A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

"""Why"""""But""""Do"""THE RAMAYANA. 493sage asked the robber :Why do you want to rob me ;Itis % great sin. You kill human beings and rob them. Whatdo you do $11 this sin for ?" The robber said :Why, Iwant to support my people with this money." "Now", says"the sage, do you think that they take share of your sinalso*?"Certainly they do."Very good,"says the sage,Jie meup here ;make me safe ; go home and ask yourpeople whether they would share your sin, as, they sharethe make."money you And this man went to his father :Father, do you know how I ?"support you No, I donot." I am a robber ;I have killed many persons androbbed a great many. "You; my son; get away! outcast!" He came to the mother :"Mother, do you knowllbw I support you?"How horri" am a robber." No." "Isaid the mother. do you take part e5;*ny sin ? *ble!"should I ? I never committed robbery", said themother. Then he went to his wife :you know howI maintain you all ?" "No."Why, I am a highwayrobber ;I have been doing this for years, and that is howI am supporting and maintaining you all. And now, are youready to share my sins "Certainly not ?" ; you are thehusband ;it isyour duty to support The me." eyes of the"robber opened That is the way of the world even:those, my relatives, for whom I have been robbing."His eyes opened. He came back where he bad boundup the sage, took awayof the saint and said :his bonds and fell at the feetSave me ! what should I do ?The sage says: Give up thy life and give upall thisdelusion. See none of these love you they will all come:and share your prosperity, but the moment you are notprosperous they will be nowhere. None is there to shareyour evils ; they will all share your good ; and, .therefore^worship H!im who alone stands by us, whether we are