The Tenth Man: Maharaj Ji Brings the Spiritual Parable to Life

The Tenth Man: Maharaj Ji Brings Alive a Timeless Spiritual Parable

Maharaj Ji shares a timeless spiritual teaching through a well-known parable, the story of the Tenth Man, and gently unfolds its deeper meaning.

Ten travellers crossed a river together. Once they reached the other side, the leader began counting to ensure everyone was safe. Each time he counted, he arrived at nine and panicked, believing one person had drowned. The others counted too, each forgetting to count themselves, and each reached the same conclusion. They began to weep in grief.

A wise man passing by listened to their sorrow, smiled, and said he would find the missing person. He asked the leader to count again, and when the counting ended at nine, the wise man slapped him lightly and said, “You are the tenth.” The grief vanished instantly.

Maharaj Ji highlights an often overlooked detail of the story. The river was not deep at all, only knee-deep. Drowning there was impossible. Yet the mind created fear, loss, and sorrow where none existed. Such is the power of the mind and its tricks.

Then Maharaj Ji brings us to the heart of the teaching. Just like the travellers who counted only those in front of them and forgot themselves, we too live our lives counting everything outside, the world, people, relationships, possessions, but we forget to recognise ourselves.

We remain focused on what is visible, what is in front of us, while forgetting the one who is seeing. We do not recognise the “I” within. Maharaj Ji clarifies that this “I” does not mean ego. This “I” is the soul, the atma.

If the soul were not present, where would the world be for us? Where would family, work, relationships, or responsibilities exist? It is only because the soul is present within that all outer connections arise. Children, elders, roles, relationships, all exist because the soul is there.

Yet we have forgotten the self - soul. We remember the entire world but forget the atma and Parmatma. The world occupies our heart and mind, while the Divine is pushed aside.
Maharaj Ji says, half smiling, that the slap reminding us of the tenth man has not yet come!

When difficult circumstances arise, we remember God. Otherwise, in comfortable times, God is set aside and the mind remains filled with worldly concerns.

Maharaj Ji reminds us that the Divine must be remembered not only in sorrow but ALWAYS. When remembrance becomes constant, suffering does not take hold.

ਜਉ ਸੁਖ ਕਉ ਚਾਹੈ ਸਦਾ ਸਰਨਿ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਲੇਹ ॥
If you desire lasting peace, take refuge in the all-pervading Lord. Form a living relationship with Him. Walk through life as His servant, drawing strength and energy from Him.

Maharaj Ji explains that instead, we often draw energy from ego, from “I am this” and “I have done that.” Ego brings both gain and loss. It cannot give lasting peace. Only when Divine grace flows does life move smoothly and harmoniously.

For that grace, Maharaj Ji teaches us the path of sewa and simran. Stay connected with the Divine through remembrance, and express that connection through service. See God in His creation, and then serve that creation.

This teaching was shared as Maharaj Ji blessed the students of Nirmal Ashram Hari Kirpa Silai Kendra, an institution of sewa where women are trained to become self-reliant and financially independent. Alongside their training, they perform exceptional sewa every day by preparing prasad packets that Maharaj Ji distributes to thousands.
On this day, they were filling prasad packets, and Maharaj Ji pointed out that each packet passes through nine hands, nine steps of sewa, before it is ready. Then he asked gently, where is the tenth? The tenth is the soul, the self. Without it, none of the other nine steps would exist.

At the end, Maharaj Ji blessed them deeply, saying how fortunate they are. They come every day and perform selfless, nishkam sewa for hours. They do not know the people who will receive this prasad. There is no personal connection, yet they serve with the feeling that God’s creation will come and receive it. In truth, they are serving Parmatma, Guru, and the Divine Himself.
Such sewa brings peace. Maharaj Ji said that just by watching their service, peace arises within him, so how much peace must be filling their own hearts. Through this sewa, suffering is reduced, grace flows, and goodness enters life.
Maharaj Ji concludes with a clear teaching: sewa comes first, and alongside sewa, simran must continue. When service and remembrance walk together, life becomes complete.

Many in the sangat say they wish they could come daily for darshan and sewa, but circumstances do not allow it. Maharaj Ji reminds the women how fortunate they are to live this blessing every day.