Atmatatwa is one and the same in all

There was a guru with a large number of disciples and  the guru was telling them some good things. One day, when the lesson was going on, the teacher told the disciples that while they are engaged in puja (ritual worship) and meditation, no matter what obstacles come their way, they must take care to see that their meditation is not disturbed. 

The disciples had great faith in the guru. There were also some disciples who were staying in the ashram itself. On a birthday of the guru, one disciple decided to offer special prayers to the guru by repeating the 108 names of the Lord. The disciple collected a photograph, 108 flowers and wanted to perform the puja in the traditional manner.

One other disciple invited the guru and took him to his house. The guru while going told this other disciple, who wanted to do the worship at the ashram itself, to be careful and asked him to keep the front door closed.

The day was very hot and the guru neither had slippers for his feet nor did he have sufficient hair on his head to protect him from the sun guru came to the ashram and wanted the door to be opened, the disciple inside was engaged in offering puja. The guru knocked at the door and asked the disciple to open the door. The disciple replied that he was engaged in puja and that the guru must wait till the puja was over, as the puja was not to be interrupted.

Today ninety-nine out of a hundred people are like this disciple. They only worship the photograph of the person whose grace they long for, and continue to do so even when the latter is knocking at the very door of the worshipper.