[The necessity of practice.] Turning to Sasadhar, the Bhagavan said: My son, add to your spiritual strength, go through devotional exercises a little longer. You have hardly got up into the tree, how can you expect to lay your hand upon its fruit? But you are doing all this for the good of others. Saying this the Bhagavan bowed to Sasadhar and continued: When I first heard your name, I inquired whether this Pandit was merely an ordinary Pandit or one who had attained right discrimination (Viveka) and dispassion (Vairagya). He is not a true Pandit who does not possess right discrimination.

[The Divinely-commissioned teacher.] If there has been a commission (Adesha) from the Supreme, then there is no harm in teaching others. Such a Divinely-commissioned-teacher is invincible. No one can defeat him. If one single ray from the Goddess of Wisdom falls upon a man,

it brings to him such power that before him the greatest Pandits become like worms of the earth. When a lamp is lighted, swarms of moths rush of themselves towards it without waiting to be called. So he who has received a Divine commission, for him there is no need to seek followers or to make known the time of his lectures. His own power of attraction is so great that people of their own accord crowd around him. Then kings and nobles flock to him saying: "We have brought mangoes, sweets, money, jewels and shawls; of these what will you accept?" To such people I say: "Take them away, I do not want any of them."

Does a magnet ever say to the iron, "Come to me?" No; drawn by the magnet, it goes of itself. Such a man may not be a Pandit, still do not think for a moment that he lacks in knowledge. Is true wisdom acquired by reading books? There is no end to the wisdom of one who has received a Divine commission. That wisdom comes from God and therefore it is endless. In our country in measuring grain, one man weighs and the other pushes small heaps of grain on to him. In like manner when the Divinely-commissioned teacher gives instruction, my Mother, standing behind, pushes

toward him the heaps of Divine wisdom and the supply is never exhausted. When the gracious look of the Divine Mother falls upon one, can there be any lack of wisdom? Therefore I ask whether you have received any commission (Adesha) from the Lord?

Hazra (to the Pandit): Oh! I dare say he must have received something of that kind. Is it not so?

Sasadhar's host: He has not obtained Adesha, but he is lecturing only from a sense of duty.