Once, Swamiji was wandering near the Himalayas. During the journey, he came across a river. The boat was used as a means of transportation there. He saw that the boat had left the river-bank just before he arrived. So, he sat on the river-bank waiting for the boat to return.
Soon, a Sadhu (enlightened sage) arrived at the river-bank and saw Swamiji sitting there waiting for the boat and asked him, “What’s your name?”
“I am Vivekanand”, Swamiji replied.
Sadhu tried to mock him and said, “So, you are the famous Vivekanand who thinks that he has become a great sage by speaking in foreign nations.”
Sadhu continued, “Could you cross the river? See, I can cross it by merely walking on it” and demonstrated by walking for few steps on the river.
Swamiji saw it and replied in a humble tone, “It’s a great power indeed. How much time did it take for you to get this power?”
Sadhu proudly replied, “It’s not so easy. I had to bear the tough Himalayas for 20 years, devote myself to tapasya (penance) and after these extreme sadhana (practice) I got this power!”
Swamiji replied, “You wasted 20 years of your life doing something which a boat can do in 5 minutes. You could have instead devoted those 20 years serving the poor. That was your waste of time, not wisdom!”
Sadhu was speechless upon hearing it.
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