LISTEN TO SWAMIVIVEKANANDA – simplified by J K Sivan
How we became ”men”?
This is a story told by the swami during one of his speeches in America moe than hundred years ago.Theold Testament tells us about the deluge.The Babylonians, Egyptians, Chinese andthe Hindus also have their stories of the deluge.Manu,a great ancient sage, was praying on the banks of the Ganges, when a littleminnow came to him for protection. He put it into a pot of water before him. “Whatdo you want?” asked Manu. Thelittle minnow replied: ‘’I ampursued by a big fish. Save me from it‘’Manucarried the little fish to his home. By next morning the small fish became asbig as the pot, and said, “I cannot live in this pot anylonger.” Manu put the fish in a tank, and the next dayit became as big as the tank. So Manu took the big gish to a river and bynext morning the big fish filled theriver. Manu then put the big fish intothe ocean.
Thebiggest fish then said: “Manu, I am the Creator of the Universe. I havetaken this form to come and warn you that I will deluge the world. You build anark, and in it put a pair of every kind of animals, and let your family enterthe ark, and there will project out of the water, my horn. Fasten the ark toit, and when the deluge subsides, come out and people the earth.” So the world was deluged, and Manu saved hisown family and two of every kind of animal and seeds of every plant. When thedeluge subsided, he came and peopled the world and we are all called”man,” because we are the progeny of Manu.
