Question: Guru, have any of your disciples already achieved God-realisation in a previous life?

Sri Chinmoy: Please do not be under any false illusion that you were realised souls in past incarnations, and in this incarnation you are wandering in the deserts of life. No, no, no. If you were a God-realised soul, why would you stay here as my disciple? I would tell everyone that you are another realised soul and they would believe me. But if you start with sincerity, you will say that you didn't have realisation. But just because you didn't have it, it does not mean that you are not going to one day achieve it. If yesterday you didn't drink milk, it does not mean that today or tomorrow you are not going to drink it. But once you are under the impression that you did have God-realisation yesterday, then that will only feed and aggrandise your ego, and tremendous misunderstanding will enter into your mind. One day you will think, "Oh, Master is not allowing me to be in my realisation-consciousness so people won't recognise me." This way you will be tortured. Or you will feel, "Since I was God-realised in my past incarnation, how is it that in this incarnation I have so many defects? I feel so much inferiority, so much obscurity? That means I was not realised." Here you will start to doubt yourself. So, in no way are you nearing your Goal.

Only keep in mind that your Goal is there, and you have started your journey. You have left the starting point. All of you without fail have left the starting point. Now you are going to realise God. You have left the starting point and the Goal is there ahead of you. But if you feel that you have already reached the Goal, and because of this reason or that reason you are not properly recognised, then you are making a mistake. I am not throwing cold water on you. But I wish to say that if you know this Reality, you will be able to run very fast.