Folktales from India: The Guru & the Idiot

“Once upon a time, there was a guru who was very famous. He had disciples in many parts of the country who came to visit him and brought him expensive gifts. Sometimes the guru himself traveled to different parts of the country in his costly and confortable palanquin to meet them, followed by many other disciples.

One day as the procession was going thru a village a man who looked like a simpleton cried, ‘Stop! Stop!’ He stood in front of the procession and would not let it move on.

The guru was very annoyed. The sudden stop had jolted the palanquin and he had bumped his head. ‘What do you want, you idiot?’ he shouted, for though he was a guru he had a bad temper.

‘Talk to me, teach me wisdom,’ said the simpleton.

‘What do you want to know’? asked the guru impatiently.

‘I want to know how to go to heaven,’ said the man.

‘Easy,’ said the guru. ‘Stand where you are and raise your arms to heaven. In no time at all, you will be there.’

As the procession moved on, the disciples laughed at the simpleton. They turned around to see whether he was doing as he was told. He was.

He was still doing was he was told a few years later when the procession was on its way back.

‘Who is that idiot standing in the middle of the road with his arms raised to heaven?’ asked the guru.

The disciples went up to the man who looked tired and tattered. ‘I was told by a guru that I would go to heaven this way. That is why I continue to stand here with my arms raised to heaven,’ the man said simply.

The guru was very ashamed of himself. He was touched by the man´s deep and simple faith. He had a sudden vision, in which he saw the man rise to heaven.

The guru got out of the palanquin and said, ¡My friend, you are a truly good man. Let me hold you on your feet. It is you who will take me to heaven.’

And the disciples watched as the guru and the idiot rose up to the skies where the gods live.”