Narendra, Narendranath, Naren = Swami Vivekananda
Master, Thakur = Sri Ramakrishna
Swami Vivekananda was born in an educated and well-to-do family in Calcutta, on 12th January 1863. His father was a famous pleader/lawyer, educated and well versed in modern liberal thought and of scientific outlook. He was well traveled and knew many languages including Persian and English. His mother, Bhuvaneshawaridevi, was pious and wise lady devoted to God. She inspired the latent virtues of fearlessness, honesty, justice, and devotion in her son; Narendra as Swami Vivekananda was called in his childhood. She told Narendra stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata, the two greatest Indian Epics, which influenced later life of Swami Vivekananda.
From his early childhood Narendra was mischievous, brave, and fearless. He did not approve of injustice or sycophancy. But his peculiar tendencies in the childhood were the ease with which he used to go into intense meditation and an unusual capacity of intense mental concentration, which made him learn and remember essential subject matter in the books in very short period of time.
Later he emphasized the power of the mind to cultivate purity and concentration for spiritual gains, as well as developing perfection in the arts, science and other branches of education.
The versatile and young Narendra was well versed with both Indian and western philosophical thought, including the Vedanta of Upanishads and newer trends in the philosophy of Schopenhauer, Kant, and Hegel in European culture. He once said, "Kant's great achievement was the discovery that 'time, space, and causation are modes of thought,' but Vedanta taught this ages ago and called it 'Maya'.
It was a rare combination of science and literature that flourished in the mind of this young man, hungry for knowledge in all the fields. He even went to Calcutta medical school to see for himself the arrangement of brain, spinal cord, and the nerves in the dead bodies in the anatomical museum. He wanted to understand the flow of current in various Kundalini chakras. He was equally adept in the art of music and singing. His voice was clear, pure, and full with emotion that was sure to bring tears to the eyes of the listeners.
Swami Vivekananda met his to be Mentor, Sri Ramakrishna, in the year 1881 at the age of eighteen. Sri Ramakrishna had gone to Calcutta to the house of a devotee and as it was, it was near Narendra's. Devotional songs were to be sung during Sri Ramakrishna's visit, but the singer failed to show up. The devotees invited Narendra, their neighbor, to fill the gap, knowing he excelled in both singing and playing musical instruments.
Thus came our hero to the house of the devotee and sang one of the most touching songs in Bengali. Sri Ramakrishna was visibly moved by the sincerity and quality of Narendra's voice. He invited Naren to visit Dakshineswar at his earliest convenience. The suggestion worked out well as Narendra's English teacher in college had told the class to visit Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa at Dakshineswar to learn the exact meaning of the word 'trance', for Sri Ramakrishna often went into that state of superconscious Samadhi.
In November of 1881 Narendra went to Dakshineswar with some classmates. Sri Ramakrishna treated Narendra as if they knew each other, greeting him not as a stranger but as as old friend. Commenting on this first visit Narendra said, "It was most unusual kind of meeting. I could not understand the peculiar behaviour of that 'mad, monomaniac Brahmin'. I was reluctant to visit him again, but his simplicity, genuine renunciation, and love for God pulled me again and again, despite protests of logic and reason." His skepticism and logical mind was not ready to accept the 'powers' manifested in Sri Ramakrishna. He thought that this 'simple insane' Brahmin might be playing tricks with others in the form of hypnotism or mesmerism. His trance and Samadhi were thought to be the whims and play of mind/psyche rather than divine superconscious states. In fact Swami Vivekananda postponed his next visit to Dakshineswar for about six months, although he had promised Sri Ramakrishna to visit him soon.
But at last the call of Divine was far too powerful for Narendra to resist anymore. And one afternoon, alone on foot, he started for the second meeting with his Mentor, and would be Guru, Sri Ramakrishna. When he arrived he asked, "Sir, have you seen God?" Calmly Sri Ramakrishna replied, "Yes, I see Him as clearly as one sees an apple over the palm, nay, even more intently! And not only this, you can also see Him." This unusual and most confident answer turned Narendra to more perplexity and surprise. He had been asking the same question 'Sir, have you seen God' to many a great religious and noble persons, but he never got such clear cut answer from any of them. Devendranath Tagore and many leaders of Brahmo Movement were reluctant to answer his question with any authority or resoluteness. But today he got the most emphatic answer in the positive!
Sri Ramakrishna sitting alone went into a divine mood and touched his right foot ever so slightly to Narendra. Immediately Narendra experienced what follows in his own words:
"I saw with my eyes open that all the things of the room together with the walls were rapidly whirling and receding into an unknown region, and my I-ness together with the whole universe was, as it were, going to vanish in an all devouring great void. I was then overwhelmed with terrible
FEAR. I knew that the destruction of I-ness was death, I thought that the Face of Death was before me, very near at hand. Unable to control myself, I cried out loudly, saying, 'What is it you have done to me?' Laughing loudly at his words, Sri Ramakrishna touched Narendra with his hand and said, 'Let it then cease now. It need not be done all at once. It will come to pass in course of time.'"
Swami Vivekananda was amazed to notice how that extraordinary experience vanished as quickly as it had started! He came to his normal state and saw things inside and outside the room standing still as before. Narendra was sure that this was not hypnotism, for he thought himself endowed with solid will power and self-confidence, and that his mind could not be affected by anyone. But equally true was the fact, he realized, 'how could I consider this person (Sri Ramakrishna) mad, when he could shatter to pieces the structure of a mind like mine, possessing a strong and powerful will and firm convictions! As if he could refashion my mind like a ball of soft clay into any pattern as it pleased him!' Still Narendra decided to remain on guard and to further explore the reality about the Master. He kept the final judgment about this 'wonderful madman' pending for the future.
The third visit followed much earlier than the second one. This time Sri Ramakrishna asked Narendra to accompany him to the nearby garden. Sri Ramakrishna went into ecstatic mood and elevated Narendra to a state of consciousness where, although he forgot himself bodily, he could answer the questions put by Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra did not remember anything about this episode, but Thakur later told his devotees that on that day he put many spiritual questions to Narendra and got answers to all of them. He asked Narendra about the purpose of his descent on the earth, the nature of his work in the future, his plans and mission in life and so on. On the basis of these questions, the Master came to know that Narendra would have a life of a monk, and would leave his body when he comes to know his true nature.
Sri Ramakrishna knew that Swami Vivekananda was an ever-perfected soul - nitya siddha - in meditation. After this meeting Narendra was forced to change many of his preconceived notions about God, divinity, and perfected souls. Formerly he had a great objection, as most of us have, to accept another man as Guru or spiritual guide. This is because we think the person we accept as a Guru might turn out to be an ordinary man full of inherent weaknesses and lust for gold. But on coming to the company of Sri Ramakrishna, Narendra understood that such great souls with complete renunciation, selflessness, and compassion, though rare, actually are born in the world - souls with extraordinary purity, love, and penance - that shake the limited conception about God and God-Man existing in the little mind and intellect of we ordinary people. See also Spiritual Guides, Pass or Fail?
Therefore, if they are accepted as Gurus, ordinary men will be benefited, and not harmed. Consequently Narendra was ready to accept the Master as his Guru, but still he could not go so far as to accept indiscriminately whatever Sri Ramakrishna said! As Swami Saradananda writes, "A powerful mind feels strong resistance from within when, at the time of accepting new truth, it has to change its former convictions." Narendranath was in that predicament. Though acquainted with the Master's wonderful power, he could not completely accept him, and tried to stand aloof from him.
Soon he got acquainted with a few more sincere disciples who had already decided to dedicate their lives to Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna used to 'teach' in simple language through parables and stories. There was never a feeling that the Master was the Guru, but mostly all looked upon him as their wise friend with huge spiritual knowledge borne out of innumerable direct personal experiences. A few of the disciples visited him daily, others at varying intervals per week. There was no restriction or compulsion on any one, but Thakur used to emphasize the importance of love for God, austerities, sadhana, renunciation, and purity to reach spiritual insights.
Besides these sincere 'monk like' disciples belonging to the 'inner circle', many householder devotees, sadhus, fakirs, and lay people used to visit Kali Temple daily, and also met Sri Ramakrishna who used to live in one of the rooms nearby. The teachings of Vedanta through talks, stories, parables, devotional music and singing concerning Sri Krishna, Radha, Gopis of Vrindavan, and Mother Kali and Chaitannya, Narendra came to know the essence of religion as 'Realization of the Highest Truth.' As he was opposed/reluctant to idol/image worship, and believed in non-dual form of God, Thakur explained him the subtle points about Brahma, Atman, and Unified Consciousness.
Thus, the Master persuaded Narendra to read to him Ashtavakra Gita and similar texts on Advaita Vedanta, explaining finer points, which were difficult to comprehend. Sri Ramakrishna preferred to tell these nuances in total privacy, when no one other than themselves would be present in the room. It was all Jnana and Yoga to begin with. Later Bhakti and Karma Yoga were added, so to so. The Master also instructed his disciples about the importance, ways, methods, and means about mediation and spiritual disciplines. Thus, between 1881 and 1886, for five years, Narendra was groomed to become a great yogi with unparalleled sharpness of intellect, reason, and logic.
No one could stand his incisive power of critical analysis based on scientific reason and rationality in the matters of Vedanta. Added to this was the gracious gift of the Master, the gift of Nirvikalpa-Samadhi -- highest non-dual consciousness -- through which Swami Vivekananda realized the Truths of superconscious states. He was face to face with Atman, the God of the Master. Therefore, as is said, 'nothing else remained for Swami Vivekananda to realize now'. He had realized the highest Truth! But was that the case, indeed! NO! For, he still had to realize the truth that impersonal and personal aspects of God are one and the same like Shiva and Shakti, the two sides of the same coin. God with attributes and form and God without attributes and form had relationship like that of fire and its power to burn, sun and its rays, milk and its whiteness, or diamond and its luster. One can't be separated from the other.
This unity in duality (which likewise can be extended to unity in universal diversity) is in fact the successive stages in realization of the ultimate Single Truth, which Swami Vivekananda later elaborated in one of lectures in the USA as, "It is like taking photographs of the sun from different locations and stations in orbit; all the photographs would appear different, but the essence would be the one, SUN!"
Everything was going smoothly at home and at Dakshineswar when his father suddenly died due to massive heart attack. The liberal attorney, Vishwanath Dutta, although outwardly appeared well off, in fact was in severe debt. His unusual generosity and carelessness in handling the money matters had put him in a situation where nothing was felt as the savings. The debtors took away their share leaving the bereaved family in utter poverty and want. Narendra's uncles also shied away in this hour of crisis, and instead of helping him they took their share and kept aloof. It was difficult for Narendra to make ends meet. To add to the difficulty, Narendra could not get a job even after trying hard. In this situation of utter emergency and despair, Swami Vivekananda took the decision to leave the home and walk out in the unknown world as a sannyasin.
Swami Vivekananda went to the Kali-ma shrine to pray for things of urgent necessity. However, as he entered the shrine all that he could say was, "O Mother, please give me Jnana and Bhakti." Narendra returned to where Sri Ramakrishna was standing. The Master inquired, "Naren, have you asked for food and money required for your family?" Swami Vivekananda, surprised replied, "Why, no sir! I asked for Jnana and Bhakti." "You fool," said the Master, "Go and ask for wealth and the things you actually need now." Thrice Swami Vivekananda went back but could not utter the word about money, clothes, food, and instead all the three times he prayed to be granted Jnana and Bhakti. What was happening was that as soon as Swami Vivekananda entered the temple he was elevated to such a wonderful state of mind and consciousness that the whole world including money, material comfort, and food lost all their value. What fool would ask for transient and useless things when in fact what was being granted was Jnana! Who would ask for pebbles when someone was distributing the gems! Who would ask for vegetables from the king, when he was willing to grant his whole kingdom!
Now Swami Vivekananda understood the deep meaning and significance of his Master's word that formless god and God with form were but one. Exhausted, but satiated with inner knowledge of divinity in all its aspects, he bowed down to his Master and said, "Today I came to know who you are. You are all, everything in this universe. I do not want anything from Kali-ma." Embracing his disciple, the master assured, "Go my son, be at peace. From today onwards you and your family would ever be provided with simple clothes and food, and shelter. This much I guarantee for you and your family."
He could, as compared to others, 'see' the deep meaning in the words of Sri Ramakrishna, even though the Master told them in simple language, and never as preaching. Thus, gradually Swami Vivekananda was assimilating the tips and hints about practical Vedanta that could be put into individual and collective life in the society. For instance, sometime in 1884, once the Master was sitting in the room surrounded by his devotees including Narendranath. In the course of conversation arose the topic of Vaishnava religion, and explaining the essence of that doctrine the Master said, "That doctrine teaches that one should always be careful to observe three things, namely, a taste for God's name, kindness to all beings, and the service of co-devotees. ...One should have the conviction in one's heart that the whole universe belongs to Krishna, and therefore, one should have compassion for all beings."
No sooner had Sri Ramakrishna uttered the words " compassion for all beings" than he suddenly went into ecstasy. Regaining partial normal consciousness, he continued, "Talk of compassion for beings! Insignificant creature that you are, how can you show compassion for all beings? Who are you to show compassion? You wretch, who are you to bestow it! No, no; it is not compassion to lives, but service to them as Shiva." All went on listening to those words of the Master spoken in that ecstatic mood, but none could detect and understand their hidden import at that time. It was Narendranath alone who, coming out of the room at the end of Master's ecstasy, said, "Ah, what a wonderful light have I got today from the Master's words!
What a new and attractive Gospel have we received today through those words of his, wherein a synthesis has been effected of sweet devotion to the Lord with Vedantic knowledge, which is generally regarded as dry austere and lacking in sympathy with the suffering of others. Whenever shall I get the opportunity I will preach this wonderful doctrine of 'Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva', serving God in each living being!
Thus a nucleus of sangha - mission - evolved around Thakur in his presence with the help and efforts of his monk-like disciples, Swami Vivekananda, in particular. Then, slowly, as if out of nowhere an illness came upon Sri Ramakrishna, which eventually would be diagnosed as throat cancer. In these critical days of his illness Sri Ramakrishna made certain important moves. He called Narendra and told him 'to take care of his brother disciples, lest they should go back to the worldly life. Swami Vivekananda was to become their leader and see to it that they were properly trained and cared for as sannyasins. Naren, at that time was only 22 years of age, never dreamt of such a role in future life, but the telescopic vision of the Master could see the future role of Swami Vivekananda as the world teacher and world leader.
He said, "Naren, at present you may deny and protest, but I tell you, your very nature would get this work done through you. Thus, the mantle of leadership fell on the broad, powerful pure, and wise shoulders of Narendranath. About three days prior to his leaving this world, Sri Ramakrishna called Swami Vivekananda and transferred all his spiritual powers to him, saying, "Today I have given you everything I had and become a pauper." And the last stroke was very touching, amusing a bit, and full with insight. Skepticism had not yet died down completely from the mind of Swami Vivekananda. A day or so later he was sitting at the feet of his ailing Master when a thought arose in his mind, 'If now in this condition of distress the Master tells me he is Avatar Purusha, then I will accept him as the greatest of God Man."
As soon as the thought rippled through the mind of Swami Vivekananda than Sri Ramakrishna, though weak and unable to get up, said, 'Even now you have doubts! O Naren, the same Rama and the same Krishna are embodied in this body as Ramakrishna. I am speaking the truth.' And like the mysterious monk Totapuri opened the door to Awakening for Sri Ramakrishna some years prior, Sri Ramakrishna opened the door for Swami Vivekananda. Thus was completed the training, revelations, and transfer of all the spiritual powers from the Master to his most able disciple for the welfare and benefit of future mankind. All doubts vanished from the heart and mind of Narendranath; he had become one with the Master. Sri Ramakrishna left the worldly abode on 16th August 1886.
To fulfill his Master's desire, Swami Vivekananda now rented an old house at Baranagore and converted it into a monastery, where all his grief-stricken (but firm in determination) brother disciples started staying in great atmosphere of brotherhood. Everyone shared the work of begging for food, worshiping the Master, teaching his message, and reading from the ancient Indian scriptures, the Gita and Upanishads. The Ramakrishna Mission had come to life.
They remained confined in the heart of Narendra making him aglow with effulgent divinity, but the condition of his mind was like the trapped bird in a golden cage. It wanted to spread its mighty wings, strengthened with the power of nondual realizations and teachings of the Master, far afar. It wanted to soar high in limitless sky to cover the whole humanity under its massive wings and make them aware of those invaluable truths. The restlessness reached the stage when Swami Vivekananda could no longer confine himself to the four walls of Baranagore monastery. He intently desired to go into open world to learn more of practicality of Vedanta. How can Vedanta be applied in day-to-day life to alleviate the sufferings of the masses! Is it possible? Such and many similar questions crowded his mind from dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn.
And one day, alone, sometime in July 1888, Swami Vivekananda left Calcutta telling his brother disciples not to follow him. Thus started the second important phase in the life of Swami Vivekananda, the Parivrajaka Monk, wandering years of the Swami. He went to Varanasi, Ayodhya, Vrindavan, Lucknow, Agra, and the Himalayas, thus covering the entire north of India. These are the great places of historical importance due to their socio-religious and spiritual importance. These are the places connected with life and teachings of Rama and Sri Krishna, Sita and Radha who glorified divine love and dharma as the final culmination of spiritual quest.
There is that great Himalayas where loneliness prevailed and called the individual sadhaka to ready himself to merge into the glory of Infinite. The Swami returned back to Calcutta in a few months' time. For sometime he remained in the company of his brother disciples trying to devise the means and the ways to propagate their Master's message to every nook and corner of India, and world! But his future plans could but be sketchy, for he didn't understand how to go about it. The force of knowledge was very great in his heart, acting as if like a silent bomb, which no one knew when and where would it burst. The restlessness could not be contained in the narrow confines of his head and heart; it must come out to cover all the sky. And hence, for the second time in around July 1890, he left his brothers to wander all over the country.
For two years and more in the ancient tradition of Parivrajaka he wandered all over from north to west, from west to southern tip of India learning and assimilating the prevalent religio-social culture and condition of India and her children. And what did he see? He saw that the masses submerged in deep poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, and superstition. The many years of foreign rule and estrangement from the wisdom of Upanishads have made them slaves not only of British rule, but also of the outdated social customs and rituals. The meanings of God, religion, dharma etc. were distorted to their lowest and crudest level. In the face of utter poverty, food itself had become their dharma and God. And, indeed, the Swami once acceded, 'Religion can't come on empty stomach. For poor religion comes in the form of bread.' Give bread, give secular education, improve their material condition, cover their half-naked bodies with some semblance of decency, and then tell the masses about spirituality. Then talk of realization of Atman and Brahman, God and Religion.
"Oh, my Mother India, to what pitiable condition you have come to," his heart cried out in silence, his eyes shedding silent tears of sorrow at the suffering of masses. The mighty Jnani in the Swami became the compassionate saint like that Buddha. Bhakti and Jnana must be activated with Selfless Karma; it must be so. Do something for the masses; that was the pressing necessity. And thus indeed he resolved. Tears of anguish softened and broadened his heart, and one day he said, "O brother, I do not know the meaning of religion; but one thing is sure, now I feel my heart has broadened and is capable of accommodating and feeling for everyone, be he destitute or a king, healthy or afflicted. I see the same Narayana in poor and fool, wealthy and wise."
Swami Vivekananda's plan for future course was taking shape gradually. He must do something to alleviate the suffering of the Indian people. He was ready to keep sadhana and mediation to the side for time being so that he could devote himself fully in this cause. He also thought of going to rich countries like America and earn such a large amount of money that could help him in fulfilling his pledge! To work is to worship; that was the new mantra that, Swami Vivekananda thought, would help India rise again.
Sacrifice, renunciation and service were the essential requisites for this dream to come true and for India to come out of darkness of ignorance and poverty. Material progress, secular education, and service to sick must be added to meditation and spiritual practices for fulfillment of final spiritual aim. Parivrajaka Sadhu: The 'wandering monk' By 1892 Swami Vivekananda became a sage of high intellect, action, and devotion. In his life, he had experienced the Truth of all four Yogas, viz. Yoga of meditation, discrimination, action, and devotion. He was well versed in the study of Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
The vast land opened up a new challenge before the Swami to explore its religious-spiritual truths. These days of a 'wandering monk' make an important stage in the history of spiritual revival of India as well as the whole world. Why? Because, his experiences during the wandering days added compassion to his broad outlook and sharp intellect! He could understand the sad plight of fellow countrymen, their exploitation, poverty, suffering and affliction under the mercy of foreign rule and darkness of ignorance. "To the hungry religion comes in the form of bread", he declared. And he would have added, "And for the ignorant religion comes in the form of education". Material progress and spiritual uplift are not contradictory, are not antagonist to each other, but, rather, to bridge the yawning gap between the two should be the goal of religion, he maintained.
He was convinced that science and religion should join hands so that a new chapter may be written in the human history. He saw, learnt, and was convinced that while material progress of India was as important as the spiritual revival, to the West religion would come in the form of spiritual blend to the materialism. He met with many eminent and noble persons, the Maharaja of Khetri, Dewan of Porbandar and Junagadh, Raja of Ramnad, and many intellectuals in the state of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madras. All these gentlemen were highly impressed by the sincerity, knowledge, spirituality and new Vedantic approach to life of this English speaking Monk.
And then, once during casual discussion, the Dewan of Porbandar said, "Swamiji, I am afraid you cannot do much in this country. Few will appreciate you here. You ought to go to the West where people will understand you and your worth. Surely you can throw a great light upon Western culture by preaching the Sanatana dharma!" "The poverty ridden illiterate people of our country are not yet ready to receive the message of Vedanta. Why don't you attend the Parliament of Religions to be held in Chicago a few months hence? There you represent and elaborate the true Hinduism of which your Guru, Sri Ramakrishna, was the living embodiment."
Swami Vivekananda began planning for his visit to America, and on 31st May 1893 he set sails for that far off land; the ochre robed sadhu planning to conquer the scientific reason of West with Vedantic intuition of the East. In doing so he spawned a whole second generation of devotees that traveled throughout India and beyond. In America and California especially, devotees were soon found rubbing shoulders with various people of international renown. Two such individuals they rubbed shoulders with were the authors Aldous Huxley and Christopher Isherwood, both of whom were Englishmen residing in the United States on the west coast. Their writings and support were partly responsible for bringing the word of Ramakrishna into the public consciousness after they came into contact with the Vedanta Society founded by Swami Vivekananda and his followers in California in the late 1930s.
Swami Prabhavananda
In the 1920's a woman living in South Pasadena named Carrie Mead Wyckoff became acquainted with Swami Prabhavananda, a young monk and second generation devotee sent to America by the Order. In 1929 he established the Vedanta Society of Southern California in a house in the Hollywood hills given to the Order as a gift by Mrs. Wyckoff. By the 1940's the Society had attracted a number of noted writers and intellectuals that had been showing up in the general Hollywood area about that time, of which Huxley and Isherwood were two. It should be noted that British playwright and author W. Somerset Maugham, who wrote the novel The Razor's Edge about a young man in search of Spiritual Awakening, was peripheral to the group as well, although his novel was primarily influenced from his Travels in India and meeting with the Enlightened sage of Arunachala, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.***(see)
Fundamentally, our experience as experienced is not different from the Zen master's. Where
we differ is that we place a fog, a particular kind of conceptual overlay onto that experience
and then make an emotional investment in that overlay, taking it to be "real" in and of itself.
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