Question: You speak of an eternal relationship between the disciple and the Master. Is this something that develops over time?

Sri Chinmoy: When a spiritual Master accepts a disciple, at that time their relationship becomes eternal. But closeness between the Master and the disciple is a different thing altogether. Here we use the term ‘eternal’ because we are dealing with the soul, which is immortal. If you are working in a restaurant or in a hotel, we say that you are a permanent worker. There are many permanent workers in a hotel. Some workers are close to the manager or to the owner, while others are not. In exactly the same way, when I accept a soul, our connection becomes permanent, eternal. Then I watch to see how much spiritual progress that soul can make in and through the body, vital, mind and heart. The quicker the members of the soul’s family make progress, the closer the individual becomes to the Master or to the divine in him.

All the workers are not equally close to the manager or to the owner. Similarly, we are all God’s children; God loves us all equally. But at the same time, some receive much more than others. The sun gives light to all. But some keep their doors and windows wide open early in the morning, while others are sleeping. It is on the strength of our receptivity that we become close to the Supreme.