Page 149 - Wisdom Unfurled

the ultimate consciousness and on the other His conciousness is available to us through the connections established when we are introduced in the system. Thus such a Master becomes the goal of human life as He Himself led the life of a householder and achieved the highest state possible to man. He annulled Himself totally allowing only the Divine to express through Him and it is His mission to bring about spiritual rejuvenation of mankind. It is always easier for human beings to relate to a fellow human being and since we are talking about the goal of human life, taking the Master who lived the life of a fully divinized and perfected human being as such a goal is absolutely fitting.
Prayer is the sign of devotion one has for his Master making him feel that he is some one less than the Master, as His serf, a servant at His feet. The reason why prayer should be offered with a heart full of love and devotion is that a state of vacuity is created thereby within the abhyasi so that the flow of divine grace from the Master can be directed towards him. The Master has given in this context the example of King Bharata for who never allowed his heart to be contaminated with anything but the esteem, regard and devoted worship of his Master Lord Rama. This example is to be kept in view for maintaining the relationship which is the true form of devotion and this is the connecting link between the Master and serf.
The devotee makes himself known to the Master by the current of his own power through the link thus established as in the case of a telegraphic link cited as an example here by the Master. Whatever there is with the Master begins to flow into the serf from the Master who begins to adopt increasing nearness to him gradually by the effect of devotion. This nearness develops further leading to the state of intercommunion between the Master and the devotee.
The Master points out that there are many bhavas or feelings and attitudes one may adopt in loving God such as paternal, friendly, maternal and so on. But the most fruitful way is the way of the lover and beloved, we being the lover and He the beloved. Slowly the roles get reversed, He becoming the lover and we the beloved. Though this is a very advanced and blessed stage, there remains much more to be attained which only a life of practicality can reveal. The Master makes the point that when the world emerged in its present form, the central point was deeply rooted in every thing in manifestation. Since this is part of the Supreme, our attention is drawn towards the Source. In prayer we reach up to the central point which is possible only when we try to create a similar state within which is possible through steady practice. The hint here is that the state of negation and perfect resignation to the Divine Will is to be achieved. ‘Be like the dead in the hands of the dresser’ as the Master would put it. If a strong craving can be created and maintained in the heart one is in