দুশো বছর আগে জন্ম নিতে পেরে আমি সহজেই দশের এক হতে পেরেছিলাম , দু’শ বছর পরে জন্মালে আমি হয়তো তোমাদের কাছে অপাংক্তয় , অপ্রাসংগিক হয়ে পড়তাম । আজ যে তোমরা এতো আদর যত্ন করছো ? ফুলের মালায় ভরিয়ে দিচ্ছো ? কত শত বাক্ বিন্যাসে কবিতা গানে প্রশংসা করছো ? – এতো আমার পরম সৌভাগ্য ! ক’ জনের ভাগ্যে জোটে এমন সম্মান ? ভাগ্যিস জন্মে ছিলাম সে যুগে ! যখন বর্ণাক্ষর জ্ঞানের জন্য পাঠশালা যাওয়ার তাগিদ ছিল না মানুষের ! কবিগান , টপ্পা খেউর শুনেই রাত কেটে যেতো মহা আনন্দে , কিসের জন্য শিখতে যাবে লেখাপড়া! তবুও কী জানি মনে হলো , দেশের মানুষগুলো কী কুকুর বিড়ালের মত জীবন কাটাবে ? জ্ঞান হীন অন্ধকারের গভীর সমুদ্রে নিমজ্জিত থাকবে ? দেখায় যাক না এরা যদি অক্ষর জ্ঞান শিখে , গল্পে উপদেশগুলো পড়ে একটু মানুষ হয় কি না ! তাতে দেশের অবলাগুলো অন্তত শান্তিতে বাঁচতে পারে ।
আমার কালের মেয়েদের কী কোনো সুখ শান্তি ছিল! ঘরের চার দেয়ালের বাইরে যাওয়ার অধিকার তো মূর্খ পুরুষ জাতি গায়ের জোরে কেড়ে নিয়েছিল, শুনেছ তো কত বালবিধবা সমাজের নিষ্ঠুর নিয়মে অকালেই পরপারে পাড়ি দিতে বাধ্য হতো , ভাগ্যিস উদার হৃদয় রামমোহন জন্মেছিলেন এ দেশের মাটিতে ! জান তো কত শত অবলারা মৃত স্বামীর সাথে চিতায় দগ্ধ হয়েছে , ভাবলে গা শিরশিরিয়ে ওঠে ; কী ভয়ানক ছিল সেসব দিন ! কী ভয়ানক নিষ্ঠুর ছিল মানুষ ! না কী অশিক্ষা বশত অজ্ঞতা ? আমি আর তাদের জন্য কী করেছি ? বলতে পারো আমি এসে ঐ সব বাল বিধবাদের কিছুটা সুখের জন্য নতুন করে জীবন শুরু করার সাহস জুগিয়েছি , কিন্তু সেকালে ত আমার পাশে কেউ কেউ দাঁড়ালে – ও শেষ অব্দি আমার পাশের জন চুপিসারে লুকিয়ে পড়েছে , দেখ তো কী ভয়ানক নিষ্ঠুর সমাজ আমাদের! কী পাষাণ হৃদয় এসব মানুষ ! এসব শুনে কী মনে হয় তোমাদের – আমরা সেকালে ভালো ছিলাম ?
হ্যা , একটা মানুষ , সে নিরক্ষর হয়েও মানুষের ওই স্বার্থপর মনটাকে বদলাতে এসেছিল, দক্ষিনেশ্বরে । নদের নিমাই এর মতো সেও ছিল ত্যাগী মানুষ , নিমাই ছিল পন্ডিত , আর এ ছিল অকাট মূখ্য , কিন্তু অন্তর্জ্ঞানী । হ্যাগো ! কত পন্ডিত লোক তার পায়ের তলায় বসে শিক্ষে নিতো । কেশব , মহেন্দ্রলাল , গিরীশ , সিমলার বীরে , আরও কতো পন্ডিতপ্রবর তার কাছে গেলেই মূক হয়ে যেতো , আমিও । কী অসাধারণ ছিল তার বাকবিন্যাস , উপমা , কথা যেন ছবি হয়ে ধরা দিত চোখের সামনে। বারাঙ্গনাদের , নটীদের ওই পাগল ঠাকুর ই তো সমাজে উচ্চাসনে বসিয়েছিল । আজকের মেয়েরা কী সেলেব হতে পারতো সিনেমা থিয়েটারে কাজ করে ! যদি না ওই পুরুত বামুনটি নটী বিনোদিনীদের কাছে টেনে না নিতো ? ভাবতো একবার!
আবার দেখ, এ যুগে জন্মেও কী আমি শান্তি পেতাম! কেন বলছি একথা ? তোমরা ত সব ইংরেজি ভাষার গুনগানেই ব্যস্ত , ছেলে মেয়েদের ইংরেজি ইস্কুলে পড়াচ্ছো , মাতৃভাষা তো তাদের কাছে অধরায় থেকে যাচ্ছে ? মাতৃ দুগ্ধ সম বাংলাভাষা না শিখলে কী জ্ঞানী গুণী হওয়া যায় , একবার ভাব তো ! কেমন অবাঞ্ছিত করে রেখেছো তোমার আপন মাত্তৃসত্তাকে ? এ যেন অনেকটা নিজের জন্মদাত্রীকেই অবহেলায় অসন্মাণে ভিখেরি করে রেখেছো ! ঠুনকো মান সম্মান অর্থ বিত্তের জন্য কেন প্রতারণা করছো নিজের মাতৃভাষাকে ? জানিনা এ অধিকার তোমরা কোথায় থেকে পেলে , এমন পাষাণ হৃদয় নিয়ে বাঁচা যায় , কিন্তু বড় হওয়া যায় কী ! তোমাদের কালে জন্মালে এসব দেখে তো কষ্ট হতো । শুধু কী তাই ? মেয়েদের যোগ্য সম্মান কী তোমরা দিতে পেরেছো ? হামেশাই তো তারা নির্যাতীত ? বলাৎকারের শিকার । পুরুষের আদিম কামনার লোলুপ দৃষ্টির পাশবিকতায় আক্রান্ত , পীড়িত । তোমরা কি ভুলে গেছো বীরের ধর্ম ! হারিয়ে ফেলেছো প্রতিবাদের ভাষা ! ধিক্ তোমাদের ! আমি খুশি হবো যদি তোমরা নির্যাতীতের পাশে দাঁড়িয়ে বিনাশ কর অসুরদের । আমার জন্মদিন পালন তখনই সার্থক হবে যখন দেশ ও জাতি , সমাজের নারীরা স্বাধীনভাবে বিচরণ করবে।আর আমি পুলকিত হবো তখন , যখন তোমরা নিঃস্বার্থভাবে মানুষের পাশে দাঁড়াবে!
আমার অঙ্গের ধুতি চাদর তো তোমরা কবেই ভাসিয়ে দিয়েছো কালের স্রোতে , বাংলা ভাষাও তথৈবচ । সঙ্কুচিত জ্ঞানচর্চা ! আর মনুষ্যত্ব , মাতৃপ্রেম – তার আর এক নাম বৃদ্ধাশ্রম।
Very sensitive you are , When you touch me I become perplexed , when you stealthily come to me and stand behind the door , I feel your fragrance Which makes me dumb , Your curling hairs hug me intemately , But I can’t hold you on my stretching hand , I feel you are very near to me , But very sensitive you’re . I feel your fragrance, but far from you for ever.
You come to me in disguise of storms , At the dead of night , I decorate my tiny house with the colourful flowers , With new clothes I am dressed , Spreading the precious Scent over my dresses , I wait for a long time to welcome you , But you come to me in disguise of storms . I feel your fragrance, And your curling hairs hugging me , But for away from you for ever .
Swami Vivekananda at Thousand Island Park, Taken at Lamson & Van Camp Studios, T.I.P.Vivekananda at Thousand Island ParkThe auspicious place where Swamiji got NirvikalposamadhiColumbian Hotel at Thousand Island ParkStudents are taught to see God in everythingVivekananda Cottage ( Dutcher’s House) at Thousand Island Park
” All are but parts of one stupendous whole,/ Whose body Nature is, and God the Soul.” – Alexander Pope
World Teacher Swami Vivekananda is still a vibrant personality and admirable divine soul to the people of East and West . He is sometimes compared with Buddha, a great incarnation of God. In his book Travel and Talk , published in 1896, the Rev. Mr. Haweis gives an account of the Parliament and makes particular mention of ” the popular Hindu Monk ” , even wrote about Swamiji’s physiognomy which has been reproduced by Swami Yogeshananda in Vedanta for East and West , I will quote here a sentence or two from it :
” Vivekananda, the popular Hindu Monk , whose physiognomy bore the most striking resemblance to the classic face of the Buddha, denounced our commercial prosperity,our bloody wars, and our religious inconsistency, declaring that at such a price the “mild Hindu” would have none of our vaunted civilization….. I consider that Vivekananda’s personality was one of the most impressive, and his speech one of the most eloquent speeches which dignified the great Congress.
However, we are going to discuss about Swamiji’s teaching to his Western students at Thousand Island Park in America. He was then in fully spiritual mood . His only work was reading, teaching and meditation. In Dutcher’s little house they were almost eleven students and with them their spiritual Guru ,Swami Vivekananda. We came to know from Ruth Ellis that they were 10 or even 12 persons . Presumably she was including Swamiji in this count . From morning to night they lived in a spiritual atmosphere. Miss Waldo wrote: ” It was a perpetual inspiration to live with a man like Swami Vivekananda. From morning to night it was ever the same, we lived in a constant atmosphere of intense spirituality.”
Though Swami Vivekananda was junior to them, only Christine was younger disciple of Swami, but he always took position of a Father. Swamiji’s conversation – his humor , his vivid story – telling, his recollection of his life in India, his flow of ideas on all subjects – was invariably entertaining, instructive, and uplifting all at once .
Swami Vivekananda taught his students in the morning and evening, sitting on a chair amidst them like an ancient Hindu monk. Even, while walking through the hilly forest he used to converse with his students. To the students, it was favourite walk behind the cottage down a hill and then a rustic path to the river. Sometimes they stopped several times, Mrs. Funke wrote to her friend, ” and sit around on the grass and listen to Swami’s talks. A bird , a flower, a butterfly will start him off and he will tell us stories from the Vedas or recite Indian poetry “.
Today, when we think that Swamiji is walking with some students and speaking about the nature and the Vedas or reciting poetry, this was a great opportunity to the 11 Western desciples and how they were lucky enough that a man like Buddha or Christ had spent lots of time with them.
Surely to walk or sit under the trees with Swamiji , to see through his eyes the sun – splashed paths , the massive grey and pink boulders with mottled with silver – green lichen, the wide river – to see this loveliness as he saw it , if only for a brief moment, was surely to have one’s mind washed clear of all cluttering thought and to taste something of the freedom in which he lived. Obviously they are taught to see God in everything – from the blade of grass to man – even in the diabolical man .
About Good and Bad in reality, his teaching was reasonable and philosophical. He was never a sentimental view of natural beauty or the world. Of this , Sister Christine wrote: Did you in your immature enthusiasm see the world as beautiful, and believe in the reality of good and the unreality of evil ? He was not long in destroying all your fine illusions. “If good is real , so is evil .” Both are different aspects of the same thing . Both good and evil are in Maya. Do not hide your head in the sand and say , ” All is good, there is no evil.” Worship the terrible even as now you worship the good. Then get beyond both… Terrible in its sternness was this teaching . But soon there came glimpses of something beyond, an unchanging reality.
Swamiji’s presence was in itself a breaking of bondage , but he delivered palpable shocks for good measure, deliberately cutting through ingrained and concealed obstructions to spiritual freedom.
Swami Vivekananda, as the world Teacher, gave space and liberty to his students during take any decision.” If you were old or weak or helpless, I should help you . But you are quite able to jump across this brook or climb this path without help . You are as able as I am. He might seem women to be a sexless Self, or Soul , not another sex . Every woman was to him , a manifestation in one form or another of the Divine Mother !
Swami Vivekananda, as a teacher, never solved any problem of his students. Principles he laid down, but students must find the application. He encouraged no spineless dependence upon him in any form, no bid for sympathy. ” Stand upon your own feet. You have the power within you!” – he thundered. His whole purpose was – not to make things easy for us , but to teach them how to develop their innate strength. He emphasised to : ” Strength! Strength! He preached nothing but strength. That is why he preached the Upanishads.
From men he demanded manliness and viguor , and from women the corresponding quality for which there is no word. Whatever it’s, it is the opposite of self-pity , the enemy of weakness and indulgence. This attitude had had the effect of a tonic . Something long dormant was aroused and with it came strength and freedom. Swamiji always taught them the significance of and glory of renunciation . Mary Funke wrote in her memoirs:
” One afternoon when he had been telling us of the glory of renunciation, of the joy, and freedom of those of the ochre robe , he suddenly left us and in a short time he had written his ” Song of the Sannyasin “, – a very passion of sacrifice and renunciation.
There is but One – the Free , the Knower , Self !/ Without a name, without a form or stain./ In Him is Maya dreaming all this dream./ The Witness, He appears as nature, soul ./ Know thou art That, Sannyasin bold ! Say – / “Om Tat Sat , Om !”
Swamiji was always very loving to his students . And also regular to his teaching. When the students had assembled on the veranda, Swamiji would soon come from his room and sit in a big chair by his door. And then, the nights all glowing with the soft mystery of moonlight or golden starlight, would begin some of the best hours of the twenty – four. None of the students could take notes of what Swamiji said in the darkness, but only brief accounts had come down to them of those marvelously informal and varied evenings. That experience was a stupendous and long – term effects on them. Miss Waldo wrote her feelings in a line : ” None of us can ever forget the uplift, the intense spiritual life of those hallowed hours .”
Swami Vivekananda had a grand and sweet voice. In his wondrously beautiful voice, when he talked to them about spiritual life and vision, pacing up and down the short stretch of the veranda, pouring forth a perfect torrent of eloquence. That time his mind was not traveling in this reality, – his mind soaring to greater and greater heights as the hours passed.
In fact, This great teacher was ever loving, gentle father during these days with his students at Thousand Island Park. He trained and taught his Western disciples about Vedanta, Upanishads and other Indian holy scriptures. The students would meditate for a time with him. Almost all of them were to spell – bound during Swamiji’s teaching . But they could have been expressed their own feelings .
Swamiji stayed at Miss Dutcher’s cottage until the night of August 6. He held his class on that morning as usual and explained about with Cristal clarity and simplicity born of direct experience the place of the Personal God in man’s spiritual journey to the realization of his own Being. God is as real as the journey – no more, no less.
“The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility.” – C C Colton
YOURS AND MY PATH
We think that ours journey towards life are straight, And trouble – free , Not a single stuff and clumsiness might not hinder us from our Fest . But Is it true ? This is a question of general mob who has no backing of power like chief minister’s nephew .
It’s not life where you never you face any deep forest of clouds in your path? Or a dreadful night! Life is a playing field where we play a short term game , May be you have succeeded by your skilled, or not !
Perhaps I couldn’t , but trying utmost in this short span of life, having lost or gain, no shy . If you start your journey towards light , have to cross so many red and black seas , forests and peaks of the mountains , Even long long desert – may it be , “Gobi Sahara”or run of Cocch, the endless desert.
you have to cross a long way to achieve the immortal vibrant light of Gods . May it be a play or Lila? We ought to not what it is ? But each and everyone must play on in Winter or in the dark rainy night with”Him” , Never become wearied and exhausted in this race , As it’s your life’s play.
I have put you in my heart with gourding and fencing, None can reach there except my beloved , No one can able to snatch you from my deep and sensational eyes And heart as I see you in my inner eye like a torch light , When I finished my all fight through the path of dreadful night.
You have gifted me all your love and light , day and night I never miss you as you and me are one . You are my unknown world, silent night , the star of the night and the Sun of the day .
you are my melodies and hymn . I used to draw your picture since time immemorial , you walk through my path in sorrows and Joy , I am wrapped in you , so never fall from the Sky.
আমার এ পথ গেছে বেঁকে তোমার পানে
ক্ষুদ্র এ জীবন , অনিশ্চিত যাত্রা পথ হেসে খেলে ভালবেসে ভরে নাও প্রাণ , হার জিতে হয়ো না বিবশ । গভীর অরণ্য মাঝে শ্বাপদ – সঙ্কুল পথে দিতে হবে পাড়ি, অদম্য শক্তি ও লক্ষ্য পথে অবিচল থেকে যাত্রা কর মুক্তির স্বর্গ – মায়াময় অমরাবতী । শুরু হবে সে খেলা তোমাতে আমাতে , বরষার দিন কিম্বা রৌদ্র-স্নাত শুচি শুভ্র অলস বেলাতে। চোখ মেলে চাও আকাশের পানে , রঙ তুলি দিয়ে কি আঁকো মনেতে ! জীবন যুদ্ধে হয়ো না বিবশ। দিতে হবে পাড়ি ওই দূরে দেখ অমরাবতী ।
আমি তোমার হৃদয় তুলিয়া নিয়েছি আপন করে, দিবস রজনী প্রাণপনে বাঁধি তোমার হৃদয় আমার হৃদয়ে ,নীরবে কাটায় রাতের আঁধারে , বাঁধভাঙা আলো বারবার সাধি , তুমি তোমার হৃদয় তুলিয়া দিয়েছ উজাড় করে । রাত্রি ভোরে।
তুমিই আমার অজানা পৃথিবী নীরব রাতি , রাতের তারা দিনের রবি , বহুকাল ধরে এঁকেছি আমি তোমার ছবি , নয়ন রেখে আমার পানে – পথ হেঁটে যাও গন্ধে ও গানে , চিরকাল তুমি মোর বুকে রবে ও দরদি সাথি ।।
এখানেই আছে স্বর্গ নরক – নহে নহে বহুদূর , ঘুমে জাগরণে অথবা স্বপনে হেসে খেলে যাও পিছে নাহি চাও , দুখে আর সুখে জীবনে মরণে , পাখি হয়ে ওড়ো আকাশে বাতাসে, জোর করে লও প্রাণ মন ভরে হৃদয় সুখ , বাজাও বাঁশরি নিশীথ রাত্রি সময় হয়েছে আলোর যাত্রী – ওই শোনা যায় রিমঝিম সুরে পায়ের নূপুর ।।
এসো , এসো, চলে এসো আমার পাশে, এই নদীর বুকের উপর ভেসে ভেসে পৌঁছে যাব মহাসঙগমের পথে ! জীবনের যত ক্লান্তি , দুঃখ সুখ – সবকিছু অকাতরে বিসর্জন দিয়ে, হিসাব নিকাশ চুকিয়ে ভেসে যাব কালের সাক্ষী হয়ে অন্যতর মহাজীবনের পাড়ে । এসো, এসো , চলে এসো আমার পাশে, নদীর বুকের উপর ভেসে ভেসে পৌঁছে যাব মহাসঙগমের পথে, চিরতরে।।
ভালবাস , কিম্বা, নিছক অভিমানে দূরে সরে যাও , রাগে অভিমানে স্তব্ধ হয়ে দাঁড়িয়ে থাক দূর পাহাড়ের বাঁকে , সময় তোমার আমার পাশে আসিবে না চিরকাল , চিরকাল আলো হাতে আসিবে না চন্দ্র সূর্য ।যদি পেতে চাও শান্তি সুখ , অপার আনন্দ , তবে বরন করিয়া নাও দুখ। এসো, এসো, চলে এসো আমার পাশে, নদীর বুকের উপর ভেসে ভেসে পৌঁছে যাব মহাসঙগমের পথে, চিরতরে ।
সময়ের সাথে হেঁটে হেঁটে পৌঁছে যাব মহাসঙগমের পথে ,চিরতরে, পিতামহ প্রপিতামহ যে পথে গেছে । সময়ের অনিবার্য হাতছানি কে এড়াতে পারে ! কিম্বা ভালবাসা, সন্তান সুখ, সহৃদয় বন্ধুদের অন্তরঙ্গ যৌবন উদ্ভাস – আজীবন পাইবে না চিরকাল কোনোকিছু , অর্থ বিত্ত বৈভব , মানসম্মান , প্রেমের নির্যাস । কোনো কিছু চিরকাল রহিবে না এক, রহিবে না অম্লান প্রয়সীর মুখ । এসো এসো চলে এসো আমার পাশে, নদীর বুকের উপর ভেসে ভেসে পৌঁছে যাব মহাসঙগমের পথে, চিরতরে ।।
শহরের পথগুলো ডানে বামে এঁকে বেঁকে নিয়ে যায় রাজপথে , কিম্বা বাঁকানো চাঁদ পূর্ণিমা রাতে আস্ত রূপোলি থালার মত দূর্লভ রূপ নিয়ে সেজে ওঠে রাজকন্যার মতো, তিলোত্তমা হয়ে দাঁড়াবে তোমার পাশে , নিঃশঙ্কোচে পান কর সুধা , অনন্ত প্রেম বুকে নিয়ে জড়িয়ে ধরো। চলে এসো, এসো চলে নক্খত্রের পাশে যদি চাও স্বর্গ সুখ , এসো এসো চলে এসো আমার পাশে, নদীর বুকের উপর ভেসে ভেসে পৌঁছে যাবো মহাসঙগমের পথে, চিরতরে ।।
Swami Vivekananda, as a World Teacher, taught his desciples the very essence of ancient Indian spiritual knowledge and philosophy . It’s not his bookish knowledge , but his deep conceptions which he gained from his highly intuitive power and contemplation. Obviously, his vigorous reading and learning of Indian scriptures influenced him and above all, the life and teaching of Sree Ramkrishna made him a wonderful world teacher to teach Vedanta and Hindu religion to the Western desciples . He is the first Indian Guru who preaches it and abled to establish the Bharatchetana ( Sanatan Dharma) in West. Vivekananda spent six weeks at Thousand Island Park along with his students and “manufactured” some “Yogis” by the teaching of spiritual thoughts which was collected and edited by Miss S. E. Waldo and published from Sree Ramkrishna Advaita Ashram in 1909 by the name of ” Inspired Talks “. It’s dedicated to Swami Brahmananda, the another disciple of Sree Ramkrishna. I have already started discussion on it and hope you have read the introduction chapter last week. I have depicted there the demographic invironment in which Swami Vivekananda was deeply attracted and it was a superb place for a spiritual seekers and nature lovers. Swamiji was highly pleased being spent here with this marvelous natural sorroundings. Occasionally he became absorbed in meditation which is referred here in this memoir ” Inspired Talks” We are greatful to Miss Waldo who took notes of Swamiji’s valuable divine talks .
To me, Inspired Talks, is the gist of our ancient spiritual treasure from Vedas to Upanishads, Bhoktiyoga – Rajyoga to Karmayoga to Gita , Vedanta and other philosophical and spiritual doctrines , but ultimately it is the very essence of true Hindu religion which is to be followed and worked out by our Hinduism lover country men . Everyone should read and follow this book as a Hindu’s Bible . No Political vendetta or begotry is expressed in this book . The true Hindu religion and its generosity, expansion and holiness has been described herein. Every word has come from the very depth of a divine soul.
This book is a must guide to the spiritual seekers . It’s language is very poetical . Each and every word has come not from the brain , but from the very depth of heart of a real monk who was enlightened first and then preached true religion.
Swami Vivekananda is truely a World Teacher. He knows that his students are all from the Western families. Their upbringing is from the Christian faith and environment. So he started the classes with Bible. Like Krishna, Buddha, Sree Ramkrishna , Jesus Christ is also a great incarnation of God. The absolute can not be known; we can’t know the Father, only the Son. Jesus, the special manifestation of the Absolute, is known and knowable. Swamiji told that only they can see the Absolute through the ” tint of humanity”, through Christ. Swamiji’s views on Bible is unique. According to him, the first five verses of John is the essence of Christianity, each verse is full of the profoundest philosophy. He taught them about the nature to whom the Hindu calls “Maya”, the manifestation of God. It’s the power of God.
In the twenty- ninth verse Christ told us the way to become perfect. God became Christ to show man his true nature. That we are also God . We are human coverings over the Divine; but as the divine man, Christ and we are one. Swamiji explained about the divinity of Christ . In Christ, there’s no imperfection . He is the incarnation of God, who has not forgotten His divinity and is well aware of that . Swamiji stupendously narrates the role of these divine men . He told that they come to this world as an actors whose play is over, but who, after their work is done, return to please others. This great Ones are untouched by aught of earth; they assume our form and our limitations for a time in order to teach us ; but in reality they are never limited, they are ever free. Swamiji experienced all these things to his Guru , Sree Ramkrishna . Ramkrishna was born in a poor family. He did not have any traditional schooling. His attitude was like a common people. But he was a divine man or incarnation of God. Today he is worshipped by all , not only in India, but aboard also. In his own time , he was not so regarded in such a way. Even he has been neglected by his reletives . They couldn’t understand that he is the incarnation of God. He came to teach us . No imperfection was within him . He is untouched by aught of earth .
Swamiji’s teaching influenced him students. He always insisted on the purity of heart . We should overcome all the limitations. We must find that we are beyond both evil and good. Really good and evil are one and are in our own mind . Be perfectly free . Swamiji gave a beautiful example of the two – One iron chain , and another golden chain. Evil is the iron chain, and good is the golden chain. Both are chains . Be free from both of the chains . Lay hold of the golden chain to loosen the hold of the iron one, then throw both away. He said: ” The thorn of evil is in our flesh; take another thorn from the same bush and extract the first thorn ; and then throw away both and be free….
He always emphasis on the sacrifice. Always teaches us to take possession of a giver. ” Give everything and look for no return.”
“Denial of the will to live, knowledge,and same sightedness is the trinity of liberation”.
The World Teacher
“Inspired Talks” is a bunch of talks while Swami Vivekananda , the great World Teacher taught his 12(-1 may be less according to Marie Louise Burke) Western desciples or students by his spiritual advice at Miss Dutcher’s cottage in Thousand Island Park of America . It was in 1895 . Swamiji got invitation from Miss Dutcher to visit there for some times for summer retreat. He had accepted her invitation to get little rest from the busiest scheduled of lectures in America. In this connection Swami Vivekananda wrote a letter to Mrs. Ole Bull:
… I cannot go to Greenacre now; I have arranged to go to the Thousand Island, wherever that may be. There is a cottage belonging to Miss Dutcher, one of my students, and a few of us will be there in rest and peace and seclusion. I want to manufacture a few “Yogis” out of the materials of the classes, and a busy farm [fair] like Greenacre is the last place for that, while the other is quite out of the way, and none of the curiosity – seekers will dare go there “.(April 25, 1895).
Ready to Welcome Swami Vivekananda
On June 18 , 1895 , Vivekananda left the White Mountains of New Hampshire by train for Thousand Island Park which is about 200 miles to the west , where some of his students awaited him. Every thing at the Park had , it would seem, been ready for his coming. – wrote Marie Louise Burke in his book ” New Discoveries”. Everything was refurbished from Dock to electric lights of the park to Tabernacle, even the steamer St. Lawrence had been newly cleaned, painted , brightly lighted refurbished community to which Swami Vivekananda reached at. Miss Dutcher ( Mary Elizabeth Dutcher) along with 2/3 other desciples already reached at the Dock to greet him and to escort him. Miss Dutcher had little three stories building , but for Swamiji’s comfort and privacy she made arrangements to add a wing to the cottage. The three – stories addition housed a guest room on the lowest floor, a class room on the first floor, and the Swamiji’s room on the top floor which opened on to a porch with a magnificent view of the river. “Welcome Vivekananda” read the banner that greeted SWAMI as he entered the Cottage for the beginning of a remarkable seven weeks.
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK
In brief, Thousand Island Park is a small village located on Wellesley Island in a remote area about 360 miles from New York city, on the St. Lawrence River, near the Canadian border. The Park was only 20 years old in 1895, yet it had already attracted enough to form a community of 600 cottages. Its several thousand summer residents supported a program of recreation for both mind and body, attracted celebrated preachers and speakers as prominent as Susan B. Anthony and Federick Douglas. Through the eyes of Swamiji the natural beauty of the place was very beautiful and charming. In short, by the 1890s, Thousand Island Park was a summer resort par excellence. It has been changed or transformed from a remote wilderness to popular resort – land where people of various taste used to visit for some days enjoying with their relatives and friends , or spending their times in playing, dancing, went boating and so on and otherwise enjoyed themselves. By 1895, this Island as a whole drew thousands of excursionists every day. It’s 800 acres in area , 100 acres of which were plotted for cottage lots. There are small and large cottages about 600 and over and in addition to the hotel, there are at least a dozen rooming houses . Swamiji wrote in early July : ” It is a very beautiful spot, but I am afraid it becomes too crowded during the season.”( Complete Works, 5:89).
From Marie Louise Burke, we came to know that the Thousand Island Park would , indeed , scarcely seem the place for a summer retreat. But most of the cottages lay jam – packed between the river and the base of Sunrise Mountain; whereas Miss Dutcher’s little house, perched alone a short way up the hill was quite and relatively secluded.
Thousand Island Park
Swami Vivekananda and His Inspiring Talks :
As “Sree Ramkrishna Kathamrita” is the devine talks of great spiritual Master , Sree Ramkrishna , just as ” Inspired Talks” is by his dearest disciple Swami Vivekananda . Sri ‘M’ ( Mahendra Nath Gupta) had taken notes of the devine talks of Sree Ramkrishna and it was published later from Kathamato Bhawan, like him , Miss Waldo , devotee of Swami Vivekananda took notes when he talked to them about ancient Hindu scriptures , Patanjali’s Yogasutra , The Srimad Bhagwat Gita , Vedanta Religion , The Avadhuta Gita, the Brihadaranyaka and Katha Upanishads, Bhoktiyoga . There were discussions, also of Buddha, Christ, free will, the art of teaching, the need for chastity, the theory of Raja Yoga , the practice of Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga and so on.
On the morning of July 6 , Vivekananda went through the entire text of Shankara’s introduction to his commentary, in which is discussed the subject of adhyasa , on this same morning of July 6, he also narrated Shankara’s commentary on the first and second aphorisms of Brahma Sutras, bringing out the silent points from the midst of long and weighty arguments and expositions , which tend to confound the Western desciples. Swamiji began discussion of the Vedanta Sutras on July 6. On July 10 he took up the commentary on the third aphorisms, on July 12 and 16 that on the fourth aphorisms and July 18, on the fifth aphorisms of Brahma Sutras.
Swamiji seems to have begun his discussion of Ramanuja’s philosophy on July 7, Sunday morning , and he quoted from Ramanuja’s Shri Bhashya on that afternoon . As for the Bhashya of Madhvacharya, he didn’t linger with it. “Madhava is a thoroughgoing dualist or dvaitist” – he said. He hardly quoted from the Puranas.He said that Brahman means Vishnu, not Shiva at all. ” Because there is no salvation except through Vishnu…. There is no place for reasoning in Madhava’s explanation, it’s all taken from the revelation in the Vedas.” ( Complete Works, 7:37)
It was the Bhashyas of Shankara and Ramanuja that made Swamiji’s attention from July 6 to July 19. Throughout these classes he not only quoted from the commentaries but gave his own harmonizing views. He mainly emphasized on the basis of Advaita that the dualistic religions, from the most crude to the most rarefied, had validity. Ultimately, it led to the highest realization of all – that of the identity of the unveiled soul with the Self or Brahman .
In Thousand Island Park he was very regular to take his classes in this subject , explaining again and again the place of dualistic religions in relation to Advaita Vedanta, the meaning of the Personal God in relation to the Absolute Brahman.
He said on July 19, ” So long as I say ” you ” I have the right to speak of God protecting us . When I see another, I must take all the consequences and put in the third, the ideal, which stands between us; that is the apex of the triangle…. The idea of creation or change is inseparably connected with will. So long as we perceive this world in motion , we have to conceive will behind it …. From our present standpoint, this world appears to us as will and consciousnes. Personal God is as much an entity for Himself as we are for ourselves, and no more.” ( Waldo, loc. cit, P- 12) . Some days later he told: ” Separating ourselves from the Absolute and attributing certain qualities to It gives us Isvara . It is the Reality of the Universe as seen through our mind” . (CW -7:67)
A week later :
” Man does not manufacture God out of his own brain; but he can only see God in the light of his own capacity, and he attributes to Him the best of all he knows. Each attribute is the whole of God, and this signifying the whole by one quality is the metaphysical explanation of the Personal God. Isvara is without form yet has all forms, is without qualities yet has all qualities. As human beings, we have to see the trinity of existence – God, man, nature; and we can not do otherwise. ( CW -7:82)
ঠিক কবে থেকে এ মন্দির স্থানীয়রা কেউ জানে না , বহু পুরোনো এর বাইরের চেহারা দেখলে ঠাহর করা যায় , ছোট্ট গর্ভগৃহ , অন্ধকারে ডুবে আছে মাতৃ মূর্তি – ফলে জলে ফুলে ঢাকা , পুরোহিত কে এগিয়ে দিলাম একটা দেশলাই বাক্স , তা জ্বালিয়ে প্রদীপ ধরিয়ে রাখলেন তিনি , এক মূহুর্তের মধ্যে আরও সব সারিবদ্ধ দেবতার মুখ দেখতে পাওয়া গেল; কোনটি ব্রোঞ্জ মূর্তি, কোনটি বা হর্ষিত পাথরের। নির্বাক অবাক করে দেশলাই বাক্সের কাঠিগুলোর দৈর্ঘ্যের মতো দেবতার চেহারা গুলো একবার বেঁচে উঠছে, আবার বিলীন হয়ে যাচ্ছে। কাঠি গুলোও যেন রহস্যময় খিলখিল করে হেসে যাচ্ছে। পুরোহিত যোগাসনে বসে ধ্যানমগ্ন, বিমূঢ় হয়ে জিজ্ঞেস করলাম, ” এগুলো কী ?- উত্তর এলো – অষ্টহাতি দেবতা , প্রার্থনা করো একমনে অভিষ্ট সিদ্ধ হবে !
একটি অবিশ্বাসী দিয়াশলায় কাঠির বাক্স গলা ঝেড়ে কেশে জিজ্ঞেস করল , ” তুমি কি কাঠি গুলো গুনতে সক্ষম? উত্তর এলো, আঠারো ! – প্রতিবাদ করলো সে। – ” এক – ই এক ই রকম । আমি বললাম, হে পুরোহিতের অষ্টহাতি দেবতারা , আর কতদিন এই বদ্ধ গোপন গুপ্ত গৃহের অন্ধকার কোনে পড়ে থাকবে? বেড়িয়ে এসো সূর্যের আলোয়, আলোকিত করো আকাশ বাতাস চরাচরকে , ওই ছেলে মেয়েরা ব্যাট হাতে রাস্তায় খেলছে সৌরভ শচীন বিরাট মিতালী হবার আশায় , – এখন থেকে এরাই হোক এদের ধ্যান জ্ঞান দেবতা , আলোয় আলোয় উদ্ভাসিত করে তুলুক , ভরিয়ে দিক আমাদের এই দেশের সবুজ মাঠ ময়দান গুলোকে , – এখন থেকে এঁরাই হোক এদের দেবতা , – এখন থেকে এই মাঠ ময়দান গুলোকেই বানাক মন্দির। আমাদের রাম শ্যাম রহিম হোক এরাই।।
দূর্গা মন্দির ছিল আমার বাড়ির কাছে , রোজ বিকেলে সেখানে যাওয়া ছিলো আমাদের নেশা , সন্ধ্যার পর-ও একাই যেতে পারতাম সেখানে , পাড়ার ছেলে বুড়ো , মা – বোনেরা জড়ো হতো ষস্টি তলায় পালাপার্বনে , কিম্বা নিছক গল্প করার জন্যে, ছোটদের জায়গা হতো না সেখানে সবসময়, কিন্তু জায়গাটায় পৌঁছলে কী এক গভীর আনন্দে আত্মহারা হয়ে যেতাম , আনন্দে ভরপুর হয়ে যেতো মনের জানালাগুলো, অপার্থিবভাবে।
যেদিকে দুর্গাবাড়ি তার উল্টো দিকের রাস্তায় এগোলে বাঁশ বাগান পূর্ব কোনে , ঘন অন্ধকারে ডুবে থাকতো দিন দুপুরেও। ভয় মেশানো মন নিয়ে তাকাতাম সেদিকে , আর আম কাঁঠালের বাগান অগ্নি কোণে ,বড় বড় ডাল পালায় ভর্তি , এ দুয়ের মাঝ বরাবর গেছে রাস্তাটা সোজা একটু বেঁকে হরিজন পল্লীর দিকে। নামেই পাড়া , দু’ একটি চর্মকার আর হরিজন মানুষের বাস, যেখানে পাড়াটা শুরু তার পাঁচশ মিটার আগে বহু পুরোনো নিচু ছোট এক কালী মন্দির – প্রায়ই দেখতাম মন্দিরের মাতৃ স্বরূপ প্রস্তর খণ্ডটি , ফুলে ফলে জলে ভরে থাকতো তা। বৈশাখ মাসে গ্রামের পুরুষ মানুষের দল দূর্গা মন্দির থেকে কীর্তন করতে করতে সেখানে গিয়ে পৌছতো । কখনো কখনো পড়া শেষ করে আমরা ছোটরাও যোগ দিতাম তাতে। চৈত্র সংক্রান্তি উপলক্ষে সেখানে গাজনের উৎসব , মেলা হতো কদিন ধরে , ছোট বেলার সেই আনন্দ এখন অনুভব করি অজান্তেই । আরো বেশি কোরে ।
আধুনিক মন্দিরে সেই আনন্দ পাই না আমি আর । আমি পারিনি ভুলে যেতে আমার স্বপ্নের শৈশব কৈশোরের সবুজ দিনগুলিকে ।।
THE TEMPLE
– Dr. Sushil Rudra
I never forget the tiny Temple , not even our Durga Bari, which was near to my village home . Sometimes I reach there in conscious or sub – conscious mind , feel those days as present , vivid . From our main gate it’s two minutes to reach there at Durga Bari, and in the right direction a few metre after a big Bamboo Forest which was ever dark , even in the sunny day. Just opposite of it standing side by side gigantic mango and jackle fruits trees, there lived so many monkeys – roamed jumping from one branch to another, once while I, along with my brother went there to pick up mangoes , a big tail of a mankey touched to my head and I became afraid of and ran away from there . A narrow road was in between the Bamboo Forest and the Mango garden which straightly goes to Charmakar area . Two or three families lived there . We couldn’t go there because of bad smell, but on the way to this area , there’s a tiny Kali Temple which was very living, a small door to enter into this Temple, a small stone is worshipped as Mother Kali , always filled with flowers, water and red Sindoor . At the last day of Chayittra the Gajan festival and the puja of Serpent deity Mother Manosa used to start. It was a grand and stupendous for the communities of sorrounding areas. Throughout the first month of Bengali new year the people assembled in the premise of Durga Bari for spiritual songs which is called Kirton with Khol – Kartal and being sung reached to Kali Temple . After singing for a while again returned to the Durga Bari . We saw and enjoy this every year in my childhood days. Perhaps it is still going on in its own space , but I feel a great attraction of these eventful days. I have traveled so many places and visit a lots of grandeur Temples , but couldn’t feel such attraction there as I still get peace to feel my tiny , discoloured remote Temple of my childhood days. Modern gargious Temples and its monks are unable to give me pleasure and peace , I need my little temple and my feelings and emotions of childhood days .
Rudra's Blog 
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