VIVEKANANDA WRITES AND INSPIRIES US

LETTER NO. 28

Dear.................*

The older I grow, the more I see behind the idea of the Hindus that man is the greatest of all beings. So say the Mohammedans too. The angels were asked by Allah to bow down to Adam. Iblis did not, and therefore he became Satan. This earth is higher than all heavens; this is the greatest school in the universe; and the Mars or Jupiter people cannot be higher than we, because they cannot communicate with us. The only so-called higher beings are the departed, and these are nothing but men who have taken another body. This is finer, it is true, but still a man-body, with hands and feet, and so on. And they live on this earth in another Âkâsha, without being absolutely invisible. They also think, and have consciousness, and everything else like us. So they also are men, so are the Devas, the angels. But man alone becomes God; and they all have to become men again in order to become God. . . .

Ever yours with blessings,

VIVEKANANDA.

*[You may treat these letters as if addressed to you]

 SOURCE: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,

                    Volume-5 [Epistles-First Series]