Part I

The disciples' inspiration-power

One day a spiritual Master was with a group of his disciples. The Master meditated for a while and then he started talking about various things with his spiritual children. After a few minutes he said to one of his disciples, "Ramesh, good boy, did you go to visit our Centre during your business trip?"

"No, Master, I spoke to the leader and some others and everybody agreed that I shouldn't go unless you told me to go."

"What happened? Why did they not want you to go?"

"Well, because Jyotish had gone there on Monday."

"So, they can't digest more light? The leader has just written to me that he is inspired again. He will be very spiritual, very devoted. For a few months he was very unspiritual, but now he has written such a soulful letter. So the more disciples who go there to visit, the better it will be for him. How is it that he does not want you to go? This is so bad. On the one hand he is trying to be good, to be spiritual and to dedicate himself more, and on the other hand this is his attitude. What was his reason?"

"Well, he felt that I couldn't do very much in the day I would be there and that Jyotish had done as much as was necessary during his visit there."

"But does he not feel that the very presence of a mature disciple is an inspiration? What a stupid fellow he is! He doesn't hear any good news, juicy stories or anything. Jyotish has told whatever Jyotish knows, according to his own inspiration and aspiration. But if another individual comes, it will add to his inspiration. You would have got another opportunity to tell him some news. Good disciples will always try to get as much inspiration as possible from others. To get a visitor from one of our main Centres is really something. It adds to their aspiration. So many things they will hear about our activities. Just because someone else has already been there, does it mean that others will have nothing to say? He is really something!

"I am under the impression that people from other Centres would have behaved differently if someone had wanted to visit them. Every day they would have said, 'Come, come!' Some Centres are like that. Today you have gone and then they hear that tomorrow someone else will come and, the day after, someone else again. They will gladly welcome everyone. They will feel that it is a great joy. So that fellow is mistaking our philosophy. I don't understand him."

Ramesh's wife said, "He might have been shy to ask Ramesh to come. Perhaps he felt that he would be causing Ramesh some trouble."

Ramesh said, "Jyotish's brother mentioned that it probably wouldn't be necessary for me to go."

"So, Asim discouraged you? Oh, Asim, have you nothing else to do? This is my request from now on. Of course, if other Centres don't want you, then how can you go as an unwanted guest? But I really want you to visit these little Centres and inspire them."

Ramesh said, "He would have been happy to have me, Master, but he didn't see any real reason for me to go and I guess I didn't either."

The Master said, "The real reason is to give added inspiration to those people who do not live near me. That is the most important thing."

"He did mention that I would give him inspiration, but as to what I could actually do concretely in such a short time, he didn't think it would be very much. He said that all I could really do was to give him inspiration."

The Master said, "What is most important? Inspiration is most important. When you have inspiration, for days and nights you can work. When you don't have inspiration, I have to go and touch your feet and beg of you, 'Ramesh, please do this.' You know the difference between inspiration and lack of inspiration. When I am inspired, I write so many poems."

"Inspiration is so important, especially for the disciples who do not live in this vicinity. They should feel that it is a great opportunity, a great honour, to have a visitor. It will give them great joy and a real sense of accomplishment. Now if Ramesh goes to visit this Centre and the following day his wife phones up and asks, 'Can I come?' what will they say?' Oh, Ramesh has said everything that we want to know. We don't need any more from you. Next year we shall see.' Tell me, is this what is going to happen? Always give the utmost importance to inspiration. Inspiration is the most important thing."