Only You Can Change Yourself

Once an alcoholic came to a great saint, Ramakrishna and prayed, "Gurudev, I am addicted to alcohol. I have been trying to stay away from it for the last fifteen-twenty days but unable to do so. Please help me and tell me some means to abstain from drinking alcohol". Ramkrishna said, "Well, you come tomorrow. I will surely tell you some measures to stay away from alcohol". The alcoholic was deeply pleased. He felt that the saint would surely give some medicine or use some mantra to get rid of the addiction. Thinking that it was the last day of his addiction, he drank a lot.

The next day he went to the saint. At that time Ramkrishna was in a room that was locked from inside. When he reached there, he heard Ramkrishna shouting, "Save me! Save me!" The alcoholic was puzzled. He could not understand what was amiss. After some time Ramkrishna again called out, "O Brother, please come inside and save me. Please come inside somehow". The alcoholic thought surely Ramkrishna was in some hazard. He pushed the door hard. When he opened the door, he was shocked to see the scene inside, clasping a pillar Ramkrishna Ji was shouting for help. The alcoholic said, "Gurudev, you are yourself clinging to that pillar and shouting for help. You can free yourself from it. But why aren't you trying? Why were you asking me for help?" Ramkrishna quickly replied, "Even you have addicted yourself to alcohol. You can also quit it. Why were you asking me for help?" The alcoholic understood what the saint meant and immediately decided to quit drinking.