Sandwitched

A professor, a specialist in Indian psychology, engages their class.

Amidst the intelligent students was a dumb one.

Professor: A student should completely surrender to a guru as per Indian psychology. Western psychology does not work that way. 

While everyone agrees on the above, the dump one clings to their thoughts. Unable to digest, goes back to the professor privately.

Dumb student: Teacher, I could not digest a particular thing in the class. Indian psychology says a student should not accept anything blindly, even from the Guru. Be it the case of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, or be it the case of Nachiketa and Lord Yama. Even "Sahana vavatu, sahanou bhunaktu ...." speaks of the intellectual growth of both Guru and student by coming to a consensus. So both should have an open mind for learning, isn't it? If one is trying to have authority over the other, then learning does not happen, isn't it?

Professor: Surrender is not that you should not question your guru. Surrendering is placing yourself at the lotus feet of the Guru. Surrendering is accepting your guru in thought, deed, and action. Kindly understand the concept in depth.

Dumb student: Thank you for your answer. I am still learning. I don't have deep knowledge of the subject.

Professor: We have lost a lot of tradition due to western education. The problem of education.

Dumb student: True. We are in the British education system. This topic is my self-interest. I am learning. It will take time. 

Unable to resist the dumbness of the student, the professor laughs. And the dump student again goes into thinking. Did the professor laugh at the use of 'we' or at the student's speed? 

Professor: Your Guru will grace you.

Dumb student: Thank you. I am blessed.

a silkworm

in its hand-built home

entangled —

we dig 

our grave