MyLifeYoga

The improbable journey of a brilliant but headstrong child called Naren in becoming a monk called Swami Vivekananda has been covered earlier. The Swami is now on a ship headed west to attend the Parliament of Religions. This is an epic and unprecedented journey for it is the first time a realized master of the caliber of Swami Vivekananda is headed west.

When he arrived in Chicago Swami Vivekananda learnt that he needed a letter of introduction to register, and that the date for registration had already passed. There was no chance that he would be allowed to speak in the “Parliament of Religions”. After a few days in Chicago he realized that he was running out of money. The opening date of the “Parliament of Religions” was put off by a few months. Somebody told him that Boston was cheaper and he could make his money last longer. So he boarded a train for Boston. On the train he met Miss Kate Sanborn, who invited him to be a guest at her home. She introduced him to Prof J. H. Wright of Harvard University. Swami Vivekananda had many in-depth discussions with Prof. Wright and the professor was duly impressed. When he learnt of the swami’s difficulty in attending the “Parliament of Religions” he told him that, “To ask you for your credentials is like asking sun about its right to shine!” The chairman of the committee that selected the delegates was his friend and he wrote him a letter that said, “Here is a man who is more learned than all our learned professors put together.” Based on this the swami was accepted as a delegate. Knowing that the Swami was running short of cash Prof. Wright even bought him the tickets to Chicago.

The day came when the “Parliament Of Religions” opened. There were thousands of people in the audience. Swami Vivekananda found himself on the stage with 23 other delegates. One by one each delegate was introduced and spoke briefly. At last it was his turn. He had no prepared speech and he had no idea what he was going to say. He had never addressed an audience of this size before. When the time came to speak the first words that came out from his mouth were, “Sisters and Brothers of America.” On hearing this the audience spontaneously broke out in an applause. Here was a delegate who instead of addressing them formally was addressing them from the heart. This touched a chord and the audience responded immediately with a warm ovation. The warmth of the audience helped settle down the swami who went on to give a great speech. After the speech was over the applause was deafening! The audience fell in love with the swami who suddenly found himself the new star of the show. Swami Vivekananda refused to be pigeon holed as a representative of Hinduism but considered himself as a representative of all Religions. He spoke for religious tolerance and religious unity. The audience was waiting for somebody to speak at that level and responded enthusiastically.

Here are excerpts from his short speech: Continue reading →

Sri Ramakrishna had set Naren, a brilliant but strong headed young man, on a daring and somewhat impossible path. To think that a group of destitute monks from India would even dare to embark on such a journey was laughable.

At that time India was destitute and occupied by a colonial power. Indian society was plagued by rigid norms, superstitions, and outmoded rituals. On top of all this Indians had divided themselves into rigid and dogmatic caste structures that prevented free flow of ideas. The entire structure was on the verge of collapse. Famines routinely took millions of lives. There was wretched poverty all around and the sense of hopelessness shone through the eyes of the common man. If India sank not only would ancient spiritual wisdom be lost but the ensuing chaos would be a huge problem for the rest of the world. On a broader scale the world was hungry for a unifying message and a broader understanding of the message of yoga and the Vedas. Could yoga provide insights for a new science of consciousness? Could this new understanding be the thread that unifies all the world religions and ends religious conflict? Could this message of unity be the basis for free and united India?

A rag-tag bunch of penniless monks led by Naren were out to change the world. But they had first to worry about their next meal and a roof over their head. Fortunately a devotee came forward and agreed to foot the expenses. A decrepit house thought to be haunted by spirits was rented. Naren knew that he had to build on a solid foundation. For the next two years the monks lived in dire poverty and frugality. They however took the time to embark on an ambitious education program. They examined the histories of different countries and various philosophical systems. Aristotle and Plato, Kant and Hegel, Sankaracharya and Buddha, Ramanuja and Madhva, Chaitanya and Nimbarka, and many others, were thoroughly discussed. The Hindu philosophical systems of Jnana, Bhakti, Raja Yoga, and Karma, each received a due share of attention, and their apparent contradictions were reconciled in the light of Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings. The dryness of discussion was relieved by devotional music and singing. In addition all the monks spent time meditating every day.

Next began a period of wandering. The monks had to know and understand the people they sought to transform. They had to learn about local social customs and norms and see first hand the problems people faced. They started with short trips in groups. As they gathered courage they learned to travel for longer distances. On a typical trip a monk would have no money with him. Besides the clothes the monk was wearing he carried a staff and a begging bow and nothing else. Naren carried his two favorite books with him in addition: The Bhagvad Gita and The Imitation of Christ. During their wandering they subsisted entirely on the mercy of the local people for food and shelter. Sometimes somebody would buy them a bus or train fare or else they would walk. This was a most grueling undertaking. It has to be viewed in the context of extreme poverty faced by most of the population. Sometimes the monks would go without food for days and at times pass out from exhaustion, sickness, or hunger. Continue reading →