SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S INTELLECT ON IDOL WORSHIP!!

AFTER HIS MASTER'S DEATH i.e AFTER RAMAKRISHNA'S DEATH SWAMI VIVEKANANDA DECICDED TO TOUR THE WHOLE WORLD AS IT WAS HIS TIME TO KNOW THE MANY WONDERS OF INDIA i.e IN THE SENSE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIS MOTHERLAND. HE DECIDED TO TRAVEL FROM KASHMIR IN THE NORTH TO KANYAKUMARI IN THE SOUTH AND FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH IN THE WEST TO GUJARATH IN THE EAST. HE USED TO STAY IN ANYONE'S HOUSE HE WISHED FOR DURING HIS JOURNEY i.e HE DID NOT CARE FOR CASTES AND CREDE.
SO ONE DAY HE WENT TO A GREAT KING'S PALACE . THE KING HAD INVITED SWAMI VIVEKANANDA TO GIVE MONEY FOR THE JOURNEY WHICH HE WAS UNDERTAKING(HE WAS GOING TO CHICAGO AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA). WHEN SWAMI VIVEKANANDA WENT THERE THE KING AND EVERYONE INVITED HIM AND WHEN THEY WERE HAVING SOME TALKS WITH SWAMI VIVEKANANDA THE KING SUDDENLY ASKED WHETHER HE BELIEVED IN IDOL WORSHIP.FOR THIS SWAMI VIVEKANANDA TOLD THAT HE DID BELIEVE IN IDOL WORSHIP. SO THE KING IN REPLY TOLD THAT HOW CAN THE GOD BE A THING MADE OF STONE. SO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ASKED THE MINISTER OF THE KING TO HAND OVER THE KINGS STATUE IN THE COURT AND ASKED HIM TO SPIT ON THE STATUE TELLING THAT IT WAS NOT THE KING BUT A MERE STATUE! THE MINISTER COULD NOT DO IT AND THEN SWAMI VIVEKANANDA TOLD THE KING THAT JUST AS HIS STATUE WAS A REPLICA OF HIM THE GOD'S IDOL WAS ALSO A REPLICA OF THE GOD AND THIS IDOL WOULD HELP THE COMMAN MAN TO PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-V.GANESH KUMAR