” KRIPA” Gopal LAL Villa (1902) By young, passionate painter “Kripa”( FICTIONAL PORTRAIT OF GOPLAL LAL VILA .)
When, wearing only the Kaupina, Lying on the sands of the holy Ganges in Benares,(Varanasi) When shall I weep aloud, “O Lord of ghouls”, Saying this, and whole days shall pass like moments?(Swami Vivekananda -The Complete Works)
SHIVA
Oh, when will that day come,
when in a forest ,saving “Shiva”,”Shiva”,
my days shall pass?
a serpent 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
O Shiva , when shall i be able to cut
to the very roots of my karma,
By becoming solitary, desire less, quiet—-
My hands my only plate, and the coordinal points
my clothing?
(verse99)
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
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 follow me like a dog”
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.
“I am 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!”
thanks for sharing this –
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.
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.
Beautiful inspiration. Thank you 🙏
Fantastic unknown details.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
Banaras is a cool town. You are a good writer yourself, your words are encouraging.
A lot of new info for me! Excellent!!
thnx
Thank you for stopping by my blog. In your search to understand the world, may you find the way, the truth, and the life, we are all created for.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
Banaras is a cool town.
Wow! You are very talented at making these beautiful pait work. I used to try it but later gave up.😝
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
I am pleasured to hear that
Ah varanasi. Last year I got a chance to live there. I am glad I came back with good memories. The ghats, the subtle ganga and the tea everything was love. Your blog made it all reviving again. Love to kashi and it’s people
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
Banaras is a cool city . MAHADEV ki kripa bani rehey.
👌👌👌👍
Wonderful sharing.
hank you very much for taking the time to read.
My pleasure.
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.
hank you very much for taking the time to read.
I have read the Bible but this incident was forgotten, thank you very much
A great post that shows how much you actually do not know. Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for encouraging me
It must have taken quite some research. 😊
YA BHAVYA ,THNX,
,Was unable to answer you due to some technical problem
Thank you very much for the encouragement
V V HAPPY RAKSHABANDHAN TO YOU N YOURS FAMILY
Same to you sir! 😊🎉
Thank you so much for encouraging me
Woow that was fascinating ! Very interesting post
THNX, NILESH,
Was unable to answer you due to some technical problem
Thank you very much for the encouragement.
RAKSHABANDHAN KI BEHOOT BEHOOT SUBHKAMNAYE
Thank you so much for encouraging me.
New info 👍🏻..I can see the ground work behind..and nicely explained..hats off..keep up the good work 💯👍🏻😊
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.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
Thank you so much for encouraging me
Thanks for sharing such a great inspiring post ,Nitinji. We can benefit from the write up which is interesting and full of worthwhile teachings for our lives!
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.
Good research! This post is so insightful.
thnx kally,Thank you very much for the encouragement.
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.
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.
So much excellent knowledge about Swami Vivekanand.I liked this post very much🙏
Thank you very much, aruna
You liked the article, I will keep trying in the future as well
Thank you very much, aruna
You liked the article, I will keep trying in the future as well
This is an informative post. Lovely post 👌😊
My pleasure kritika, if you find something new
👏👍
Thnx 🙂🙏
Interesting. I’ve heard of Vivikananda, of course, but this is the first I’ve really read about him.
thnx, You write very well yourself, you liked my writing thank you very much
Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
Big fan of Swami Vivekananda as me
thnx , vaibhav i read yours few posts about swami ji excellent writing
thnx, vaibhav
such beautiful pictures and history. Looking forward to more time when I can delve deeper. Nice to meet you!
thnx Thank you very much for taking the time to read.
It was my pleasure!❤️
Informative sharing indeed.🙏🙏
thnx sir
Pleasure is mine. 🙏🙏
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.
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.
Thanks…read it and enjoyed it. Keep up the good work and stay blessed always… 🙂
That’s interesting. Lots of info that otherwise one would not get to know easily. The Gopal Lal Villa state is indeed sad….. Hopefully it comes to the notice of ASI or INTACH and they do something about it
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
I like the way you have presented the content. Very informative.
I am sorry to be late in answering. Thank you very much you liked the post
❤️
thnx
💐🙏🌹
Excellent post!
Thank you for sharing
thnx , thnx again , I am sorry to be late in answering.
Really amazing. 👏👏
thnx dolly
Lovely artwork and post. Thanks for sharing.
I am sorry to be late in answering. thnx , thnx again
A scholarly effort! My compliments.
thnx ashok ji, I am sorry to be late in answering.
great info here – many tx for sharing 🙂
thnx , thnx a lot
Interesting post, and the painting is fantastic! Is the artist someone you know, or just encountered in your travels?
Thank you very much you liked the post and the painting.
met at a function organized on Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.
Never been to Varanasi but this piece have ignited the desire to visit…hoping I get the time for it.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to read the post.May God fulfill your wish to come to Varanasi soon.
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…