CHICAGO ADDRESSES

WORLD PARLIAMENT OF RELIGIONS, CHICAGO, 1893

In response to Welcome Address Swami Vivekananda gave this famous speech at the World Parliament of Religions, Chicago on 11th September, 1893 and became world famous.

    

About this 'Youtube' Video:

Investigations have revealed that there was no direct voice recordings of the Proceedings of the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in 1893. But it is a good an attempt to bring the historical event to our Imagination.

Recently Swami Vivekananda's Voice through a song has come to light.

Click this link to listen it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdue8KMY7XE

   

HIS FAMOUS SPEECH:

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

SOURCE: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume-1


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FOUR YOGAS

There are mainly four Yogas or Spiritual paths for God realization. Swami Vivekananda  gave either speeches or wrote on these Yogas. These Yogas of Swami Vivekananda were condensed and retold by Swami Tapasyanandaji and will be posted here regularly. May Swamiji inspire and bless you through his words to reach goal of  your life.

KARMA YOGA:

The manner in which a man realizes his own divinity through works and duty.

BHAKTI YOGA:

The realization of the divinity through devotion to, and love of, a Personal God.

   

RAJA YOGA: 

The realization of the divinity thro’ the control of mind.

JNANA YOGA:

    The realization of a man’s own divinity through knowledge.

 SOURCE BOOK DETAILS: Four Yogas by Swami Tapasyanandaji, 

                                 Publisher: Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata.             

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA TELLS STORY: THE WISE MINISTER

There is an old story of an astrologer who came to a king and said, 'You are going to die in six months.' The king was frightened out of his wits and was almost about to die then and there from fear. But his minister was a clever man, and this man told the king that these astrologers were fools. The king would not believe him. So the minister saw no other way to make the king see that they were fools but to invite the astrologer to the palace again. There he asked him if his calculations were correct. The astrologer said that there could not be a mistake, but to satisfy him he went through the whole of the calculations again and then said that they were perfectly correct. The king's face became livid. The minister said to the astrologer, 'And when do you think that you will die?' 'In twelve years', was the reply. The minister quickly drew his sword and separated the astrologer's head from the body and said to the king, 'Do you see this liar? He is dead this moment.'


SOURCE: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

         

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA WRITES US

LETTER NO.: 3

My dear ………….,

...Come, see these people, and then go and hide your faces in shame. A race of dotards, you lose your caste if you come out! Sitting down these hundreds of years with an ever-increasing load of crystallised superstition on your heads, for hundreds of years spending all your energy upon discussing the touchableness or untouchableness of this food or that, with all humanity crushed out of you by the continuous social tyranny of ages — what are you? And what are you doing now? . . . promenading the sea-shores with books in your hands — repeating undigested stray bits of European brainwork, and the whole soul bent upon getting a …clerkship, or at best becoming a lawyer — the height of young India's ambition — and every student with a whole brood of hungry children cackling at his heels and asking for bread! Is there not water enough in the sea to drown you, books, gowns, university diplomas, and all?

Come, be men! Come out of your narrow holes and have a look abroad. See how nations are on the march! Do you love man? Do you love your country? Then come, let us struggle for higher and better things; look not back, no, not even if you see the dearest and nearest cry. Look not back, but forward!

India wants the sacrifice of at least a thousand or her young men — men, mind, and not brutes. How many men, unselfish, thorough-going men, is…. ready to struggle unto life and death to bring about a new state of things sympathy for the poor, and bread to their hungry mouths, enlightenment to the people at large — and struggle unto death to make men of them who have been brought to the level of beasts, by the tyranny of your forefathers? 

Yours affectionately,

Swami Vivekananda

SOURCE: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume-5, Epistles - First Series, Letter No. -III

               

A REVEALING INCIDENT ON SHIVA-RATRI:

Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Ramakrishna used to tell his other disciples about greatness of his chief disciple Naren, the future Swami Vivekananda [Swamiji]. In course of time he would be endowed with power to transmit spirituality to others through mere thought or touch. It actually happened one day during Sri Ramakrishna’s life time.

It was Shiva-ratri, the night of the spring festival of the Lord Shiva. Three or four boy devotees were fasting with Swamiji. They wished to pass the auspicious night worshiping and keeping vigil. That evening there was a heavy shower, and the devotees were delighted to see on the newly formed clouds occasional flashes of lightening that looked like Lord Shiva’s matted hair.

Swami Vivekananda

At 10 pm., after finishing the first quarter of the night’s worship, chanting, and meditation, Swamiji remained seated, relaxing and conversing with others. One of his companions left the room to prepare a smoke for him, and another went to the main building to finish a particular chore. Swamiji suddenly felt that divine power awaken within him. Intending to put it into effect and test its results, he said to Swami Abhedananda, who was seated facing him, “Please touch me for a while.” After a little while, the boy who had gone to prepare the tobacco returned. He saw Swami Vivekananda meditating, sitting motionless, while Abhedananda sat close by, his right hand touching Swamiji’s right knee. Abhedananda’s hand was trembling rapidly, and his eyes were closed. After a few minutes Swamiji opened his eyes and said: “That is enough. How did you feel?”

Swami Abhedananda

Abhedananda replied, “As one feels a shock wave while touching an electric battery, and one’s hand trembles, so I felt when touching you.”

The boy asked Abhedananda, “Was your hand trembling of itself as you touched Swamiji?”

Abhedananda responded: “Yes. I could not keep it steady, though I tried.”

There was no further discussion of the incident. Swamiji smoked his tobacco. Afterwards all were involved in the second quarter of worship and meditation. Abhedananda then went into deep meditation. We had never seen him so absorbed. His whole body became stiff, his neck and head were bent, and for a time he completely lost consciousness of the outer world. Everyone present thought he had that deep meditation as a result of having touched Swamiji shortly before. Swamiji also noticed his condition and silently pointed it out to a companion.

At 4 a.m. when the worship of the fourth quarter was over, Swami Ramakrishnananda came to the worship room and told Swamiji, “The Master [Sri Ramakrishna] is calling for you.” Swamiji immediately went to the second floor of the main building, where the Master was staying. Ramakrishnanada also followed him because he was serving the Master.

Seeing Swamiji, the Master said: Hello! You are frittering away your power before you have accumulated enough of it. First gather it deep within yourself, and then you will understand where and how you should use it. Mother will let you know. Don’t you see what great harm you have done to that boy by infusing your ideas into him? He had been following a specific practice for a long time, and now all is spoilt like a miscarriage in the sixth month of pregnancy. Well, what was supposed to happen has happened. From now on don’t do such a thing rashly. The boy is lucky that greater harm did not befall him.”

Swamiji said later: “I was completely dumbfounded. The Master had come to know whatever we did during worship! What could I do? I remained silent as he scolded me.”

In later years Swami Vivekananda transferred spiritual power to others by mere wish as predicted by his Guru Sri Ramakrishna.


SOURCE: The Great Master, Sri Ramakrishna, RK Math, Chennai-4

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