The Monkeys of Varanasi: A Lesson in Courage
While visiting Varanasi (Kashi), Swami Vivekananda was walking near the Durga Temple. As he was passing through a narrow lane, a large troop of monkeys suddenly appeared and began to chase him aggressively. Startled, Vivekananda began to run away, but the more he ran, the bolder and louder the monkeys became, closing in on him.
Just when he was standing confused, he heard a voice tell him to stand up for himself:
Face the brutes!
Something in those words struck Swami Vivekananda deeply. He stopped, turned around, and faced the monkeys fearlessly. The monkeys, taken aback by this sudden show of courage, fled immediately.
Symbolic Meaning:
This moment stayed with him throughout his life. He later used it as a metaphor in many of his lectures, especially to teach:
“Face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them.”
It became a lesson in fearlessness, inner strength, and spiritual grit.
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