549    ARAB KIDNAPPER

Baba's circle of followers. Sohrab wept with joy at seeing Meher Baba for the first time; he had been waiting a long time for this meeting. He invited Baba to visit his house, and he agreed.

Accompanied by Gustadji and Rustom, the Master went to Sohrab's home on July 6th. The previous day, Meher Baba had passed the house on his way to the dharmashala and Sohrab's young nieces had seen him but had been afraid – thinking him to be an Arab kidnapper. Baba smiled at the girls, but this only made them more frightened. One of them, Bapai, bravely told her little sister not to be afraid; if they said God's name, nothing would happen and the evil man would go away!

Although every member of Sohrab's family had heard of Meher Baba and were inwardly devoted to him, no one had yet met him, or seen his photograph. When the Master came to their house, Bapai was amazed to see that the stranger she had taken to be an Arab kidnapper was Meher Baba himself.

Meher Baba was indeed a notorious thief,
by stealing the hearts of all who love God.

Sohrab was a kind and gentle person who cared for his family very much. He had taken in his widowed sister, Baimai, who had been bedridden for several years due to a severe leg fracture and was diagnosed never to be able to walk again. But upon seeing the Master, a miracle occurred. Suddenly Baimai rose to meet Meher Baba and, with tears in her eyes, stood for the first time in years! Her tears wiped away the years of suffering and, from that day on, she gradually regained her ability to walk.

Observing a painting of Zarathustra in the house, Meher Baba declared, "This is exactly how Zarathustra looked. I am your Prophet Zarathustra!"

His sweet voice emerged from the ocean of his Godhood, and the family members felt as if divine bliss were erupting in their hearts, creating waves of love which gently embraced them. Divine light was shining in Sohrab Desai's house, bathing all in its brilliance! Each person had an experience of the Master's divinity and became oblivious of the world as Meher Baba's figure and features filled their vision. The Master sanctified the house and was particular to walk through every room. The blissful atmosphere in Baba's presence was so absorbing that even an orthodox Zoroastrian Priest was divinely intoxicated and became an ardent devotee of Meher Baba after meeting him at Sohrab's home. ‡