WHERNTO: heedism
Once there was a holy man who had many disciples. He taught them well and revealed how God is in all things.
One day his disciples went out to gather firewood for their ashram and they heard a great commotion!
"Mad elephant! Mad elephant!" was the cry and it seemed to be coming their way. Suddenly, they saw a huge elephant tearing down towards them with others following in desperate pursuit.
The mahut of the elephant was shouting "Run! Run!" to everyone who could hear and that is just what they were doing. The disciples took flight right away … all except one bhakti soul who remembered his master's teachings only too well.
He steadfastly stood in the middle of the elephant's rampaging path.
"Get out of the way!" shouted the mahut, "Get out of the way!"
The disciple held his ground and bowed in unwavering reverence as the elephant was almost upon him.
Then, the elephant ran over him and disappeared into the forest.
The disciple was scraped out of the ground and carried back to the ashram, where, after a while, he regained consciousness.
"Why did you not get out of the way?" the others asked.
He replied, "Master taught us that God was in all things! I therefore, recognized the God in elephant and wished to acknowledge his great being."
The holy man shook his head while chuckling.
Then he said to his disciple, "My poor devoted one! You are so right that God is within the elephant! But did you not hear God in the mahut telling you to get out of the way?"