soughtafter guru in India had his words not been so candid and so
censorious.

"I am hard on those who come for my training," he admitted to me.
"That is my way; take it or leave it. I will never compromise. But
you will be much kinder to your disciples; that is your way. I try
to purify only in the fires of severity, searing beyond the average
toleration. The gentle approach of love is also transfiguring. The
inflexible and the yielding methods are equally effective if applied
with wisdom. You will go to foreign lands, where blunt assaults
on the ego are not appreciated. A teacher could not spread India's
message in the West without an ample fund of accommodative patience
and forbearance." I refuse to state the amount of truth I later
came to find in Master's words!

Though Sri Yukteswar's undissembling speech prevented a large
following during his years on earth, nevertheless his living spirit
manifests today over the world, through sincere students of his
KRIYA YOGA and other teachings. He has further dominion in men's
souls than ever Alexander dreamed of in the soil.

Father arrived one day to pay his respects to Sri Yukteswar. My
parent expected, very likely, to hear some words in my praise. He
was shocked to be given a long account of my imperfections. It was
Master's practice to recount simple, negligible shortcomings with
an air of portentous gravity. Father rushed to see me. "From your
guru's remarks I thought to find you a complete wreck!" My parent
was between tears and laughter.

The only cause of Sri Yukteswar's displeasure at the time was that