A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

"and""""""THE REAL AND THE APPARENT MAN. 213see some of those sages of India. After a long search hefound a very old man sitting on a block of stone. ThefEmperor talked with him a little and became very muchpleased with the conversation of the man. He asked thesage to go with him to his country. No, I am quitesatisfied with my forest Said the here." Emperor, Iwill give you money, position, wealth. I am the Emperorof the world."No," replied the man, I don t carefor those things."The Emperor replied, If you do notgo I will kill The man burst into ayou." laugh. Thatis the silliest thing you ever said, Emperor. You cannotkill me. Me the sun cannot dry, neither fire can burn,neither instrument kill for I am the birthless, the deathless, the omnipotent, omnipresent spirit, ever living."Thatis another boldnefes. In the Mutiny of 1857 there was agreat Swami, a very great soul. A Mahommedan mutineerstabbed him and nearly killed him. The Hindu mutineersbrought the Mahommedan to the Swami and offered to"kill him. But the Swami turned and said ;Yet brother,thou art He, thou art He !"expired. That is anotherbravery. What is it to talk of the bravery of your muscles,of your Western institutions, if you cannot make a truthsquare with your society, if you cannot build up a societyinto which the highest truth will fit ? What is this boastful talk about your grandeur and greatness, if you, aboveall things, stand up and say,This is not practical."Is nothing practical, but pounds, shillings, and pence ?If so, why the boast of your society ? That society is thegreatest where the highest truths become practical. Thatismy opinion, and if society is not fit for the highesttruths, make it.Make it ifyou can, and the sooner you doso, the better. Stand up, men and women, in the spirit,dare to believe in the truth, dare to practise the truth. The