SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

Memorable Events in the Life of Swami Vivekananda23
Swamiji, a Hindu sannyasin, there. Unable to conceal
his wonder, Jagmohanlal said to Swamiji : 'Well,
Swamiji, you are a Hindu monk. How is it that you are
living with a Muslim?'
Swamiji could never stand the slightest hint of
caste and religious discrimination or parochialism of
any sort, so he replied in a stern voice : 'Sir, what do
you mean? I am a sannyasin. I am above all your
social conventions. I can dine even with sweepers,
the so-called outcastes. I am not afraid of God, for He
sanctions it; I am not afraid of scriptures, for they allow
it; but I am afraid of you people and your society. You
know nothing of God and the scriptures. I see Brahman
everywhere, manifested even in the meanest creature.
For me, there is nothing high or low. Siva, Siva!' Every
word of Swamiji rained fire while Munshi Jagmohanlal
stood mesmerized before his towering personality.
* * *
One evening the Raja of Khetri wished to hear
songs sung by a professional dancing-girl as was the
custom in those days. At that time Swamiji was
staying as Ajit Singhji's guest at the Khetri palace. The
Raja invited Swamiji to join him but Swamiji refused and
sent a message that as a sannyasin it was against his
principles to attend such party.
The singer was deeply grieved when she heard
this and started to sing, as it were in reply, a song of