SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

Memorable Events in the Life of Swami Vivekananda27
sundown he felt too tired to go further and lay down
under a tree. After a little while he saw a tiger stealthily
advancing towards him. He lay still and thought: 'Here
is an opportunity for me to serve at least one hungry
beast by being its prey. I do not think 1 will ever be able
to do any other good to the world.' Then he calmly
waited for the tiger to pounce on him. The tiger came
very close to Swamiji, but for some unknown reason,
turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the
forest. Swamiji could not believe his eyes! He kept
thinking that the tiger might return. He spent the whole
night under the tree waiting, but the tiger did not come
back.
* * *
The Maharaja of Mysore, Chamarajendra Wadiyar,
like some other rulers of the princely states, felt attracted
to the luminous personality and exceptional talents of
Swamiji, then a wandering monk, and in a short time
intimacy developed between the two. One day the
Maharaja asked, 'Swamiji, what do you think of my
courtiers? 1 The courtiers were all present there, but
Swamiji was in the habit of calling a spade a spade. So
he said without any hesitation : 'Courtiers are courtiers
everywhere !'
The Maharaja understood what Swamiji meant. He
was intelligent enough to realize that what Swamiji said
was true. Yet, as if to pretend that he did not \\holly
agree with Swamiji and thereby defend the honour of his