Master's peerless pride — a real disciple

Three elderly women once went to a spiritual Master. Each of their sons had sat for the Matriculation Examination. In order to know the results of the examination, these women came to the spiritual Master.

The spiritual Master gave each a different answer. To the first he said, "It is doubtful." To the second he said, "It is a hopeless case." To the third he said, "Your son will definitely pass the examination."

A few days later the results came out in the newspaper. In the case of the one where the Master had said, "Doubtful," the boy passed. In the case where the Master had said that the boy would not pass at all, "a hopeless case," he passed with credit. In the case where he had said, "He will definitely pass," the boy failed. The Master's prophecies all went wrong.

Of the three women, two mercilessly ridiculed the Master's prophecy. But the mother whose son failed when she had been told by the Master that he would positively pass, was the only woman to retain her faith in the Master and to come back to him. The others did not turn up again, although they were more than delighted that their sons had passed the examination.

The lady whose son failed came to visit the Master. The newspaper was right in front of the Master, and, thinking that the Master might be embarrassed, she grabbed the newspaper and threw it aside. She was still not satisfied. She found the page where the result was mentioned and tore it into pieces.

At this the Master said, "What are you doing, and how is it that you have come back to me? Your son has failed. In the other two cases I predicted that their sons would fail, but they have passed. Those ladies could easily have come to me with smiling faces. But knowing perfectly well that your son has failed, how is it that you have come to me?"

The woman came closer and touched the feet of the Master and said, "Master, I came to you with my friends out of curiosity, but when I saw you meditating and looking at us, smiling, I saw a Divine Light in your face. True, my son has failed the examination. What does it matter? Even if he had passed, it would not have mattered much. To pass or fail in the Matriculation is not a matter of life and death. But I have never seen in any human face the Light that I have seen in you. My son is not at home, otherwise I would have brought him and placed him at your feet."

The Master said, "Your son will come!"

The mother said, "Certainly he will. My son has implicit faith in me. He is all love for me. My son is bound to come to you. I will bring my sister, too. My husband is now away in the city, but when he comes back I shall bring him along with my children. From now on, we are all going to be your disciples. And if my son fails next time also, rest assured my Master, we will not lose faith in you. We come to the spiritual Master for spiritual light, divine love, heavenly blessings, and constant guidance, and not for school results for our children."

The Master blessed the disciple and said, "To have a disciple like you is to cherish the pride of a peerless jewel."