It is well known that swAmi vivEkAnanda was a reluctant disciple initially.
Under the influence of brahmo samaj, he refused to accept advaita.
s’rI rAmakRSNa paramahamsa found a unique way around this. He asked Vivekananda to read out to him from the aSTAvakra samhita, a little everyday.
He said, “I have become a little old, I have difficulty reading; you are young, you eyes are still strong — read from the book lying there.” It was the Ashtavakra Gita. “Read a little out loud to me.” It is said that Vivekananda saw nothing wrong in this, this fellow was not requesting anything special. He read three or four sutras and every cell began trembling. He started to panic and he said, “I cannot read on.” Ramakrishna insisted, ” Go ahead and read. What harm can there be in it? How can this book hurt you? You are young, your eyes are still fresh, and I am old, it is hard for me to read. I must hear this book — read it out to me.” (Source)
And thus did this little book come to have a great influence on Swamiji as he slowly turned to advaita and declared that it would be the future religion of mankind.
