In the olden days spiritual masters tested their disciples in a specific, traditional manner. These days we give two kinds of tests - traditional ones and 'Kali Yuga' tests which are suited to the current age. All the well-known spiritual masters tested their disciples. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Ramana Maharishi, Swami Shivananda, Yoga Swami of Jaffna. They all gave difficult tests. Why did these masters test their students? The greatest sufferings in life can be lessened by certain tests given by such great and wise souls.

In India a mother keeps a pottu (religious mark) on her child's forehead and cheeks to ward off the effect of the 'evil eye'. Similarly, once the divine master accepts you and gives you his protection, he or she gives you spiritual guardianship. This relieves you of much of your past karmas (effects of previous actions) and you experience only a fraction of it. In order to teach you spirituality and guide you on the correct path he will give you tests in life. If you go on the wrong path he will give you a warning by way of a test and direct you towards God. Always remember that the master's tests are in order to avert bigger dangers in life. Not only this, through the disciple's reaction to the tests the master can evaluate the progress of the disciple. The disciple can learn by his mistakes and then increase his self-enquiry in order to correct himself.

The spiritual master must enact a series of divine dramas with each individual to break down the walls of the ego and instil forbearance and self-surrender in the mind. The master trains the disciples into an attitude of reliance solely on God. During this procedure the disciple should develop infinite patience and strength of will. I always stress that these qualities are essential if one wishes to attain enlightenment. I cannot tell you exactly how spiritual masters test disciples because that is the master's secret! However, when the master begins to test you, you should realize that this is a good sign. It shows that he has truly accepted you as his pupil and that he is bringing you close to his divine atma (higher self). He is guiding you with the grace of God which flows through him.

You have entered the university of spirituality. But like all pupils you would like to see your exam papers in advance of the test. A true master will certainly not show them to you. If he did it would mean that he does not want good disciples. Some masters might tell you the questions first and then give you excellent pass marks but Premananda will never do that! It is a secret paper for each of you and only I know what is in it. I set the test and I give the marks. Only I know if the disciple has passed or failed. Moreover, I will never tell you or anyone else how many tests you have passed. Sometimes there may be 350 tests and the disciple may pass only 50. Yet these 50 may be the equivalent of the remaining 300.
The spiritual teacher will not give very difficult tests to devotees. It is his duty to help, support and bless them to live a happy and peaceful family life. He definitely trains them but in an encouraging and very supportive way. Yet if you are taken on as a disciple and want to understand the highest dharma (spiritual law) then the master will immediately begin to test you.

Maybe now you can understand why I often say that money cannot be charged for training a person in high spirituality. It cannot be taught in a course with set stages. All students do not have the same mentality. No two individuals think alike. The master must train and test the sishya (disciple) according to the workings and aspirations of his or her individual mind, according to the sishya's karma and according to the will of God. Only a true spiritual master has knowledge of these.

He has the power not only to relieve the sishya of karma but also to regulate the sishya's experience of various karmas. If I accept you I will take your karma and 'keep it in my pocket.' When you are upset I will make you happy and when you are happy and have peace of mind I will give you back a little of your karma and you will become upset or confused about a particular subject. Again I will show you the spiritual route out of your confusion. This is an on-going process. In this way you will work through your karmas and remove the obstacles in your mental make-up which would otherwise certainly prevent you from progressing spiritually.

The spiritual path is not an easy one but the joys one experiences on the way and its ultimate reward of enlightenment cannot be measured. Yet still many disciples wish that the master would give them immediate enlightenment. Some false gurus might charge two thousand dollars and claim to enlighten their disciples. Disciples who are foolish enough to pay out such money should understand that this is not a perfect or true way of spiritual learning. One cannot get immediate understanding of divinity or the higher self. Unscrupulous gurus who charge money like this understand the mentality of their impatient followers who feel that spirituality is a commodity to be bought. Such "gurus" become wealthy very quickly to the cost of their misled pupils. A faultless, enlightened guru will not demand fees for teaching spirituality.

Once I was asked if the tests are the creation of the spiritual master and if it was his drama. Try to understand that the drama occurs naturally according to the mentality of the disciple. The disciple's mind dances to a certain tune and the master will also dance to that tune to exaggerate that mental impression. If the disciple has a small doubt the master will increase that doubt and magnify it. Now that the doubt looms large in the disciple's mind he can face it, understand it and overcome the thought, desire or mental impression.

If the disciple makes a sincere effort to increase faith and will-power he will definitely come through the tests successfully. One may fail the test initially but this is also good. It gives an even greater understanding of what has to be corrected. The compassionate master will do his best to help the disciple at all times.

According to the ancient, traditional spiritual life and the path of higher reality and eternal law, the qualifications necessary to be accepted by a genuine master are a sincere and truthful heart and an earnest desire to learn divinity and attain liberation. One's age, appearance or wealth are not of importance. However, it is a rarity to find such a high order of disciple who is able to secure the training of a realized master.

Remember that only the love of God is permanent. I want you to recognize what is false and what is true. Generate and feel the purest love deep inside and know that it is divine.

Swami Premananda