Top row: Swami Chidananda-Chicago; Swami Gautamananda-Chennai; Swami Pramathananda-Toronto

Center row: Swami Prabuddhananda-San Francisco; Swami Tathagatananda-New
 York; Swami Aparananda-Berkley; Swami Chetanananda-St. Louis; Swami Shantarupananda-Portland

Bottom row: Swami Sarvadevananda-Hollywood; Swami
 Prapannananda-Sacramento; Swami Atmarupananda-Ridgely; Swami Tyagananda-Boston; Swami Brahmarupananda-Washington, DC

Chicago: The role of the Vedanta philosophy will be the focus of 12 senior Swamis of the Ramakrishna Order -- part of the ancient order of Sanyasins -- when
 they assemble in Ganges, Michigan, during June 22-24. Their conference, entitled "Vedanta in the Third Millennium," will bring together abbots from most of the
 US ashrams of the order founded by Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). Vivekananda was the first Hindu monk to come to the West, and is credited with
 introducing Hinduism to the US at the Parliament of Religions in 1893.

 The Swamis, dressed in their traditional orange robes, will assemble at the Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat, in Ganges, Michigan, about a two hour drive
 from Chicago. It will be one of the largest ensembles of senior Hindu Swami’s in US history. The conference is open for all.

 The conference will be steeped in the traditions of the oldest monastic order in the world. Swami Guatamamanda, head of the order in Chennai, India, will
 inaugurate the ceremony, as monks have done for millenniums, with the traditional lighting of the lamp symbolizing the lighting of knowledge in the human soul.
 Then, after an invocation by Swami Chidananda, head of the Chicago monastery, the Swamis will turn their focus toward the future.

 Over the next three days, the monks would discuss Vedanta’s role in society, said Swami Chidananda, but personal spiritual instruction and practical guidance
 for the individual would be the main emphasis.

 Swami Chidananda said: "Many people see the new millennium as the dawn of a new, more spiritual age. And the Vedanta movement, with its universality, and
 deep spirituality, is in harmony with this spirit.

 "Retreats, discussions of spiritual ideas, holy environment, and association with men of spirituality give a kind of awakening, tremendous peace of mind, and
 great joy to man. He will be able to meet all crises and challenges in life with a spiritual attitude."

 A number of people of various religious backgrounds have registered to attend. The Vedanta philosophy, the organizers of the conference say, does not insist
 that people follow a particular path or religion.

 Aside from speeches of the several Swamis, the three-day program includes meditation, devotional Bhajans or religious songs, morning and evening Arati
 (worship) in the shrine, Indian cultural events, and a youth essay competition based on the ideals of Swami Vivekananda.

 In a "Vedanta in the Third Millennium" poster distributed in Chicago by the organizers, a photo of Swami Vivekananda appears prominently, along with his
 definition of the essence of Vedanta: "Each soul is potentially divine," said Vivekananda, "The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by controlling nature, external
 and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control , or philosophy - by one or more of these - and be free. This is the whole of religion.
 Doctrines and dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary ideals."

Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada Devi

In accordance with this ideal, some of the main topics to be addressed by the monks will be steps to spiritual life, the practice of meditation, compassion for all
 living beings, spiritual life for the householder, the goal and purpose of human life, the four yogas, and glimpses into the lives of Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886),
 Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Sarada Devi, known as the Holy Mother, (1853-1920), and their impact on humanity. Swami Chetananda, head of the St. Louis
 monastery and a renowned author, will present a slide show with rare photographs, with a commentary on their lives.

 The prominent Swamis, who will address the conference are Swami Gautamananda of Chennai; Swami Aparananda of Berkeley, CA; Swami Atmarupananda of
 Ridgely Manor, NY; Swami Brahmarupananda of Washington DC; Swami Chetanananda of St. Louis; Swami Prabuddhananda of San Francisco, CA; Swami
 Shantarupananda of Portland, Oregon; Swami Tathagatananda of New York; Swami Tyagananda of Boston, MA; Swami Chidananda of Chicago; Swami
 Pramathananda of Toronto, Canada; Swami Prapannananda of Sacremento, CA; and Swami Sarvadevananda of Hollywood, CA.

 Swami Chidananda of Chicago said: "This will be a historic spiritual gathering. A momentous event in Hinduism in the Western world. If one misses this, one will
 have to wait a thousand years - for the fourth millennium!"

 Swami Varadananda, explaining from a standpoint of society, the value of such a conference, said: "Vedanta philosophy is based on spiritual truth, and, if
 understood, is a very powerful message. For both the individual and society as a whole, it gives a deeper understanding of life. And, if there is a higher spiritual
 age coming, which is the idea behind the new millennium, it is going to be because individual people are getting a deeper sense of who they are."

 Dr. Shyam Bhatia, a professor at the University of Chicago, and a Vedanta scholar, said the conference is intended primarily to "explain how the Ramakrishna -
 Vivekananda movement can be a part of that urge for a new spiritual age that is being felt in the West."

 Many of the faithful however consider the Swamis, by their mere presence, to have the ability to transform a person spiritually, and said they plan to attend to
 have the "darshan" or simply to be in the presence of these revered "holy men and saints."

 Mithilesh Mishra, who teaches Hindi at the University of Chicago, explained: "From a purely Indian point of view, if anytime there is a gathering of truly holy men
 and women - that gathering itself is of great spiritual significance," said Mishra. "Even if the Swamis didn’’t talk, even if they just stayed for three days in silence,
 people would find it very uplifting, very inspiring."

 Among some in the Hindu community there seems to be an attitude of high expectation about the gathering.

 Mishra said, "Here people will get to see how the philosophy lives in daily life. One is going to get exposed to the entire spectrum of spiritual practice. This is the
 best chance to get a crash course on Vedanta - in one weekend.

 "When the Vedanta philosophy is taught by real monks as opposed to, say, in books, or, abstractly, as an intellectual system in, for instance, a college course,
 the encounter is bound to be much more than any process of fact gathering or analytical enquiry."

 Anjali Shete, a computer professional of Detroit, said she would "drop everything" in order to attend. "It’’s a great occasion to meet so many highly evolved
 people at the same time," she said. "You might meet one or two, but it’s very, very unique to meet 12 at the same time."

 Rajaraman Swaminathan, 22, a student at Purdue University in Indiana, said: "This is the kind of thing you cannot expect to get anywhere else -- to get
 acquainted with the true Indian culture and spirituality. Just the atmosphere will be uplifting."

 "It’s a milestone," said Joe Dziewa, a 26-year-old computer programmer from Buffalo, NY. "With all the changes and the chaos in the world, the Vedanta
 teachings teach unity and harmony and in a perspective that deals with huge periods of time. A thousand years -- it forces you to look beyond your own lifetime.
 "

 Janet Poole, of Naples, Florida, said she comes from a Protestant background. She plans to attend. "I believe there is so much for everyone to learn from these
 men," said Ms. Poole. "They have dedicated their entire lives to the pursuit of God, renouncing everything, - home, wealth, family, everything, as Christ did. It
 may help me become a better Christian."

 To date, several hundred people have registered to attend the conference, paying $75 for individual or $125 for a family, which includes all programs and
 vegetarian meals. The organizers say there is still space left for people interested in attending. Accommodations are available nearby, and a list of hotels who
 have offered discounts to attendees is available from the organizers.

 The conference begins at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 22, and ends at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. To register or for more information, please contact
 Vivekananda Vedanta Society, 5423 S. Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago, IL 60615, phone No. (773) 363-0027. or visit Web site: @www.vedantasociety-chicago.org

 (The author, Frank Parlato, Jr., is an American Vedanta research scholar, who is currently engaged in writing a book on unexplored areas of life and work of
 Swami Vivekananda in the US).