Desire

Swami Ramatirtha used to travel abroad for various tasks. Once they were on their way to Japan, an eighty-year-old man was traveling on a ship with him.

The old man was learning Chinese. There is a picture for every word in this language, so it is very difficult to learn this language. Swami Ramatirtha saw that during the morning and evening recess, the old man used to sit on the deck of the ship to learn Chinese.

Swami Ramatirtha was surprised to see him.  They kept watching him for two-three days, then one day Swami Ramatirtha asked the old man that you know that it takes at least eight to ten years to learn Chinese. How old are you? When will you be able to learn this language completely?

The old man said, "God will keep track of age. I am not free from work right now. My eighty years of experience says that if I am not dead yet, I can live more now."

The old man asked Swami Ramatirtha, "How old are you?"  Swami Ramatirtha said, "I am thirty years old. Now I am thinking of doing something."

Then the old man said, "Your country is old because most people do nothing there. Just wait for death."

Swami Ramatirtha wrote that the old man lived for ten years after that and also wrote a book in Chinese.

This passage suggests that one should maintain hope and enthusiasm at every stage of life and keep one's desires alive. By doing this, there is a state of lifelong bliss and good results are also seen.