Part IV — The Master's compassion

Question: Why do spiritual Masters get sick if they are in touch with God?

Sri Chinmoy: Many times spiritual figures die of so-called fatal diseases. But these poor Masters are not responsible. What happens is that the Master identifies himself with his disciples; his love and affection for his disciples are boundless. So he tries to take the disciples’ imperfections into himself and dissolve them. It is like the case of mother and son. When the mother sees that the child is suffering she says, “Give me your suffering, give it to me.” So you cannot say that because the Guru is suffering he is imperfect. No, he is suffering for his own spiritual children. They have done something wrong, and out of his bounty and kindness and compassion he draws into himself that imperfection. There are various reasons why the spiritual Masters fall sick.