The Seven Lines of Arrogance: Distinguishing Information from True Wisdom

In the vast tapestry of spiritual history, a profound distinction exists between the accumulation of words and the radiance of experience. The transcript narrates a powerful incident from the life of Narsinh Saraswati, an Avatar of Lord Dattatreya.

A Vedic scholar, swollen with the pride of his intellect and command over scriptures, approached the humble hermitage of Narsinh Saraswati. Driven by jealousy of the Saint's rising popularity, the scholar challenged him, demanding a debate to prove who was the true knower of Truth. While the Saint offered humility, bowing down to the scholar's arrogance, the scholar insisted on a contest.

Narsinh Saraswati quietly asked for a stick and drew seven distinct lines on the ground. He then called upon a wild man named Bhola—a savage who lived by eating dog's meat and had never known civilized learning. The Saint asked Bhola to cross the seven lines. Upon crossing the final line, the wild man stood transformed. When the scholar posed a complex Vedic question, Bhola answered in fluent, flawless Sanskrit, leaving the pundit flabbergasted.

The scene shifts to the sacred grounds of Shirdi, specifically recorded in G.S. Khaparde’s Diary on December 29, 1911. Baba sat in Dwarkamai, in a joyful mood, narrating a parable to his devotees. He spoke of a man famished for knowledge who went to the house of the 'Father' (the Guru). Instead of serving, the man gorged himself on information and stole ornaments of spiritual power. Though he grew 'fat' with intellectual accumulation, he was repeatedly robbed of his stolen goods. He had not earned the wisdom; he had merely filched it.