In Recognition of the Same Eternal One...
By Margaret Magnus
At Christmastime, when much of the world celebrates the birth and life of Jesus, we are reminded of the words of Avatar Meher Baba:
“I was Rama, I was Krishna, I was this One, I was that One, and now I am Meher Baba.” (Photo: Avatar Meher Baba in the 1920s)
“When God manifests on earth in the form of man and reveals His Divinity to mankind, He is recognized as the Avatar — the Messiah — the Prophet.
“The Avatar is always One and the Same, because God is always One and the Same, the Eternal, Indivisible, Infinite One…the Highest of the High.”
“This Eternally One and the Same Avatar repeats His manifestation from time to time, in different cycles, adopting different human forms and different names, in different places, to reveal Truth in different garbs and different languages…”
Meher Baba declared that He is the same Ancient One known in the past as Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed.
“Ustad Dhanyavad”
In response to this declaration, many followers of Meher Baba seek to honor all the Avatars.
And so, in recognition of the same Eternal One who repeats His manifestation from time to time, we are sharing the song, “Ustad Dhanyavad,” written and composed by James (Jamie) R. Newell.
The Hindi words in the song title “Ustad Dhanyavad,” are generally translated to mean, “Master, You are worthy of praise,” and refer to praise of all the Avatars. (See below from a brief description of each Avatar.)
Only One Message to Give
Meher Baba said the Avatar comes each time with the same basic message:
“I have only one message to give, and I repeat it age after age to one and all: Love God.” - Avatar Meher Baba
The Story Behind the Song
Jamie Newell described the evolution of the song. “In 1985, my wife Zo Newell and I were on pilgrimage in India to Meher Baba’s Tomb Shrine. I had always felt uncomfortable during arti [devotional prayers and songs] because the Westerners sang their songs, and the Indians played and sang their bhajans [devotional songs], and the never the twain met.
“I wanted to write something that would bring East and West together. I also wanted to please Mehera [Meher Baba’s closest woman disciple]. She liked sing-along songs that had Meher Baba’s name in them.
“During that trip, we also spent some time sightseeing India, and had some Hindi tapes to try to learn a little bit of the language. The word dhanyavad was on the tapes. It is sometimes used for ‘thank you.’ But it isn’t a word used frequently, because it more appropriately means, ‘you are worthy of praise.’ If used in conversation, it can make people feel uncomfortable, because it’s a little over the top. But it’s a good word for Meher Baba.
“And I had heard Bhau Kalchuri [one of Meher Baba’s close disciples] use the word ustad in a story about Meher Baba. Ustad means ‘master,’ and that stuck out to me. Thus, the translation became, ‘Master, You are worthy of praise.’
“I wrote the song, and then we left India. I didn’t know it at the time, but the song was then played frequently during arti at Meher Baba’s Samadhi. Everyone liked it, and it became a staple beyond my wildest dreams. It fulfilled my hopes of giving the Westerners and Easterners something they could sing together.
“It’s one of those things. I don’t take responsibility for it. It’s a blessing. It’s something Meher Baba wanted to happen, and I was part of it.”
“Ustad Dhyanyavad” — Music & Lyrics
To download a copy of lyrics and music of “Ustad Dhanyavad” by James Newell, click here. Source: Meher Spiritual University.
Names of God
When you listen to the song, you will hear reference to the various Avatars or names for God.
Ahuramazd is the Zoroastrian name for God. Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion established by Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra or Zartosht) and is considered the world’s first monotheistic faith. Meher Baba’s family were Zoroastrians.
Zartos is a shortened version of Zarathustra.
MEHER BABA, the Avatar (1925). “Meher Baba” means “Compassionate Father.” Most commonly, He is referred to as the “Avatar,” a Sanskrit word meaning “descent of God.”
Rama (also Ram) is considered the Supreme Being whose teachings are present throughout Hinduism. His life is the subject of the Hindu epic The Ramayana.
Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism and is also worshipped as the Supreme God. Krishna’s adventures appear in the Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Harivamsa, and the sacred texts known as the Puranas where he is described as the Supreme Being and creator of the universe.
Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama and His teachings serve as the foundation of the Buddhist faith. The name Buddha means “one who is awakened” or “the enlightened one.”
Jesus, also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity. He is the awaited messiah (the Christ), prophesied in the Hebrew Bible.
Mohammed, born Muhammad ibn Abdullah, was an Arabic religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet, divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.
Allah, Almighty God; the supreme bring in Islam.
About James R. Newell
Since his teenage years, James R. Newell has been a vocalist, entertainer, and songwriter with interests in jazz, blues, folk, and world music. He has written and composed the CD The Window to God, related to Avatar Meher Baba; and the CD The Songs of Hafiz where he sings and provides the music to the words of the 14th century Persian Sufi poet Hafiz of Shiraz.
He continues to perform as a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, appearing locally and internationally.
Jamie has a Ph.D. in History and Critical Theories of Religion from Vanderbilt University Divinity School. He currently teaches online religious studies programs for several colleges and universities.
Source
The Silent Master, Meher Baba, pg. 45, (c) Irwin Luck, 1967. Quotations from Meher Baba with permission of the Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Charitable Trust, Ahmednagar, India.