Once a devoted disciple of Bijoykrishna came up to Bhaskarananda at a gathering and asked him a few questions. The Master had answered everybody else’s questions, but he would not answer Bijoykrishna’s disciple. Instead he insulted the disciple and told him to go away.

Everybody was shocked at the Master’s behaviour, and the disciple went home very sad. But that night he had a dream and, in the dream, Swami Bhaskarananda answered his question with utmost affection.

The next day the seeker told Bhaskarananda’s disciples why the Master had not answered his question in front of others. Others had asked their questions with utmost sincerity and humility, but he had had tremendous pride when he had asked his question. That is why Swami Bhaskarananda had insulted him instead of answering his question. But at night Bhaskarananda had forgiven him and had answered the question in his dream. The seeker was very pleased with the answer and extremely grateful that Bhaskarananda had punished him for his undivine pride.

Commentary:

Pride separates, humility unites. Pride is the vision of a blind man. Humility is the vision of a God-man. It is not beneath the dignity of the Master to deal with the pride-existence of the seeker, for the Master knows that the seeker will not and cannot receive anything from him if pride is what he has and what he is. Humility is receptivity in the purest sense of the term. Humility welcomes both God the Creator and God the creation in its ever-expanding life and ever-soaring heart.

Sri Chinmoy