like huge bodies, which demand greater attention fortheir upkeep and managing. <strong>The</strong>y also become sources<strong>of</strong> power.That apart, the consecrated student, who continuesto work with one-pointed-ness with the teachings,<strong>of</strong>fering his life to such teachings, enters into the Ashram<strong>of</strong> the Master (the aura <strong>of</strong> the Master). <strong>The</strong>se are theones, who have decided to dedicate their life and theirresources to the teachings. To such ones certain tasks canget entrusted according to the Plan. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Teacher</strong> is alsopart <strong>of</strong> that Plan, working for it. That part <strong>of</strong> the Planrelating to the <strong>Teacher</strong> is already a huge one, into whichthe eligible student enters. He feels encouraged to doit. And the <strong>Teacher</strong> supports it. This is where a sense <strong>of</strong>duty emerges. Until then it is all training oneself in theaura <strong>of</strong> the Master with the help <strong>of</strong> the teachings <strong>of</strong> theMaster. When a student finds himself working a bit forthe Plan, it is a great commitment. <strong>The</strong> student is free toget into it, but once he has taken the decision, he shouldbe loyal to the commitment. <strong>The</strong> Plan <strong>of</strong> work is carriedout by the knowers through aeons <strong>of</strong> time, and into thatwork the student enters as probationer. He needs toconduct the work with commitment. As much priorityis given to the commitment, so much the student growsthereafter. In such a state his personality life takes to asecondary position and the work to a primary position.Work stands first. It stands in priority to personality life.<strong>The</strong> student has to mould his life in such a fashion thathe is consistently available to work. At that moment hecannot say, “Master, it is August, it is holiday time withmy family”, also he cannot say, “I am on Christmasholiday”, etc. Just as one has no holiday to breathe,there is no holiday to work, unless the work grantsholiday. Even in the work relating to the grand planthere are holidays. “From work to refreshments andfrom refreshments to work” is the law. It functionsaccording to the law <strong>of</strong> alternation. <strong>The</strong>re are times torefresh even when one works for the Plan. One hasto synchronise the holiday with the work. One cannotsay, “I am not available for work for 15 days, for 30days.” That is the loyalty demanded by discipleship.Note, it is not demanded by the <strong>Teacher</strong>. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Teacher</strong>does not demand anything. It is the demand emergingfrom one’s own commitment. One has to answer one’sown conscience if one is loyal enough to the work,committed enough to the work.Madam Blavatsky committed to a grand work andfulfilled it. Madam Bailey did so, Master EK did so.Every disciple who manifests global work, committingoneself to the work, is the one who stands a fair chanceto get transformed into a <strong>Teacher</strong> or a Master. It islike an iron piece getting transformed into a magnetin the presence <strong>of</strong> a magnet. It is this transformationthat every student will face on the way to the temple108 109
<strong>of</strong> wisdom. Vivekananda, the Mother <strong>of</strong> Auroville,Yogananda <strong>of</strong> Kriya Yoga are a few <strong>of</strong> many more whohave manifested the work <strong>of</strong> light. Such is discipleship.It is this loyal sense <strong>of</strong> duty to the <strong>Teacher</strong> that playsa great role in one’s transformation, which in turnenables one to walk further on the path.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Teacher</strong>-student relationship is by far the mostcherished one and the whole Hierarchy is built onthis relation. <strong>The</strong> Hierarchy exists up to the cosmicplane, beginning with the Kumaras and ending withthe disciples who are engaged in the work <strong>of</strong> service.To every member <strong>of</strong> the Hierarchy, the preceding oneis the <strong>Teacher</strong> and the succeeding one is the student.Thus, in a <strong>Teacher</strong> there are two roles; he receivesfrom higher circles and gives it to the lower circles.Even Lord Maitreya, the <strong>World</strong> <strong>Teacher</strong>, receives fromhigher circles, while he holds responsibility <strong>of</strong> beingthe head <strong>of</strong> the Divine <strong>Teacher</strong>s on earth. <strong>The</strong> status <strong>of</strong>a <strong>Teacher</strong> or a Master is conferred on the basis <strong>of</strong> a state<strong>of</strong> be-ness. That state <strong>of</strong> be-ness is that i am.Seldom students know the process, the path, andthe relation that they need to adapt to. <strong>The</strong>y try toimpose themselves upon the <strong>Teacher</strong>, suggest betterthings to the <strong>Teacher</strong>, and comment the <strong>Teacher</strong>. It ismost important for a student to become an indweller <strong>of</strong>the Ashram <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Teacher</strong>. It is like boarding a flight,which leads to great heights with little effort. <strong>The</strong> one,who gets the key, moves ahead with greater felicity.To him the path is joyful. As said earlier, there aremany more comments relating to the <strong>Teacher</strong>-studentfunctioning. But the clues given here are helpful.110 111