I am here narrating some of the incidents that took place
in the lives of some great men, which is really a thing to
ponder. You can draw the conclusions yourself
Swami Vivekananda
Once Narendra the one who became the world famous 'Sanyasi'
'Swami Vivekananda' was traveling in a train in India. Two
youngsters were sitting in front of him in the same compartment.
Thinking that the Sanyasi was a very ordinary person, the
youths started teasing him in English. They thought that the
Sanyasi wouldn't know English. Somewhere in a station the
train stopped for a while. Till then Swami Vivekananda had
not spoken even a word. He asked some person on the platform
to fetch him a glass of water in English. The half learned
youths were astonished. After a while they asked the swamy
'Dear sir, why did you not open your mouth even when we were
teasing you so much'. The great Swami replied, "Friends, this
is not the first time that I am seeing fools".
Ishwarchandra Vidya Sagar
Once, Ishwarchandra Vidya Sagar (a great thinker and educationist),
boarded a train and sat in between two English men. In those
days, the then rulers treated the locals very badly. And the
British were thinking that they were superior to the Indians.
The two did not like Ishwarchandra Vidya Sagar sitting in
between them. One called him 'DOG' the other 'CAT'. Sagar
coolly replied 'I am sitting in between them' - the right
way to silence the head weights.
Ishwarchandra Vidya Sagar had gone to discuss something with
an English officer. The officer was sitting on a chair in
the varanda of his house and another chair was there in front
of him. The officer stretched his legs and laid them on the
empty chair and made Sagar to stand till the end. Ishwarchandra
Vidya Sagar was not only insulted but also felt irritated
by the behavior of the officer.
After a few days, the same officer had to visit Sagar's house
due to some urgent work. Sagar was sitting alone on a chair
in his house. When he saw this gentleman, he asked his peon
to bring a chair. The officer went to sit on that chair but
Sagar told him 'wait for a minute' and then he stretched his
legs on that chair and made the officer to stand till the
last.
'Shatasya Pratishatyam' - 'tit for tat', the Englishman felt
very much insulted and filed a suit in the court of law. At
the time of hearing, Sagar narrated the story completely and
thundered in the court. "Hon'ble judge! I thought this is
the way of showing respect to him as he had shown the same
respect to me". The case was dismissed.
Ramana Maharshi
Once, a foreign woman had visited the 'Ashram' of Ramana Maharshi
at Arunachalam. She stayed there for a Few days. Everyday
she used to ask the Maharshi one question. 'What is Maya'?
But the swami never answered her.
At that time the President of India came to see the swami,
to seek his blessings. For a few minutes the president stayed
with him, prostrated in front of him and then left after taking
his blessings.
All the inmates followed the president to give a send off
leaving the Maharshi and the the lady. The Maharshi told her
'this is Maya'. She couldn't understand. The swami explained
'see, the president had come here from a distant place to
get my blessings thinking that I can do some good to him.
But the people who are with me here didn't think so. They
went behind him leaving me alone. This is Maya".
Lokamanya Tilak
Once Lokamanya Tilak during the time of the freedom struggle
had engaged a butler to cook in his house on the basis of
a monthly payment. When the time came to pay the butler, Tilak
gave him 5 Rs. The butler started shouting. "What is this?
You are paying just 5 Rs. I can't accept this".
Prompt came the reply "you have been paid 75/- by the Government.
I am giving Rs. 5 extra. Is it not enough?" The butler was
a spy of the British, the then rulers. Next day, nobody could
see him in Thilak's house.
Jesus
Jesus saw some people throwing stones at a lonely woman. A
huge unruly crowd was there. Everybody was shouting and calling
her by names. Jesus went to them and asked 'why are you hitting
her with stones?' All of them cried in one voice 'Sir! She
has done lot of sins. She is a prostitute. She must be punished'.
Jesus told in a firm voice "One thing I want to tell all of
you. If there is any one who has not done any sin, let him
come forward and throw the stones at her." Within seconds,
there was nobody except Jesus.
Prophet Mohammad
Prophet Mohammad, when he was young, used to go everyday for
a walking. From the balcony of a particular house, a woman
was throwing garbage on his head everyday for which he used
to simply smile. One day she did not do the same. The young
prophet stopped there and called her and asked her "Mother!
Why have you stopped throwing the rubbish at me? If you find
pleasure and happiness, you can do it now all the time. I
will be here everyday!". The woman felt ashamed of her act
and started weeping falling on his feet. Thus the great quality
of the prophet had overpowered the go and audacity of that
woman.
To be continued.....
Rama Subramanyam, Mysore
