Some people out of their ignorance think the Prophets at times, show harshness; they do not understand that their seeming harshness is of a different nature. It has no rancour and malice. They have no ulterior motives relating to their self; whatever they do, it is for the honour of God and to reform the person concerned.

At times, the mother beats her child and she beats him very severely. Others think that she has beaten the child mercilessly but they are unable to assess her benevolence. Had the people been able to know how kind and sympathetic the mother is, they would have never thought of this beating in that vein. Is it not a fact that if the child is unwell the mother is perturbed the whole night and she spends the whole night in giving him every kind of service. Who else can be that much sympathetic and who can serve him like that. That exactly is the case with the prophet. He feels a sort of pain for the people; he wishes the creatures of God to be reformed so that they may be saved from His chastisement. If, at times, he is harsh to any of his followers he also spends his nights praying for him very fervently like a mother.

In short, the harshness of the parents and the teachers is not real harshness; it is all kindness and benevolence. The harshness of a just king is also no harshness. It is due to their ignorance that people begin to raise objections. The just king always wishes well for his subjects. I should like to say it repeatedly that to think too much of one self is not pleasing to God. You should shun this kind of altercations altogether. (On hearing this, a certain person approached some one, shook hands with him and put an end to their quarrel.)

You should remember that even if there is only one Truthful person, he will attract thousands of people. And you should know that really and truly the Truthful person is he who keeps his self at a distance of thousands of miles from himself. This is the root of the Religion and this also is the Taqwa, fear of God and Religiousness. Religion is not like a trading centre.