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)