Maharshi replied: “Patience, more patience; tolerance, more tolerance!”
One day a young, well-educated man came to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, prostrated and sat down. Addressing Bhagavan he said, “Sri Ramakrishna was able to elevate Vivekananda to the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi with just a touch. Can you do the same for me?”
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi did not say anything. The young man waited with obvious impatience for Bhagavan’s reply. After a few minutes of silence, Bhagavan looked at the youth and, in a soft voice asked, “You are another Vivekananda, I presume?”
The young man was taken aback. He was at a loss for words. Greatly embarrassed, he left the hall quietly.
Bhagavan then told us, “It is difficult to appreciate the need for self-analysis and self-criticism. The tendency is to think of oneself as perfect. Though this person was eager to see whether I had the power of Sri Ramakrishna, he was not bothered whether he himself merited comparison with Vivekananda. That is because he assumed that he was perfect. Sri Ramakrishna bestowed that rare state upon Vivekananda alone because he was a person of rare spiritual merit.”
As noted in the book: Face to Face with Sri Ramana Maharshi (Incident #116)
