One Touch One Glance of His Infinite Grace..!!!

Today's story is very dear to my heart...as i said i am always in a state of awe whenever i read incidences of Swamiji with children. Keep thinking of their good luck and what 'Purva punya sanchit'  they must possess?

We can imagine Swamiji now in Chicago...now He is famous and most  sought by various sorts of people. But before that let's look at His stay in Chicago. For whatever time Swamiji remained in Chicago after the Parliament of Religions, He must have been a house guest in with many of friends. He Himself writes of this period as - "Many of the handsomest houses in this city are open to me. All the time I am living as a guest of somebody or other." 

We have seen, one home that was always open to Him and where He stayed both during and after the Parliament was that of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Lyon.  But He wrote a letter to Mrs. Tannat Woods on November 19, 1893. This was written on stationery bearing the letterhead "George W. Hale, 541 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago. This surely indicates that He was staying with the Hale family for at least a short period.

We know that the Hales treated Him as a cherished member of their family and understanding Him, maybe not fully but with the unquestioning love.

The Hale house was on the Dearborn street was a block and a half from a  Lincoln Park. Swamiji would sometimes go there and sit in the sun and in the open air. A very very touching incidence took placeduring these outings to the park.

  

It seems that each day when Swamiji sat in the park, a young woman and a  six years old little girl would pass by on their way to the market. One day the woman, who was no doubt convinced that this young man was kind and trustworthy, asked Him if she might leave her child in his charge while she went about her marketing. Swamiji assured her that she might, and thenceforth every morning that they met in the park, Swamiji took the little girl into his care. Just imagine the trust that young woman showed in Him, in those days when the dark people were not too welcome.

But the story does not end here. When the child grew to fifteen or sixteen, her mother came upon a picture of Swamiji, and who by now had learned about His fame. Showing the picture to her daughter she  asked, "Do you remember your friend?" Of course she remembered!! For who knowing Swamiji even at the age of six would forget HIM? 

Later this girl married and moved to Philadelphia and the image of Swamiji again started getting vivid in her mind drawing her mind to the spiritual life.  At this time Swami Akhilananda used to visit this city to meet a group of devotees. She became his student....See, Swamiji's  even one touch, one glance changes the Life. 

Are we all not touched by His infinite grace. Are we not full of His blessings which brings infinite courage to our lives.

How many small happenings such as that of a mother leaving her child in his charge took place throughout Swamiji's visit to America, how many chance contacts he must have had with people whose lives were translated by his touch or glance, we can only guess....   

 The Hale family were perhaps the most fortunate of all  for, as is known, not only was Swamiji their guest from time to time, but he made their home his headquarters during almost all of 1894, before the pivot of his activities moved eastward to the Atlantic Coast.

Holes in the Swiss Cheese

All of a sudden again that weird feeling of loneliness started creeping up and i was really astonished, what is this?

On Sunday few of my office colleagues went to Sakwar to distribute Diwali sweets where R K Mission's wonderful work is going on. After coming from there kept ruminating about the experience...and it suddenly struck - this feeling has arose after my lecture journey in Sarada Math is over.

Actually it shouldn't be, yet it is there and i think i know the reason. When i was very depressed during Sudhir's illness Rev. Yogprana Mataji called me and gave the opportunity to speak on various different topics connected with Swamiji's life. Before and after he passed away i did not have time to be alone with myself, always there was a goal....oh, i have to read, i have to finish the book and reread again and then the tension of speaking in front of the didis and devotees who always know much more than what i read. But i will overcome it no doubt.....

Coming back to Cornelia's grandparents the Leons!

 Today let's meet Swamiji with Cornelia's young widow mother whose name is not mentioned anywhere. I instantly connected with her while reading.

Once on a Friday afternoon she took Swamiji to hear His first Symphony Concert. He listened to it with great attention but with his head a bit on one side and a slightly quizzical expression. "Did you enjoy it?" she asked at the end. "Yes, it was very beautiful," he replied, but she felt it was said with some reservation. "What are you thinking?" she asked. "I am puzzled by two things," He answered. "First, I do not understand why the program says that this same program will be repeated on Saturday evening. You see in India, one type of music is played at dawn. The music for noontime is very different, and that for the evening is also of a special character. So I should think that what sounds suitable to your ears in the early afternoon would not sound harmonious to you at night. The other thing that seems strange to me is the lack of overtones in the music and the greater intervals between the notes. To my ears it has holes in it like that good Swiss cheese you give me!"

After Swamiji left from Chicago, Cornelia's mother was eager to do some studying along the lines of Oriental philosophy, as she realized shedidn't have enough background to understand his teachings as fully as she wished. One Mrs. Peake held some classes in Chicago that following winter and, in the course of them, she discovered much to her surprise that if she held a letter torn up into fine bits between her hands, she received a brief but vivid impression of the writer, both physically and mentally. When Swamiji returned to Chicago a year or so later to give lectures, she asked him about this strange gift and He said He too had it and when he was young he used to have fun doing it to show off, but Ramakrishna had rapped his knuckles and said, "Don't use this great gift except for the good of mankind! Hands that receive these impressions can also bring relief from pain. Use this gift to bring healing!"

On this second visit, he only stayed with Leons for a short time. He knew He could teach better if He lived in His own regime of food and of many hours for meditation. It also left Him free to receive many who came to Him for help.

Thus now let's move to some more interesting happenings can't wait to share with you all.

Wish You All a Very  Happy Diwali......

Greatest Temptation in America - Organisation

Let me first apologize for being away for so long. I was not only neck deep but head deep in work. We had a Diwali Party and for the first time with staff performances. I took the opportunity to read my two poems, after many years in front of audience. Of course that's not an excuse but not having your own PC at home also can make a hell lot of difference.

So here we are with the Leons and today let's be with Mrs. Emily Leon, Swamiji's one more American mother! As the American food was less spicy, she thought He may find it bland. When asked whether He wanted anything special or didn't wish to eat anything, He said,"No , I'll take whatever you have." It seems Sri Ramakrishna had told Him that He should accept whatever as per the tradition. So he ate what the Leons ate.

Mrs. Leon used to make the salad dressing at the table as a ceremony and in that one of the ingredient was the Tabasco Sauce. Once she handed Him the bottle and said, "You might like a drop or two of this on your meat, Swami." He sprinkled it with such lavish hand that every one gasped and said, "You can't do that, it is terribly hot!" at this He laughed and ate it with such enjoyment that a special bottle of the sauce was always put at his place after that.

When he began to give lectures, people offered him money for the work he hoped to do in India. He had no purse. So he used to tie it up in a handkerchief and bring it back - like a proud little boy!- pour it into Emily Leon's lap to keep for him. She made him learn the different coins and to stack them up neatly and to count them. She made him write down the amount each time, and she deposited it in her bank for him. He was overwhelmed by the generosity of his audience who seemed so happy to give help to people they had never seen.

Once he said to her that he had had the greatest temptation of his life in America. She liked to tease him a bit and said, "Who is she, Swami?" He burst out laughing and said "Oh, it is not a lady, it is Organization!" He explained how the followers of Ramakrishna had all gone out alone and when they reached a village, would just quietly sit under a tree and wait for those in trouble to come to consult them. But in the States he saw how much could be accomplished by organizing work. Yet he was doubtful about just what type of organization would be acceptable to the Indian character and he gave a great deal of thought and study how to adapt what seemed good to him in our Western World to the best advantage of his own people.

He had this slight but delightful Irish brogue i.e. accent to his English speech( i love this word brogue and in my first ever lecture on these volumes i said Spanish borgue instead of Irish brogue). Mr. Leon once said to him, "You know, when I hear you speaking from the next room, I'd say I had a very cultivated Irish gentleman staying with me because of your accent." Swami was perfectly amazed. He said, "Nobody ever said that before!" Then he thought it over and said, "You know, my favorite professor in India was an Irish gentleman, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. I went to all his lectures and saw him a great deal. So probably, not being used to speaking English then, I unconsciously copied his accent."

Are you not feeling really Haaaaappy when you are reading this? Certain sentences i haven't changed so as to not to disturb the original beauty of Marie Loise Burke's language.

Well, tomorrow let's meet Swamiji with Cornelia's mother.

Swamiji and Cornelia Conger

Swamiji and Mr. John Leon got along very well. They would have long talks on many subjects especially philosophy. Everybody in the household loved Him but Swamiji felt more close to Mrs. Leon i.e. Cornelia’s grandmother. She was short, erect, very dignified, with a great common sense having a dry humour to her speech which Swamiji enjoyed a lot. Her daughter i.e. Cornelia’s mother was a young widow who missed her husband very much. These two ladies attended most of Swamiji’s lectures and the young lady took to studying His books later and to follow His teachings too.

While reading these volumes i came across incidences where Swamiji is with the children and kept wondering about their luck. Each one got something to look upon for their entire life. Same thing happened with Cornelia Conger. She was only six years old but Oh, but just think of her coming back from school and running to sit into His lap to hear enchanting stories of His motherland. Stories of peacocks & parrots, of banyan trees & colourful flowers, and markets full of fruits & vegetables. It all seemed like a fairy tale to her but when she visited India later she understood that they were the boyhood memories that Swamiji was describing to her.

Everyday she would come running to Him and ask for one more story and He would comply. May be in a strange place away from home, He felt comfort in the child’s love. But sometimes when she would run to His room, she knew He didn’t want to be disturbed when He would be in meditation. He would ask her many questions about what she learnt at school and on her map show where India was. He felt very sad that the Indian girls didn’t have chance of getting education as in America.

His stay with Leon family has various aspects with each family member. Let’s meet each one separately. So next time let’s meet Him with Cornelia’s mother.

Jewel with many Facets

Swamiji mentions Mr. Leon in one of His letters. We need to thank Ms.Cornelia Conger who is the granddaughter of Mr. John & Mrs. Emily Leon. Because of her a light has been thrown and the mystery suddenly solved as to where He lived during the Parliament sessions. She was only six years old in 1893, yet her memory about Swamiji was vivid when she met Swami Shankarananda. His exact words o her were – “That every great man is like a jewel with many facets. That each facet is important as it reflects a different aspect of his character.”

He was gracious enough to not consider her memoirs as ‘childish and trivial’. She had grown loving Swamiji all her life and had never forgotten His extraordinary and magnetic personality since she had never known anybody like Him. Before the Parliament commenced, members of various churches offered to host the delegates as their guests. Mrs. Leon was one of them and had requested for a broad-minded person who would’nt be a hypocrite.  They were not told which type of guest would come to their house which was at 262, Michigan Avenue.

Mr. Leon’s house was full of guests who had come to see the World Exposition. The day Swamiji was to arrive she send her son to stay in a hotel and vacated his room for the guest. Rev. Barrows had informed that they would arrive after midnight. Everyone had been to be except Mrs. Leon who waited to receive Him.

When she opened the door, there He stood in a long yellow robe, a red sash and the red turban. She was startled as she had not seen a East Indian before but she welcomed Him warmly and showed Him the room. She was disturbed while going to bed as she thought some of their guests would not like this dark man in their house. She told Mr. Leon that they could shift This guest in the nearby Auditorium Hotel so that He would not feel uncomfortable.

Mr. Leon got ready half an hour before breakfast and went to his library to read the newspaper. There he met Swamiji and before the breakfast was served came down to his room and said to his wife – “I don't care a bit, Emily, if all our guests leave! This Indian is the most brilliant and interesting man who has ever been in our home and he shall stay as long as he wishes.” Here began a warm friendship between them and Swamiji became a family member of that household.

Folks, rest for tomorrow.

Kubera's Treasure House

When i first read about Leon family i didn't know what to do and how to react! I wanted to share it immediately... Whom all should i tell this? This was my reading and my first lecture was yet to begin and here i was, hands full and ready to distribute. As i was reading the books, one volume after another i felt as though  i have got  Alibaba's treasure...but now i think this is not an appropriate term! Alibaba's khajana could be loaded and would perish one day or other. This is like a KUBERA's Treasure - never ending.

Even today this happens, i get restless and just need to talk and share with someone what gems i have found. In fact it's very funny... when i start speaking in a camp or some other place, i witness 3 shraddhas - one who is speaking, one who is watching her and the internally one more shraddha keeps waiting for my favourite topic to come and then i can't wait to see the same happiness on each face i am looking at.

Till this research was done we knew very little about where Swamiji lived during and after the Parliament was over. i also used to think hat He always stayed with the Hale family but this is not the case. In 1956 Ms. Cornelia Conger met the then President of R K Math and revealed the treasures she had. Initially she was hesitant whether anyone would beleive ine her but Swami Shankarananda said that every person has many facets and hence what she perceived in her young age also was equally important.

Let's see it next also can't wait to share what happened on 12 January 2011.