The monkeys of Varanasi [city in India] are huge brutes and are sometimes surly. They now took it into their heads not to allow me to pass through their street, so they howled and shrieked and clutched at my feet as I passed. As they pressed closer, I began to run, but the faster I ran, the faster came the monkeys and they began to bite at me. It seemed impossible to escape, but just then I met a stranger who called out to me, “Face the brutes.” I turned and faced the monkeys, and they fell back and finally fled. That is a lesson for all life, face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them. If we were ever to gain freedom, it must be by conquering nature, never by running away. Cowards never win victories. We have to fight fear and troubles and ignorance if we expect them to flee before us.
- Vivekananda Quotations - Famous Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Funny Quotes
