But he did not say anything and appeared innocently unmindful of them.
The next day, all took their seats before the Master. He noticed they seemed to be in a sad mood. The Master inquired the reason, and they told him what was on their minds. He laughingly told them to be patient and, in a short time, had completely changed their remorseful mood into one of gaiety. All forgot their dejection.
Some days later the Sadguru told his disciples, "Don't do any work today and enjoy yourselves for a change. You have the whole day to yourselves, so eat, drink and be merry." This made them jubilant, and they spent the day happily playing cards, listening to music, jesting and joking with one another.
In the evening the Sadguru said, "We will go out in the boat tonight." This made his disciples even more happy and they said, "Master, it would be grand if you allowed us to take a little wine this evening." The Master readily agreed, and all drank and ate to their heart's content. They took their seats in the boat and continued playing cards, listening to music and enjoying themselves thoroughly. The Master told them to take turns rowing the boat by twos. And so it went.
They were overjoyed to be allowed so much freedom, and after a few hours the Sadguru observed, "We have come a long distance and we won't be able to return before dawn."
The disciples said with bravado, as they were slightly tipsy by now, "However far we have proceeded, we will surely return home by morning; we will row even harder!" The Master did not say a word.
It was a moonlit night, and all got very drunk. Dawn began breaking over the horizon and the Master said, "Oh, it is morning now and we still have not returned home!" The intoxicating effects of the wine were wearing off by now, and they thought that they had come a long distance. But then, carefully observing their surroundings, they saw to their astonishment that they were where they had boarded the boat the night before! In their intoxication, instead of rowing the boat, they had stayed right where they had started from!
The Sadguru then commented, "The whole night you were rowing and rowing and I was also seated with you. But the boat did not move at all; you are where you were and have not gone a step further. What is the reason for this?"