Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda

By His Eastern and Western Admirers

Swami Vivekananda’s towering personality influenced innumerable persons in India and abroad in various ways. The impress which his life and character made on those persons who were about him and the recounting of those memories by them, reveal the multiple facets of Swamiji’s magnanimous personality. This book published by Advaita Ashrama, Publication house of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, contains some of those reminiscences which would be not only interesting, but also a revelation to all the admirers of the great Swami.

Twenty-two new reminiscences have been added in this edition – Swamis Shivananda, Turiyananda, Saradananda, Akhandananda, Vijnanananda, Achalananda, Atulananda, Virajananda, and Sadananda, as also Brajendranath Seal, C. Ramanujachari, Kumudbandhu Sen, Lillian Montgomery, Mohanlal Shah, Mary Tapan Wright, Sacchindranath Bose, Manmathanath Chowdhury, Harbilas Sarda, G.G. Narasimhachari, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Shailendranath Bandopadhyay and Alice Hansbrough.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Advaita Ashrama (Ramakrishna Math)
• Release date: Dec 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9788175059146

Book preview

Reminiscences of

Swami Vivekananda

By

His Eastern and Western Admirers

(PUBLICATION HOUSE OF RAMAKRISHNA MATH)

5 DEHI ENTALLY ROAD • KOLKATA 700 014

Published by

The Adhyaksha

Advaita Ashrama

P.O. Mayavati, Dt. Champawat

Uttarakhand - 262524, India

from its Publication Department, Kolkata

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.advaitaashrama.org

© All Rights Reserved

First Print Edition, May 1961

Second Print Edition, March 1964

Third Print Edition, May 1983

Fourth Print Edition, May 2004

Fifth Print Edition, June 2017

First Ebook Edition, October 2018

ISBN 978-81-85301-17-4 (Hardbound)

ISBN 978-81-7505-914-6 (Ebook)

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

TO THE FIFTH EDITION

We are pleased to present to our readers this new and enlarged edition of Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda. Twenty-two new reminiscences have been added in this edition—reminiscences by Swamis Shivananda, Turiyananda, Saradananda, Akhandananda, Vijnanananda, Achalananda, Atulananda, Virajananda, and Sadananda, as also of Brajendranath Seal, C. Ramanujachari, Kumudbandhu Sen, Lillian Montgomery, Mohanlal Shah, Mary Tapan Wright, Sacchindranath Bose, Manmathanath Chowdhury, Harbilas Sarda, G. G. Narasimhachari, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Shailendranath Bandopadhyay, and Alice Hansbrough. The source has been cited at the end of each reminiscence.

In addition, some short reminiscences have been given in a separate chapter. Swami Shuddhananda’s reminiscences have been enlarged by adding hitherto untranslated portions. Again, reminiscences by Mary C. Funke have been enlarged by including relevant portions from Inspired Talks. The reminiscences by K. Sundararama Iyer, which had previously been divided into two chapters, have now been combined into one.

Swami Vimohananda of Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, has compiled the new reminiscences and also translated the reminiscences of Swami Shivananda and the additional material by Swami Shuddhananda from the original Bengali. Some years ago the late Peter Schneider, known to all as Hiranyagarbha, a devotee of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, kindly revised the whole manuscript and gave us his valuable suggestions. It is a matter of regret that he is not with us now to see the result of his devoted labour.

We are also grateful to Arvind Nevatia for going over the final proofs.

We are certain that this new edition will be warmly received by all the admirers and followers of Swami Vivekananda.

—Publisher

1 April 2017

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

TO THE FIRST EDITION

Most of these reminiscences appeared in periodicals from time to time. They are reproduced with due permission and thanks. The memories of Sister Christine are copyrighted by Shri Boshishwar Sen of Almora. In the absence of a more comprehensive term for the contributors, we have styled them as His Eastern and Western Admirers, though some of them are disciples, some friends, and some others admirers. The last writer is rather prejudiced.* His article, however, deserved inclusion as depicting a picture not generally known. The articles are printed almost as they appeared earlier. In Sundararama Iyer’s second account, a few paragraphs summarising Swamiji’s Chennai speeches have been omited as these would have been superfluous.

A few more articles have been treated thus for similar reasons and the omitted portions have been marked with three dots.

Although these reminiscences are attractive, informative, and instructive, we must tell the readers that the publisher does not necessarily subscribe to all the opinions expressed in them. For instance, B. G. Tilak’s belief that Swamiji agreed with him that the Bhagavad Gita does not speak of monasticism and Reeves Calkins’s insinuation that in his talks Swamiji reproduced verbatim some of his set speeches are palpably wrong, and no student of Swamiji’s life and works can be misled. Such errors, however, are not many. At some places we have added footnotes to rectify biographical inaccuracies.

We hope that the book will be received as a timely publication, coming as it does on the eve of Swamiji’s birthday centenary celebrations.

—Publisher

Mayavati

1 May 1961

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA (1863 – 1902)

My ideal indeed can be put into a few words, and that is: to preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to make it manifest in every movement of life.

CONTENTS

Publisher's Note To The Fifth Edition

Publisher's Note To The First Edition

Swami Shivananda

Swami Turiyananda

Swami Saradananda

Swami Akhandananda

Swami Vijnanananda

Swami Achalananda

Swami Atulananda

Swami Virajananda

Swami Sadananda

Swami Shuddhananda

Swami Bodhananda

Swami Vimalananda

Swami Sadashivananda

Brajendranath Seal

Nagendranath Gupta

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Haripada Mitra

G. S. Bhate

K. Sundararama Iyer

K. S. Ramaswami Shastri

A. Srinivasa Pai

Sarah Ellen Waldo

Sister Devamata

Cornelia Conger

Martha Browne Fincke

Henry J. Van Haagen

Sister Christine

Josephine MacLeod

Constance Towne

Mary C. Funke

Madame E. Calve

Maud Stumm

Sister Nivedita

Eric Hammond

E. T. Sturdy

T. J. Desai

Kamakhyanath Mitra

Manmathanath Ganguli

S. K. Blodgett…

Ida Ansell

Christina Albers

Isabel Margesson

Viraja Devi

C. Ramanujachari

K. S. Ghosh

Frank Rhodehamel

Kate Sanborn

Kumudbandhu Sen

Lillian Montgomary

Mohanlal Shah

Mary Tapan Wright

Sacchindranath Bose

Manmathanath Chowdhury

Harbilas Sardar

G. G. Narasimhachari

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Shailendranath Bandopadhyay

Mrs Alice M Hansbrough

Reeves Calkins

Short Reminiscences

Appendix

Abbreviations

About the Authors

Swami Shivananda

There is no doubt that the more one studies the life of the world-famous Swami Vivekananda, foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the more will grow one’s faith and devotion and the more will one progress along the path of service.

I first had the great good fortune of meeting Sri Ramakrishna and receiving his grace in 1879 or 1880. This was certainly due to some merit I may have acquired in my previous births. I first saw him at the house of his great householder devotee Ramachandra Dutta, a relative of Swamiji—then called Narendranath Dutta—who also lived nearby. On that day, Ramachandra had invited Sri Ramakrishna and many of his devotees to his house to celebrate a religious festival. That was probably also the first time I saw Swamiji among the devotees.

As I started to visit Dakshineshwar and got to know Sri Ramakrishna and his devotees, I became very friendly with Swamiji. In those days, the devotees used to meet regularly at Ramachandra’s house and take part in discussions on the life and teachings of the Master while singing and taking part in other devotional activities. My hunger to associate closely with Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees grew stronger. Noticing this, the Master said to Ramachandra in the presence of other devotees, Tarak [Swami Shivananda’s pre-monastic name] is very eager for close association with my devotees, so let him stay at your house. Ramachandra agreed, and that very day I accepted his invitation to stay at his house from then on.

SWAMI SHIVANANDA

When Swamiji was in Sri Ramakrishna’s presence, I was struck to see the great love the Master had for him. Now that I had the opportunity to mix with Swamiji and talk to him, the more did I realize his greatness.

By the Master’s grace I was able to renounce the world, and Swamiji too gradually cut off all worldly ties. However, the power and force of Swamiji’s character shone so brightly that I felt like a faint star next to the full moon of Swamiji. When Sri Ramakrishna was lying ill at Cossipore, it was Swamiji who gathered us and engaged us in his service. It was also under his leadership that we wholeheartedly undertook spiritual practices and scriptural study.

Many incidents bear testimony to the fact that, from his very childhood Swamiji used to feel intensely for others. After the death of his father, his family was in dire straits. Swamiji’s friends greatly appreciated his many good qualities and tried to help him financially, some of them even keeping it anonymous. But many times, returning home after somehow earning a little money, Swamiji would meet a needy friend on the way. Knowing fully well that what little he had in his pocket would provide his family’s next meal, Swamiji would nevertheless give it to the friend and go home empty-handed. When his mother would ask whether he had gotten any money, he would say, Not today—please manage somehow. But then, by the Lord’s grace, some other acquaintance of Swamiji’s would turn up with money, and Swamiji would immediately hand it over to his mother. Such incidents were frequent.

One day, at Cossipore, Swami Yogananda said to Swamiji: A lady of our village is very poor and has become a widow. She has her children to look after and there’s no one to support her. She’ll be in big trouble if she doesn’t get at least thirty rupees immediately. This pained Swamiji greatly. Most of us were students, and nobody had much money. However, Swamiji knew I had a savings account. He came to me and said: Brother Tarak, you are a monk. What do you need money for? That poor lady has a great need for thirty rupees. Please take that much out of your account and send it to her. We’ll certainly help her however we can. I withdrew the required amount and handed it over to Swamiji, who immediately sent it to Swami Yogananda for the lady.

These incidents illustrate Swamiji’s great compassion while still a young man. And now, the people of India—nay, the whole world—are coming to see how, as time went by, his compassion embraced all of mankind.

During the time when we were engaged in the service of the Master at Cossipore, we were studying Vedanta intently, and at one point our spirit of renunciation grew so intense that suddenly Swamiji, along with Swami Abhedananda and myself, without mentioning it to Sri Ramakrishna, left for Bodha Gaya—the place where Lord Buddha performed austerities and attained illumination. Reaching the place, Swamiji sat under the sacred Bodhi tree and entered into deep meditation. We, too, sat in meditation next to him. After some time, Swamiji suddenly burst into tears like a child and embraced me, and then again entered into meditation. When I later asked him about it, he replied: While meditating I recalled how that great soul, Lord Buddha, left his kingdom, parents, wife, and child in search of knowledge and engaged himself in severe austerities which culminated in samadhi. ‘Where is he now? Where is that great soul? Why can’t I see him?’—thinking in this way, I so keenly felt the absence of Lord Buddha that I couldn’t control myself and burst into tears.

We spent three days in meditation and other spiritual practices as well as visiting other places near Bodha Gaya, bathing in the river Phalgu and so forth, and then returned to Cossipore. When we got back we found out that Sri Ramakrishna had become worried at Swamiji’s going away without informing him, and our brother-disciples had also been filled with anxiety. When the young disciples, becoming distressed, had approached the Master, he had said: Just like a bird who sits on the mast of a ship flies off in all directions but finally returns to the mast, Naren will come back here after all his wanderings. Don’t worry. What the Master had said came to pass and all of us returned to Cossipore on the fourth day.

After the Master’s passing away, Swamiji became very concerned for his brother-disciples. All of us were without any means of support, yet, having lived together and served the Master for so long, we were now united by a strong tie of brotherhood which would be difficult to break. Eleven or twelve days after the Master’s passing away, I joined a party consisting of Holy Mother, two women devotees, and Swamis Adbhutananda and Yogananda on a pilgrimage to Vrindavan. We all stayed in a house belonging to Balaram Bose, a close devotee of the Master.

Meanwhile, back in Kolkata (then Calcutta), Swamiji was frantically searching for a place where all of us brother-disciples could take shelter, and, spending our time in spiritual practices and scriptural study in solitude, could attain the Self-knowledge which the Master had taught us to be the ultimate goal of human life. By the grace of the Master, one of his rich householder devotees, Surendranath Mitra, who lived near Swamiji, came to him suddenly one day and said, with tears in his eyes, Naren, will you grant me a favour? Of course! Swamiji replied, How sincerely you’ve served the Master! We’ll do anything for you. Surendranath then said: Sri Ramakrishna appeared before me and said: ‘Oh! what are you doing? My children are wandering in the streets. Look at their sad condition! Make some arrangement for them and help them to attain the goal of life.’ So I’m asking you to gather all the disciples of the Master and rent a house in some secluded place between Kolkata and Dakshineshwar where you can all stay.

Swamiji replied: I, too, have been wondering how to bring together all the young disciples of the Master. Now, by the will of the Lord, you come to show us the way. I’ll set to work today itself. The next day, Swamiji called Bhavanath Chatterjee—his dear friend and a disciple of the Master—and arranged to rent a house at Baranagore. The house was old and belonged to some zamindars of Taki. One of the rooms contained the library of a self-improvement association Bhavanath had formed, and meetings were occasionally held there. Our monastery was established in the remaining five or six rooms. A picture of Sri Ramakrishna was placed in one of the rooms, and many of his young disciples began to gather at the house. Swamiji didn’t have to worry about us anymore, for here we could completely immerse ourselves in austerities and the study of the scriptures.

After a few days, Swamiji, along with myself and a few other brother-disciples, went to Varanasi for some days and practised austerities there. Swamiji lived alone in a garden-house, and we stayed in another spot. We would meet occasionally. Swamiji also visited Ghazipur to meet Pavhari Baba and stayed close to the saint’s cottage. After some days, Swamiji set out for the Himalayas with some of his brother-disciples. However, a disciple who had set out with him from Hathras fell seriously ill on the way, and after getting as far as Rishikesh, Swamiji had to return to Hathras. Staying there with his disciple, Swamiji also fell ill.

I, too, had set out for the Himalayas after Swamiji. But on the way I decided to visit Vrindavan, and got down at Hathras to change trains. However, I happened to learn that Swamiji was also there and that he wasn’t well. I cancelled my Vrindavan trip, and found Swamiji after a little searching. Seeing me, he said: You have come, brother Tarak! I had thought of going to Haridwar, set up a hut, and ask you to join me there. Anyway, please come back here after visiting Vrindavan so that we can go to Rishikesh together.

But when I got back from Vrindavan I could see that he was very ill. I told him so, and added: It’s better if you don’t go to the Himalayas now. I’ll postpone my journey, too, and go back to the monastery with you. Swamiji replied: No, you have set out with a noble purpose and shouldn’t cancel your plans. Please go to Haridwar, and I’ll go there after I recover. This can never be, I said. There’s no way I can leave you in this condition. I’ll go back with you to Kolkata. What—you’re lying ill in a remote place like this and I will go away to practise austerities? Never! Swamiji agreed to my plan, and we left for Kolkata the same day.

After spending some days in the monastery at Baranagore, Swamiji again wished to go to the Himalayas to practice austerities. He visited various places in the Himalayas with four brother-disciples, and finally settled down in Rishikesh. After spending some days joyfully in spiritual practices, he fell very ill, and at one point his life seemed to be in danger. However, he recovered and the group then descended to the plains. Swamiji then spent some time at Meerut and fully recovered his health. After this he set out alone in the direction of Rajputana. Before leaving, he said to his brother-disciples: I’m now going to travel alone. You won’t know my whereabouts for some years.

And in fact, we received very little news about Swamiji for the next three years. When we were at the Alambazar monastery, we occasionally received news of Swamiji being somewhere in the Kathiawar district. One day we suddenly received a long letter from him, about ten-twelve pages, written in Persian, and from this we learned that he was learning Persian. After this we received no news of him for quite some time. In May 1893, he left for America to attend the Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

In 1897 Swamiji returned to India, halting at Sri Lanka on the way. From there he went to Chennai. I, along with a few monks, went to receive him at Madurai. At Madurai he alighted from the stage coach of the raja of Ramnad and embraced us with great joy. Swamiji was accompanied by his disciples, Captain and Mrs. Sevier and Mr. Goodwin, and all of us took up our residence in the palace of the Raja of Ramnad. In the evening the educated community of Madurai presented Swamiji with an address of welcome at Madurai College. Here I experienced, for the first time, the force of Swamiji’s lectures.

Never before had I been conscious of such power in his speech, though I had lived and travelled with him. He had acquired such a command of the English language that it now seemed to be his mother tongue. The college campus was filled to overflowing, and people were even standing outside—they, too, were listening to his lecture in mute wonder. That evening we boarded a train bound for Chennai (then Madras). On the way, Professor Rangachari, Swamiji’s friend from his premonastic days, asked him to stay for a day at Kashi Kumbakonam (here the Sanskrit language is very popular, as in Kashi; thus this name. There is also a First Class college here). Swamiji couldn’t ignore his request, and got down at Kumbakonam. In the evening, at the request of the professor, he gave a lecture at the college that lasted about two hours. The teachers and students as well as the scholars who were present were charmed by the lecture. Next morning, we left for Chennai. When the train arrived at the station we found the platform overflowing with so many people that we could not find a way out of the station. The police commissioner, along with a few sergeants, came to Swamiji and had to lead him by the hand out of the station to a chariot made specially for him.

Swamiji and the rest of us took our seats in the chariot. Outside the station the roads, the balconies, and the rooftops of the houses were full of people waiting to see Swamiji excitedly, as if he were a god. It took us about two hours to reach Castle Kernan, where Swamiji was supposed to stay. He stayed in Chennai for five or six days, and delivered as many lectures. Then, along with a few of his Chennai disciples, he travelled by steamer to Kolkata. We accompanied him, as did his foreign disciples. There, too, Swamiji discussed religious topics with some clergymen who happened to be aboard the steamer, and the clergymen learned many things from Swamiji. To hear Swamiji talk, almost all of the passengers would assemble on the deck of the steamer, making it look like a lecture hall.

When Swamiji reached Kolkata, he was welcomed on a grand scale. Here, too, he delivered a few lectures. We spent a few days with him in the monastery in great joy. The bliss we experienced in those days can never be described. Swamiji again visited America via England in the middle of 1899. He remained in the West for about a year and a half, spreading the message of Vedanta and establishing two Vedanta centres. Putting Swamis Abhedananda and Turiyananda in charge of the centres, he returned to India in December 1900. He suffered much from diabetes for about two or three years.

Swamiji’s health had broken down due to his excessive labours in Europe and America, and he decided to go to Almora to rest with a few disciples. At the time I was staying there, and thus got the opportunity to be with him again. His talk was always pregnant with wisdom. A few days before Swamiji arrived at Almora, the monastery was transferred from Alambazar to a rented house near the present Belur Math.

While I was in Almora, Swamiji asked me to go to Sri Lanka and establish a Vedanta Society there. Accordingly, I stayed in Sri Lanka for about eight months and established the Colombo Vedanta Society. There also I would receive regular news of Swamiji, and of how his brother-disciples and disciples were spending their days joyfully in his company at Belur Math. My desire to be in his holy company again grew so strong that I, too, went to Belur Math.

Towards the end of 1901 or the beginning of 1902 I had gone to Kankhal, and there received the news that Swamiji’s health being very bad, he would be going to Varanasi for rest and would stay there in the garden-house of Kalikrishna Thakur. I too went to Varanasi, but on arriving received the news that Swamiji hadn’t arrived yet. Kalikrishna made his own room fit for Swamiji’s stay and himself supervised all the arrangements. All his employees were asked to be in Swamiji’s service as long as he stayed there. Swamiji looked very emaciated when he arrived, but his health slowly began to improve after a few days due to the change of climate. While Swamiji was living in the garden-house, the abbot of the Kedarnath monastery came to meet him and also took him to visit his monastery. We also accompanied Swamiji. We went into the temple of Kedarnath to see the deity and were also fed sumptuously by the venerable abbot. The abbot worshipped Swamiji as he would worship Lord Shiva himself, and presented him with ochre clothes. We returned to the garden-house in the evening.

The raja of Bhinga was an important landlord who at the time was staying in his garden-house near the Durga temple in Varanasi. A graduate of Kolkata University and a renowned statesman, he was also a former member of the U.P. Council and the Imperial Council. When he learned of Swamiji’s arrival in Varanasi, he sent him presents of fruit, flowers, and sweets. He also made the following request through the bearer of these presents: I have taken a vow not to go out of the garden-house and will therefore be very grateful if you kindly come yourself to my humble abode. Please forgive me for all the trouble I am putting you to. To this Swamiji replied, Though I am not keeping good health, I will certainly go to meet the raja. The next day the raja sent a vehicle for Swamiji and we went with him to the meeting. In the course of conversation the raja said to Swamiji: I have been following your noble work since you left for America. It seems that you are a great soul—like Buddha and Shankaracharya—and have been born to establish religion in this age. For a long time I have been waiting to see you, and it is my good fortune to meet you today. I have seen many scholars and monks in Varanasi, but have not seen the spirit of true religion in anyone. It is my ardent request that you start a centre here for the propagation of the liberal principles of Vedanta. I will give a donation for this purpose. Saying this, the raja handed over some money to Swamiji. Swamiji replied, I myself am not in good health right now, but I will engage one of my brother-disciples in this work. This is indeed a noble resolve.

While Swamiji was at Varanasi, a highly placed official of the Japanese government who wanted to take him to Japan for the propagation of Vedanta also stayed with him. However, Swamiji’s poor health prevented him from visiting Japan.

In June 1902, Swamiji sent me to Varanasi to establish an Advaita Ashrama there. This could be said to be his last effort to spread the message of Vedanta. At his command, I stayed in Varanasi for five years. In due course, by the Lord’s grace, a centre got established there on a stable basis.

While Swamiji was staying in Belur Math, many college students came to him to learn the fundamentals of religion and lead a pure life. Gradually his fame spread like a tidal wave through the length and breadth of India, and many centres were established for the propagation of Vedanta and the ideal of service.

Swamiji attained mahasamadhi on 4 July 1902.

There is no doubt that even a little study of the life of this great soul will be conducive to our spiritual progress.

(Sandipan, August 1963)

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji stayed for a long time at the home of Chhavildas in Mumbai. It was then that he visited many places in this part of the country. Chhavildas belonged to the Arya Samaj and was against the worship of God with forms. He had much discussion with Swamiji concerning it. One day he said to Swamiji: Well, Swamiji, you say that worship of God with forms, idol-worship and such other doctrines are true. If you can prove these doctrines by arguments quoted from the Vedas, I shall leave the Arya Samaj, I promise you.

Swamiji replied emphatically, Yes, surely I can do that. He began explaining the Hindu doctrine of image-worship and such other doctrines in the light of the Vedas, until Chhavildas was convinced. Chhavildas made good his promise by leaving the Arya Samaj. Swamiji was such a genius that he could do that.

It was at this time that Swamiji visited Poona, Malabar, and other places. Usually he avoided travelling by train, but when he took the train, he would travel first-class. Ordinarily he did not accept money from anyone, but if a person insisted on giving him something, he would say, You may buy me a first-class train ticket, if you wish. Because of his weak stomach he had to have the facilities of a lavatory, which are available in a first-class compartment.

♦~♦~♦

Once, being invited, Swamiji was going to the Maharaja of Limbdi (who was then staying at Mahabaleswar). Plainly dressed, he was resting on a bench in a first-class compartment when some distinguished passengers entered by another door. Finding a sannyasi occupying an entire bench, they became very annoyed and gave vent to their feelings in English. It is these sannyasis who have been responsible for the downfall of India, they said. Swamiji remained lying down and listened to their criticism unconcerned. But later, when they went to extremes, he lost his patience. He sat up and started arguing the issue with them. He said: What are you saying! Instead of ruining India the sannyasis have kept her alive. Just think for a moment how great were Buddha, Shankara, Chaitanya and others! Think what they did for India!

In this way Swamiji proved from history that it is the monks who have kept India alive. He answered these people’s arguments so beautifully that they were very much surprised. The foremost of the critic was so pleased with Swamiji’s flawless English and scholarly arguments that he invited him to his place. Of course, Swamiji could not accept his invitation at the time, because he was proceeding to the place of the Maharaja of Limbdi who had great regard for him.

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji was fond of the Nasadiya Sukta and would chant it so rhythmically, in the right Vedic metre, that one would feel as if a Vedic seer were repeating his own spiritual experience.

Darkness there was, and all at first was veiled

In gloom profound—an ocean without light .

Swamiji would repeat this portion of the hymn and say that nowhere in any language would you come across such poetic beauty. In one of his writings he brought out this idea nicely.

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji used to cook sometimes. He had a small water-pot such as the one used in northern India, and in it he would cook lentils and rice. He would offer all food to the Master first, and after distributing it amongst us, he himself would eat. He would say, Narayana should be fed before one eats.

♦~♦~♦

In the early days of the monastery the hymn Om, Glory be unto Shiva! Worship Shiva used to be chanted at the time of vespers. Swamiji composed the hymn to Sri Ramakrishna and put it to music, introducing it at the monastery. He himself would play the drums and lead the singing. That was a wonderful sight! He was so divinely handsome and would put so much spiritual fervour into his singing!

At that time Swamiji made a rule that all should get up at four o’clock in the morning, when the bell rang, and after finishing ablutions go to the chapel for meditation. Swamiji himself would also go there for meditation. If anyone missed it, he would not be allowed to have his meal at the monastery, but would have to beg for his food. Though all of us got up early and meditated, once in a while it so happened that we slept on and did not hear the bell. In the morning Swamiji would say, If we ourselves do not abide by these rules, how can we expect the boys to do so?

♦~♦~♦

When Swamiji returned to this country from America after his triumphal preaching, one day Girish Babu said to him: Well, Naren, you will have to do one thing in compliance with a special request of ours. Girish Babu was very fond of Swamiji, that is why he spoke that way. Swamiji with great earnestness said: Why do you talk that way? Just tell me what you want me to do. Girish Babu replied, You will have to write a biography of Sri Ramakrishna. Immediately Swamiji fell back several steps and said in a serious tone: Well, Girish Babu, please never make such a request to me. I shall very gladly do whatever you ask me other than this. I would not even hesitate to revolutionize the world at your request; but I shall not be able to do the work you have suggested. He [the Master] was so profound, so great, that I have not understood him at all. I have not been able to know even a fraction of his life. Do you advise me to fashion a monkey while trying to mould an image of Shiva? I can’t do it !

♦~♦~♦

At different times Swamiji would be in different moods and would inspire us accordingly. Sometimes we would discuss the path of knowledge, at other times the path of devotion, and so on. There were times when we would remain absorbed with one idea for a month at a stretch. We would be engrossed in the same mood day and night without interruption. While eating, lying down, or sitting—at all times we would have the same discussions and arguments, and we would also perform spiritual disciplines appropriate to those moods.

Swamiji was very fond of the ideas of Lord Buddha and he was well read in Buddhist philosophy. He was not one-sided in any way. From those days on, Swamiji had ideas, language, and reasoning of a unique kind. Even his ordinary conversation would be full of lofty ideas expressed in scholarly language. He liked the style of Milton, and he would carry on his discussion and arguments in that style. Before going to America, Swamiji wandered as an itinerant monk from one corner of India to another, and during those wanderings he met the Dewan of Junagad. By talking with Swamiji the Dewan was so impressed that he said to him, Swamiji, you have a very bright future before you. His prediction came true. While in America, Swamiji became a little nervous at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. It was but natural. It was such a huge gathering: thousands of people—the very best, the cream of society. Swamiji didn’t know what he would say, because he hadn’t gone there with a prepared lecture. Dr. Barrows called upon him to speak but he kept putting him off. Suddenly he was reminded of a certain verse: I salute the all-blissful Krishna, by whose compassion the mute become eloquent and the cripple scale mountains. The moment this verse came to his mind, all nervousness left him. Saluting the Master mentally, he stood up; and what followed you must have read. The world heard a new message from his lips. His lecture was the very best. My child, it was all the play of the power of God! Swamiji was a direct instrument of the Master. All the scholarly speakers who came prepared to establish the greatness of their denominations paled into insignificance before Swamiji.

Noticing his success, the people of America collected large funds and sent Dr. Barrows to India and such other countries to preach Christianity. Dr. Barrows visited different places in India and gave lectures with very little result. Swamiji started preaching the message of Vedanta in the West and we received reports of his lectures here. At first we could hardly believe that these were lectures given by Swamiji. He didn’t use the language nor the ideas we were familiar with. Everything had changed. He had a new message and a new language. Before going to America, he had a leaning towards the path of knowledge and his language was very philosophical and scholarly. But in the lectures which he gave in the West his language was simple and direct and his ideas were full of life and love. Returning to India, he remarked: Do you think I gave those lectures? It was the Master who spoke through me. In reality it was so.

Swamiji would enter the shrine [for worship], take his seat and meditate for a long time. It would be a deep meditation. After meditating for about an hour and a half, he would begin the worship. Meditation was very important in his worship. He would then bathe the Master and, adding sandalwood paste in the tray of flowers, would offer those flowers with both hands at his blessed feet again and again. His worship was indeed a sight to see. Finally he would prostrate himself, get up, and leave the shrine. Someone else would go and offer the food. In his worship meditation was the major feature.

♦~♦~♦

See how Swamiji had to depart prematurely owing to incessant strenuous work. Many a time did he go away to the Himalayas to practise intense austerities, but each time somebody dragged him down from the lap of the mountains. He started moving through Rajasthan and other places, and met many rajas and maharajas. In the course of his wanderings, he reached Porbandar. That princely state was then without a ruler and it was in a chaotic condition. So the British Government appointed Sri Shankara Rao administrator of the state. He was a very learned, intelligent, and honest man. He had travelled extensively in Europe, and had learnt French and German quite well. In his house he had a big library of his own; he was very studious by nature. This library attracted Swamiji very much. When he expressed his feelings to Sri Shankar Rao, the latter said with great delight, You can stay here as long as you like and study.

So Swamiji stayed there for some time. Sri Shankar Rao was a master of Sanskrit. One day he said to Swamiji: To tell you the truth, Swamiji, when I first read the scriptures, it seemed as though they contained no truth, as though it was all a figment of the brains of the writers of those books—as though they had written as and when the fancies fleeted across their minds. But after seeing and keeping company with you intimately, my idea has changed; now it strikes me that our religious literature is all true. I noticed in the West that the thinking people there are very eager to be acquainted with our philosophies and scriptures. But they have not yet come across anyone who can explain our scriptures to them properly. It would be a real achievement if you could go to the West and explain to them our Vedic religion. Now, see how the Master’s work starts.

In reply, Swamiji said: That is a good proposal. I am a sannyasi, and to me there is no difference between this country and that. I shall go when the need arises. Sri Shankar Rao added: If one wants to mix with the elite there, one has to learn the French language. Please learn it; I shall help you. And so Swamiji learnt that language well enough. I was then at the Alambazar Math. Swamiji had been travelling for about two years without giving any news about himself. Nobody knew his whereabouts, and he had not even seen the Alambazar Math. One day, all of a sudden, a letter of full four pages came from him. None of us could make out in what language it was written. Swami Ramakrishnananda and Swami Trigunatitananda knew a smattering of French. After a close examination, they said: It seems to be a letter from Naren written in French. Then we had to go with that letter to Aghore Chatterjee in Kolkata. He had been the principal of the Hyderabad State College, and knew French very well. He read the letter and translated it into Bengali for us. Only then did we come to know Swamiji’s whereabouts and that he had learnt French.

Well, I told you at the start that Swamiji had planned to spend his life in meditation, japa, and other spiritual practices. But the great power that descended as Sri Ramakrishna did not allow him to do so; it yoked him to the work of propagating the message of the age that would save the world. The master yogi that Swamiji was, he could easily have spent his days in samadhi, totally absorbed in God, if he had only wanted to do so; but the Master drew him into the midst of intense activity. He has engaged all of you as well to give shape to his message. Blessed are the men whom he has chosen.

This ceremony [Christmas Eve celebration] started from the old Baranagore days. A few days after the Master had passed away, the mother of Swami Premananda invited us to her village home at Antpur. Swamiji took us all there. Our hearts were then afire with renunciation; we felt great agony at the loss of our Master; and all were engaged in intense spiritual practices. The only thought we had during those days, and the only effort we made, was for the realization of God and the attainment of peace. When we were at Antpur, we applied ourselves much more intensely to spiritual practices. We would light a fire with logs under the open sky, and spend the nights there in japa and meditation. Swamiji would talk with us fervently about renunciation, and self-sacrifice. Sometimes, he would make us read the Gita, the Bhagavata, the Upanishads, etc. and hold discussions on them. Thus we spent some days.

One night we sat near the log-fire absorbed in meditation. After a long time Swamiji broke the silence all of a sudden; and, as though in an inspired mood, started talking about Jesus Christ with utmost devotion. He spoke about the intense spiritual practices, burning renunciation, and message of Jesus, and, above all, his realization of unity with God. This he did with such spirit, enthusiasm, and lucidity that we were all struck dumb. It seemed to us for the time being that it was none other than Christ himself who spoke to us through Swamiji. And as we heard, we floated on a current of bliss, as it were. The only idea that reigned supreme in our hearts was that we must realize God, however hard the struggle might be, and must become one with Him; for all else mattered little. It was Swamiji’s habit that, whenever he took up a topic, he would follow its implications to their utmost.

We came to know later that it was the Christmas Eve, and yet we had no idea of it earlier. So we were convinced that it was none other than Christ himself who, through Swamiji, made us hear that glorious life and message of his, so as to intensify our spirit of renunciation and our quest for God-realization.

Well, a very strange phenomenon occurred while living with Swamiji at the garden-house [Cossipore]. In those days we all slept together side by side, in a room downstairs; for we had no beddings worth mentioning. We had a big mosquito-curtain which we put up, and all took shelter under it. One night I slept near Swamiji; there were Swami Ramakrishnananda and some others as well. Suddenly I woke up to find the inside of the whole curtain flooded with a brilliant light. Swamiji had been by my side; but now I could not find him there. Instead, there slept a number of Shivas—all of the age of seven or eight years, without clothes and white in colour, and their heads covered with matted hair. It was the light emanating from their bodies that lit up the place. As I looked on I was dumbfounded at the sight. I could not understand anything at first. I thought it was a hallucination; so I rubbed my eyes and again looked—there slept the Shivas, sure enough, just as before. So I was in a fix and sat up with wonder; I did not lie down again. Besides, I was afraid that I might touch them with my feet unconsciously during my sleep. So I spent the whole night in meditation. When the day dawned, I found Swamiji sleeping just as before. When I told him everything, he laughed heartily.

Long afterwards, while reading a hymn to Vireshvara Shiva, I discovered a mantra about meditation on him that coincided with my vision; and then I knew that my vision was quite true. Swamiji was nothing but that in reality. He was born as a part of Shiva, and that’s why I saw like that.

(Culled from For Seekers of God)

SWAMI TURIYANANDA

Swami Turiyananda

We have seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears. The tremendous yearning of Swami Vivekananda for God-realization used to surprise us and make us despair of ourselves, in spite of all encouragement and assurance from the Master. And we would think that this life would go in vain, without realizing God. But at last, favourable days came through the grace of the Master.

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji used to say, Since you have been born on earth, leave a lasting mark on it. At the Baranagore Math he said, Let me tell you, our names will be recorded in history. Swami Yogananda ridiculed him. But Swamiji replied, Well, well, you will see, I can convince every one of the truths of Vedanta. If you will not listen to me, I shall go to the Pariah villages and teach Vedanta to the villagers.

♦~♦~♦

Whenever Swamiji said I, he identified it with the all-comprehensive I. When we say I, we identify it with the body, the senses, and the mind. Hence we have to say the servant I, the devotee I. Swamiji would never identify his I with any adjunct of the Self—he would identify himself with Brahman and go beyond body, mind, and intellect. This was his central and normal mood, and in that he used to pass the greatest part of his time. But such a mood does not come to us. We are living separate from Him. Hence we have to say Thou and Thine in reference to God.

We saw Swamiij working hard till the end. During his last illness, he would press a pillow to his chest in order to relieve breathing difficulties, but he would still roar, Arise! awake! What are you doing?

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji used to tell us, Do you think I only lecture? I know I give them something solid, and they know they receive something solid. In New York Swamiji was lecturing to a class. Oh, the tremendous effect of it! K. said that while listening to the lecture he felt as if some force was drawing the Kundalini up, as at the time of meditation. After the lecture was finished (it took an hour) K. announced that he would hold a question class. Most of the audience had gone after Swamiji’s lecture. Swamiji rebuked him, saying: A question class after this! Do you want to spoil the effect of my lecture? Just see! Oh, what a power Sri Ramakrishna left for the world in Swamiji! Hasn’t he changed the very thought-current of the world?

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji gave away everything not to his disciples but to his brother-disciples. … He used to live upon a private fund, for as he said, I have given away everything. Once he wrote to me, Now that I have given everything to you, I am at peace. What a wonderful man! You could have seen his influence, had you been to the West. He himself used to say, My work will be more in the West; thence it will react on India. One day he was very much annoyed and said, I see I have to conduct the whole music single-handed—to sing and play the instruments and do everything myself, with none to help me!

Swamiji used to bring with him all sorts of people to Sri Ramakrishna. At this the Master would say: What worthless people do you bring—one-eyed, lame, and so forth? You don’t know good people from bad people. Don’t bring anyone and everyone.

Swamiji always used to help the weak. He would say: The weaker the man, the more help should he get. If a Brahmana boy needs one teacher, engage four such for a Pariah. What a grand sentiment!

♦~♦~♦

Once Sri Ramakrishna was very angry with a lady devotee. He asked all of us not to go to her house or eat from her hands. He also asked her not to come to Dakshineshwar. Against this serious injunction of his, who would dare visit her house? Swamiji, however, said to Swami Shivananda one day, Come, let us have a walk. In the course of the walk he came to the lady’s house and wanted something to eat. The lady was beside herself with joy and fed him heartily. After this Swamiji went to Sri Ramakrishna and told him what he had done. Sri Ramakrishna said, Well, I forbade you and yet you went there and ate! Swamiji replied: Well, what harm was there? I have also invited her to come here.

♦~♦~♦

Once Swamiji importuned the Master for the sake of Hazra. The Master was then at Cossipore. Swamiji would not leave him—his persistent demand was: You must do something for him; must bless him. Sri Ramakrishna said, He will have nothing now, but he will have it at the time of death. It actually came to pass. Swamiji was a believer at heart in grace and things of that sort.

L. used to fall asleep early, and once the Master was very much vexed at it. He wanted to remove him from Dakshineshwar. But Swamiji interceded and the matter ended peacefully. It was for this reason that L. used to say, If anyone is really a brother-disciple, it is Vivekananda.

♦~♦~♦

Once a boy came to the Math to stay. Everyone was against it. Swamiji said: The Master could read a man’s heart, so his opinion as to admitting a man or otherwise used to be correct. But I do not have this power. So I am prepared to give a chance to all. If you, like the Master, know how to read one’s mind, well, you may decline to admit the boy. Then he asked everyone his opinion on the matter. When my turn came I said: I have marked this well that none can live here whom the Master does not like to have. Those who are to stay will stay, and those who are not, will go away. At this Swamiji remarked, Well said. It is an excellent plan. The boy was admitted but left after a few days.

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji had a great sense of humour. One day I was working with a knife when its tip broke, and I was sad. Seeing this Swamiji said: Well, a knife has always an end like that. It certainly won’t have an attack of cholera or typhoid! At this I laughed out. Didn’t he put it beautifully?

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji really had the power to help others. He had no jealousy. But that’s where we are put into difficulties. We are always afraid lest anybody excels us. But he was too great for that sort of fear. He had not the least bit of jealousy. He used to say: Help everyone forward from where he is, and if you can, supply his particular deficiency. But if you can’t, don’t try to drag him to your own level.

Swamiji used to say, He who has seen even a ghost is much greater than a mere book-learned pundit because he has got an opportunity to form a conviction about the future life.

♦~♦~♦

When Swamiji went to America for the first time, I accompanied him from Mt. Abu to Mumbai. In the running train, Swamiji said to me in all seriousness: Well, all that preparation that you see going on [in America] is for this (pointing to his own body). My mind tells me so. You will see it verified at no distant date.

Swamiji used to say: Religion is the very life of India. Even now it is so. What has India been doing all this time if not producing saints? India will have to preach religion to the whole world. Swamiji’s words cannot but turn out true. India will surely rise again. Swamiji once remarked, This time I have left nothing unsaid. Yes, he has said everything, and his ideas are now being worked out. … Swamiji prophesied many times about the future glorious mission of India in unmistakable terms, and his prophecy cannot prove false. There is already a good beginning.

♦~♦~♦

Who was as sattvika as Swamiji? My impression of him is not derived from hearsay, but from constant companionship and ocular evidence. I have seen him sitting at meditation at nine in the evening, quite insensible to the bitter stings of swarms of mosquitoes, and rising from it at five in the morning to take an early bath. It seemed as if Shiva himself was meditating, so deeply absorbed and unconscious of the external he would be! Self-control and harmony—these are characteristics of sattva. Swamiji saw that India could not redeem herself unless she passed first through rajas or activity. That is why he preached the doctrine of selfless work, which is activity inspired and controlled by sattva, or mental poise and dispassionateness. … Indians are going down in tamas under the pretext of sattva. Swamiji tried hard to whip them into activity.

♦~♦~♦

Swamiji once told me: From the very nature of things, it is difficult to understand anything of the world. And now after lifelong labour it seems that I have known a little and when I think of giving that knowledge to others, the call has come from Above: ‘Come away, just come away. Don’t bother yourself about teaching others. It is not the will of the Granny that the play should be over.’

Once, one of Swamiji’s brothers came to see him at the monastery at Baranagore. Swamiji abused him right and left and drove him off. At this I took the boy aside and comforted him. Then I asked Swamiji, Why did you abuse the boy so much? Swamiji replied, You think I have no feeling, that I am heartless; is it not? I was completely silenced. Then he said: You see, if I show my love for them even to a little extent, it will not be possible for me to stay here; they will all come and give me all sorts of troubles.

(Culled from Spiritual Talks)

♦~♦~♦

Let me tell you an incident that happened when I was in America. I was then staying in Montclair, New Jersey, at Mrs. Wheeler’s residence. I heard that a middle-aged American was teaching pranayama [breathing exercises]. She would give two lessons and charge five dollars each. She introduced herself as Swami Vivekananda’s student. Mrs. Wheeler invited her to her home to meet me. I talked to her on many subjects; she seemed to be a nice person. Later when I met Swamiji in New York, by the by I mentioned that woman to him. I asked him: Is this women your student? Is it proper that she is charging money and doing business in your name? Swamiji replied: You have seen only one. There are many like her. It is not wrong for her to make a little money for her living. She might have attended my lectures or classes. I may recognize her face but I don’t know her name. It is all right that she is making her living in this way. The way Swamiji expressed his compassion and sympathy for that women made me feel embarrassed for my narrow attitude. Swamiji’s catholic feeling is unparalleled; that is why he is so great!

♦~♦~♦

The sweet memory of Swamiji at Meerut [a place between Haridwar and Delhi] is still vivid in my mind. He was very sick at Rishikesh, then he was brought to Meerut for treatment, and we stayed with him for about six weeks until he recovered. I can’t describe how blessed were those clays! Swamiji taught us everything—from mending shoes to studying the scriptures. On the one hand, he would read and explain to us Vedanta scriptures, Upanishads, Sanskrit dramas; and on the other, he taught us how to cook and many other things.

During this period an incident happened that left an everlasting impression on my mind. One day he cooked some fancy dishes for us. They were so delicious that I can’t express it to you. While we praised his tasty cooking, he served everything on our plates and he himself did not take even a bite. When we objected, he said: I have eaten these things many times. It is a great joy for me to feed you. Please eat everything.

Just imagine his attitude! It was an insignificant incident, but it is imprinted on our minds forever. How great were his love and care for us! We talked together; we walked together—the memory of those experiences is still vivid in my mind. From Meerut Swamiji began his journey alone. In Delhi we met Swamiji again and stayed with him for a month. Later, just before his departure for America, Swami Brahmananda and I met him briefly in Mumbai (then Bombay). We were virtually out of touch with him for eight years, until he returned to the Alambazar Monastery as a world figure. Now he is with the Master. But the immortal memory of our association with him is our lifelong companion. That is the subject of our meditation, our conversation, and our spiritual practice. …

(Culled from Spiritual Treasures)

♦~♦~♦

I vividly remember some remarks made by Swamiji at that time. (1) The exact words and accents, and the deep pathos with which they were uttered, still ring in my ears. He said, Brother, I am still unable to understand anything of your so-called religion. Then with an expression of deep sorrow on his countenance and intense emotion shaking his body, he placed his hand on his heart and added: But my heart has expanded very much, and I have learnt to feel. Believe me, I feel intensely indeed. His voice was choked with feeling; he could say no more. For a time profound silence reigned, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Can you imagine what passed through my mind on hearing the Swami speak thus? Are not these, I thought, the very words and feelings of Buddha? … I could clearly perceive that the sufferings of humanity were pulsating in the heart of Swamiji: his heart was a huge cauldron in which the sufferings of mankind were being made into a healing balm.

♦~♦~♦

I came to see Swamiji [at Balaram Bose’s house] and found him walking alone on the veranda lost in such deep thought that he did not perceive my arrival. I kept quiet, lest I should interrupt his reverie. After some time Swamiji, with tears rolling down his cheeks, began to hum a well-known song of Mirabai. Then, with his face in his hands and leaning on the railings, he sang in anguished tones, Oh, nobody understands my sorrow! Nobody understands my sorrow! The sad strains, and Swamiji’s dejection, seemed to affect even the objects around him! The whole atmosphere vibrated with the sad melody: No one but the sufferer knows the pangs of sorrows. His voice pierced my heart like an arrow, moving me to tears. Not knowing the cause of Swamiji’s sorrow I was very uneasy. But it soon flashed upon me that it was a tremendous universal sympathy for the suffering and the oppressed that was the cause of his mood.

(Life, Vol. 1, pp. 388-389)

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FOOTNOTES

[1] Before Swamiji left for America.

Swami Saradananda

A  few months before we heard the Master [Sri Ramakrishna] describing Narendra’s good qualities, we had the good fortune to meet him one day at the house of a friend. That day we only saw him, but did not talk with him on account of an erroneous impression. But the words he spoke that day were so deeply imprinted on our memory that even after the lapse of many decades, it seems that we have heard them but yesterday. Before describing them, the circumstances under which we heard those words should be narrated; otherwise one will fail to understand why we carried that wrong impression about Narendranath on that occasion.

The friend in whose house we saw him that day had hired a two-storeyed building in front of Narendra’s dwelling house at Gaur Mohan Mukherjee’s Lane in the Simla quarter. We had been fellow-pupils in the same school for four or five years. Two years before our friend was to appear for the Entrance Examination, he set out for England, but could not proceed farther than Mumbai. Failing in his ambition, he became the editor of a newspaper, wrote essays and poems in Bengali, and rose to be an author of a few books. He had been married a short time previously. After that event, we heard from many sources that he was living an indifferent moral life and that he did not hesitate to earn money by various dishonest means. It was only for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of this that we went without notice to his house that day.

SWAMI SARADANANDA

Informing him of our arrival