A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

>MY MASTER.^17Later there came to the same forest, a Sannyasin, oneof the beggar- friars of India, a learned man, a philosopher.He was a peculiar man, he was an idealist. He did notbelieve that this world existed in reality, and to demonstratethat he would never go under a roof, he would alwayslive out of doors, in storm and sunshine alike. This manbegan to teach the boy the philosophy of the Ye. IMS, andhe found very soon, to his astonishment, that the pupilwas in some respectswi>er than the master. He spentseveral months there with the boy, after which he initiatedhim into the order of Sannyasins and took his departure.The relatives of this boy thought that his madnesscould be cured if they could get him married. Sometimesin India young children are married by their parents andrelatives without giving their own consent in the matter.This boy had been married at the age of about eighteento a little girl of five. Of course, such a marriage is but abetrothal. The real marriage takes place when the wifegrows older, when it iscustomary for the husband to goand bring his bride to his own home. In this case, however, the husband had entirely forgotten he had a wife.In tier far-off home the girl had heard that her husbandhad become a religious enthusiast and that he, was evenconsidered insane by many. She resolved to learn thetruth for herself, so she set out and walked to the placewhere her husband was. When at last she stood in herhusband s presence, he at once admitted her right to hislife ;although in India any person, man or woman, whoembraces a religious life istherebyfreed from all otherobligations. The young man fell at the feet of his wifeand saic(: "I have learned to look upon every woman asmother, but I am at your service."