Question: But I mean, right now do they live with their own wife and children, and at the same time, have their disciples?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, there are quite a few. But what actually happens is that when their children are grown up, they set up an ashram. If their family is interested in the spiritual life, they will come to the ashram. If they want to live the ordinary life, then they don’t come to the ashram.

The Guru’s real children are not the children of his flesh and blood, but his spiritual children. His disciples become his true children at that time. His ordinary children come from his flesh, but the disciples are the children of his soul. They are his spiritual children. He has given considerable time to his physical children; now he has to think of his spiritual children. So those who are interested in the spiritual life, the inner life, come to him, and he gives them spiritual guidance. At that time, of course, he does not lead a so-called human life, emotional life. He has to lead a strict moral and spiritual life.

There are many Gurus in India who are bachelors. Again, there are second or third-class Gurus who are far inferior to the householders. Although they follow a strict and disciplined life, their mind is roaming elsewhere — here and there — whereas these householder Gurus are in the family but, at the same time, are not attached to the family.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The spiritual journey: oneness in diversity, Agni Press, 1977
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/sjo