An Example and a Lesson

Boys who lived with Sage Yogananda learned their lessons well and were known for their good behavior and amiable nature. However, one boy, Viraj, was quite different. He believed himself to be exceptionally wise and viewed the other students as fools. Viraj often bullied them, called them names, and showed off his muscles at the slightest provocation. As a result, the other boys did their best to avoid him.

Viraj felt emboldened in his actions because he was under the impression that the sage was unaware of his behavior. One day, during a class, Sage Yogananda posed a question to the students: “What should be the conduct of the wise toward the foolish and the arrogant?”

The students fell silent, prompting the sage to continue, “Why don’t you answer? If a dog barks at a man, does the man bark back? No, the man avoids the dog—just as you avoid Viraj. Right?” At this moment, Viraj, who was present, hung his head in shame. From that day forward, his behavior began to change—ultimately for the better!