Swami Adbhutananda Says —
I noticed that everyone at the Math was studying hard. One day I asked Brother Sharat [Saradananda]: “Why do you read so many books? All of you are finished with school, yet you study so hard! Are you to appear for an examination?” Sharat replied, “Brother, without serious study how are we to understand the subtle matters of religion?” I rejoined that the Master had talked so much about these subtle matters, and I had never seen him reading books. Sharat said: “His case is completely different. He himself said that the Divine Mother used to provide him with heaps of knowledge. Have we reached that stage, or can we ever hope to reach it? We have to read in order to acquire such knowledge.”
I did not leave the matter there, but replied, “The Master said that we get one conception of the truth through studying books and quite another by spiritual experience.” Then Sharat said, “But didn’t he say that those who would be teachers will have to study the scriptures as well?” Then I realized that men understand differently according to their mental constitutions and that the Master taught each one according to his own nature. From then on I kept quiet. (Source: God Lived with Them)
On 1 May 1897 Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission at Balaram’s residence in Calcutta. Latu Maharaj was present at that meeting, and he recalled: “Brother Jogin told Swamiji: ‘Holding meetings, delivering lectures, philanthropic activities — these are Western ideas that only lead to development of the ego. Did the Master teach us these things?’ Swamiji grew very serious and said: ‘How do you know that these are not the Master’s ideas? Infinite are his ideas. Do you want to limit him within the bounds of your narrow intellect? I will not allow that. I will break down any limitations and broadcast his liberal ideas to the world. He never asked me to preach the worship of his photograph! Meditation, prayer, and realizing his high, noble, life-giving ideals in our own lives and also transmitting these ideas to the wide world are what he taught us.’” (Source: God Lived with Them)
Once while at Belur Math Vijnanananda was wondering about Swamiji’s work in the West and his relationship with Western women. Seeing Swamiji alone in his room, Vijnanananda asked him frankly: “Swamiji, while you were in the West you associated with the women there; but didn’t the Master teach the contrary in this respect? He used to say, ‘A monk should not even look at the portrait of a woman.’ He emphatically told me not to be close to women, however devoted they might be. So I am wondering why you did so.”
Immediately Swamiji became very grave and his face and eyes turned crimson with anger. After a while he said: “Well, Peshan, do you think that what you have understood about the Master is all that he is? What do you know about the Master? Do you know that the Master eradicated the idea of the difference between male and female from my mind? Is there any distinction of sex in the Atman? Moreover, the Master came for the good of the entire world. Did he come to liberate only men? He will save all — both men and women. You people want to belittle the Master by measuring him with the yardstick of your own intellects. Whatever the Master told you is true; you follow that implicitly. But to me his instructions were different. He not only gave me instructions, he clearly showed me everything. He holds my hands — whatever he makes me do, I do.”
Gradually Swamiji became calm. Noticing Vijnanananda’s embarrassment, he said with a smile: “Can a nation rise or become great unless the primordial energy that lies dormant in women is awakened? I have travelled all over the world and found that women are neglected more or less everywhere, but this is particularly deplorable in India. That is why our nation has been degraded to such an extent. As soon as there is an awakening in women, you will see that the whole nation will rise up in its pristine glory. For that reason Holy Mother has come. With her advent there has been a stir among the women of all countries. This is just a beginning; you will see many more things later.”