Vedanta Through Stories

Swami Sambuddhananda

(We are grateful to Ramakrishna Math, Mumbai for allowing us to publish this story from their publication "Vedanta through Stories" page 77)

Unconquerable Nature

Certain students who had come to the teacher for their education once asked him how it was possible to conquer one’s evil habits which are found it difficult to overcome them. The preceptor said, “Old habits gradually become so much a part of one’s nature that they become practically impossible to eradicate. Even if one has conquered them, they come back at times with more that their usual force and thus reassert themselves. When boughs of coconut and palm trees fall off, they leave permanent impression on the trees throughout their life. It has been aptly said that those whose nature is low cannot rid of it even though they rise to great heights, for they behave like the digit nine.” The students were unable to follow this reference and requested the preceptor to explain it. The preceptor said, “You see, whichever number you may multiply by the digit 9, the digits in the multiple when added together will always be found to be 9, provided the digits of the resultant sum are, if necessary, again added together. For instance: 9 multiplied by 2 is 18 and 1 and 8 added together make 9. Similarly, 9 multiplied by 202 is 1818 and the digits of this figure make 18 which again yields 9. Thus, whatever habits –good or bad – you form, would communicate their essential qualities to your actions and it is extremely difficult to get rid of them. Only by persistent efforts carried on for a long time can bad habits be replaced by good habits and a man’s nature be fundamentally altered.”

Vedanta Art

A painting by Ms. Pushpa Chitrak of New Delhi, India