Why didn't you listen to Mahavat-Narayan?

- Dew became Moti-Kumarapal Desai

One who grasps the words of the Shastra gets only a superficial understanding. It is necessary to know the meaning hidden behind the words of the scriptures. The Guru used to impart the knowledge of philosophy to the disciple. He said, 'If, whatever is, that is Narayana.'

The disciples only caught the words and asked the Guru, 'So what? This is all, is it Narayana?'

The Guru said, 'If you understand that God is omnipresent then you will experience it. This is the green of Him, I and you are also the form of Him, you are Narayan, I am Narayan.'

Believing that 'everything is Narayana', the disciple who went out to beg saw an elephant coming from the front. The thought arose in the mind of the disciple, 'Wow, I too am Narayana and this elephant is also Narayana. How good it would be if both meet!'

Mahavat sitting on an elephant saw the disciple standing in the middle of the road and shouted, 'Hey! Go away, go away, go away.'

But that disciple started coming towards that elephant-Narayana with love. When he came very close, Mahawat again said, 'Hey, are you listening? Move away, or the elephant will sniff you.'

If the disciple thinks that the Guru had said that everything is Narayana, then why should I be afraid of this elephant-Narayana? Thinking thus, the disciple stood in the middle of the road. The elephant approached and grabbed the disciple by its trunk and threw him aside. The disciple was greatly affected.

He came back to the Guru and complained, 'Gurudev, how is this your knowledge? You said that there is Narayana everywhere. I saw Narayana in the elephant and was walking in front of it. So he pushed me aside. Behold, my bones are broken.'

The Guru smiled and said, 'It is true that you are Narayan and the elephant is also Narayan, but when you were warned by Mahavat in the form of Narayan, why did you not listen? You did not target the matter of Mahavat-Narayan, so you became like this.'

The disciple said, 'But Gurudev, what is my fault?'

The Guru replied, 'Your mistake is that you have grasped the word, not the meaning, essence or spirit behind it. He who grasps the word makes mistakes. I told you that Narayana resides in every soul, but you did not grasp its essence. It is necessary to get inside the word and understand its meaning.'