Swami Vivekananda humanified and humanised

Swami Vivekananda supported beef eating. His biographer Swami Nikhilananda writes in Vivekananda's biography, page 96: "... The Swami courageously told them about the eating of beef by Brahmins in Vedic times. One day, asked about what he considered the most glorious period of Indian history, the Swami mentioned the Vedic period, when five Brahmins used to polished off one cow ..." There are extensive quotes on the Internet which say that Vivekananda prescribed 3 b's for India's future: 1. Beef 2. Biceps. 3. Bhagavad Gita. His B-3s may be a reaction to the B-3s of the British invaders: 1. Bible 2. Bayonet 3. Brandy. These may be in his lectures. But, the quote is not traceable in his Complete Works.

While writing a comment at a blogpost by name "Thomases Road to Realisation" at blogspot.com, I thought that it is necessary to review the whole concept of God and Self-realisation for the benefit of my Vivekananda Yb readers. Readers will please recall that Swami Vivekananda through his books introduced the Yogas a) Raja Yoga (Path of a king) b) Bhakti Yoga (Path of Devotion) c) Karma Yoga (Path of Action). The Path of Devotion is common both to Hinduism and Christianity. The names of the Godhead may be different. Jehova in Christianity and Paramatma (Supreme Spirit/soul) in Hinduism. Hinduism has some flexibility in the sense that it allows any number of names and forms. For example, in Bhagavad Gita, the Supreme spirit may be depicted as Krishna. In Ramayana, he may be Rama. For Vivekananda it may be the Mother Goddess Kali. Others may call himher S`iva. Whatever name is used, essentially in the path of devotion, a person prays God; wants to be proximate to himher...

Ramakrishna Mission and its organs seem to believe that Ramakrishna Religion based on the preachings of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Gurudeva and Swami Vivekananda as a religion different from Hinduism. The Mission has claimed protection as a religious minority under articles 30/1 and 26 of Indian Constitution. The purpose was to have control over the appointment of Principal of a College run by the Mission. The College was built with Government funds and every year the College receives grants from the Govt. for payment of salaries and maintenance. Here is a link to the text of the Supreme Court judgement which shows that the Ramakrishna Mission claimed that the Ramakrishna Religion as distinct. Those who are interested can read it in depth. http://www.judis.nic.in/supremecourt/qrydisp.asp?tfnm=10725 -- BRAMCHARI SIDHESWAR BHAI &ORS.ETC. Vs. RESPONDENT: STATE OF WEST BENGAL ETC. . BLOGGER'S VIEWS This blogger does not wish to blame the Ramakrishna Mission for its clai...

Dr. Jairam Ramesh is Union Minister of Commerce. Recently, he promised to help in obtaining and preserving the phonographed voice recordings of Swami Vivekananda, which were said to have been made by the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore during Vivekananda's visit to their kingdom. It was also said that the Maharaja was meticulous in collecting the recordings of Vivekananda made elsewhere. I shall not comment on this promise. I hope that he will keep up his promise. I also hope that he will extending his helping hand in tracing the following documents which are very valuable from the perspective of Vivekananda's life:- 1. The document which Vivekananda sent to Ms. Christina Greenstidel vide his letter dated 22nd March 1896 from Boston. While sending the document, Vivekananda asked her to sign as "Miss" since he erroneously wrote Miss. This document may be in the custody of auction houses which may be awaiting an opportune time to offer on the platform. 2. The letter ...

Swami Vivekananda spoke at Washington Hall, Sanfrancisco, on March 16, 1900. External purity is very easy and all the world rushes towards [it]. If a certain kind of dress is the kind of morality [to be observed], any fool can do that. When it is grappling with the mind itself, it is hard work. The people who do external, superficial things are so self-righteous! I remember, when I was a boy I had great regard for the character of Jesus Christ. [Then I read about the wedding feast in the Bible.] I closed the book and said, "He ate meat and drank wine! He cannot be a good man." BLOGGER'S VIEWS *Eat meat and weep for God. Weeping with a meat-filled belly is a qualification for seeing God! *As far as kindness to animals is concerned, Jesus should get a zero. In other things he may be a saint. *What a justification of a monk's eating meat and drinking alcohol? *Didn't he wear ochre-robes, a big turban? Didn't he prefix "Swami" and suffix 'a...

On the 14th October 1900, Swami Vivekananda wrote from Paris to Ms. Christina GreenStidel informing her that he has been relieved of the duties of the Belur Math. He addresses her as "my dear Christine". "... I am sending all the money I earned in America to India. Now I am free, the begging-monk as before. I have also resigned from the Presidentship of the Monastery. Thank God, I am free! It is no more for me to carry such a responsibility. I am so nervous and so weak ..." BLOGGER'S VIEWs *Vivekananda advised every Indian to be brave. But he himself was "nervous and weak" after working as the President of the Monastery just for two years. Vide Ibid: "I have attained my aim. I have found the pearl for which I dived into the ocean of life. I have been rewarded. I am pleased. Thus it seems to me that a new chapter of my life is opening ..." BLOGGER'S VIEWs *What is this pearl which Vivekananda found after diving into the ocean of life? ...

Swami Vivekananda according to his lectures and writings loved poor people. Today, I saw an advertisement in the New Indian Express, released by the Bara Bazar branch of the Ramakrishna Math seeking donations from public. The ostensible noble purpose of collecting the donations (exempt u/s 35 of the Income Tax Act) is rehabilitation of slum dwellers. There is a concurrent object of sending out (the word "evicting" may be more appropriate) the 50 slum dwellers from the site of the Bara Bazar Math, which the slum dwellers were occupying for a long time, for construction of the Bara Bazar Math. The Ramakrishna Math already has a sprawling premises at Belur Math on the banks of river Hoogly, with temples dedicated to Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. They have 162 Centres all over the world. The questions which, therefore, arise are:- 1. Is one more Monastery necessary? 2. Is it reasonable to send out slum dwellers? 3. Would Vivekananda have himself appreciated displacing the poo...