SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Memorable Events in the Life of Swami Vivekananda 17 replied : 'He who fails to love and support his mother how can he provide sustenance for another's mother?' What Swamiji meant was that even the sannyasins should love their motherland. How can he who cannot love his own country, embrace the world? Patriotism first, then universalism. * * •> Swamiji was having a long trek in the Himalayas when he found an old man extremely exhausted standing hopelessly at the foot of an upward slope. The man said to Swamiji in utter frustration, 'Oh, Sir, how to cross it; I cannot walk any more; my chest will break.' Swamiji listened to the old man patiently and then said, 'Look down at your feet. The road that is under your feet is the road that you have passed over and is the same road that you see before you; it will soon be under your feet.' These words emboldened the old man to resume his onward trek. * -:• * It was August 1888. Swamiji was on his way to Vrindavan from Agra. As he reached the outskirts of the town he saw a man contentedly smoking tobacco by the wayside. Swamiji was tired as he had walked a long way. He felt an urge to smoke and take some rest. So he approached the man and asked him if he could smoke his hookah. The very proposal made the man
18 Swami Vivekananda : The Friend of All shudder. He said to Swamiji, 'I am sorry, sir! I cannot allow you to smoke this pipe which I have used. You are a monk while I am a Bhangi, an ignoble sweeper!' Swamiji said nothing and resumed his walk. But having gone some distance, it struck him in a flash : What! Am I not a sannyasin who has renounced everything including the idea of caste, family prestige and so forth? What a shame that I would not smoke his pipe only because he is a Bhangil The thought made him so restless that he at once came back to the man and made him prepare a chilim of tobacco, much against his wish. Then Swamiji joyfully smoked the pipe. * * * On April 13,1890, Swamiji, who was then staying at Varanasi, received the sad news that Balaram Bose, his brother disciple, had passed away. He was so shocked that he could not restrain his tears. Pramadadas Mitra, a renowned scholar of Varanasi, noticed this and said : 'Swamiji, you are a monk. You should not lament like this.' Pramadababu's remark hurt Swamiji. He said, 'What do you mean, Pramadababu? It is true I am a monk. But should a monk necessarily be heartless?' Then he continued: 'You see, a genuine monk is much more tender-hearted than ordinary souls. After all, we are human beings. And, on top of it all, Balarambabu was my brother disciple. I don't like the kind of asceticism which makes one unfeeling and pitiless!'
Page 1 and 2: SWAMI VIVEKANANDA THE FRIEND OF ALL
Page 3 and 4: Contents Swami Vivekananda (1863-19
Page 5 and 6: 2 Swami Vivekananda : The Friend of
Page 7 and 8: 4 Swami Vivekananda: The Friend of
Page 9 and 10: 6 Swatni Vivekananda: The Friend of
Page 11 and 12: 8 Swarat Vivekantoda: The Friend of
Page 13 and 14: 10 Svvami Vivekananda : The Friend
Page 15 and 16: 12 Swami Vivekananda : The Friend o
Page 19: 16 Swami Vivekananda : The Friend o
Page 47 and 48: Memorable Events in the Life of Swa
Page 65 and 66: India and the Ways to Her Regenerat
Page 71 and 72:
India and the Ways to Her Regenerat
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75:
show all

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?