When a person started arguing with Vivekananda: Swamiji said, if you leave the attachment of money and women, then they will definitely come, but there is no desire in your mind

Story – A person was arguing with Swami Vivekananda. The person said to Swamiji, ‘You always say that if you do not run after money and women, then both of them will run after you. Hearing these words of yours, I took a vow for a year that now I will not run after money and women. I followed this resolution sincerely and now it has been one year. Your statement has been proved false. You said that if you do not run after money and women, then they will run after us, but neither money nor any woman comes after me. I remained like that. After one year’s resolution, I have not got any benefit.’

Vivekananda said, ‘Brother, tell me one thing. Was your spiritual practice behind this resolution or was it your wish?’

The person was shocked to hear this from Swamiji and said, ‘What is this.’

Vivekananda said, ‘If you have taken a resolution with spiritual practice, then the results will be different. If you have resolved with the desire that you will not run after money and women, then they will come after you, then this will never happen.’

After hearing these things, the young man grabbed Swamiji’s feet and said, ‘I understand your words little by little. Please explain me clearly.’

Vivekananda said, ‘What is the intention behind good determination and good work, this should be understood. If you took my words to mean that if you want women and money, and if you leave both of them, then this thing is wrong. I want to explain to you that if you give up attachment to money and women, they will come around you in one form or the other, but you should not have any desire in your mind.

Lessons – If we do any good work, then there should be good intention behind it. If we are doing good deeds because of some personal desire, then we will not get full benefit from them. If you do noble work with selflessness, you can get good results.