_Question: Guru, one time you said that Swami Vivekananda came and took away your knee pain, and the relief lasted for a day or two. I was wondering if there is any way of explaining his motivation, and if he would ever do it again?_

Sri Chinmoy: Why did he do that for one or two days? Only to do me a favour! Once there was a long-distance walk around the track at Jamaica High School, and I was in such pain. Inwardly, Sri Ramakrishna touched my knee and took my pain away. I was so happy, and I walked 200 or 300 metres. Alas, then the pain came back. Sri Ramakrishna said, "I can do this much. The rest is between you and your Supreme." I was in such agony, and then I was so thrilled that my pain had gone away. Alas, after I had covered another 200 metres, the pain came back. I said, "What is this? The pain is back." Sri Ramakrishna said, "I can only do this much for you. A permanent cure is between you and your Supreme."

On the physical plane I have the same experience. When my Chinese doctor gives me an injection for my pain, I feel better for two weeks. The pain does not go away, but I feel better, so I am in the seventh Heaven. Then, after two weeks, alas, alas, the pain comes back, and my doctor gives me another treatment. I trust him! I have such love for him. And I must say, at least the pain does not increase!

In this world a kind of miracle many have performed, by touching people. But unfortunately these are not like Jesus Christ's miracles, because the doctors and others are not Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ touched people, and their pain went away. It did not come back. In my case, some people show me a so-called miracle, but it lasts for only a very short time. Then the problem comes back very nicely.

There is not a single spiritual Master who has not suffered on the physical plane. Each one has suffered. Perhaps there are some spiritual Masters who have suffered physically much, much more than I have been suffering — much, much more. But there is not a single spiritual Master who did not have physical pain.

Sometimes a spiritual Master will blame his disciples, and sometimes the disciples blame themselves for the Master's suffering. God alone knows who is responsible: the Master himself or the disciples. In my case I always say, "No disciple is responsible. It is not their problem. No, it is my problem. I am responsible for my suffering." Sri Ramakrishna said to his disciples, "I have got cancer in my throat because I have taken the sins of all of you." How many disciples did Sri Ramakrishna have? At that time he had sixteen or twenty disciples. Openly he said, "I have taken your sins. They are all inside my throat." Other Masters also said similar things. But in my case I will never say that I am getting pain from the karma of my disciples — no, no, no.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Beyond likes and dislikes: illumining questions and answers, Agni Press, 2012
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