After Swami Vivekananda had started organising his work in America in order to popularise Vedanta in that country he asked some of his brother monks to come and help him in that work. When they arrived in America, Vivekanand initiated them into ways and customs of American life. One of the new monks had the habit of leaving his wrist-watch on the table after coming back from his classes and lectures. Swami Vivekanand had asked him on several occasions to keep the watch in the drawer but the young monk used to forget to follow his advice. One day Swami Vivekananda told him, “I know my dear brother, you care very little for the wrist-watch, but do you not realise that by leaving the watch on the table you may be tempting someone to commit a theft?”

Author: Swami Sambuddhananda

Source: VTS