Patience- the test of holiness

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“A spiritual aspirant once went to a certain saint and said, “Master, please reveal to me the means by which I can attain the vision of the Divine.”
The saint advised him to retire to seclusion and practice uninterrupted prayer for a year.
At the end of this year,” the Spiritual Guide further advised him, “after you have defeated and annihilated your selfishness, come to me after taking a bath.”
According to this advice of the sage, the aspirant withdrew into isolation and began to pray very sincerely.

A sweeper used to come and sweep the earth near the saint’s hut. On the day the aspirant completed his year of SADHANA, the saint called that sweeper and, mentioning the place where the aspirant had retired, told him: “There is a person engaged in the worship of the Divine in that place. When he finishes his bath this morning, shake off the dust on him with the broom.”

The sweeper did as he had been instructed. He greatly upset the aspirant. In an outburst of anger, he ran after the sweeper to beat him.
“The bastard has soiled me thoroughly,” he said obediently and, taking a bath for the second time, came to the hermitage of the saint.

“Sir, it’s been a whole year since you gave me these instructions. Can I have the privilege of gaining God’s vision?”
The saint replied, “My child, your mind is not yet submissive. Even after a year of prayer, you still bite angrily like a venomous snake. Go and perform your spiritual practice for another year and totally subdue your mind.”

The aspirant therefore withdrew again and engaged in uninterrupted prayer for another year.

On the day the second year was completed, the saint instructed the sweeper to touch the aspirant with his broom when the latter finished his bath. The sweeper did exactly as he was told. This time, the aspirant did not run after the sweeper to beat him, but reprimanded him with harsh and inappropriate words. Then, taking a bath again, he went to the saint with the request to receive the vision of God.
The saint told him: “The serpent of your mind even now emits terrible and frightening hisses. How can you expect to see God without killing this serpent? Go and practice prayer again for another year. But, be careful, if you fail the test next time, God will not grant you the grace of his vision.”

This time the aspirant carried out his spiritual practice with great determination. On the day when the third year of practice was completed, the saint asked the sweeper to throw over him the entire amount of garbage he had collected that morning. The sweeper also followed this instruction, but the aspirant defeated his anger this time. Bowing to the sweeper, he said to him with sincere humility, “Brother, you have done me a great favor. If you had not done this, how could I have freed myself from the trap of anger? Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Then, once again, the aspirant addressed the holy man. This time, the saint blessed him and offered him initiation. The aspirant then performed a rigorous spiritual practice according to the advice of his Spiritual Guide and soon had the vision of God.”

by Swami Shivananda