I had prepared a questionnaire with the help of Sir Denison Ross, the Oriental scholar. It was designed to trap the teacher, but he smilingly threaded his way through it without stumbling. His mastery of dialectic is consummate. It was quite Socratic in its ease.

He frequently put questions to me which startled me by their penetration. But he never evaded a direct question. His simplicity is very subtle.

"I am a Persian;" he said. "I was born in Poona, India, but my father and mother are Persians."

He is above races and religions. He is universal. He is one with God, and God is everywhere in everyone.

"Do you know Gandhi?" I asked.

"Yes. I met him on the steamship Rajputana. He is not as far advanced as I am. He asked me to help him. But I will not help him until he abandons politics. I have no politics."

(Charles Purdom writes in "The Perfect Master: I am told that Baba's actual words were: "I saw him on the steamer Rajputana. He is a good man and a great soul. I will not help him until he abandons politics. I have no politics.")

"Are you a Mahatma ?" I asked. He smiled. "What is a Mahatma?" he replied. "I know the Truth. You live in London. You know it. I know it."

"Are you divine?" He smiled. "I am one with God. I Live in Him, like Buddha, like Christ, like Krishna. They knew Him as I know Him. All men can know Him."

"Have you solved the problem of evil?" —"There is no evil," he said, "there are only degrees of good."

"The world is perplexed with disaster. Is there any way out of the world crisis?" —"Yes. Only another year. Then there will be recovery and deliverance. "

"Christ's mission was accomplished in three years. How long will your mission last?" — “Thirty-three years,” he replied.

"What is your secret ?" I asked. "The elimination of the ego, " he replied.

Then I put my questionnaire. "Have you a Scripture, a Bible, a Koran, an inspired book? " — "No, I teach. I awaken.'' *

"Do you believe in Buddha and the eight-fold path?" — "Yes. All religion is ascent by stages to perfect union with God. "

"What God do you believe in ?" — "There is only one God for all men." "What religion is nearest to yours?" — "All religions are revelations of God."

* these are Baba 's actual words, misquoted in original article.