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Hinduism |
People
Swami Vivekananda
The Universal Man - 7
His Work in America (1893 - 1896)
In New York - 1895
Gradually many interested followers started coming to the lodging room to listen
to his talks. Some came out of curiosity, others were genuinely interested in
knowing the eastern philosophical currents; particularly what did Hinduism mean.
The Swami talked about the ancient teachings of Vedanta and related subjects in
the Upanishads and the Gita: the nature of Spirit and God, the yoga and the
meditation. He emphasized the all-encompassing non-sectarian nature of Hindu
thought in its essence, and the universal message of not only toleration of
various religious faiths, but also accepting each one as the true path to
realize that Self.
Soon the hall started to fill up with increasing number of listeners; the
followers started to occupy whatever place they could find - the marble topped
tables, dressers, and even the steps on the staircase. The Swami sat on the
floor, in a posture of a yogi - serene, tranquil, and calm. In the silence in
the room, his voice reverberated with the mystical quality of his sermons and
talks. Everyone tried to catch every word that came out from the bottom of
swami's heart. Like an ancient Guru taking full responsibility of his devotees,
the Swami taught them about basic spirituality underlying various sects and
faiths. The offering of these valuable treasures was totally free, without
carrying any fees or charges in exchange. Declining invitations to dine at his
friends', the Swami and one of his disciples - Mr. Landsberg (later to become
Swami Kripananda) - cooked their own simple food consisting of rice and
vegetables, barley and beans.
Dedicating himself fully to the will of God, Swami Vivekananda started giving
lectures in earnest, daily from 11 to 1 pm, and also took visitors whenever they
knocked at his door. The questions were answered; the doubts were cleared. Some
learnt the steps to meditation from this great yogi adept in that art. During
such demonstrations, the Swami at times merged into higher states of samadhi,
thus incidentally revealing the truth of what he preached. During his discourses
he often used Sanskrit verses and hymns to emphasis a particular point. The
gentle murmur, the sonorous humming of his songs and singing produced such a
spiritual atmosphere that one was reminded of the piety and gaiety of the room
of his master - Sri Ramakrishna - at Dakshineswar.
In the first half of 1895, Swami Vivekananda dealt largely with Raja and Jnana
Yoga. He talked and emphasized the value of purity of thought, chastity of both
body and mind, control of mind and senses as the prerequisite for the practice
of Raja Yoga, and in general for the spiritual progress. He taught the path of
practical spirituality. Such gems as "religion is realization," "each soul is
potentially divine," and "religion is to manifest this divinity within," were
dispersed amongst the eager seekers after the Truth. A few indeed could gather
and make these precious teachings their own.
Through Jnana Yoga the Swami made clear the ultimate finality of renunciation
and fearlessness through discrimination and non-attachment. These virtues or
values were the natural outcome as one proceeded to seek the Truth. Vedanta was
not mere rational and positive philosophy, but also practical religion to be
realized or experienced, he maintained. The growth, progress, and development of
individual character and personality were the natural outcome of spiritual
practice. The final stage is the intuitive realization of the Absolute
Consciousness by way of transcendental release into the realm of Total Freedom;
freedom from the painful and sorrowful cycle of birth and death.
These talks made immense impact or impression on the audience, for, the subject
matter was fresh, novel, and bearing impress of Truth. Moreover, the preacher
himself had experienced these spiritual truths in his life at the holy feet of
his Master, Sri Ramakrishna. During this period, in addition to the classes at
his lodging room, Swami Vivekananda also spoke to small gatherings in and around
New York. For instance, he held Sunday classes at Miss Corbin's, Mrs. Andrew's,
spoke on "Vedanta Philosophy" at the house of A. L. Barber at 871 Fifty Avenue,
Dixon Society, Metaphysical Society at Hartford, Conn. ("Soul and God"); Motts
Memorial building at 64 Madison Avenue ("The Science of Religion"), etc.
The selected disciples who were impressed by the Swami's talks and teachings
include among others - 1) Miss Laura Glenn (later to become Sister Devamata), 2)
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 3) Mme. Marie Louise, 4) Lean Landsberg, 5) Mrs. Ole Bull,
6) Dr. Allan Day, 7) Miss S. Ellen Waldo, 8) Miss Mary Phillips, 9) Professor
Wyman, 10) Harvard University Professor John Henry Wright, 11) Dr Street (later
to become Swami Yogananda), 12) Mr. Francis Legget, 13) Mrs. Sturges, 14) Miss
Josephine MacLeod, 15) Dr. and Mrs. Egbert Guernsey, 16) Emma Thursby, and 17)
'faithful' Goodwin.
During the first six months of this stay in New York, between January 1895 and
June 1895, Swami Vivekananda took holiday twice. He visited and rested for two
weeks in the month of April at Ridgley Manor on the Hudson River at the
invitation of Mr. Legget. Later in the first week of June he went to Camp Percy
near a lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There he meditated and
studied the Hindu Scriptures including the Gita and the Upanishads. Refreshed
from the rest, but still feeling unexplained restlessness from constant talks
and speeches, the Swami felt the need to go into seclusion, for the spirit of
sannyasin was uppermost in his mind. That opportunity came soon.
At The Thousand Island Park: The Inspired Talks
One Miss Dutcher, a devoted student of the Swami, owned a small cottage at
Thousand Island Park, a village situated on Wellesley Island of the St. Lawrence
River. She volunteered to offer her cottage for the Swami to rest as well as to
teach as many devotees as can be accommodated in the cottage. Twelve sincere and
real devotees agreed to the proposal, and Swami Vivekananda also felt it as an
opportunity to instill some real and serious thoughts of Vedanta in the hearts
of those intimate learners. For, it was but natural that only those would
venture to come to such a far off remote island, who were really interested in
his message and teachings.
Soon the plan was given the shape by way of additional modifications to the
cottage. A separate room, entry, and privacy were arranged for the Swami. And
there was enough room for twelve members to stay with some adjustment. The
talks, "The Inspired Talks", as they came to be known, started from 19th June
1895 through second week of August. Thus for seven weeks the Swami inspired this
sincere batch with the Advaita teachings of Upanishads, The Gita, and even of
various scriptures of Christian faith. The impact of these talks, which the
Swami delivered from a higher plane of consciousness, inspired his disciples, as
he himself was, in this great mission. He initiated all these devotees by giving
them a Mantra and two of these disciples later took vows of sannyasa, and five
more were initiated as Brahmacharinis.
Later, one of the participants wrote: "It was a perpetual inspiration to live
with a man like Swami Vivekananda. From morning till night it was ever the same,
we lived in a constant atmosphere of intense spirituality. ...Those ideas were
new and strange to us, and we were slow in assimilating them, but the Swami's
patience never flagged, his enthusiasm never waned."
The message of Swami Vivekananda was:
Renunciation of sense gratification,
sincere search for higher Self, and manifestation of our inner divinity based on
true discrimination is the ideal for this age. Try to seek Freedom from 'this
indecent clinging to life,' the bondage in which Maya has caught us, in which
Maya has enmeshed all mankind. Sooner or later the opportunity to escape will
come to all, but to make conscious and deliberate effort is the beginning of
religion.
And one would not be surprised if one were told that within minutes the Swami,
established as he was in his higher plane of consciousness, created "The Song of
The Sannyasin":
Strike off thy fetter! Bonds that
bind thee down,
Of shining gold, or darker, baser ore;
Love, hate - good, bad - and all the dual throng.
Know, slave is slave, caressed or whipped, not free;
For fetters though of gold, are not less strong to bind;
Then off with them, sannyasin bold! Say -
"Om Tat Sat, Om!"
Few only know the Truth. The rest will hate
And laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.
Go thou, the free, from place to place, and help
Them out of darkness, Maya's veil. Without
The fear of pain or search pleasure, go
Beyond them both, sannyasin bold! Say -
"Om Tat Sat, Om!"
…
Continued …
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