ISSN NO.: 2321-290X Title Code : UPBIL04304 SHRINKHALA : VOL-1 * ISSUE-6*FEBRUARY-2014 Letters of : An Overview Abstract Swami Vivekananda’s prose may be regarded as a mirror of his gifted personality. His prose is compiled into eight volumes, to be found in “The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda”, which was published by the Advaita Ashram Publications, Calcutta. It can be divided into three groups: first, those prose-writings which appeared in book form; second, his lectures, which were taken down by his disciples and Mr. Goodwin (his stenographer); and thirdly, his articles for different newspapers and magazines. There is one more class of prose which must not be overlooked and that is his letters, which have been published by in a book, entitled “Letters of Swami Vivekananda.” Keywords Overlooked ,Desire, Joy, Sorrow, Wandering And Affections.

Introduction Swami Vivekananda’s prose may be regarded as a mirror of his gifted personality. His prose is compiled into eight volumes, to be

found in “The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda”, which was

published by the Advaita Ashram Publications, Calcutta. It can be divided into three groups: first, those prose-writings which appeared in book form; second, his lectures, which were taken down by his

disciples and Mr. Goodwin (his stenographer); and thirdly, his articles for different newspapers and magazines. There is one more class of prose which must not be overlooked and that is his letters, which have been published by Advaita Ashrama in a book, entitled “Letters of Swami Vivekananda.” The recipients of his letters are maharajas, dewans, erudite scholars, learned professors, his gurubhais and disciples, and his American and British well-wishers. He has written his letters in Bengali, English, Sanskrit and even French. They were either written by him personally or dictated to his stenographer. During his wanderings in India he came close to various people and wrote almost a hundred letters to them. The recipients included Pramadadas Mitra, the Maharaja of Khetri, his minister, the Thakur Saheb of Limbdi, Dewan Haridas Desai, and other devotees. His closeness to his gurubhais is also very obvious in his letters. When he wanted to be left alone, he cut himself off completely from them and left from Varahmihir Math in1890 and went to the Himalayas for some time, and then wandered from there to Kanyakumari and then left for America on 31 May 1893. He did not write to them for four years (Tejasananada 40). This period lasted till 19 March 1894, when he wrote to Swami Ramakrishnananda from Prashant Mahajan Chicago, confessing, “I have not written to you since coming to this country” (Vivekananda, Letters 87). This letter writes how cold it was. Guest Lecturer He also showed his concern about poverty and ignorance of Deptt. of English India. This six-page long letter reveals various aspects of his RDVV, Jabalpur (M.P.) personality: his power of narration, his affection for his gurubhais , his desire to share with them the joys and sorrows he felt in that foreign country, his ability to adjust, and even his sense of humour. One of his letters, addressed to all his gurubhais, probably written in August 1894, reveals Vivekananda in the role his guru asked him to play. He was the most powerful guiding force for his gurubhais as well as for his disciples. He exhorted them in a letter dated 19 November 1894:

Feel my children, feel for the poor, the ignorant, the downtrodden, feel till the heart stops and the brain reels and you think you will go mad then pour the soul out at the feet of the lord and then will come power, help and indomitable energy. (Vivekananda, Letters 140) All the letters to his gurubhais are very similar. They lay down guidelines for them. Thus in letter 56 Vivekananda advises them to educate the masses. He quotes the Katha Upanishad and asserts that “he who is ’s child, does not seek hisv personal good” 27

ISSN NO.: 2321-290X Title Code : UPBIL04304 SHRINKHLA : VOL-1 * ISSUE-5*JANUARY-2014 (C.W. VI 294). Similarly, in a letter to Swami (C.W.VIII.338). His last letter to her, written from Akhandananda, Vivekananda praised him for his the newly established also sounds quite famine-related work. In a seven- page long letter, informal. (C.W. V 179) dated 29 April 1896, from England to his Among his Western disciples, one more Alambazar Math gurubhais, he gave instructions name is remarkable. He is Edward J Sturdy of and regulations that the organization should follow England, on 9 August 1895. Vivekananda wrote to (C.W. VII. 491). Sturdy: “Let us work without desire for name or Vivekananda wrote many letters in and fame or rule over the others. Let us be free from from the West. His first letter from America is the triple bonds of lust, greed of gain and anger" addressed to Alasinga Perumal (he wrote Perumal (Vivekananda, Letters 220-223). Their relationship forty-three letters). Written from Breezy Meadows, continued for over four years. But after four years a near Boston, Massachusetts, on 20 August 1893, a note of discord crept in, and Vivekananda wrote on letter describes the financial crises he was facing 14 September 1899 : “I stick to my nature and and his failure to get admission to the Parliament of principle once a friend, always a friend..... the fault Religions (C.W.V.18). In another letter to Perumal is mine, and mine only for every wave of dislike and from Chicago on 2 November 1893 Vivekananda hatred that I get”. (C.W. VIII. 472) In a letter written admits: “And I, who never spoke in public in my in November 1899, he concludes his letter to life, to address this august assemblage!! .... my Sturdy as a true sannyasin, showing: “You said a heart was fluttering and my tongue nearly dried up. lot about ancient India . . . That India still lives, I was so nervous and could not venture to speak in Sturdy, India of undying love, of everlasting the morning” (C.W. V. 20). Among other things faithfulness, the unchangeable, not only in manners Vivekananda mentions how his addresses were and customs, but also in love, in faith, in friendship" received at the Parliament and by the newspapers (C.W. VII. 519). No doubt Vivekananda’s pen is and his plans to stay in America or go to England. fiery but there is no hatred for anyone. Though he mentions his success, he does not point These letters reveal him as anchored in out the great publicity he received. the teachings of his great master Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda wrote some letters to his forcing the Hindu religion out of the clutches of disciples Nivedita and . His letter to narrow-minded traditionalists and spreading its life- Nivedita shows a rise from a formal address, “Dear giving message far and wide. He is found sowing Miss Noble” in 1896 to an endearing one, “My dear the seeds of religious harmony and laying the Nivedita”, and even “My dear Margo” in 1902. foundation for their comparative study through Vivekananda adopted her as his religious daughter these letters. (C.W. IX. 573). Vivekananda’s letters to Nivedita References reflect the whole of their relationship- affection, 1. Tejasananda, Swami. Swami Vivekananda: warning, guidance, blessings, education and Sankshipta Jeevani. Trans. Swami showing the spiritual path. In the same way, Aatmananda. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 1974. Vivekananda wrote Sister Christine seventy- one 2. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda letters, and like, Nivedita, she also received his Vol. IX. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1989. affection, guidance, blessings and encouragement. 3. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda His first letter to her is dated 9 August 1895 and the Vol. V. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1989. last on 21 June 1902, just a few days before he 4. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda died. Both Nivedita and Sister Christine were his Vol. VI. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1989. ardent disciples upon whom Vivekananda 5. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda showered his spiritual teachings. Vol. VII. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1989. Apart from his disciples Vivekananda had 6. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda a very special relationship with the Hale family of Vol. III. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1989. Chicago. His first letter to Mrs. Hale is dated 21 7. Letter of Swami Vivekananda ed. III. Almora: November 1893 and is written from Minneapolis. All Advaita Ashrama, 1944. the fifty-seven letters addressed to Mrs. Hale display a son’s affection for his mother. He always addressed her as “Mother” or “Mother Church”, because she provided him shelter, food and above all guidance. The entire family was attached to Vivekananda, as can be seen from his letters to the Hale sisters, three addressed jointly to Harriet and Mary, and forty-four written only to Mary. These letters are sometimes humorous. One of his letters to Hale sisters— “Dear Babies” — is full of fun, light heartedness and points to one of the best periods in his life. (C.W. VIII. 317) One more woman, whom Vivekananda wrote to, is Miss Josephine Macleod. He wrote forty- three letters to her, first written in June 1895 and the last on 15 May 1902. He addressed her as “Dear Joe” and the style of his letter reveals that there was already established a close personal bond between the two 28