Faith in God and True Spiritual Teacher

There was an Archer/Guru who was the very best Archer in his nation. He was so good in arching that he could close his eyes and hit anything within a mile. Because he would do it in the Spirit, he knew what and how to hit his target. He has earned this talent after meditating on the Art of Archery for a long time.

He would only accept twelve disciples every ten years. So every ten years hundreds of people would come to become his disciples, and he would only choose twelve and reject the rest.

There was a person who wanted to be his disciple so bad that he did everything necessary to be accepted. The time came. Everyone who came went through the exam, and the teacher chose the twelve he wanted but this man was not chosen. This man went to the Guru and said, "I have done every requirement that you asked and I really want to be your disciple." The Guru said I have chosen the ones I felt are the most qualified and that is the rule and the rest have to wait for ten years before I choose another twelve person group. This person said but I cannot wait for another ten years, I will not wait for another ten years. No matter how much he insisted the Guru would not relent and so he left very disappointed.

So these twelve disciples stayed with the greatest Archer for around nine and a half years. One day when they were sitting together, he told them the last part of their lessons about how to become an archer like him, or a teacher of the Spirit is to become one with the Spirit through Kirtan (Spiritual Dancing with Spiritual music). They started making some music and noise. They had a big drum, and they were beating on it. Suddenly an arrow came right to the drum and tore the drum.

Everyone said, "What was that? Get that person who did that." They looked all over the place. No one was around. They said probably it was a stray arrow or something. So they brought another drum and they started drumming. Five minutes later another arrow came and landed right on the drum. "What is happening here? Who dares to silent our drum?"

The teacher said, "Come, spread out and find that person who is doing this. We are the best archers in the nation, and we are mocked by someone with arrows. It cannot be tolerated. He should not be too far. Let us find him" So they spread out but could not find anyone. They again thought that should have been a fluke and/or the archer has fled the area. So they brought another Drum and the same thing happened.

This time they decided to find this person no matter how far they should go. So they spread out and continued looking further and further. Around ten miles away from where they were they found this person who was sitting in front of a statue and meditating. He had a bow and arrows beside him. They could not believe that this person could have done it. However, the disciples went and called their teacher, and they told him what they had found.

The teacher also said, "It cannot be. Even I, the best archer in the whole country, cannot hit a target farther than two miles away, that is: If I really try very hard and concentrate in my best ability. We were ten miles from this person." So he became very interested in this person and went to meet him.

The disciples came and asked him, "Did you shoot the arrow which hit our drum?" He casually said, "Yes, you were making too much noise and were disturbing my meditation. Sorry about your drums, I will pay for them."

The teacher came from behind the disciples and said, "Never mind the drums, tell me where and from whom you learned to hit a small target like a drum from ten miles away." He bowed down in front of the teacher and said, "Sir, you do not remember me, but if you recall, I am the person who had a great desire to be your student, but you did not accept me. After you rejected me, I went directly to God and Prayed the He might Help me. I meditated on how you have learned and had the Faith that your Spirit (god) will teach me too. As the time passed, Spirit started to open up to me and because of my devotion, I learned everything from Spirit."

All were amazed how faith can strengthen ones Spiritual progress, and how devotion to God and trust in the True Spiritual Teacher can help (even in Spirit). The teacher said indeed as Christ also said, "If you have the Faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains."