Page 476 - Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 6

Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 6
with true love and devotion in attaining a similar state. We can see the burning desire of the Master and His restless impatience in this regard as a result of His unbounded love for His associates in the following words in the same message, ‘Whatever service I am able to render to them, all that does not give me satisfaction. My heart is ever intent and keen to ensure that the largest part of them should at least achieve my own spiritual condition in the shortest possible time.’
In order to expedite the fulfillment of His heart’s most ardent desire and to ensure the message reaching the largest number quickly and in good measure, He appointed a large number of preceptors whose ‘job it was (and still is) to awaken the public so that their work can be done, and their character, conduct and behaviour could be remodeled and straitened out’. We can see here the principal reason behind the institution of preceptors, a very unique thing in the spiritual history of mankind and indeed in the history of spiritual training. The role of the preceptors and the nature of their work have been comprehensively dealt with by the Master in His message, ‘Method of Training’ to which one may turn for a greater appreciation.
Another important point to note is the great concern the Master has for character development; in fact the message opens with the statement, ‘In the sphere of spirituality, character development has a special place which is in no way less than that of spiritual welfare’ after which we find the Master quoting Rev. Lalaji Maharaj on the subject. The Master goes on to say that He also desires that there should be no weakness of character among the abhyasis of the Natural Path. Then we find Him identifying the most glaring defect among the abhyasis, namely, lacking in the feeling of oneness with all. Ideas of greatness and smallness and in general separateness
476