THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Vivekananda’s attachment to the temples of Varanasi and Varanasi always remained.
During this time a lot of untold, but significant things happened.

” KRIPA” Gopal LAL Villa (1902) by young, passionate painter “Kripa”( FICTIONAL PORTRAIT OF GOPLAL LAL VILA .)

Oh, when will that day come,

when in a forest ,saving “Shiva”,”Shiva”,

my days shall pass?

a serpant and the garland the same ,

The strong foe and the friend the same,

The flower-bed and the stone -bed the same ,

a beautiful women and a blade of grass the same!

(verses 85,90)

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA PAGE 313

O Shiva , when shall i be able to cut

to the very roots of my karma,

By becoming solitary,desireless, quiet—-

My hands my only plate, and the cordinal points

my clothing?

(verse99)

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA PAGE 313

VIRESWAR SHIVA

Birth of Vivekananda, Shiva temple and Varanasi.

Bhubaneswari was worshiping lord shiva in one of the houses in that locality. At the close of the her worship , she prayed to Shiva everyday while offering pranam, “o Shiva , give me a son on my lap.” she had a few daughters already . but how could she live without a son?

so, she offered daily worship to Shiva for a son . she had even asked one of her old relatives at Benares (Varanasi)to offer daily worship to Vireswar Shiva there on her behalf . god heeds to whatever is asked of him with devotion in a simple heart . Bhubaneswari’s prayer was also granted. In the early morning of January 12,1863, she gave birth to a son .

the child was named  Vireswar after Vireswar Shiva as his mother believed that she was granted her son as a boon from the lord . but the name was too difficult to be used as a nickname.so everybody in the house used to call him as a Biley.  he was named NarendraNath Dutta at the annaprasshana ceremony but still he remained the same Biley for all .

  (Vivekananda for children -publisher : Sri Ramkrishna Math Chennai)

In 1890, Vivekananda came to Varanasi with Swami Akhandanand. The house where Vivekananda stayed in Varanasi was known as Bengali Deodhi. (Vivekananda stayed in this house in Varanasi in 1888 too.)  This house belonged to Pramadadas Mitra ji, who was an eminent scholar of that time. You translated the British national anthem into Sanskrit and the Gita into English.

“i shall not return until i burst on society like a bomb shell, and it will folow me like a dog”  

GOPAL LAL VILA

When the rich people showed no enthusiasm in public welfare work, Vivekananda once said angrily between Pramadadas Mitra and the respected people of the city.

After proving this to be true in 1893 in the Parliament of Religions Chicago, Vivekananda returned to his Shiva city in Varanasi in 1901.

The arrival of Vivekananda in 1902 had a different meaning, now that Swami Vivekananda was a world-renowned, philosopher and scholar, but extremely weak and sick.the famous author (Shankar in his book the monk as man in chapter 4 pages 175, 176 of his 31 diseases. )Swamiji came to Banaras this time and stayed in the Gopal Lal Villa (raja Kali Krishna Thakur garden house) the locals also called this place as Sondha Bass, here Vivekananda stayed for almost a month. he described this place as health friendly.

To Miss Josephine MacLeod

                                    GOPAL LAL VILLA, BENARAS CANTONMENT 7th Feb. 1902. MY DEAR JOE —

 We have safely reached Benaras, and Mr. Okakura [Kakuzo] has already done Benaras. He goes to see Sarnath (the old Buddhistic place) today and starts on his tour tomorrow. He has asked Niranjan [Swami Niranjanananda] to accompany him and he has consented. Kanay [Nirbhayananda] has supplied him with everything he asked for — and he asks me also to send you the accounts. This, on the other page. I hope Nivedita and Mrs. [Ole] Bull have safely arrived. I am rather better than at Buddha Gaya. This house is nice — well furnished and has a good many rooms and parlours. There is a big garden all round and beautiful roses — and gigantic trees. It is rather cooler here than at Gaya. There was no hitch to our friends being admitted into the chief temple and [allowed to] touch the Sign of Shiva and to worship. The Buddhists, it seems, are always admitted. With all love and welcome to Mrs. Bull and Nivedita — if they have arrived — and all to you,

VIVEKANANDA

(THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA)

 Only a few months after leaving here (4 july 1902) Swamiji died. Witnessing the last days of Swamiji, his residence Gopal Lal Villa has become a ruin. It would have been better if the government would have given this ruin a heritage form in Varanasi.

GOPAL LAL VILA
“KRIPA”Drawing a historical portrait of Gopal LAL Villa on the projections of its ruins.
GOPAL LAL VILA (VARANASI)

“ Iam glad I was born ,glad I suffered so, glad I did make big blunders ,glad to enter peace. I leave none bound, I take no bonds.whether this body will fall and relese me or I enter into freedom in the body , the old man is gone ,gone for ever,never to come back again! The guide the guru ,the leader, the teacher has passed away; the boy the student ,the servant is left behind.Behind my work was ambition,behind my love waspersonality,behind my purity was fear,behind my guidance the thrust of power! Now they are vanishing ,I drift.i come!mother,I come!”

Author: nitinsingh

Postgraduate in International relations. Experience writing in various journals,from BBC WORLD NEWS SERVICE to India's one of the oldest hindi daily. I like to write international relations, religion, religious conflict. Social media has bridged the distance between writing and reading. Now writing is not just the expression of one's own thought, but also knowing the expression of people on various subject.

82 thoughts on “THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA”

  2. I didn’t know of Gopal Lal Villa and least of it to be in ruins. Hope the government takes heed and declares it a heritage. This was a wonderful post and the paintings are simply delightful.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you very much, the general public should also get information on Gopal Lal Villa, and the increased awareness on this will force the government to take some positive steps.

      Like

      Reply

  11. Very interesting. This post put me in mind of the Bible story of Hannah who, also, longed for a son. Her prayer, too, was answered by God. Hannah dedicated her son Samuel to the Jewish temple as a young boy. Samuel, you may know, became a great prophet.

    Liked by 8 people

    Reply

    1. thnx anu,
      Thank you very much for your encouragement .If you came to know something new from my post, my pleasure .
      RAKSHABANDHAN KI BEHOOT BEHOOT SUBHKAMNAYE.

      Like

      Reply

    1. D.S CHAUHAN JI ,
      First of all I would like to apologize that I was late in replying.
      My computer broke down andPerhaps I made some mistake in
      the settings on the mobile, so I was unable to answer you.I hope
      you will forgive this mistake made inadvertently.
      You yourself a good knowledge of history, and indian culture if
      you like something written by me,then it is an honor for me.Best
      wishes to you and your family for Ram temple and Rakshabandhan.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Beginning with this ‘ “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”
      Then started opposing his own the then Prime minister? His acceptance of Israelites and Zoroastrians too, perhaps it is on surface to look good only. Deep down he cannot even accept his own countryman Nehru, a Hindu, then perhaps you also may not like Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or even backwards class people etc who believe in Hinduism of this country.
      Once a person starts hating another even in the name of our own partitioned country, it begins and never stop till family and one day the person starts hating himself. It is like gambling.
      Neither Nehru is a different kind of stream nor any other person because everyone is moving fast towards salvation too, it may not be visible to you but those had eyes said so. Why India accepted everyone? We look at the possibility of a human being, and destiny of everyone is same ie enlightenment. Then all are going to fall in God some day, that too any moment.
      Kabir said :
      काला नाला, हिम जल, सो फिर पानी होई।
      जो पानी मोती भया, सो फिर नीर ना होई॥
      Muddy or black water and snow all are water only but once a drop of water turns into a Pearl, then it leaves the cycle for ever.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Yesterday in the afternoon stone was thrown on glass pane of my front window and he ram away after breaking it.
        It is a warning sign for me due to such bold posting by people you and me know very well. Their network is strong, army is big but Rawan was even greater. An ordinary person does not fear for life or all troubles they can create. I fixed a white card board on gap formed with ‘राम भवन’ because till date it was unnamed.

        Like

  25. Nice and informative post.
    Allow me to add a trivia: Biley or Naren, as he was called in his childhood, was a very mischievous boy and kept on doing all sorts things to disturb and annoy his mother Bhubaneshwari Devi. In order to calm him down, Bhubaneshwari Devi invented the game of meditation; that is, he and his friends were asked to shut their eyes while sitting straight at one place. This worked as a magic and Biley always was a winner in the game. He was so engrossed in meditation that one day when a snake was passing through the courtyard and all his friends shouted and ran away, he kept on sitting there closing his eyes even without moving an inch. He actually learnt to meditate at that tender age.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
      you have a good knowledge about Vivekananda and i think
      You are also interested in this subject, I wrote a post on this subject,(Biley, Banaras,Vivekananda varanasihttps://nithinks.com/2019/09/19/bileybanarasvivekanandavaranasi/) I hope you will like it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
      Thank you very much for finding this post informative.This was an effort from my side so that the general public should also be aware of it. thnx again

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  36. You begin with this ‘ “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”
    Then started opposing your own the then Prime minister? Your acceptance of Israelites and Zoroastrians too, perhaps it is on surface to look good only. Deep down you cannot even accept your own countryman Nehru, a Hindu, then perhaps you also may not like Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or even backwards class people etc who believe in Hinduism of this country.
    Mr Singh, Once a person starts hating another even in the name of our own partitioned country, it begins and never stop till family and one day the person starts hating himself. It is like gambling.
    Neither Nehru is a different kind of stream nor any other person because everyone is moving fast towards salvation too, it may not be visible to you but those had eyes said so. Why India accepted everyone? We look at the possibility of a human being, and destiny of everyone is same ie enlightenment. Then all are going to fall in God some day, that too any moment.
    Kabir said :
    काला नाला, हिम जल, सो फिर पानी होई।
    जो पानी मोती भया, सो फिर नीर ना होई॥
    Muddy or black water and snow all are water only but once a drop of water turns into a Pearl, then it leaves the cycle for ever.
    Please.
    Bharat ki garima ka uccharan karke kisi par kichad mat uchhalo, yah uska to apman hai hi…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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