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.

Swamiji at "Camp Percy, White Mountains - New Hampshire"

White Mountains – I feel extremely happy to utter these words ‘White Mountains’! At last a vacation for Swamiji..! Vacation and that too with the people who loved, respected and revered Him beyond one could imagine. Mr. Leggett, Swamiji and the party of 4 people left from New York to Portland, Maine. They took a steamer from New York to Protland, then by a train to a small village of Percy in New Hampshire which was situated in the remote region of White Mountains. From Percy they had to go by a rowboat to Mr. Leggett’s rustic cabin called ‘White Birch Lodge’ standing at the very edge of the lake. Behind the lodge were hills covered with rich green forests and one could see the woods of birch, pine stretched till far.

This team of six arrived at 1 pm on the 6^th June 1895; the Lodge’s Log Book has the entry with the names & signatures of – “Besse MacLeod Sturges, Francis H.Leggett, Josephine MacLeod, Georgia Waitham Spence (cousin of MacLeod sisters), Swami Vivekananda, India, Heathen Hindu.”

This 12 day stay at Camp Percy with its quietness, lake, woods and away from the civilization gave Swamiji a long needed rest of body and mind. Also, He was with the most loving friends and this atmosphere provided Him the freedom of time & space into which His spirits could soar to higher realms. This Lodge was so far from the nearest village that one had to row for almost an hour to the extreme end of the lake.

As I said Swamiji is the best Son in the World. He instantly wrote to Mrs. Bull, “This is one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen.... So lovely, so quiet, so restful! And you may imagine how glad I am to be here after the bustle of cities. It gives me a new lease of life to be here. I go into the forest alone and read my Gita and am quite happy... I will meditate by the hours and days here and be all alone to myself. The very idea is ennobling.”

He loved to walk alone in the woods and sit by till late as much as He wished. His friends were merry indeed and Swamiji enjoyed their company and was as merry as they were. Mr. Leggett & Besse were to be married in September and this vacation was like a betrothal party in the wilds.

Swamiji could effortlessly move from one mood to another. Sometimes very playful and next moment He would raise to higher blissful state of Samadhi.

More thrilling part of this sojourn we shall see tomorrow...

"A World Teacher, A World Student and World's Best Son"

At the beginning of 1895 Swamiji decided to settle down in New York. He had a hectic travelling and strenuous lecture touring through the Midwest and East of America for almost more than a year. Now, He had chosen New York as His headquarter instead of Chicago or Boston. It was in New York that Swamiji started His mission full fledged by applying His Master’s message to all aspects of Eastern & Western life.

His lectures and classes were always filled with the true spirit of Sri Ramakrishna, the tremendous power of His Master of which He had a firsthand knowledge and also which was transmitted in Him with full force. He was fully aware of the infinite spiritual power flowing through Him during this period. Just two weeks before He closed the New York sessions He wrote to Mrs. Hale, His first American mother – “Financially, this winter’s work was not success at all. I could barely keep myself up, but spiritually it was very great”. 

Swamiji never ceased to learn; He knew Eastern life but He kept studying about the culture & history of Western life. He was not only a World Teacher but a World Student too. Everything concerned with humanity interested Him. He read, retained and related every facet of man’s life.

In the intense activity of lecturing He still found time to write inspiring letters to His brother disciples in India and planning & finding practical solutions to India’s problems.

He never cared for praise or blame. He knew one cannot keep the society in good humour & at the same time do great works! He wrote to Mrs. Bull, “One must work as the dictate comes from within and then if it is right and good the society is bound to veer round, perhaps centuries after one is dead and gone. We must plunge heart and soul and body into the work. Until we be ready to sacrifice everything else to one idea and to one alone, we never, never will see the light.” With so much work going on all the time His first season of New York classes came to a close on 1st June 1895. 

Swamiji always writes about His travel plans, His whereabouts, His work to either Mrs. Hale or to Mrs. Bull. 

I love this aspect of Swamiji..! He seems to be a genuine son to these mothers! Even we in our lives are not so thoughtful to simply call and convey to our parents about what we are up to!! Read the below two letters to Mrs. Sara Bull -  

The 28th May'95                                                                                                          

 Dear Mother                                                                                                           

Your last kind letter to hand. This week will be the last of my classes. I am going next Tuesday with Mr. Leggett to Maine. He has a fine lake and a forest there. I will be two or three weeks there. From thence I go to the Thousand Islands. Also I have an invitation to speak at a parliament of religions at Toronto Canada on July 18th. I will go there from Thousand Islands and return back.

             So far everything is going on well with me

             Ever your grateful son

             Vivekananda

             P.S. My regards & love to your daughter and pray for her speedy recovery'"

                                                                         V

4th June '95

Dear Mother

Today I leave New York at 5 p. m. by steamer with Mr. Leggett.

The classes were closed on Saturday last [June 1] and so far the work has been very successful, no small part of which is due to you.

             Ever praying for you & yours

             I am ever your Son

             Vivekananda

             P.S. I will acquaint you with my whereabouts as soon as I know it myself.

Not a Chance nor a Coincidence! - "15th May 1895 was also a Wednesday" -

LBT strike has delayed the printing of my Poem Book which had kept me really tied up for last few days. Suddenly everything has come to standstill and had time to reflect again over Swamiji’s life. I have been reading the ‘Life of Swamiji by His Eastern & Western Disciples.’  I have two topics in my mind right now but I forgot to bring the 2nd volume of Life from which I had to scan a picture and then write the blog. So I started thinking of the ongoing summer and then the two important summers in Swamiji’s life. Where He must have been today, on 15th May 1895?

So come let’s check. I know for sure that he was in New York but on 15 May 1895 where were you Swamiji and what were you doing?

ATTENTION!- the Swami Vivekananda of India will deliver two lectures at Mott Memorial Hall, 64 Madison av., on Monday evenings, May 13 and 20, at 8:15, subjects, "The Science of Religion" and "The Rationale of Yoga." Course ticket $I; single tickets, 75 cents; for sale at the hall.

Ohhh…! If 13th was on Monday that means 15th May 1895 too fell on Wednesday like today. I feel like clapping hands at this coincidence which I suddenly came across. Nay, I feel like taking a huge loudspeaker and announcing my research, my finding!

On 14th May, Tuesday Swamiji had written to Alasinga, "Now I have got a hold on New York, and I hope to get a permanent body of workers who will carry on the work when I leave the country...Of course financially it is a failure, but men are more valuable than all the wealth of the world." And then we find that Mrs. Ole Bull reaches New York on 15th for the 2nd lecture to be held on 20th as per above notice. That means today He must have met her & been with her.

By this time the heat was pressing upon the people in New York and they were leaving for vacation to mountains and beaches. Even Swamiji felt the need to rest and to be away from the boiling city after the hectic schedule of lecturing continuously.

There came two invitations which He accepted. One was from His student, Miss Mary Dutcher, who owned a cottage at “Thousand Islands” in the St. Lawrence River 300 miles away from New York. The other was from Mr. Francis Leggett to visit his fishing camp called Camp Percy in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

I want to tell you so much! Already my mind has gone to Camp Percy and the Pine tree…but you have to wait till tomorrow for this. The other summer which is called as ‘The Great Summer’ is when Swamiji spent the longest time at Ridgley Manor in August 1899. About this later but can’t wait to share His stay at Camp Percy..!!!