There was a guru who was very peaceful and very knowledgeable. He spent his time singing the glory of God. Once, along with his disciple he arrived at a village. It was a rainy day and they had become exhausted. Night fell. And they prepared to sleep in a small mandir. Both of them lay on the floor but the lamp had been left burning. The guru asked the disciple, ''It is time to sleep,
so snuff out the lamp!''

The disciple quipped, ''Oh just cover your head with your blanket. It will be as good as putting out the lamp.'' Then, after a while, the guru asked, ''Please see if it is still raining outside or not.'' Just then a cat entered through the mandir door. It had come from outside. The disciple said, ''Just stroke the cat with your hand. If it is wet then you'll know that it is still raining.''

Next, the guru commanded, ''We must sleep now, so go and close the main door.'' ''But two jobs I have done, now you do one,'' the disciple complained. Such disciples never progress on the spiritual path.


The real disciple should obey each and every command of his guru. Only by implicit obedience does he attain the divine virtues of his guru. Never answer back or be cheeky towards your guru. Only then will you rise in the spiritual world.