HE IS MY GURU

There were two saints in Badrinath considered to be realised souls. One was young and middle-aged staying in the first cottage on a road. The other one was quite old, having a long white beard and he stayed in the last house of the same road as the younger one. When the visitors to Badrinath enquired of the local people regarding any great Mahatmas worth meeting in that town, people invariably pointed out these two saints. Usually the visitors used to go to the first house.

At the time of their departure the younger saint used to tell them sarcastically – ‘‘Why don’t you go to the bogus old man in the last house who has grown a long beard to impress you all and is waiting for victims with fat purses.’’ He used to abuse the second saint directly and indirectly in the presence of the visitors. Most of the visitors used to get discouraged and would go away without visiting the older saint.

This matter used to reach the ears of the older saint too. One of the disciples of the old saint asked the latter – ‘‘Maharaj, why are you tolerating this reprehensible behaviour and the undeserved abuses of this young upstart? Why don’t you send for him to this cottage and give him a bit of your mind?’’

The old man replied: ‘‘We do not know what personal grouse the young man has against me. You better go and become the disciple of the younger man without disclosing your connection with me. Try to ingratiate yourself into his favour and find out what offence, he feels, has been committed against him and why he abuses me before all visitors.’’

Very soon, this disciple became a close confidant of the younger saint. One day he asked the latter in private – ‘‘Holy sir, I find that you are an excellent Mahatma in every aspect but how is it that you daily indulge in defaming the old saint at the end of this road. In what way has he offended you?’’

The younger saint laughed gaily, took out a photo from his pocket, showed it to the disciple and said ‘‘He is my Guru’’. The photo was of the old saint. He further added: ‘‘My Guru does not like to meet all and sundry people all the time everyday.”

Sri Swami Shantananda Puri