(1)

In the days of the Hussain Shahi dynasty’s golden rule in Bengal, Vaishnav Dharma spread like wildfire through all of Bengal, burning the sins of Kaliyug and liberating many people. Caste and creed were burned to ashes in its light, upsetting many Brahmins; its waves tore down the shackles of religious oppression of many Qazis.

Only years before, its centre was Navadwip, a place where Vaishnavs believed the eternal Shyam was reincarnated as their beloved Gora. But with all its success, conflicts rose with yet another sect- the Shaktas who worship the Divine Mother in Her many glorious forms.

To Shaktas, Vaishnavs were heretics who withdrew from the truth; Vaishnavs took the Shaktas to be Tamasic and ignorant.

Once a vairagi came to a village, where the temples of the Mother and the Balagopala were situated nearby. The townsmen fought over their beliefs daily! Once a great quarrel rose amongst them; whom to give these wonderful nectar-sweet fruits yielded by nature, Shakti or Shyam? And thus quarrelling over this relentlessly, the Shaktas and Vaishnavs ultimately went to the vairagi and asked, “Oh wise one! Please say, these wonderful fruits yielded by nature, who we should give them to as Prasada? Balagopala or Maa Kaali?”

(2)

Keeping quiet for a while, the vairagi said, “Listen closely, of a foolish bhakta of Navadwip, and if...