Kumar, a young villager from east Bengal, was accepted a fortnight
later for hermitage training. Remarkably intelligent, he quickly
won Sri Yukteswar's affection. For some unfathomable reason, Master
was very lenient to the new resident.

"Mukunda, let Kumar assume your duties. Employ your own time in
sweeping and cooking." Master issued these instructions after the
new boy had been with us for a month.

Exalted to leadership, Kumar exercised a petty household tyranny.
In silent mutiny, the other disciples continued to seek me out for
daily counsel.

"Mukunda is impossible! You made me supervisor, yet the others go
to him and obey him." Three weeks later Kumar was complaining to
our guru. I overheard him from an adjoining room.

"That's why I assigned him to the kitchen and you to the parlor."
Sri Yukteswar's withering tones were new to Kumar. "In this way you
have come to realize that a worthy leader has the desire to serve,
and not to dominate. You wanted Mukunda's position, but could not
maintain it by merit. Return now to your earlier work as cook's
assistant."

After this humbling incident, Master resumed toward Kumar a former
attitude of unwonted indulgence. Who can solve the mystery of
attraction? In Kumar our guru discovered a charming fount which
did not spurt for the fellow disciples. Though the new boy was
obviously Sri Yukteswar's favorite, I felt no dismay. Personal
idiosyncrasies, possessed even by masters, lend a rich complexity