266 Eat meat- take no water-and live long

Swami Vivekananda seemed to believe that "Eating only meat, and not drinking water" as methods for prolonging one's own life. It is strange that such a well-read person could get this belief!!! It is not clear whether he acquired this belief while in Europe / United States, or whether he acquired it indigenously in India. In the following letter to Ms. Ole Bull, he blamed his Bengalee Constituion (meaning; Constituion of his Bengalee body), and its diabetes. So Indians! Today (2016) at least 20/25% of Indians seem to suffer from diabetes. Today, we have more Non-Vegetarian Hotels, Wine Shops and Bars in India, charging very high prices for drinking water. We all seem to implement Swami Vivekananda's policies.

SwAmi vivEkAnanda wrote to Ms. Ole Bull (normall swamiji calls her Mother. But here, somehow, he addressed her Dear Mrs. Bull).
ALAMBAZAR MATH, CALCUTTA, [DARJEELING]

26th March 1897

DEAR MRS. BULL —

... The demonstrations and national jubilations over me are over — at least I had to cut them short, as my health broke completely down. The result of this steady work in the West and the tremendous work of a month in India upon the Bengalee constitution is "diabetes". It is a hereditary foe and is destined to carry me off, at best, in a few years' time. Eating only meat and drinking no water seems to be the only way to prolong life — and, above all, perfect rest for the brain. I am giving my brain the needed rest in Darjeeling, from where I am writing you now. ...

ybrao a donkey ie. this blogger's views

1. India has about 100 million diabetic patients as at 2013. They should also, now, follow vivEkAnanda's advice: Start eating meat. Take no water. Give perfect rest to brain. Swamiji was very fond of chicken (See his biography by Madam Calve). But, there seems to be a taboo on breeding poultry in Bengal of those days. Hence, SwAmIji seems to have fallen on turtles, shad fish and meat. But, he did not stop taking chicken whenever an opportunity arose.

2013 September 1: Today, walking on streets, I found one publicity tricycle-rickshaw announcing on mike that for every kilogram of chicken bought, 4 eggs would be given free.

As has been pointed out at this blog, swAmiji was very fond of 'cool' stations. He returned from 'cool' America to hot Calcutta in Jan. 1897. By March 1897, he was writing from Darjeeling, a Himalayan summer resort.

By May 1897, swAmIji shifted to Almora, another cool Center.

ALAMBAZAR MATH, CALCUTTA, May 5th, 1897.

DEAR MRS. BULL,

I have been to Darjeeling for a month to recuperate my shattered health. I am very much better now. The disease disappeared altogether in Darjeeling. I am going tomorrow to Almora, another hill station, to perfect this improvement.

Things are looking not very hopeful here as I have already written you — though the whole nation has risen as one man to honour me and people went almost mad over me! The practical part cannot be had in India. Again, the price of the land has gone up very much near Calcutta. My idea at present is to start three centres at three capitals. These would be my normal schools, from thence I want to invade India.

In 1994, this blogger visited bElUr Monastery , Kolkata. Found some airconditioners fitted to the windows of the building. When I was going to see them, one monk forcibly stopped me inquiring, "what for was I going to that side?". I replied that I wanted to inquire from the administrators of the monastery whether monks who were supposed to be indifferent to vagaries of weather-heat-and-cold (SitOshNa sukha-duHkhams), needed air-conditioners for meditation? I was about to be beaten. Tourists rescued me, by taking me away from the building.

I personally feel that giving perfect rest may not be a good solution for diabetes. I read in one medical book, that brain cells when put to work, draw direct sugars from blood, unlike muscles which draw their sugar from sugars converted from starches. Hence, working with brain seems to be as important as working with muscles (physical exercise).