There is a story which points out the difference between a genuine disciple and others who behave in one way when they are with the preceptor and differently when they are away from him.
The preceptor, when he was nearing his end, sent word to all his old disciples to come to the
ashram for a last meeting with them before he passed away. All the disciples had arrived except
one who had to come from a long distance. While he was coming, he had to cross a river in spate
before reaching the guru's village. Despite warnings from the villagers not to get into the swollen
river, he walked on, in his anxiety to reach the guru, reciting the mantra the guru had taught him.
Miraculously the river was only knee-deep while he was crossing it. Everybody was struck by
the miracle.
On reaching the ashram, the other disciples felt that the guru had imparted a
different mantra to this disciple which had enabled him to wade through the swollen river with
ease. They even accused the guru of partiality.
The guru told them that the mantra imparted to
all of them was one and the same, but there was a difference in the spirit in which it was uttered
by the disciples and that made all the difference in its protective efficacy.
The disciple who had
crossed the river was saved by his faith in the guru. There was no difference in the message
imparted to the disciples.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
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