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VISHVA HINDU PARISHAD OF AUSTRALIA INC.

ABN: 78862155168 REG NO. Y2898719 CHARITY NO. CFN 10709

The Story of

Swami Vivekananda

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Contents

Family 4

Childhood 7

The Game of Meditation 8

Naren – Share, Care & Love 10

Verify & Understand truth 12

School 14

Responsibility & Commitment 16

Biley’s Role play 18

Biley & The Chmpaka Tree 19

Education 24

Narendranath’s urge to realise GOD 26

First meeting with Sri Ramakrishna 29

Searching and Meeting with the Guru 30

Family Crisis 34

Prayer for Knowledge and Devotion 37

Last Days of Sri Ramakrishna 40

The Wandering Monk: Meeting with Maharaja Mangal Singh-

Idol Worship 45

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Handling Situation 49

Courage and Self-respect 50

Realization of Life Mission 53

Planning Travel to the West 57

Journey towards West 60

Swami Vivekananda At Chicago 62

On the streets of Chicago 63

Parliament of Religions 65

The time in The United States 69

Swamiji in England 73

Pride Being Indian 75

Return to India: Welcome in Madras 76

Formation of Ramakrishna Mission 78

Invoking Strength: Service of People 80

Building Belur Math 83

Towards the Final Journey: Back in India 85

Swami Vivekananda’s Message 87

Quotes of Swami Vivekananda 88

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Family

The Datta family of Calcutta was well known for its

affluence, generosity, scholarship, and independent

spirit. Vishwanath Datta was an attorney-at-law of the

High Court of Calcutta. Vishwanath was well versed in

English and Persian literature. He was well known as a

successful attorney and was well established in his

profession. Vishwanath's father Durgacharan Dutta

was a very spiritual person. He had renounced the

world in search of God at the age of twenty five.

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Bhuvaneswari Devi, Vishwanath's wife was also a woman

with lot of unique qualities. She hailed from a

traditional Hindu family and was

hence raised with Hindu values

and beliefs. She was a loving

and pious lady. She was

particularly fond of the great

Indian epics, the Ramayana and

the Mahabharata and had memorized these epics.

Before Vivekananda was born, Bhuvaneshwari Devi had

observed many religious vows, fasting and prayed to

god so that that family could be blessed with a son.

She requested a relative who lived in Varanasi to offer

special worship to Vireshwar Shiva of Varanasi on her

behalf. One night she even had a dream where in Shiva

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himself came to her

in person and told

her that he would

be born to her as a

son.

Datta family’s

prayers were heard and soon Bhuvaneshwari Devi and

Vishwanath Datta were blessed with a boy. He was born

on Monday January 12th, 1863 at 6:33AM. Mother

accepted the boy as a boon from Vireshwar Shiva and

named the boy as Vireshwar. Family gave the name

Narendranath Datta and called him Narendra, in short

and sometimes affectionately as Naren. The nick name

given by his family was “Biley”.

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Childhood

While growing up Narendra

was a restless boy. Two

people were necessary to

keep his exuberant energy

under control. Every now

and then, he got involved in some sort of funny and

naughty acts like teasing his sisters and many others.

At times, his mother was so fed up with Narendra’s

mischief, that in order to bring Narendra in control and

quiet him, she had to pour cold-water on his head,

repeating the name of Shiva! This method always

worked with Naren and calmed him down for a while. He

was an extraordinarily energetic and restlessness boy

and at times beyond control. Referring to this his

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mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi would say, “Shiva won’t

allow you anymore to Kailash if you be such a naughty

boy”. It always worked.

The Game of Meditation

Everyone is prone to play various games in childhood.

Biley too had played many a game. At times, he would

hang his body up-side down from tree with his feet

locked one of the branches and remain gaily in that

position. Often, with his companions, he used to play

mimicking a King and his court. In this game Biley was

sure to take the role of the King. Again, at times, he

would play the game of meditation. Look at the picture

where Biley is seated erect in a meditative posture

with his eyes closed and hands placed on his lap. A slip

of a boy resembling Lord Buddha! That is the right

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posture to meditate and pray to God with single minded

devotion. Biley sat in that posture for quite a long time

without moving a bit or opening his eyes. And was it

only sitting quietly? His

mind was also lost in

meditation. He was then

totally unaware of the

outside world. One day Biley

and his playmates were

mimicking meditation as a

game. However, other mates could hardly keep their

eyes closed as long as Biley could. So they opened

their eyes at times to have a look around and closed

again after a while.

Suddenly a cobra crept into the room. Having seen the

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dreaded snake, other friends fled in fear. They cried

out from a distance outside, “O Biley, flee out”.

But Biley remained motionless with his eyes closed

unaware of the external world. He could not even hear

the call of his friends. The snake however went away a

little later without causing harm.

Naren – Share , Care & Love

As a child, Naren was very fond of different types of

animals. He loved

watching birds; and

among his boyhood pets

were a family cow, a

monkey, a goat, a

peacock, several pigeons

and guinea pigs. Narendra

had a striking resemblance to his highly religious

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grandfather. Many people believed that his

grandfather was reborn as Narendra. As a youngster,

Naren developed a special fancy for wandering monks.

He loved helping monks who came in his neighbourhood

asking for alms. Narendra made a point to always give

generously to the monks who came to his door. One day

when such a monk appeared at the door and asked for

alms, Narendra gave him his only possession, a tiny

piece of new cloth that was wrapped around his waist.

At some point, Narendra did not even think twice giving

useful and valuable item from the house without asking

his parents. This habit of giving generously had to be

stopped. So thereafter, whenever a monk was seen in

the neighbourhood, Narendra would be locked in a

room. However, even this did not stop Narendra from

giving and he would throw whatever he could find out

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of the window as an offering to holy men who came to

his door.

Narendra got his early education from his mother. She

taught him the Bengali alphabet and his first English

words. She also told him stories from the Ramayana

and the Mahabharata.

During his childhood, Narendra developed a love for

the Hindu deities. His mother had told him the stories

of these Gods. He was particularly attracted by the

heroic story of Rama and his wife Sita. He procured

their images, decorated them with flowers, and

worshiped them in his boyish fashion.

Verify & Understand truth

Children in tender age ask many questions. It naturally

arises in their mind. What, why, where, who and the

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list goes on. Whatever the child see, wish to know it

thoroughly.

Biley (Naren) had the similar cravings too. Though he

was but a little boy, enquiries befitting grown-up people

crossed his mind. And when he desired to learn any

particular thing, he could not rest satisfied till he

found a proper answer.

Many people used to come to their house. A number of

hookahs-(an Indian smoking pipe) – were kept arranged

in the parlour for the visitors. The hookahs were

placed separately caste wise for the use of people of

different castes like the Brahmin, the Kayastha, and

the Muslim etc. Biley had seen so many hookahs and

asked one day, “Where is the point in keeping so many

hookahs when everyone can smoke from single one?

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Someone explained, “How could that be? Should a

person of a particular caste smoke in the hookah kept

for the other, he is sure to lose his caste”.

Biley could hardly follow this point. How could one’s

caste go? But he was the last to give up till the puzzle

was solved rationally. One day Naren secretly made his

way into the parlour and touched his lip to all the

hookahs one by one to check whether the caste would

really wither. If so, how it could happen.

Viswanatha Dutta came to know about this and

explained the matter to his on.

From the very childhood, Biley (Naren) had a strong

inclination to examine and verify everything himself.

School

Biley was seven years old when he was admitted to the

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Metropolitan School. He had read and been given

lessons at home before he was sent to school. A

teacher used to come and teach him at home. He did

not forget what he had heard once. He remembered

everything, stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata

and even the grammar through audience only.

When the teacher came, Biley (Naren) would give him

books and show the particular lesson to be taught on

the day. The teacher went on reading before the boy

spelling and explaining as if he himself was preparing

his lessons. Biley sat close and often relaxed in a

reclined posture. But he did give an attentive hearing

and prepared his lessons through audience. Therefore

he didn’t have to go through the lessons again. As a

result, he took little time to prepare his lessons. He

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could afford plenty of time to attend to other things.

He learnt both vocal and instrumental music. He also

learnt wielding bamboo sticks, various forms of physical

exercises, wrestling and riding.

Biley was brave and afraid of nothing. He loved his

friends dearly. They always accepted him as their

team leader whether it was in school or in group

discussion or at play.

Responsibility & Commitment

Biley used to perform his duties keeping himself cool

even in difficult situations.

There was a place where he

and his friends go and do

physical exercises. Once he

was busy erecting the wooden

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frame of a trapeze with a couple of his friends. But the

frame was too heavy and they tried a long time in vain

to lift it.

Many in the street were watching the boys at their

work. One among them was an English Sailor who lent

them a hand in lifting the frame.

With the help of the sailor, the frame was raised to a

certain height. When it was almost up, suddenly it fell

and struck the sailor on his head. He bled profusely as

his forehead sustained deep cut and he fell

unconsciousness. The boys were afraid and ran away

thinking that he might have died.

Only Biley and a few of his friends did not flee. He

tore his own cloth and bandaged the wound on the head

of the sailor. The boys nursed him, sprinkled water on

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his face and fanned him till the bleeding was stopped

and the sailor regained his consciousness. The boys

brought him to a nearby school and a doctor was called

in. Under careful attention and nursing of Biley, the

sailor recovered from the accident.

BILEY’S ROLE PLAY

Narendra was favourite amongst his friends and he was

their leader. When playing his favourite game of 'King

and the Court,' he would always assume the role of the

monarch. The highest step of

the stairs in the room would

be his throne. He would sit

there and he would choose his

friends to be the Prime

Minister, Commander-in-chief,

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other state officials. No one objected his always taking

up the role of a king because his friends loved him and

they were convinced that only Narendra deserved to be

their monarch! He would ask them to sit on the steps

according to their rank. This was to be his court

(Durbar) and he would administer justice with fairness

in his court.

Biley & the Champaka Tree

Narendra was the ideal of fearlessness even as a small

child. When he was barely 8

years old, he used to visit a

friend whose family had a

Champaka tree in their

compound. The Champaka

flowers are said to be liked

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by Shiva and so were Naren’s favourite too. He loved to

dangle upside down from the tree! One day as he was

swinging from the tree, the old and nearly blind

grandfather of the house recognized his voice and

approached him. The old man was afraid that the boy

might fall and hurt himself or worse that he might lose

some of his precious Champaka flowers! He asked

Naren to get down from the tree and told him not to

climb the tree again. “But why?” asked Naren. The old

man replied that a Brahmadaitya (a ghost) lives in that

tree and at night he goes about dressed all in white,

and he is terrible to look at! This was news to Naren,

who wanted to know what else this ghost could do

besides wander about. The old man replied “And he

breaks the necks of those who climb the tree!”

Naren simply nodded and said nothing and the old man

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went away smiling to himself in triumph. As soon as he

had gone some distance, Naren climbed the tree again

and was dangling back in his former position. His friend

who was there all along cried out Naren! The Ghost is

sure to catch you and break your neck! Naren laughed

heartily and said, “What a silly fellow you are! Do not

believe everything just because someone tells you! If

the old grandfather’s story were true then my neck

would have been broken long ago!”

Once Narendra was

punished at school for no

fault of him, the geography

teacher asked him a

question. Narendra

answered it correctly.

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However, the teacher thought it was wrong and

punished him. Narendra was undaunted even as a boy.

He protested, “I committed no error sir. What I said is

right.” This made the teacher furious. He mercilessly

beat Narendra.

Narendra came home with tears in his eyes and

narrated everything to his mother. Nevertheless,

Bhuvaneshwari Devi consoled him saying, “My son, why

do you care if you are right? Follow the truth always,

whatever happens.”

Narendra was a master

storyteller from early age.

When he spoke, every one

listened with complete

attention forgetting their

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work. One day while in school, Narendra was talking

animatedly to his friends during a class recess.

Meanwhile the teacher had entered the classroom and

had begun to teach the subject. However, the students

who were absorbed in Narendra's story did not pay

attention. After some time the teacher heard the

whispering and understood what was going on. He asked

each student what he been lecturing on. None could

answer. However, Narendra was remarkably talented.

He could easily focus on multiple things. Therefore,

when the teacher asked him the question, he answered

correctly. Quite stumped, the teacher inquired who

had been talking. Everyone pointed to Narendra, but

teacher would not believe! He asked all students

except Narendra to stand up on the bench as a

punishment. Narendra also joined his friends and stood

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up. The teacher asked him to sit down. However,

Narendra replied, “No Sir, I was the one who was

talking. Therefore I must stand up”. Narendra was a

bold and honest child. He took the responsibility of his

acts. If he felt that he had done a mistake he not only

accepted it but also got himself punished for the same.

Education

This school was started by Ishwarachandra Vidyasagar.

When Narendra was in

eighth grade, his father

moved to Raipur for his work

and lived there for two

years. Narendra went with

him and there was no school

in Raipur. This gave Narendra

a lot of time with his father. His father would hold

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lengthy conversations with him on topics that

demanded depth, precision and logic. He discussed

many ideas with Narendra and gave the boy freedom to

think independently as he did not believe in

superimposition of ideas. Many scholars would visit the

house and Narendra would listen to their discussions.

One day Narendra asked his father, “How shall I

conduct myself in the world?” His father replied,

“Never show surprise at anything.”

In the later part of his life, Swamiji would recall how

his father’s advice helped him in life’s situations.

Swamiji would recount how this advice helped him to

preserve the calmness of the mind while dealing with

princes in their palaces, educated disciples in America

or beggars and monks during this travel across

Bharath.

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Narendra‘s father Vishwanatha Dutta was a

disciplinarian. In the early age, Narendra learnt

valuable life lessons from his father. Once Narendra

had an argument with his mother and rather

unexpectedly uttered rude words. This was duly

reported to the father by the people living around in

the household. Vishwanath Dutta did not scold his son,

but he simply wrote this on the door of his room:

“Narendra today said to his mother -----” and added

the words that he had used. He wanted Narendra’s

friends to know how rudely he had treated his mother.

Narendranath’s urge to realise GOD

In 1880, Narendranath passed the entrance

examination to Presidency College. This college later

came to be known as Scottish Church College. In

college, he attracted the attention of both Indian and

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British professors. They were impressed by his

brilliant intellect. He studied western logic, western

philosophy, ancient and modern history of different

nations of Europe. The principal W.W. Hastie once

commented about Narendra, “I have never yet come

across a lad of his talents and possibilities in my travel

far and wide. He is bound to make his mark”.

Naendranath had read a number

of books other than those

followed in the college. He

showed on many occasions that

he could not help going deep into

a thing and learning it properly

when he felt like knowing something. With age, he had

grown reflective and his faculty of thinking had also

grown vastly. Narendranath was looking for, a way for

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God realization. His need to meet a person who has

seen God was deep.

Narendra had heard of Sri Rama Krishna from his

relative Ramachandra Dutta. Ramachandra was one of

the householder followers of Ramakrishna. Narendra

was studying for his FA examination and his father had

floated the idea of his getting married soon after the

examinations. However, seeing his lack of interest in

getting married and being the one believing on personal

choice in these matters, he did not pursue the matter.

He entrusted Dr Ramachandra Dutta, a trusted

relative and friend, with the task of encouraging

Narendra for marriage. When Ramachandra came to

know the unwillingness of Narendra to marry and

learning of his quest to lead a spiritual life, he told

Narendra “if you really want to cultivate spirituality,

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then you should meet Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar”.

First meeting with Sri Ramakrishna

Around this time, in the college Professor Hastie was

giving a lecture on Wordsworth’s poem ‘The Excursion’.

He explained that “trances” referred by the poet are

results of religious purity

and concentration. He also

said that it is rare in this

modern time and he knows

of one person who has

realized this blessed state

and that is Ramakrishna of Dakshineshwar.

Narendranath met Ramakrishna for the first time in

November 1881 at the house of Surendranath Mitra.

Surendranath Mitra was a neighbour of Narendranath

and a Devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. He had invited

30



Ramakrishna to his home. Surendranath wanted to

make the occasion festive and wanted to call some

eminent artist to sing devotional songs. Unable to get

anyone he approached Narendra to sing for the

devotees at his house. Narendranath had sweet voice

and not only the assembled people, but Sri Ramakrishna

himself was impressed by his sincerity and devotion. He

praised him and sought introduction. He also invited

Narendra to visit him at Dakshineshwar.

Searching and Meeting with the Guru

Narendranath had fully

forgotten about

Ramakrishna during his FA

examinations. However soon

after the examinations, he

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decided to make a visit to Dakshineshwar.

One day, Narendranath visited Dakshineswar. Shri

Ramakrishna was much pleased to have seen him come.

He spoke at length with Narendranath, entertained him

in so many ways and offered him sweets with his own

hand. That was the day when Narendranath asked him,

“Have you seen God?” Shri Ramakrishna answered,

“Yes, I have, I have seen Him intensely, as I see you

now. If you wish I can show you too”.

Narendra also had a calm feeling. He could feel that

Ramakrishna’s words were coming from depths of inner

experience. While Sri Ramakrishna's words revived his

optimism, he still was not convinced about the

capabilities of his future master.

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Narendra was an occasional visitor to the

Dakshineshwar because of his pre-occupation with

examinations. In one of his visits, it was the evening

time and Ramakrishna was giving advice to his disciple

on God, truth etc. Ramakrishna was teaching all his

disciples, yet his eyes were fixed on Narendra.

Narendra was inquisitive, alert, open minded and

demanded rational proof before accepting any

conclusion as valid. He did not feel the need of a guru,

a human intermediary between God and man. He openly

ridiculed Ramakrishna’s visions of Gods and Goddesses

and called them hallucinations. It took about five years

before Narendra accepted Sri Ramakrishna as his guru

and once the acceptance came it was wholehearted,

final and unchangeable. Until that time Narendra never

allowed him to be influenced by blind faith, always

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tested words and actions of Sri Ramakrishna.

One day Naren was making fun of Ramakrishna’s

teaching of Advaita. He said to a friend, “What is more

absurd than saying this jug is God, cup is God, and we

too are Gods” and both of them laughed. Just then,

Ramakrishna appeared and found out about the reason

for the laughter. He gently touched Naren and Naren

went into Samadhi. He saw the whole universe as one

being. Even when he returned home, he felt the

presence of God (Brahman) everywhere, in the food

and in himself as well. This feeling lasted for many days

and he would see the carriages, horses, the crowd and

himself as made of one thing.

Narendranath developed great respect for analytical

scientific methods and he would subject many of

Ramakrishna’s visions into scrutiny. He even took a

34



course in western medicine to help him understand the

functioning of the brain in order to find out the

secrets behind Ramakrishna’s trances.

Narendranath’s quest for the truth would not be

satisfied in any rational thought that could not explain

the feeling he got in the presence of Ramakrishna. Only

Ramakrishna would show him the path for realization

and under his guidance, Narendra also intensified his

practice of meditation. He felt inner peace and this

would last for long even after the meditation is over.

Family Crisis

In 1884, Narendranath was preparing for his B.A

examination, while continuing his spiritual quest under

guidance of Ramakrishna. Suddenly his father

Vishwanath Dutta passed away. Even though his father

35



was a great lawyer, he also lived beyond his means. His

sudden death burdened the family with heavy debt.

Upon his death, some of the relatives went to court for

the split of the ancestral home. Other creditors also

wanted their money back.

Narendranath, being eldest, was responsible for the

feeding all the members of his family. He started to

look for a job. Often he would forget invitation from

friends for dinner. While at home he would often say

that he ate outside, knowing very well the food at home

is very little and there were too many mouths to feed.

Some friends who were engaged in dishonest activities

to earn money would ask him to join them to relieve of

his difficulties and Narendra would have none of it.

One day Narendranath, after a futile job search, went

to a big park in Calcutta. He sat down in the shadow of

36



Ochterlony monument.

Some of his friends

joined him and one of

them sang a song praising

God’s grace. This was

probably an effort to

console Naren. However,

Narendranath tired and weary, scolded his friend and

told him, “What is the use of God’s grace, those kinds

of songs come from people whose stomach is full, like

those who are born with silver spoon”. His friends did

not like what happened to Narendranath and they

understood the difficulties he was going through.

Another day, Narendranath was getting ready in the

morning to go after another day of searching for jobs.

He was getting out of the house after finishing

37



morning prayers seeking blessings of God. His mother

heard his prayer and told with very bitterness: “You

fool! You have been praying to God since your child

hood and what has He done for you”. Narendra by this

time started to get doubts about God’s existence. He

was not the one to hide his feelings and he would argue

about Gods non-existence and futility of prayer with

his friends. His friends started to think that Narendra

had become an atheist.

Prayer for Knowledge and Devotion

Narendra knew by this time that Ramakrishna could

talk to Goddess Kali during his payers. He thought it

would be a good idea to ask Ramakrishna to ask

Goddess to give him riches. He told Sri Ramakrishna

about this idea. Ramakrishna inquired why he did not

38



pray himself to Kali, adding that Narendranath

suffered because he did not acknowledge Kali as the

Mother of the universe. The Master said, “Today is a

Tuesday, an auspicious day for the Mother's worship.

Go to Her shrine in the

evening, prostrate

yourself before the

image, and pray to Her

for any boon; it will be

granted. Mother Kali is

the embodiment of Love

and Compassion. She

fulfils every sincere prayer of Her devotees.”

At nine o'clock in the evening, Narendranath went to

the Kali temple. Passing through the courtyard, he felt

within himself a surge of emotion. His heart leapt with

39



joy in anticipation of the vision of the Divine Mother.

Entering the temple, he cast his eyes upon the image

and found the stone figure to be nothing else but the

living Goddess, the Divine Mother Herself, ready to

give him any boon he wanted. He was soon in Samadhi.

He prayed for the boon of wisdom, discrimination,

renunciation, and her uninterrupted vision, but forgot

to ask the Goddess for money.

He felt great peace within as he returned to the

Master's room. Ramakrishna immediately asked if he

had prayed for money. Narendranath said that he had

forgotten all about it. The Master told him to go to the

temple again and pray to the Divine Mother to satisfy

his immediate needs. Narendranath did as he was told,

but again forgot his mission. The same thing happened

a third time. Then Narendranath suddenly realized

40



that Sri Ramakrishna himself had made him forget to

ask the Divine Mother for worldly things; perhaps he

wanted Narendranath to lead a life of renunciation.

He now asked Sri Ramakrishna to do something for the

family. The master told the Narendranath that it was

not his destiny to enjoy a worldly life, but assured him

that the family would be able to live a simple life,

without luxuries they were used to earlier.

A few days after this incident, Narendranath got a job

in the office of an Attorney. Soon after that, he got a

job as a teacher in Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's

school.

Last Days of Ramakrishna

Ramakrishna became ill with throat cancer in 1885.

Ramakrishna lived for some time at a house in

41



Shyampukur for treatment and later on moved to a

garden house at Cossipore. Here Ramakrishna spent a

lot of time with his disciples, teaching them various

spiritual disciplines and meditations. Many of them left

their houses, lived with the teacher, and took care of

him. Narendranath was the source of inspiration for all

of them. During their leisure periods, Narendranath

would gather them and spend their time in study,

singing and discussion.

Realizing that Ramakrishna would not live long,

Narendranath increased the intensity of his spiritual

practices. He had an infinite longing to realize God. One

day he asked Ramakrishna for a boon, so that he can

stay in Samadhi for three or four days at a stretch.

Ramakrishna scolded for being selfish. He wanted

Narendranath to see God in all beings and serve them

42



in a spirit of worship. He often said to see the world

alone without God is ignorance, Ajnana; to see God

alone is kind of philosophical knowledge , Jnana; but to

see all beings permeated by spirit of God is supreme

wisdom, Vijnana. He wanted Naren to attain this

supreme wisdom.

One day Ramakrishna told Narendranath, “I leave them

in your care. Take care of their spiritual needs even

after my passing away”. Then, one day Ramakrishna

initiated several young disciples into sanyasa and thus,

himself laid the foundation of the future Ramakrishna

Order of Monks.

While attending to Ramakrishna during his illness,

Narendranath realized the importance of his spiritual

experiences. He saw with reverence that Ramakrishna

could get into Samadhi at will and during this time, he

43



was not aware of his pain from cancer.

One day, a scholar told Ramakrishna that he could cure

his illness by concentrating his mind on his throat.

However, Ramakrishna refused to do so since he did

not want withdraw his mind away from God.

Narendranath knew that Ramakrishna experienced

divine Kali ma often. He also felt so much for the pain

that Ramakrishna was having due to illness. Therefore,

he urged Ramakrishna that he should ask the Ma for

relief from the pain. Ramakrishna would often laugh at

this suggestion and ignored his request.

Finally, Ramakrishna agreed that he would speak to Ma

about the illness. He went into Samadhi and when he

came back to normal consciousness he told the

disciples: “Yes I asked Her that I could not swallow any

food on account of the pain in my throat and asked her

44



to do something about it. However, the mother pointed

her finger to you all and asked me, “Are you not eating

enough through all these mouths?” Ramakrishna said

that he felt embarrassed and humiliated and he could

not say anything. This incident told Narendra how

Ramakrishna applied Vedantic truth of oneness of

existence to his life. He realized that only through

that understanding one could rise above individual pain

and suffering.

Ramakrishna passed away on

Aug 16 1886. Soon after

that Narendranath began

organizing the disciples into

a monastic brotherhood

under his own inspiring

leadership. Surendranath Mitra, a household disciple of

45



Ramakrishna helped in renting a house for the young

monks at Baranagore. Here they continued their

spiritual practices under the guidance of

Narendranath. Baranagore Mutt, as this came to be

known, is the first headquarters of monks of

Ramakrishna Order. In January of 1887, Narendra and

other disciples took sanyasa. They performed the

sacred Viraja ceremony and took the vows of lifelong

celibacy and austerity, dedicating their lives to the

realization of God.

The Wandering Monk: Meeting with Maharaja

Mangal Singh – Idol Worship

In February of 1891, at Alwar in Rajputana (present

day Rajasthan province) he met the king of Alwar,

Maharaja Mangal Singh. This maharaja was westernized

46



in his views. He asked Swamiji, rather mockingly, as to

why an able-bodied young

man and a scholar, he was

leading a vagabond's life.

Swamiji asked him curtly,

“Why does he spend time in

the company of westerners

and go on shooting excursions at the expense of royal

duties”. Maharaja, though taken aback, replied, “I

cannot say why, but I like it”. Swamiji said, “That is the

very reason I wander about as a monk”.

One day, the discussion with the maharaja turned

towards idol worship. Maharaja, being westernized, did

not believe in idol worship and he even ridiculed it. He

told Swamiji “I've no faith in idol worship. I cannot

worship stone, wood, metal like other people. Does it

47



mean that I shall fare worse in the life hereafter?”

Swamiji, tried to reason with him and tried to explain

to him that when Hindus worship idols they are not

worshiping the stone, but God alone, which they see

stone as a symbol, representation of God. Maharaja was

not convinced.

Swamiji, asked the Prime

Minister (Dewan) who was

present, to take down the

picture of Maharaja that was

aging on the wall. He asked the

Dewan, “Whose picture is

this?” The Dewan answered, “It is our Maharaja's

picture, Swamiji”. Swamiji commanded Dewan that he

should spit on the picture.

Dewan was trembling and he glanced from the maharaja

48



to the Swamiji and from Swamiji to the Maharaja, not

knowing what to do. Swamiji would not let him away, he

urged him to spit on the picture because as maharaja

put it, it is just a piece of paper. Dewan, finally cried

out loud, “Swamiji, how can you ask me to do this? This

is the picture of our beloved Maharaja. How can I spit

on his picture?”

Swamiji said, “Your Maharaja is in front of you in flesh.

He is not present in this picture in person. This picture

does not move, speak or behave the way Maharaja does.

Yet you refuse to spit on this picture because you see

the shadow of Maharaja's form/figure. Indeed, you

consider spitting on the picture is insulting the prince

himself.”

He turned to the maharaja and continued, “Maharaja,

see your Dewan’s behaviour. He knows that you are not

49



there physically in the picture. Yet, your likeness in the

picture brings the same feeling of respect to the

picture that they have for you. That is why; he could

not spit on the picture. It is the same with devotees

who worship stone, metal or wood pieces. That image

brings them close to their god and they are not

worshiping this stone or wood as such.

Maharaja understood Swamiji's point and with folded

hands he told, “I must admit that according the light

you have thrown on image worship, I have not met

anyone who worshiped the stone or wood or metal. I did

not understand the meaning till now, you have opened

my eyes.”

Handling Situation

One day, Swamiji was traveling by train. There were

50



two Englishmen in the same compartment. They looked

at Swamiji and his clothes and took him to be a beggar.

In time, they began to crack jokes in English at his

expense. At the next station, Swamiji talked with the

station master in perfect English and asked for a glass

of water. The Englishmen were embarrassed and they

asked why did not protest against their rude and

unkind words. With a smile Swamiji told, “Friends, this

is not the first time I came across fools” and walked

away. The Englishmen got angry and wanted to fight.

Looking at Swamiji's physique, they thought that

discretion is better part of the valour and apologized.

Courage and Self respect

Swamiji was traveling to Bombay on his way to the

west. Jagmohan Lal the Dewan of Maharaja of Khetri

was accompanying him. They were inside a railway coach

51



at the Mt Abu station, waiting for the train to leave

for Bombay. One Bengali gentleman, an admirer of

Swamiji had come to see them off and he was also

inside the coach talking with Swamiji. This person also

happened to be a railway employee.

A ticket collector (European), who checks the

travellers for tickets, came into the coach. He saw this

gentleman and harshly told him to get off the train. He

tried to convince the ticket collector that there is

nothing wrong in being inside while the train is at the

station and that he is there to briefly talk to his

friends. The ticket collector would not listen and a

serious argument ensued. When Swamiji tried to

intervene, the European thought him to an ordinary

monk and told him “Tum kaahe bat karte ho, – why are

you interfering?”

52



The word 'tum' is used to address friends or inferiors

whereas 'aap' is used for superiors or equals. This

disparaging use 'tum' angered Swamiji. Swamiji took

him to task and told him “How come you talk like this to

first class passengers, can you not behave properly?

Don’t you know the manners? Can you not say 'aap'?”

Realizing his mistake the ticket collector said, “I'm

sorry, I don’t know the language very well, and I only

wanted this man.” Swamiji interrupted him, “Just now

you said you don’t know Hindi very well, looks like you

don’t know English either. This 'man' of whom you

speak is a 'gentleman'.” Swamiji told him that he would

report this incident to authorities. Quite frightened,

the ticket collector quickly left the coach.

53



As soon as he left Swamiji turned to Jagmohan and

told him, “What we Indians need is self-respect. We

must defend our self-esteem by all means; otherwise

we will be slighted and insulted. Cowardice is the

breeding ground for all corruption. The Hindus are no

less civilized than anybody else on this earth, but they

always underestimate us.”

Thus Swamiji taught Indians how to love and respect

their country and heritage.

Realization of Life Mission

This was a time when Bharat was in a pitiable condition.

She was under the foreign rule. People did not have

courage. Neither did they have faith in their own

strength. The misery of the common people was acute.

54



Starvation was common and many could not eat to their

fill. Only a very few got an opening for education.

People had suffered long and did not have the power to

resist.

Swamiji was distressed with this suffering of the

people and grieved for total degeneration of the

country. He wept like a child at the misery of the poor.

He brooded over the glory of the ancient India against

her present decadence. He spent sleepless nights

pondering over ways to regenerate India.

He travelled and arrived in Kanyakumari, the

southernmost extremity of India, on December 24 and

prostrated himself before the image of the

Kanyakumari (Virgin Goddess) at the temple. He prayed

for the welfare of his motherland and for humanity. He

then came out and stood on the ocean side, gazing at

55



the sea. Some 400 yards away he saw two large rocks.

According to the Puranas, the larger and farther of

these two rocks is the one that has been sanctified by

the blessed feet of the Divine Mother. Swamiji was

seized with the desire to reach those rocks. He asked

a few boatmen whether he could be ferried to the

rock. They were ready to take him there but Swamiji

did not have any money to pay them. Having no other

option, Swamiji plunged into the roaring waves and

swam across. The experienced boatmen were shocked

to see him do this and screamed out to him to return to

the shore. They warned him of the stormy waves and

the sharks in the ocean. However, Swamiji swam safely

across and reached the ‘Shripada Shila’, 400 yards

away from the mainland.

56



There, he meditated for three days and nights and

returned to the shore on the fourth day. During this

meditation, the mission became clear to him. As he

himself said, “The thing in the search of which I had

been wandering both physically and mentally for years

in search of something, I have achieved on that spot.”

This was the crowning glory of

his parivrajaka life and the

beginning of his mission of ‘man-

making’ and reawakening his

Motherland. It was clear to him

that India's strength lies in its religion and spirituality.

He had a task before him to uplift the poor and

indigent of India.

57



Planning Travel to the West

Swamiji swam back to the shore. From Kanyakumari

he proceeded to Madras.

This was the beginning of 1893, Swamiji publicly

announced his intention to go to Parliament of religions

in Chicago. Many young men of Madras were attracted

by Swamiji's personality. They were enthusiastic about

his trip to America and they raised lot of money for

the trip.

However, Swamiji would not take the money; he said he

is not sure, as he is still seeking guidance from the

divine for his trip and that they should distribute the

money to benefit the poor.

58



Immediately after the incidence, Swamiji had a

symbolic dream where he

saw Ramakrishna walk

bare foot on water and

asking him to follow. He

wrote letter to Mother

Sarada Devi outlining the

dream and his intention

to go to America. Sarada Devi gave her blessings to

fulfil his wish and now Swamiji felt sure of his call.

Soon after, Prime Minister of the Maharaja of Khetri

Munshi Jagmohanlal, arrived in Madras. He brought the

news that Maharaja has been blessed with a son.

Swamiji delayed his departure so that he could bless

the new child. So he departed Khetri to bless

Maharaja's son.

59



Maharaja was very happy to see Swamiji and he was

even happier to get his son blessed by Swamiji. Swamiji

outlined his plan to go to America and his mission in the

west. Maharaja arranged a ticket for Swamiji to go to

Chicago from Bombay. Swamiji assumed the name

“Vivekananda” at the suggestion of Maharaja and he

was ready for the trip. The Raja presented an orange

silk robe, a turban and a first class ticket on S.S.

Peninsular. Swamiji arrived in Bombay along with the

Prime Minister of maharaja of Khetri. Finally Swamiji,

now Vivekananda, the name bestowed by Maharaja of

Khetri, sailed from Bombay on May 31 1893.

Vivekananda was the name by which he was to become

famous and which was destined to shine the name of

India across the world for many more years, if not

60



centuries.

Journey towards West

The ship sailed from Bombay on May 31 1893. Swamiji

soon adjusted to the life on the ship that was

different from that of a wandering monk. His orange

robe aroused the curiosity of many of the fellow

passengers.

Swamiji was able see many places and gather new

experiences. Some of the places visited by Swamiji

during this journey include Colombo, Hong Kong, Canton,

Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo.

Swamiji arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia on July

25th 1893. From Vancouver he went by train to

Chicago, destination of his journey and the meeting

place of the parliament of religions. Swami ji arrived in

61



Chicago 30th July. It took him almost 2 months to

travel from India to Chicago.

On board the train from Vancouver, Swamiji met Kate

Sanborn, former professor of literature at Smith

College. She was impressed by Swamiji's demeanour

and appearance. She invited him to come and stay with

her in Metcalf, Massachusetts, and gave her card.

Sanborn encouraged him to visit her in Massachusetts

so she could introduce him to learned and cultured

circles.

In her discussion on the train, she found that Swamiji

was conversant with modern and ancient English

literature. He could quote easily and naturally from

Shakespeare or Longfellow or Tennyson, Darwin,

Muller.

62



As you will see later, this meeting proved to be turning

point in Swamiji's trip to the west.

Swami Vivekananda At Chicago

Swamiji reached Chicago. When he went to the

Congress for his registration as a speaker, he learnt

that it was already late. Moreover, he had no identity

card with him. Two more months were to go before the

commencement of the Parliament. He did not have

sufficient money to stay that long in that country.

Swamiji was in a real trouble. The very purpose of his

travelling such a long distance was about to be

defeated.

He went out of Chicago for a few days. He failed to

secure any lodging for night stay when he returned to

Chicago. He had to pass the chilly night crawling into

63



an empty packing box at the station. It was a freezing

night. However, he could brave the chilli by the grace

of God.

Amidst such odds and distress, the worry about the

poor in India did never leave Swamiji’s mind even for a

moment. He wrote to one of his disciples in India at

this time, “I may die of cold or hunger here but you

must not forget them for whom I am here. I entrust

you with the mission of salvaging three hundred million

Indians from their all-out misery”.

On the streets of Chicago

Having spent the night in the packing box, Swamiji

went out next morning to look for the office of the

Congress. Professor Wright had given him a letter of

introduction to help his admission to the Parliament.

64



The Professor was vastly impressed with the learning

of Swamiji and wrote to one of his friends, “Swami

Vivekananda is more learned than all our learned men

put together”.

Unfortunately Swamiji lost the address of the office

given to him by Prof Wright. He searched for the

office from street to street without avail.

He did not have any meal the night before. He felt

hungry and went to few houses to beg. The land was

not India and nobody offered anything to a monk.

He lost the strength to walk anymore and sat down on

the road spent. He could no more think of a way out.

Just at that moment, a lady, Mrs Hale by name, came

out of a house opposite the road and led him inside.

She asked him if he was a delegate at the parliament

of religions. Swamiji was happy to have gotten helping

65



hand and explained his difficulties. She arranged

boarding and lodging at her place and made him one of

her own in a while.

After some breakfast and rest, that woman Mrs

George W Hale, took him to the offices of the

parliament and presented him to Dr. J H Barrows, the

president of the parliament of religions. Immediately

Swamiji was accepted as a delegate representing

Hinduism in the Parliament. He was provided

accommodation in the house of Mr and Mrs John B

Lyons for the duration of the conference.

Parliament of Religions

Parliament of Religions opened on Monday Sept 11 1893.

This meeting was an adjunct of World's Columbian

Exposition. This Expo was being organized to celebrate

66



the 400th anniversary of arrival of Columbus in

America. One of the main goals of the conference was

to show case the progress of the west since the

discovery of America. Since religion formed vital part

of human culture, it had been decided to organize

parliament of religions as part of the Exposition.

Parliament opened at 10 AM at the gallery of Art

Palace. The place was

packed with seven

thousand people

representing 1.2 billion

people from around the

world. The delegates

were called to address

the meeting and they

read prepared speeches, but Vivekananda was

67



unprepared. He had never before addressed such an

assembly. When he was asked to give his message he

was seized with stage fright, and requested the

chairman to call on him a little later. Several times he

postponed the summons. Besides, he did not have, like

the other delegates, a prepared speech. He requested

the President to let him be the last speaker. When it

was his turn to speak, his heart was pounding.

At last, he came to the rostrum and Dr. Barrows

introduced him. Bowing to Sarasvati, the Goddess of

Wisdom, he addressed the audience as ‘Sisters and

Brothers of America'. Instantly thousands arose in

their seats and gave him loud applause.

It took a full two minutes before the applause

subsided, and the Swami began his speech by thanking

the youngest of the nations (USA) in the name of the

68



most ancient monastic order in the world, the Vedic

order of sanyasis. The focus of his address was

toleration and

universal acceptance.

He told the audience

how India, even in

olden times, had given

shelters to the

religious refugees of other lands — for instance, the

Israelites and the Zoroastrians. At the end, he pleaded

for the quick end to sectarianism, bigotry, and

fanaticism.

Promoters of the Parliament thought that the

Parliament would give them an opportunity to prove the

superiority of Christianity over the other faiths of the

world. Much later Swami Vivekananda said that the

69



Divine Mother Herself willed the Parliament in order to

give him an opportunity to present the Eternal Religion

of the Hindus before the world at large.

The young, unknown monk of India was transformed

overnight into an outstanding figure of the religious

world. Overnight he became famous. His life-size

portraits were posted in the streets of Chicago, with

words 'The Monk Vivekananda' written beneath them

and many passers-by would stop to do reverence with

bowed heads.

The time in US

Swami Vivekananda was invited by a lecture bureau to

tour the United States, and he accepted the offer. He

wanted money in order to free himself from obligation

to his wealthy friends and to help his various

70



philanthropic and religious projects in India. Further,

he thought that through a lecture bureau he could

effectively broadcast his ideas all over the American

continent and thus remove erroneous notions regarding

Hindu religion and society from people's minds. Soon he

was engaged in a whirlwind tour covering the larger

cities of the East and the Middle West. People called

him the 'Cyclonic Hindu'. He visited, among other

places, Iowa City, Des Moines, Memphis, Indianapolis,

Minneapolis, Detroit, Buffalo, Hartford, Boston,

Cambridge, New York, Baltimore, and Washington.

Cherishing a deep affection for the members of the

Hale family, he made his headquarters at George W.

Hale's residence in Chicago.

In August 1895, he sailed to England. He wanted to

carry to the British people the same message that he

71



had preached in America. During his absence, the work

of spreading Vedanta was carried on uninterrupted by

the group of his trained disciples.

On the insistence of his disciples and with a view to

give concrete shape to his work on American soil,

Swamiji came back on December 6, 1895, after about

three months in England. He began giving another

series of talks on work as a spiritual discipline. These

talks were subsequently published as Karma-Yoga. By

the end of February 1896, he organized the movement

into an established society. He also started releasing

his talks in the book form. Thus, the Vedanta Society

of New York came into existence. The Swami made Mr

Francis H. Leggett, one of the wealthy and influential

residents of the city of New York, the President of

this newly formed Vedanta Society.

72



One of the principal purposes of the Swami in

organizing his classes into this Society was particularly

to bring about an interchange of ideas and ideals

between the East and the West.

In the opinion of the Swami, the Orient would be

benefited by greater activity and energy like that of

the West, as the latter would profit by a mixture of

Eastern introspection and the meditative habit.

In the spring of 1896, letters began to pour in from

England urging Swami Vivekananda to return there and

continue his activities. The Swami felt the need of

concentrating on the work in both London and New

York, the two great cities of the Western world. He

made arrangements with Miss Waldo and other

qualified disciples to continue his program in America

during his absence. Swamiji sailed to London from New

73



York in April 1896.

Swamiji in England

Swamiji's first trip to England began in September

1895. Swamiji travelled with Francis Leggett to Paris.

From Paris he came to London and met Miss Muller and

Mr Sturdy. Miss

Muller had attended

his lectures in

America and Mr

Sturdy had studied

Sanskrit and

practiced asceticism

in Himalayas. Within

three weeks of his arrival, he started classes and

started giving speeches. Newspapers called him 'Hindu

74



Yogi'. The London Daily wrote that he reminded people

of Buddha.

Significant achievement of this trip was the meeting of

Miss Margaret Noble. She later became his disciple and

took the name Nivedita. She moved to India and

dedicated her life for the women's education in India.

After spending three months in England, he returned

to America at the insistence of his American disciples.

However, Swamijis disciples called him to England

again. He reached England during spring of 1896. In

this trip, Swamiji gave lectures and classes five days a

week and public speeches on weekends.

Despite the rush of his European work, Swami

Vivekananda maintained his contact with America. He

took a personal interest in the spiritual development of

his students.

75



On November 29, 1896, he wrote to a disciple in India

about his proposed Himalayan monastery. He further

said that his present plan was to start two centres, one

in Madras and the other in Calcutta, and later others in

Bombay and Allahabad.

Swami Vivekananda could no longer resist the voice of

India calling him back. He sailed from Naples for

Ceylon on December 16, 1896.

Pride Being Indian

At the time of his departure for home, some westerner

asked him, “Swamiji, you have stayed for such a long

time in this mighty and prosperous land. How should you

feel in your own country on your return?” Swamiji

replied, “I loved India earlier. Now every dust of India

76



has turned holy to me. She is now my pilgrimage”.

India may be poor in material strength and wealth. But

many noble men were born in this country in every age.

Swamiji regarded honest and sincere men as more

precious than anything else.

Return to India

Welcome in Madras

At a small railroad station near Madras, hundreds of

people gathered for a

glimpse of Vivekananda.

The stationmaster did not

want to delay the train

since no stop was

scheduled. However, the

crowd of admirers flung

77



themselves on the track, and the train had to be

halted. The Swami was visibly moved and blessed by

the people.

In Madras, the city erected seventeen arches to

welcome him. Thousands of people jammed the railway

station. Swamiji was taken in an elaborate procession

to the home of Biligiri Iyengar. On the third day of his

arrival, a public function was held to honor Swamiji on

behalf of the people of Madras. The Victoria Hall was

overflowing with people waiting to hear Swamiji.

Swamiji came out and addressed the crowd from a

motor coach.

Swami Vivekananda gave four public lectures, his

subjects being, 'My Plan of Campaign,' 'The Sages of

India,' 'Vedanta Its Application to Indian Life', and

'The Future of India.' In these lectures, he reminded

78



the Indians of both their greatness and their

weakness, and urged them to be proud of their past

and hopeful for their future.

In his speeches from Colombo to Madras, he asked the

Indians to stop complaining. He asked them to make use

of the power that lay in their hands. That power was so

great that if they only realized it and were worthy of

it, they could revolutionize the world. He told them

that India is the Ganga of spirituality.

Formation of Ramakrishna Mission

Shortly after the Swami's arrival in Calcutta Swami

Vivekananda called a meeting of the monastic and lay

devotees of Sri Ramakrishna at the house of the

Master's close disciple Balaram Bose. Purpose the

meeting was to establish his work on an organized

79



basis.

He told them that by contrasting Hindu society with

American society; he was convinced that lack of an

organizing spirit was one of the great shortcomings of

the Hindu character. He also recalled how Buddhism

had spread both in India and abroad through Buddhist

organizations. Therefore, he asked the co-operation of

the monastic and householder disciples of Sri

Ramakrishna in organizing the educational,

philanthropic, and religious activities in a more

systematic way. Swami Vivekananda proposed to the

members present that the Association must bear the

name of their guru Sri Ramakrishna and Ramakrishna

Mission Association came into existence.

Up to this time the ideal for the monks of the Math

was to strive for personal Mukti (liberation). They were

80



to attain this by severe penance and meditation. But

Swamiji said that they themselves should show by their

example how to serve the poor, the helpless, and the

diseased, seeing God in them. They should inspire

others to do the same.

Invoking Strength: Service of People

On his way to Calcutta,

especially in Madras,

Swamiji had come

inspiring his fellow

countrymen. He had

appealed, “Be an ideal

man. Serve your

countrymen in the same

way as you serve and

81



worship God. Be mentally very strong. Never forget

that you can accomplish whatever you wish. Strength

is latent within you. It is man who has done everything

towards human progress. Now, you shall have to do a

lot for the sake of your country. You must not be

scared of anything. “Be fearless”.

Swamiji had shown also the practical way to serve men

as living God. At the Baranagar monastery, the young

disciples of Sri Ramakrishna took to sanyasa. Swamiji

started this mission with the help of them. At the call

of Swamiji many had joined the Math by this time. He

employed them in the service of men. He stressed,

“Service of men as God brings the same result as

obtained by the ritual worship of God”.

In Calcutta, scores were dying of plague at that time.

The disease was of awful type and everybody was dead

82



scared of it. Swamiji along with his brother monks

started attending on the plague patients. He declared,

“Carry on with your nursing. Do not worry about fund.

We shall not fight shy of selling the very estate of the

monastery, if necessary”.

However, Holy Mother objected, saying that this would

enable Swamiji to give relief only once. If he wanted to

continue serving people, he should not sell the Belur

Math land. Swamiji was convinced by her argument and

decided not to sell the land. Fortunately, this extreme

step was not necessary; the public gave him money for

the relief work.

The Swami worked hard to pacify the suffering of the

distressed people. Their love and admiration for him

has no bounds as they saw this practical application of

Vedanta at a time of human need.

83



Building Belur Math

By now Swami Vivekananda was a very influential

personality, many boys

and young men began to

follow him. Quite a few

of his followers gave up

their belongings and

became monks so that

they can devote

themselves completely for the cause of needy. The

increase in the number of followers demanded a bigger

place where Swamiji could exchange his thoughts and

teach these people. Swami Vivekananda got some land

beside Hooghly (Ganga), Howrah district near Kolkata

and built a nice Math, and it was called as Belur Math.

84



The Math was opened on 9 December 1898.

The Belur Math became the principal centre of the

Ramakrishna Mission. Many other monastic centres

were also opened for the service of the people in India

and abroad. The first permanent service centre for

boys under the Ramakrishna Mission was started at

Sargachi.

The work of the Mission is to provide man-making

education, to attend on the helpless patients, to

provide relief to the needy at calamities like famine or

flood, to preach the essence of religion and to serve all

people of all religions in various ways.

Towards the Final Journey - Back in India

Until the very end, the Swami remained the great

leader of the monastery. In spite of his own suffering,

85



he guided the details of

its daily life. The classes

on the Vedas and the

Puranas were held daily,

he himself conducting

them when his health

permitted.

He spent his time at play

with a few of his pet animals – goose, crane, dog, deer,

goat etc. He named the dog as ‘Bagha’ and the goat as

‘Matru’. Lovingly he tied even a bell round the neck of

Matru.

One day, about a week before the end, he ordered a

disciple bring him the Bengali almanac. He was seen

several times on subsequent days studying the book

intently, as if he was undecided about something he

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wanted to know. After the passing away, the brother

monks and disciples realized that he had been debating

about the day when he should throw away the mortal

body.

Three days before the Maha-Samadhi, Vivekananda

pointed out to Swami Premananda a particular spot on

the monastery grounds where he wished his body to be

cremated.

Swami Vivekananda passed away on July 4 1902 at the

age of thirty-nine years, five months, and twenty-four

days, thus fulfilling his own prophecy, “I shall not live

to be forty years old.”

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Swami Vivekananda’s Message

Even though Swamiji is no more with us, the institutions that

he built, Vedanta Society across the world and Ramakrishna

Mission in India have been delivering his message and engaged

in service activities. So many people have been inspired by

Swamiji's life and his teachings and have started

organizations dedicated to serving the poor and under

privileged in the society. During his short life of 39 years,

Swamiji brought the teachings of Hinduism (Vedanta) to the

western world. Because of his work, many aspects of Hindu

Dharma such as Yoga are growing in the west. All of us can

become more familiar with the life and teachings of Swami

Vivekananda that will not only help us individually but also the

world.

References: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/complete_works.htm

Vivekananda for Children, Swami Vishwashrayananda http://www.belurmath.org

http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/complete_works.htm

http://www.belurmath.org/

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Quotes of Swami Vivekananda

1. The sign of life is strength and growth.

2. What we think we become.

3. If you think yourself strong, strong you will be.

4. If you think yourself weak, weak you will be.

5. Think not you are poor, that you have no friends.

6. From dreams awake, from bonds be free.

7. The earth is enjoyed by heroes - this is the unfailing truth.

8. The brave alone do great things, not the cowards.

9. He who struggles is better than he who never attempts.

10. All power is within you.

11. You can do anything and everything.

12. Control of the mind should be trained first.

13. Concentration is the essence of all knowledge.

14. Success in life mostly depends on the power of

concentration.

15. The infinite library of the universe is in our own mind.

16. Believe in yourself and the world will be at your feet.

17. The wicked see this world as a perfect hell and the good as

a perfect heaven.

18. The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make

ourselves strong.

19. You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

20. If the student thinks he is the spirit, he will be a better

student.

21. Iron nerves with an intelligent brain - and the whole world is

at your feet.

22. ‘Face the brutes’ that is a lesson for all life face the

terrible, face it boldly.

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23. Always manifest the highest moral courage.

24. There is no greater sin than cowardice.

25. We only get what we deserve.

26. To be good and to do good - that is the whole of religion.

27. Arise; Awake; for your country needs tremendous sacrifice.

28. You will do marvellous work.

29. Be not afraid of anything.

30. Give heart to God and hands to work.

31. Be the servant while leading.

32. Each soul is potentially divine; The goal is to manifest this

divine within.

33. They alone live, who live for others.

34. Your work is to serve the poor and miserable.

35. The more we come out and do good to others, the more our

hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.

36. By doing well the duty which is nearest to us, the duty which

is in our hands, we make ourselves stronger.

37. Within each of you there is the power to remove all wants

and all miseries.

38. Educate and raise the masses.

39. Is it not a great privilege to be allowed to worship God by

helping our fellow men?

40. Do not injure, if you cannot render help.

41. Have infinite patience, and success is yours.

42. Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long

time.

43. Be grateful to the man you help, think of him as God.

44. Infinite enthusiasm is what we need.

45. Who serves man serves God indeed.

46. Devotion to duty is the highest form of worship of God.

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47. It is the young, the strong, and healthy of sharp intellect

that will reach the Lord.

48. We must be bright and cheerful; long faces do not make

religion.

49. Work, work and move forward.

50. Young men, on you lay the future hopes of our country.

51. Character has to be established through a thousand

stumbles.

52. In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your

heart.

53. Are you unselfish? That is the question. If you are, you will

be perfect without reading a single religious book, without

going into a single church or temple.

54. ‘Hard as steel and soft as a flower’ is the motto.

55. Try to be pure and unselfish –that is the whole of religion.

56. The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not

believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist

who does not believe in himself.

57. Arise, awake, and stop not until your goal is reached.

58. Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long

time.

59. Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it,

dream of it, and live on that idea.

60. The brain and muscles must develop simultaneously. Learn to

make the physique very strong and teach the same to

others.

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