The Assault

[Ani]

The Assault

An ignominious act was committed at Izgrev on the 4th of May 1936. All day, Peter Dunov was grim and concentrated. After lunch, he sent home the sisters who took care of the cooking. A musician disciple came for a brief talk. They went into the lecture hall. Meanwhile, a stranger crossed the glade, approached the reception room and smashed the window with his fist. Having seen that there was no one inside, he went to the lecture hall. His hand was bloody from the broken glass. As soon as he saw the Master, he assaulted him and beat him up atrociously. Strangely, there was no one around to come to the Master's help. Probably that was what the Master had wanted, having come to this world to protect and not to be protected. The attacker was later arrested and a police officer took him to Izgrev. They asked Dunov how to punish him. "I forgive him," he answered. However, after the attacker had apologized, he addressed him with the words: "I forgive you but pray that God may forgive you." The consequences of this shameful episode were only to be observed much later.

On the 27th of May the same year, the Master played for the first time the March of the Forces of Light on his violin. Despite its rhythm, it was not about the glorious march of the noetic beings but rather about the hardships they had to suffer in overcoming the darkness of matter. About a month after the assault, the first signs of paralysis were noticed: first in the right arm, then in the right leg and finally in the speech. On the 10th of July, with an enormous effort of the will, the Master took his disciples to the Seven Lakes. It was a strenuous climb, and the whole camp shared his suffering for days. The Master's condition was the sole subject of discussion in every tent. He remained silent, enduring his suffering with patience. From the 7th of August, the Master's condition gradually began to improve. He started leaving his tent and joining the disciples round the evening fire. The camp was hilarious. The usual vigorous routine was quickly re-established. On the 14th of August, the group returned from the camp. The disciples never forgot the Master's example in bearing hardships without a word of complaint.