On 11 March 1885, M. recorded in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Many of his devotees were in [Ramakrishna’s] room. Narendra did not believe that God could incarnate Himself in a human body. But Girish [a devotee] differed with him; he had the burning faith that from time to time the Almighty Lord, through His inscrutable Power, assumes a human body and descends to earth to serve a divine purpose. The Master said to Girish: “I should like to hear you and Narendra argue in English.” The discussion began; but they talked in Bengali.
Narendra: “God is Infinity. How is it possible for us to comprehend Him? He dwells in every human being. It is not the case that he manifests Himself through one person only.”
Master (tenderly): “I quite agree with Narendra. God is everywhere. But then you must remember that there are different manifestations of His Power in different beings. At some places there is a manifestation of His avidyashakti [God’s power manifesting as ignorance], at others manifestation of His vidyashakti [God’s power manifesting as knowledge]. Through different instruments God’s Power is manifest in different degrees, greater or smaller. Therefore all men are not equal.”
Ram: “What is the use of these futile arguments?”
Master (sharply): “No! No! There is a meaning in all this.”
Girish (to Narendra): “How do you know that God does not assume a human body?”
Narendra: “God is ‘beyond words or thought.’”
Master: “No, that is not true. He can be known by pure buddhi [intellect], which is the same as the Pure Self. The seers of old directly perceived the Pure Self through their pure buddhi.”
Girish (to Narendra): “Unless God Himself teaches men through His human Incarnation, who else will teach them spiritual mysteries?”
Narendra: “Why, God dwells in our own heart; He will certainly teach us from within the heart.”
Master (tenderly): “Yes, yes. He will teach us as our Inner Guide… . I clearly see that God is everything; He Himself has become all… . I cannot utter a word unless I come down at least two steps from the plane of samadhi. Shankara’s nondualistic explanation of Vedanta is true, and so is the qualified nondualistic interpretation of Ramanuja.”
Narendra: “What is qualified nondualism?” Master: “It is the theory of Ramanuja. According to this theory, Brahman, or the Absolute, is qualified by the universe and its living beings. These three — Brahman, the world, and living beings — together constitute One.” Narendra was sitting beside the Master. He touched Narendra’s body and said: “As long as a man argues about God, he has not realized Him. The nearer you approach to God, the less you reason and argue. When you attain Him, then all sounds — all reasoning and disputing — come to an end. Then you go into samadhi — into communion with God in silence.” (Source: God Lived with Them)