BIOGRAPHY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

100 SWAMI VIVEKANANDAin one’s hand!’ So forceful was his utterance thateveryone felt an ineffable peace and remained fornearly a quarter of an hour rooted to the spot. Thescene was unforgettable. Everyone in the monasterywas struck with amazement at the wonderfulpower of the beloved Leader who with but oneword could raise the minds of all to the heights ofSupreme Insight.About the latter part of the year 1901, a numberof Santal labourers used to work in the Mathgrounds. One day he served a beautiful feast forthem at which he said, ‘You are Narayanas; today Ihave entertained Narayana Himself.’ Then turningtowards his disciples, he said to them, ‘See howsimple-hearted these poor illiterate people are. Willyou be able to relieve their miseries to some extentat least? Otherwise, of what use is our wearing theGerua (the ochre robe of the Sannyasin)??How canwe have the heart to put a morsel into our mouthswhen our countrymen have not enough wherewithto feed or clothe themselves??Let us throwaway all pride of learning and study of the Shastrasand all Sadhanas for the attainment of personalMukti—and going from village to village devoteour lives to the service of the poor, and byconvincing the rich men about their duties to themasses, through the force of our character andspirituality and austere living, get money and the