One of the men wanted to know what the simplest and easiest way to emancipation and immortality. Baba replied:
The easiest way to immortality is contact with a Spiritual Master, and the simplest requirement is intense longing for realizing God. For this, persistent effort is needed. All other paths are quite long and full of difficulties. Service is said to be the highest religion, yet hundreds of thousands of births and deaths do not bring you any nearer to salvation. Therefore, the simplest and easiest way is to keep the company of saints and the contact of a Perfect Master. Any service rendered under their orders gives you inner freedom, after which there is nothing further to be gained. Unless you have that deep feeling for God-realization, such tasks appear to be quite impossible and most difficult. But once you have that eager longing, despite all your weaknesses, this enormous and impossible task will become possible.
Any small vessel attached to a big steamer will go miles with it in storm or stress. If that small vessel were to sail alone, it would take years to reach the Goal; not only that, but it might be caught in a storm of rough seas and actually sink. In the same way, the worldly-minded ignorantly want to bring about changes in world affairs and direct their activities accordingly. It would be like trying to sail the seven seas in a small vessel in very stormy weather, facing the imminent danger of being swept away. Only the Masters of Truth can make you cross over to the other side. Their help is the greatest boon for small crafts to quickly reach the Goal. For this reason, to stop the universe from going astray and to put it on the right path, the Masters take birth on this planet. They teach you and guide you, and it is for you to cooperate with them.
–www.lordmeher.org, p644
February, 1926; Meherabad