On the path, for the path

Some disciples have left our path, and alas, they blame me. They ask, why did I keep them for such a long time? They feel that I should have known that they were no longer meant for our path; I should have requested them to leave ten or fifteen years earlier so that they could have enjoyed their life! I wish to say that as long as a disciple is satisfied and willing to stay, I shall keep him in my boat, unless he does something spiritually wrong. But some individuals feel that I am to be blamed. First they want to be with me; but after some time, if I keep them as disciples, then I am wrong — I should have asked them to leave the path.

Some ex-disciples criticise our path, while some ex-disciples are neutral. Again, there are other ex-disciples who are all for us, all for us. One ex-disciple has been fighting for the last five years or six years for our cause. Unimaginably he is serving and serving the Supreme in me! Nothing he expects in return — nothing, nothing, nothing. Countless articles he has written in favour of our path. That fellow is so good, but he does not want to stand in front of me because he feels that he is wanting in purity, whereas all my disciples are so pure! He says that he is not pure enough to come near me; he does not dare. But thousands, not hundreds of pieces he has written in defence of our path. I do not think any disciple has done that.

There are quite a few good ex-disciples who do not want to be associated with individuals who are against our way of life.