There is a saying, “The monk is pure who goes, and the river is pure that flows.” In 1888 Vivekananda left the monastery to live as a penniless wandering monk. He carried a staff, a water pot, and his two favourite books — Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ.
He first went to Varanasi, known as the city of light and a capital of ancient Indian culture. During his journey he met many holy people and scholars. One day while visiting the Durga Temple, he was attacked by a troop of monkeys. While he was running away, a monk shouted to him, “Face the brutes.” Swamiji stopped and looked defiantly at the ugly beasts. They quickly disappeared. Later, as a preacher in America, he shared this experience with people and told them to face the dangers and vicissitudes of life and not run away from them. Vivekananda knew his life’s mission and felt a tremendous power within himself. He left the city of Varanasi with these prophetic words: “When I return here the next time, I shall burst upon society like a bombshell, and it will follow me like a dog.”
On his way to Hardwar, he stopped at the Hathras Railroad Station. There he met Sharat Chandra Gupta, the assistant station master, whom he accepted as his disciple. When Sharat asked the swami to stay with him longer, he replied: “My son, I have a great mission to fulfill. My guru asked me to dedicate my life to the regeneration of my motherland. Spirituality has fallen to a low ebb and starvation stalks the land. India must become dynamic again and earn the respect of the world through her spiritual power.” (Source: God Lived with Them)