After hundreds of years of walking on the path of spirituality, he started considering himself an elevated soul and was proud of his achievements.
But then, once he turned back and saw that he was still there from where he started!
The pride you are feeling for the service, meditation or preaching you are doing is not the proof of your growth, but rather the proof of your stagnation or degeneration.
Gurbani says:
ਮਾਨ ਮੁਨੀ ਮੁਨਿਵਰ ਗਲੇ ਮਾਨੁ ਸਭੈ ਕਉ ਖਾਇ ॥੧੫੬॥
Even the silent sages and seers are destroyed by pride; pride eats up everything.
Beware of pride. It wells up even from within the humility. It is dangerous. Always remain bowed down before the Guru and always ask for forgiveness, and never a return for your efforts.