Fresh light on historic visit

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA IN CHICAGO _ New Findings: Asim Chaudhuri; Advaita Ashram, 5, Delhi Entally Road, Calcutta-700014. Rs. 100.

TO RELIGIOUS and philosophically minded men, in general and to the disciples and followers of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda in particular, Chicago will recall the most significant event of that city in the year 1893, Swami Vivekananda's visit to the city as an Indian delegate to the World Parliament of Religions, held as part of the world's Columbia Exposition of 1893.

It will recall to them the historic oration of Swami Vivekananda at that Parliament, when he hailed his fellow delegates, as sisters and brothers and claimed to speak in the name of the oldest order of monks in the world.

That oration was historic in more than one sense. It was a frank claim on behalf of Hindu dharma for recognition as the oldest formulation of religious ideals.

It was also a claim that Hindu dharma had a status of more than equality with the world's religions. There was a vigorous assertion of the uniqueness in validity and vitality of Vedanta, as set forth by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

The applause which greeted Swami Vivekananda's performance was a tribute to the personality of the speaker and a recognition of the validity of the saving message he delivered - the message of Vedanta.

In short, Chaudhuri deals with Swamy's arrival in Chicago, the world Parliament of Religions, visit to New England, the home of Emerson, Thoreau and other transcendentalists who sought their inspiration from Indian scriptures, the post-parliament days, 1894 and beyond the second visit to the West.

Chaudhuri details the contacts Swamiji made with people like Hale and the help that numerous admirers of Swamiji gave him, the occasional moods of despair and despondency he experienced, now and again, the difficulties he faced and the resolute courage and intrepidity with which he tackled all the problems he faced.

Swamiji was Sri Ramakrishna's most potent gift to the world. Vedanta, the message and the man that embodied it, Sri Ramakrishna, becomes even more clearly than ever before as the saving message of the world. One recalls how Principal William Hastie of the Scottish Churches College of Calcutta commenting on Wordsworth's vividly accurate description of the state of samadhi or of identity with the Brahman, as exemplified by Sri Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar, stirred Narendra, later Swami Vivekananda, to the very depths of his being and sent him to Sri Ramakrishna himself.

S.R.

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