Imitating The Master

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Adi Sankara, the exponent of Advaita Vedanta had a foolish disciple who imitated the master's deeds. Whenever the master uttered 'Shivoham' (I am Shiva), the foolish disciple used to immediately repeat it.

One day the master in order to teach him a lesson, while passing by a smithy, took a potful of molten iron and swallowed it. He then asked the disciple to repeat the deed. The disciple could not imitate the master this time and henceforth gave up the habit of imitating the master.

The actual import of the deeds of the master ought to be captured and lived in order to make the truth an experience rather than a mere mechanical repetition.