Vedanta Center takes a leap in New York - January 18, 1895

The New Year of 1895 was a surprise for Hales as Swamiji suddenly dropped in unannounced. He stayed in Chicago for almost 3 weeks of which very few details are available. He also might have stayed with Leons for some time as we come to know from the memoirs of Cornelia Conger. But before He landed in New York the preparations for His parlour lectures and classes to be held had already begun.

Swamiji in His earlier visit had started the Vedanta center in New York. Miss Mary Phillips was its secretary. Though the Vedanta center was in an infant stage, whoever had heard Him earlier were eager to attend the classes.

 New York hereafter was to become Swamiji's main center of activity and the beginning of His new, independent way of working.

The famous concert singer, Miss Emma Thursby and her friend Miss Sarah Farmer were making arrangements for His parlour lectures. These two famous ladies were friends of Mrs. Sara Bull whom we also know as Dhira Mata, Swamiji’s American mother. She was a real inspiration behind all these arrangements.

So after coming to New York on 18^th January 1895, Swamiji continued to sleep at Dr. Guernsey’s house at 528, fifth Avenue. Dr. Egbert Guernsey was also a well known philanthropist, writer, editor and founder –director of various important journals, clibs, medicl institutions etc.

He held Swamiji in a high esteem and showered his parental affection on Him.

But for the sake of convenience and also for the total independence, Swamiji moved His bed and boarding from Dr. Guernsey's to the lodging at 54, West, Thirty Third Street. Compared to Dr. Guernsey’s palatial mansion on 5^th Avenue, this place was very simple.

But Swamiji’s earlier work in New York started at this lodging itself…

First visit to New York.....2nd April 1894

After the vacation at Camp Percy, Swamiji left for another destination where He was much awaited, to The Thousand Island Park. The moment I utter or even think of Thousand Island Park I get goose bumps and my entire being goes into oblivion. 

When ever I have to speak on this topic, i keep visualising me on stage and talking about 'The Thousand Island Park'.  All the time I keep waiting for those moments of happiness which would be commonly shared by me and the listeners.

But before we move to Thousand Island Park, I want you to meet some people in the three families of New York. Swamiji had earlier visited New York in early 1894 and now had decided to stay in this city. For time being His hectic touring in the Midwestern, eastern and southern America had come to a halt before He began the lecture classes in New York city.

After the trials & triumphs at Detroit He directly came to New York on 2^nd April 1894 and was there till almost 10^th April 1894. He was invited by a small group who were interested in studying Metaphysics which consisted of Mrs. Smith, Dr. Egbert Guernsey & his wife, Ms. Helen Miller Gould (the elder daughter and heiress of one of the richest American) etc.

Swamiji stayed with the Guernsey family at 528, 5^th Avenue, between 43^rd & 44^th streets. We come to  know about this family from the letters Swamiji wrote to Mrs. Hale. As I earlier said, HE was a very good SON, always prompt in writing letters to His mother.

Even today having all the facilities I sometimes delay or even forget to call my mother at home. Swamiji constantly reminds me of the duty, the nityakarma to be done. 

He wrote 2 letters to Mrs. Hale, one on 2^nd & other on 10^th April giving detailed account of His stay. These letters were earlier not published and we got to read them only after the research works of Marie Louis Burke were published.

Dr. Egbert Guernsey was one of the chief physicians of the city and a very good gentleman. He lived with his wife and daughter. He had lost his only son in July and the couple were yet in a shock.

The Guernseys looked upon Swamiji as their recently lost son and lovingly welcomed Him in their home and hearts.

More about them tomorrow....

I shall not leave my body in your country....

Can't keep you waiting anymore from reading this which i wanted to share since May 2013 - 

In New York, Swamiji always had to restrain Himself from entering into Samadhi, to allow a free rein to His mind which would at once rush to its “Own Abode”. But at Camp Percy, with the people very dear to Him, who loved and respected Him, Swamiji was able to move effortlessly from the playful mood of summer vacation to the highest bliss.

During one of her stays at Belur Math, Josephine Macleod narrated the following incidence to Swami  Vijayananda. Let us now delve into the realm of Swamiji’s Nirvikalpa Samadhi along with Swami Vijayananda as told by Joe -

One morning before breakfast Swamiji came out from his room with a Sanskrit Gita in his hand. I (Josephine MacLeod) was behind him. Seeing me, he said, "Joe, I am going to sit under that pine (pointing to a nearby pine) and read the Bhagavad Gita. See that the breakfast is sumptuous today. 

"Half an hour later I went over to the pine tree and saw Swamiji sitting there motionless. The Gita had fallen from his hand and the front of his robe was wet with tears.

I went nearer and saw that his breathing had stopped altogether. I trembled in fear - Swamiji must be dead. I did not shout, but ran to Francis Leggett and told him, "Come quick, Swami Vivekananda has left us." 

My sister ran to the spot with loud cries and my future brother - in - law also came with tears in his eyes.

 By now seven or eight minutes had passed. Swamiji was still in the same position. But my brother - in - law said, "He is in a trance; I will shake him out of it" I stopped him, shouting, "Never do that!"

I remembered that Swamiji had said once that when he would be in deep meditation one should not touch him. Another five minutes or so passed, then we saw the signs of breathing. 

His eyes had been half closed; now slowly they opened. And then Swamiji, as if soliloquizing, said, "Who am I, where am I?" 

Thrice he spoke like that, and then, wide awake, he saw us, was very much embarrassed, stood up, and said, "I am sorry to have frightened you all. But I have this state of consciousness now and then. I shall not leave my body in your country. Betty, I am hungry, let's hurry."

Back to Camp Percy, White Mountains with Swamiji

Friends, it is going to be almost a year that i am sharing again in Vivekanvesha. After the last blog i was busy with the publication work of my poem book 'Kaapoor' - a compilation of all my English, Hindi & Marathi poems. Then the lectures and travelling also continued...well, excuses cannot make up for the lost period but folks, am back again with Swamiji's wonderful experiences in the west.

At White Mountains, Swamiji was very happy as he was away from the hectic schedule of lectures  and the soot filled  noisy city of New York to the green and blossoming  beautiful countryside.

We all know about the wonderful experience at Dakshineshwar when Sri Ramakrishna had touched over His heart and Naren saw the rooms, the verandah, the Sun , the moon all flying off, shattering into pieces and then merging into Akasha.

When Swamiji came back to India Swamiji once said to His disciple Shri Sharat Chandra Chakravarty, “A time comes when what you call differentiation vanishes, and we cannot perceive it at all. I have experienced that state in my own life.”

The disciple asked, “When have you done so, Swamiji?”

Swamiji replied it was at Dakshineshwar as mentioned above and on another occasion, he had exactly same realization by the side of a lake in America. Swamiji further said, “Know - this knowledge of Oneness is what the Shastras speak of as realisation of the Brahman, by knowing which, one gets rid of Fear, and the shackles of birth and death break forever.”

Once as we know that at the shore of Lake Michigan also He had entered into samadhi, but on that occasion Sri Ramakrishna had appeared to him and drew Him back "to the Work for which he had come to the world.

But most probably Swamiji was telling Sharat Chandra about His experience at Camp Percy which we must enjoy directly from Josephine Macleod’s narration - You will have to wait for it to read in the next blog.