Swami Vivekananda and the Duke of Richelieu

When Swami Vivekananda was in Paris as the guest of Mr and Mrs Leggett he met many distinguished people.

Among them was Duke of Richelieu an aristocrate who became greatly attached to Swami and visited him frequently.

On the eve of Vivekananda's departure from Paris, the Swami asked the Duke if he would renounce the world and become his disciple.

The Duke wanted to know what he would gain in return for such renunciation, and the Swami said:

'I shall give you the desire for death!'

When asked to explain, the Swami declared that he would give the Duke such a state of mind that when confronted by death he would laugh at it.

But the Duke preferred to persue a worldly career, though he cherished a life-long devotion to Swami Vivekananda.

Sphere: Related Content