Question: Do you ever test us inwardly?

Sri Chinmoy: When I am in my highest, in a divine consciousness, in my supreme consciousness, I do not test you, because I know that what you have in the spiritual life has been given to you by the Supreme in me. Your spiritual capacities and incapacities have all been given to you by the Supreme in me. But when I am in a human consciousness, an ordinary consciousness, at that time I do examine you on the physical plane to see whether you really care for the spiritual path, whether you want to follow my path soulfully and devotedly, whether you are ready to be all the time in my boat. I wish to see whether you are sincere and devoted to the Supreme in me, whether you want to become divine warriors to fight against ignorance for the Supreme in me. I examine you about your sincerity, purity, love, devotion and surrender. Again, I always say there is no end to our spiritual progress. We are all the time dealing with the ever-transcending Beyond. But it is necessary to examine you from time to time, and this I do when I am in a human, ordinary consciousness.

I must say that it is necessary to be in the human consciousness also. For twenty-four hours a day I don't remain in my highest, loftiest consciousness. True, I have free access to the third floor. But if I remain in my transcendental consciousness all the time, if I remain on the third floor all the time, how will I be able to talk with somebody who comes and knocks at my door? I have to come down from the third floor to talk with him on the first floor, because right now he is not ready to be invited to the third floor.