Around the world again-ma

Around the world again

On 20th June, 1899, the Swami set out on the voyage, Swami Turiyananda and Sister Nivedita accompanying him. The journey with the Swami was a great education to both of them. Sister Nivedita wrote: “from the beginning to the end, a vivid flow of stories went on. One never knew what moment would bring the flash of intuition and the ringing utterance of some fresh truth.” Vivekananda had told them, “Social life in the West is like a peal of laughter; but underneath, it is a wail. It ends in a sob. Whereas in India, it is sad and gloomy on the surface, but underneath are carelessness and merriment. The West had tried to conquer external nature and the East had tried to conquer internal nature. Now East and West must work hand in hand for the good of each other without destroying the special characteristics of each. The West has much to learn from the East and the East from the West.

In fact, the future must be shaped by a proper fusion of the two ideals. Then, there will be neither East nor West, but one humanity.”

Towards the attainment of such integration, he was constantly toiling. He set up Shanti Ashram in Northern California, which he placed under the charge of Swami Turiyananda, and also Vedanta Centre at San Francisco.

Though the spiritual flame was fully ablaze, yet the oil in the physical frame was running out; Vivekananda knew his end was approaching and he wrote to Miss McDonald, “My boat is nearing the calm harbour from which it is never more to be driven out.”

On 1st August, 1900, he arrived at Paris, to participate in the Congress of the History of Religions. He toured some of the countries of Europe, then Turkey and finally came to Egypt. There, he had a premonition of Capt. Sevier’s death. He rushed back to India and reached Belur Math on 9th December, 1900, surprising his brother monks who greatly rejoiced over his unexpected return.