WITH BABA IN HOLLYWOOD

Jal is Meher Baba's younger brother, who travelled with Him to Hollywood in 1934

I often remember that memorable and unforgettable year 1934, being with Baba in Hollywood, when many famous film stars were fortunate to meet Baba. Being with Him, experiencing His physical touch and embrace changed their lives. Many of them met Baba in 1932, such as Charles Lawton, Gary Cooper, Tallulah Bankhead, Lewis Stone, Tom Mix, Boris Karloff, Marie Dressler, John Gilbert and others. Many of these stars were filled with joy and happiness at the prospect that God in human form would visit their studios, bless them and see them act.

We were staying with Jean and Malcolm Schloss in Hollywood. Many stars from Beverly Hills would come and meet Him and go back home carrying His love. Baba was busy meeting with stars, writers, directors, discussing with them His forthcoming unique and fantastic spiritual movie. One day I went out on the porch for some fresh air. Boris Karloff, who acted in the Frankenstein film, was very happy to meet me, Baba's younger brother. He smiled, embraced and hugged me with love. He told me how fortunate he was to embrace Baba physically and have His blessings. He said he felt a change, that he had taken a new birth, and that he loved Baba very much. He asked me if I was married and I replied, "Yes ― only to Baba eternally."

I knew he was never happy in his horror films. Now I never praise Baba directly. Instead with my well-known sense of humor, I make people laugh and be happy with my humorous jokes. Then I talk of Baba, which goes deep in the mind and makes them happy to listen most lovingly. Boris told me he had been acting in horror films for many years which was his destiny. He said he did not feel his life was a natural, normal one, that nobody made him happy with humorous talks or sweet discourses. But since meeting Baba and getting His embrace, he felt his life had changed considerably and now he felt all was illusion, false maya.

He asked me why I am not married. I felt I should explain it in a humorous way to make him happy. I told him that when I was staying in Poona, a newly married couple were staying next to my room. They were quarreling the whole night, throwing and smashing dishes at each other. I could not sleep all night because of their racket. The next morning I enquired from the husband, "Who won the fight last night?" He was surprised at my question and asked, "What do you mean, who won the fight last, the first night of our marriage? She came crawling on her knees to my bedside."

"Did she say forgive me, I'm so sorry?", I asked.

"O, no, she said, 'Come out from under the bed, you big coward!'"

Boris could not control his laughter. He lifted me up, hugged me and said, "This is the first time in my life I am laughing naturally. Jal, you are a genius, making us happy with laughter. . . telling beautiful stories of Baba's divinity which enters deep in heart and mind." Then after a few minutes Baba called me to Him; I never saw Boris again.

I would explain to whomever I met that Baba is the resident and inner motivator of every heart, God in human form — the divine surgeon who, by His Grace and Compassion, removes the mind and heart of illusion and replaces them with the divine heart and mind. He makes you jump out of the well of illusion, maya, falsehood, to merge into His Ocean of love and bliss eternally.

Parties were given by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks at Pickfair, Beverly Hills. Mary met Baba several times and spent time with Him enjoying His love and bliss. If