A Balancing of the Light and the Dark
By Sam L. Ervin
On March 7, 1970, two of Avatar Meher Baba’s closest and longest tenured disciples, Adi K. Irani and Meherjee Karkaria, arrived at the Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. It just so happened that on that same day an eclipse of the sun was visible along much of the east coast of the US, including Myrtle Beach.
A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. (Photo: Creative Commons CC0, Pixabay)
On that same trip to the US, Adi and Meherjee traveled to Southern California. Just one day was allotted for them to visit both Meher Mount and Santa Barbara. Meherjee was driven to Santa Barbara to see the Meher Baba Bookstore on De la Guerra Street. I drove Adi, Agnes Baron (Meher Mount’s caretaker, 1946-1994) and Martha Aubin to Meher Mount, followed by one or two carloads of people.
Agnes was very excited and pleased to have Adi return to Meher Mount. This visit was his third time at Meher Mount. He was there in 1952, waiting for Meher Baba’s arrival from Myrtle Beach on the trip that resulted in Meher Baba’s automobile accident in Prague, OK. Adi again visited on August 2, 1956, that time with Meher Baba.
On this trip, Adi and Agnes enjoyed several very lively conversations together — on the two-hour drive from Los Angeles, during Adi’s visit at Meher Mount, and on the hour-long journey to Santa Barbara.
AGNES BARON & ADI K. IRANI at Meher Mount in 1977. (Photo: Sam Ervin)
Another Eclipse 47 Years Later - August 21, 2017
Now, 47 years later and reflecting on the August 21, 2017 eclipse, on the play of the light and the dark, and on the “coincidence” of Adi’s and Meherjee’s arrival on the day the 1970 eclipse, I am reminded of a conversation between Adi and Agnes.
“Adi, Baba once said that eventually everyone would leave Him except for one man. I always thought you were that one man,” Agnes remarked.
“Agni, I always thought you were that one man!” countered Adi. “I remember how Baba remarked on all you had been through to keep Meher Mount for Him; living up here all alone with very little help, needing to haul your drinking water up the mountain, and a number of greedy people trying to get control of the property. And, of course, Baba has sanctified this place with His presence and has been here with you through all your challenges.”
A Balancing Between the Light and the Dark
Agnes noted, "In the 24 years I have lived at Meher Mount, I’ve come to think there is a battle going on here between the light and the dark.”
“Agni, It’s not a battle between the light and the dark ,” Adi responded. “It’s a balancing.”
Agnes told Adi it was good to have him at Meher Mount again, and he noted that in August 1956, it was dry and the grass was brown. In March 1970, Meher Mount was very green with little wildflowers all over the meadow on the way to Baba’s Tree. “I remember the views over the ocean and the mountains and valleys,” he said.
A Walk to Baba’s Tree
THE MEADOW TO BABA'S TREE. (Photo: Margaret Magnus, January 2015)
Agnes then suggested they walk out to Baba’s Tree, following Meher Baba’s footsteps across the meadow. “Yes, Agni, let’s do that,” Adi replied.
It was one of those crystal clear, sunny days that visit Meher Mount often in late winter and early spring. As they trod the path of Meher Baba’s footsteps toward His Tree, the rugged Topa Topa Bluffs stood sentinel behind them. On the right 30 miles across the shining sea, the mountains of uninhabited Santa Cruz Island offered hints of worlds yet to be explored. All of nature seemed to share in the gladness of this reunion of old lovers of Meher Baba and the feeling of His presence for all who were there.
I can still visualize Agnes and Adi, hand in hand, almost skipping across the green grass of the meadow dotted with tiny white and violet wildflowers toward Baba’s Tree. About 10 of us followed them as they joked, laughed and reminisced about times with their Beloved, Avatar Meher Baba.