Meher Ekam, Meher Nityam, Meher Satyam Sundaram.

Singing Madhusudhan’s beautiful bhajan (devotional song) this morning while cleaning Mandali Hall and Baba’s Blue Bus (because Devana has gone to Pune for dental work) I passed Meherwan who was arranging finances for his trip to Pune next week for his eye appointment.  Stopping me as I passed him, he said, “This bhajan you are singing.” “Yes?”  “Madhusudhan wrote it, and Baba liked it very much.  But then Baba started wondering, is the Sanskrit grammatically correct?  Bal Natu was asked and he said he thought it was pretty accurate.  Baba was not satisfied.  “Go to Panditji and ask him to check and see if it is.”  

Now,  Panditji was a professor of Sanskrit attached to Deccan College, and had happened to come to see Baba and fell in love with Him.  He was devoted to Baba.  Balaji took the lyrics and off he went.  All he knew about Deccan College was that it was across the Bund Garden bridge.  He went across and asked people where the college was, finally reaching it.  Asking around for Panditji, he was directed to the faculty quarters where the professor lived.  Seeing Balaji appear, Panditji was very concerned that something had happened.  However, Balaji reassured him and told him why Baba had sent him to visit.” 

Here Meherwan paused and recalled how Baba had been worried.  This was a Sanskrit bhajan in His praise and if the grammar was incorrect, people would scoff at Baba’s followers, He said.  Where was that Bal Natu, what was taking him so long to do something so simple as find Panditji and get the grammar checked out?  Meanwhile Balaji was trying to do his best to leave without much delay, refusing all Panditji’s entreaties to sit have a cup of tea and something to eat, visit with him and his family for a while.  He hurried back to Baba and of course, was told off for taking so long!  Bal Natu explained what had transpired.

Meherwan resumed his narrative, “When Bal read out the bhajan to Panditji, he listened with great attention.  After Bal finished, he said that the bhajan was truly written from the heart, and the rules of grammar do not apply to such compositions.  It was perfect as it was, nothing needed changing.  Balaji told Baba this, and Baba gestured that He was happy.  And so this bhajan you are singing is heartfully correct, and has been endorsed so by a Pandit of Sanskrit.”  Saying this, he went back to his counting and calculations!!  

Madhusudhan remembered..

Today in Mandali Hall we didn't have a film as is the usual practice on Sundays. So we had Meherwan in the Hall and he was telling stories. An American Baba lover asked about Madhusudan, Baba's song-writer and singer. Madhusudan was very dear to Baba, his songs made Beloved Baba happy and He often asked him to compose a song for a specific occasion. After Baba dropped the body Madhusudan suddenly broke off all contact with Baba-lovers, took down all His pictures and cut Baba out of his life.

Madhusudan and his wife Subhadra were married by Beloved Baba Himself. This was the only marriage He performed personally and Baba asked for a song to be composed for the day. The song was duly composed and sung - 'Prabhu main charanan chod naa jaaoo' Lord may I never leave Your feet and go away - and Baba had him sing the song three times on his wedding day, then had Eruch tell Madhusudan,"Remember, don't leave My feet ever."

In 1991 Madhusudan suddenly reappeared, and when he spoke with Bal Natu said, "I left Him, but He never left me, I am so fortunate." He once again became a part of the Baba community in Pune, and died a couple of years ago. The American wanted to know what had happened and why. Just as we were telling some recollections of Madhusudan, Narendra Thade and his family and friends walked in, some of whom were related to Madhusudan. They took over the story and shared what they knew. Then they asked to sing some bhajans. Imagine our delight when they sang 4 favourites, ending with the Hindi Arti, 'Jahan Kalpana, Shabd Naa Pahunchey' Where the imagination and word cannot reach.. No word, no thought nor our most profound imaginings can reach His Divine Limitlessness....

Madhusudan, we salute your love for your Beloved, and we will always have you with us in your lovely songs. Whenever they are sung your name will be sung along with His name. A friend who was with him near the time Madhusudan died told us this today. Shortly before he died his friend asked him how he felt about Baba now. Madhusudan said, "He is everything, He is all. What else is there?" Jai ho, Jai ho, Jai ho Madhusudan, as our dear Bhauji would say.