What does Chapter 21 teach about the role of ego and "ill-luck" in one's spiritual journey, using the story of Pir Maulana?

Chapter 21 uses the author's personal story involving the Siddha Pir Maulana to deliver a powerful lesson on the barriers of ego and fortune in spiritual progress. The author, then a Magistrate in Bandra, admits his own pride prevented him from visiting the Saint. He thought, "Why should I go? Should I be pressured by others and lose my own prestige?" The chapter frames this resistance not just as ego, but as a symptom of "ill-luck," stating, "One fears one's own shadow when ill-luck stands in the way." This implies that misfortune can manifest as a hardened ego that blocks opportunities for grace. The lesson from Chapter 21 is that encountering a Saint is not a casual matter but requires the dawn of "good fortune" and "God's grace," which allows one to overcome the pride that would otherwise make such a divine union impossible.