Passage 14

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In plain words

indu māḍide ēkādaśi, ondu tindu nalavattu dōśe. Saying 'Ekādaśī, Ekādaśī', they mix batter for forty dosas, it seems. Then why keep this Ekādaśī at all? But not everyone. Some are like that. Among the Vaiṣṇavas too this same custom is there. What does Vaiṣṇava mean? To contemplate the divinity that pervades the universe: that is Vaiṣṇava. Viṣṇu means the One who pervades all. The One who came down to a world with endless limbs. Wherever you look, it is He who is there. For one who believes this doctrine, why these differences? In all religions they believe in some things, but they do not try to experience them through enquiry and Viveka.

Students! Above all, do not hold these differences of religion. The God in all religions is one. With that feeling, respect all religions. Experience the essence of all religions in one religion itself. Do not set out on argument and counter-argument. Do not criticise one religion as being another religion. These revilings are very dangerous. You are reviling some religion, but you become one who has reviled your own religion. Make one namaskāra to all. sarvajīva-namaskāraṃ keśavaṃ pratigacchati. The namaskāra made to all reaches that Keśava. Through such an equal feeling, grow the feeling of Prema, believe in the universe through broadness of heart, and attain the state of Viṣṇu. This is the chief essence of religion.