Once a woman went to Gambhirananda crying and crying because for a long time she had not heard anything from her son, who was in England. She was terribly worried and she begged the Master to tell her something about her son. The Master said he did not have that kind of occult power, but she cried and cried until finally the Master agreed. He entered into a room for twenty minutes and when he came out he said, “Don’t worry. Your son has left England and is now in Bombay. He is coming back to you. In three days’ time he will arrive home.” On exactly the third day the son arrived home. When the mother told him the story, the son laughed and laughed. “I have been to Europe,” he said, “so I know that this is only a kind of superstition you are enjoying.”

The mother said, “All right, but at least come and see this spiritual Master.” So the son went with his mother. When he saw Gambhirananda he almost fainted. “Hello, what are you doing here?” he demanded.

The disciples who were with the Master became angry. “Why are you speaking to our Master with such disrespect?” they asked.

The young man said, “I saw him on the ship in Bombay, near my cabin. He was walking around in the same dress he has on now. I was surprised to see him and I wondered why a poor man like him was standing near the first-class cabins. So I asked him the same question: ‘What are you doing here?’ but he only smiled at me! He didn’t speak. Now I see him here.”

Then the son bowed down to the Master and said, ” Forgive me. Now I know that you are a very great spiritual Master. Forgive my audacity.”

Commentary:

A spiritual Master is he who has conquered time and space. A spiritual Master is he who lives a forgiveness-life. A spiritual Master is he who cries and dies with the bleeding heart of humanity. A spiritual Master is he who smiles God’s Smile and spreads God’s Satisfaction- Delight in and through humanity’s evolving aspiration-quest.

Sri Chinmoy