY

Meher Baba

Proper understanding and use of the law of Karma enables
man to become *master of his own destiny* through intelligent
and wise action. Each person has become what he is through
his own accumulated actions; and it is through his own actions
that he can mould himself according to the pattern of his heart,
or finally emancipate himself from the reign of *Karmic*
determination which governs him through life and death.

DISCOURSES, Vol. III, p. 88

REDEMPTION FROM KARMA

Meher Baba

The incarnation of the Avatar does not take place unless it is
precipitated by the five Perfect Masters of the cycle. In all of
his incarnations except the first, even the Avatar needs a
master in order to come into his own eternal and infinite
consciousness. He does not become an exception to the rule
that a "touch" of a master is necessary for God-realization.
However, the "touch" of a Perfect Master does not necessarily
mean physical touch. When we say that we are "touched" by
music, or a poem or story, the touch has deeper significance.
Far more truly is this so when it is a question of spiritual
"touch". In the case of the master, this deeper spiritual touch is
often transmitted through the physical touch.

Every time the Avatar descends, he is not necessarily
recognized as the Avatar by the masses. He can be
recognized as such only by those who are very advanced
spiritually. The Avatar himself is the least concerned about
whether or not he comes to be recognized as Avatar by
large numbers. He plays thoroughly his role as the Avatar and
his chief work lies in the higher invisible spheres of existence.
If, however, he appears at a critical or transitional cyclic
period, as is often the case, he is hailed by the masses as the
Avatar of the age.

The Avatar is not necessarily recognized and hailed as the
Avatar by each and all, because he covers himself under a
veil for his own spiritual work. This veil, under which he
prefers to remain hidden, is different from the veil which the
five Perfect Masters draw on him while bringing him down
in the human form. The veil which the Avatar puts on himself
can be removed by him at any time, and for any person or
persons as he may desire, for the purposes of self revelation
or self-communication.

The Avatar does not take upon himself the karma of the
world nor does he become bound by it. But he takes upon
himself the suffering of the world which is the result of its
karma. His suffering for the world is vicarious. It does not
entail entanglement with the karma of the world. But humanity
finds its redemption from its karma through his vicarious
sufferings, e.g., illness, humiliation, accidents and the like. In
his own ways, the Avatar unfailingly fulfills his incarnation by
giving a spiritual push to his age.

THE ADVANCING STREAM OF LIFE, pp. 3-4
Originally in BEAMS FROM MEHER BABA, p. 27
Copyright 1958 Sufism Reoriented