[paragraph continues] I dare say, will follow your example. These differences, you know, are things that. cannot be avoided. There was the tug of war even between father and son. Take the case of Rama and his sons Laba and Kusha. Take another case: The mother fasts on Tuesday for the welfare of her daughter, but the daughter, quarrelling with the mother, fasts on Tuesday for her own welfare, as if her welfare were different from that gained by her mother's fasting. In the same way, you, Keshab, have a religious society (Samaj) of your own, and Bijoy, too, must have a separate society of his own. Well, there is room for all kinds of things under Providence--even for quarrels and differences. When God-Incarnate (Krishna) Himself appeared at Vrindavan, the question may well be asked: Why did Jatilla and Kutilla stand in the way of His mission of love? I suppose His sport as a Divine Lover would have died a natural death from want of nourishment but for these obstructions, the Jatillas and Kutillas. Opposition adds zest to a thing. Ramanuja [**] held the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism). His Guru (spiritual guide), however,

was an Advaitist (non-dualist without any qualification). They had their differences. Master and disciple disputed and refuted each other's opinions. This is natural. Be it so; still to the master the disciple is always his own.

[The nature of disciples must be examined.] They all rejoiced. Sri Ramakrishna said to Keshab: You do not study and examine the nature of your disciples. For that reason they drop away. All men look alike, but they differ in their nature. In some the Sattwa quality is predominant, in others Rajas, and in the rest Tamas. Pooli (cakes) all look alike on the outside, but the contents vary; some may contain sweet thickened cream, others cocoanut sweetened with sugar, while others may have boiled Kalai (pulse) with no sweetening.

[God the one master.] Do you know how I feel about it? Like a child I eat, drink and play, depending on my Divine Mother, who knows everything. These three words prick me: Guru (spiritual master), Karta (the Lord), and Baba (father). I cannot bear them. The infinite Existence-Intelligence-Bliss is the one Guru for all. He will teach everybody. I am only His child.

It is a difficult task to teach others. One