Epistles (fourth series)

Haribhai (Swami Turiyananda)

CLXVI
To Swami Turiyananda
San Francisco,
March, 1900.
{original in Bengali}
Dear Haribhai {Turiyananda},
I have just received a bill of lading from Mrs. Banerji. She has sent some Dal (pulses) and rice. I am sending the bill of lading to you. Give it to Miss Waldo; she will bring all these things when they come.
Next week I am leaving this place for Chicago; thence I go over to New York. I am getting on somehow. . . . Where are you putting up now? What are you doing?
Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

 

CLXVIII
To Swami Turiyananda
{original in Bengali}
Dear Haribhai {Turiyananda},
I am glad to hear that your leg is all right and that you are doing splendid work. My body is going on all right. The thing is, I fall ill when I take too much precaution. I am cooking, eating whatever comes, working day and night, and I am all right and sleeping soundly!
I am going over to New York within a month. Has Sarada's magazine gone out of circulation? I am not getting it any longer. Awakened also has gone to sleep, I think. They are not sending it to me any more. Let that go. There is an outbreak of plague in our country; who knows who is alive and who is dead! Well, a letter from Achu has come today. He had hidden himself in the town of Ramgarh in Sikar State. Someone told him that Vivekananda was dead; so he has written to me! I am sending him a reply.
All well here. Hope this finds you and all others well.
Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

 

CLXXXIV
To Swami Turiyananda
102 E. 58th Street,
New York,
18th July, 1900.
My Dear Turiyananda,
Your letter reached me redirected. I stayed in Detroit for three days only. It is frightfully hot here in New York. There was no Indian mail for you last week. I have not heard from Sister Nivedita yet.
Things are going on the same way with us. Nothing particular. Miss Muller cannot come in August. I will not wait for her. I take the next train. Wait till it comes. With love to Miss Boocke,
Yours in the Lord,
Vivekananda.
PS. Kali went away about a week ago to the mountains. He cannot come back till September. I am all alone, and washing; I like it. Have you seen my friends? Give them my love.
V.

 

CLXXXVII
To Swami Turiyananda
102 E. 58th Street,
New York,
25th July, 1900.
Dear Turiyananda,
I received a letter from Mrs. Hansborough telling me of your visit to her. They like you immensely, and I am sure you have found in them genuine, pure, and absolutely unselfish friends.
I am starting for Paris tomorrow. Things all turn that way. Kali is not here. He is rather worried at my going away, but it has got to be.
Address your next letter to me care of Mr. Leggett, 6 Place des Etats Unis, Paris, France.
Give my love to Mrs. Wyckoff, Hansborough, and to Helen. Revive the clubs a bit and ask Mrs. Hansborough to collect the dues as they fall and send them to India. Sarada writes they are having rather hot times. My kind regards for Miss Boocke.
With all love,
Ever yours in the Lord,
Vivekananda.

 

CLXXXIX
To Swamo Turiyananda
6 Place Des Etats Unis,
Paris,
13th August, 1900.
{original in Bengali}
Dear Brother Hari {Turiyananda},
I got your letter from California. So three persons are getting spiritual trances; well, it is not bad. Even out of that much good will come. Shri Ramakrishna knows! Let things happen as they will. His work He knows, you and I are but servants and nothing else.
I am sending this letter to San Francisco--care of Mrs. C. Panel. Just now I got some news from New York. They are well. Kali is on tour. Write in detail about your health and work in San Francisco. And don't be indifferent to the question of sending money to the Math. See that money goes certainly every month, from Los Angeles and San Francisco.
I am on the whole doing well. I am shortly starting for England. I get news of Sharat. Recently he had an attack of dysentery. The rest are all well. This time few got malaria; nor is it so prevalent on the banks of the Ganga. This year, owing to the scarcity of rain, there is fear of famine in Bengal also.
By the grace of Mother, go on doing work, brother. Mother knows, and you know--but I am off! Now I am going to take a rest.
Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

 

CXCI
To Swami Turiyananda
6 Place Des Etats Unis,
Paris,
August, 1900.
{original in Bengali}
Dear Brother Hari {Turiyananda},
Now I am staying on the sea-coast of France. The session of the Congress of History of Religions is over. It was not a big affair; some twenty scholars chattered a lot on the origin of the Shalagrama and the origin of Jehovah, and similar topics. I also said something on the occasion.
My body and mind are broken down; I need rest badly. In addition, there is not a single person on whom I can depend; on the other hand so long as I live, all will become very selfish depending upon me for everything. . . . Dealing with people entails constant mental uneasiness. . . . I have cut myself off by a will. Now I am writing to say that nobody will have sole power. All will be done in accordance with the view of the majority. . . . If a trust-deed on similar lines can be executed, then I am free. . . . What you are doing is also Guru Maharaj's work. Continue to do it. Now I have done my part. Don't write to me any more about those things; do not even mention the subject. I have no opinions whatever to give on that subject. . . .
Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.
PS. Convey my love to all.

 

CXCII
To Swami Turiyananda
6 Place Des Etats Unis,
Da Forest P.O., Santa Clara Co.,
Paris, France,
1st September, 1900.
{original in Bengali}
My Dear Hari {Turiyananda},
I learnt everything from your letter. Earlier I had an inkling of some trouble between the full-fledged Vedantist and the Home of Truth--someone wrote that. Such things do occur; wisdom consists in carrying on the work by cleverly keeping all in good humour.
For some time now I have been living incognito . I shall stay with the French to pick up their language. I am somewhat freed from worries; that is to say, I have signed the trust-deed and other things and sent them to Calcutta. I have not reserved any right or ownership for myself. You now possess everything and will manage all work by the Master's grace.
I have no longer any desire to kill myself by touring. For the present I feel like settling down somewhere and spending my time among books. I have somewhat mastered the French language; but if I stay among the French for a month or two, I shall be able to carry on conversation well. If one can master this language and German sufficiently, one can virtually become well acquainted with European learning. The people of France are mere intellectualists, they run after worldly things and firmly believe God and souls to be superstitious; they are extremely loath to talk on such subjects. This is a truly materialistic country! Let me see what that Lord does. But this country is at the head of Western culture, and Paris is the capital of that culture.
Brother, free me from all work connected with preaching. I am now aloof from all that, you manage it yourselves. It is my firm conviction that Mother will get work done through all of you a hundredfold more than through me.
Many days ago I received a letter from Kali. He must have reached New York by now. Miss Waldo sends news now and then.
I keep sometimes well and sometimes bad. Of late I am again having that massage treatment by Mrs. Milton, who says, "You have already recovered!" This much I see--whatever the flatulence, I feel no difficulty in moving, walking, or even climbing. In the morning I take vigorous exercise, and then have a dip in cold water.
Yesterday I went to see the house of the gentleman with whom I shall stay. He is a poor scholar, has his room filled with books and lives in a flat on the fifth floor. And as there are no lifts in this country as in America, one has to climb up and down. But it is no longer trying to me.
There is a beautiful public park round the house. The gentleman cannot speak English; that is a further reason for my going. I shall have to speak French perforce. It is all Mother's will. She knows best what She wants to have done. She never speaks out, "only keeps mum". But this much I notice that for a month or so I have been having intense meditation and repetition of the Lord's name.
Please convey my love to Miss Boocke, Miss Bell, Mrs. Aspinel, Miss Beckham, Mr. George, Dr. Logan, and other friends and accept it yourself. My love to all in Los Angeles also.
Yours,
Vivekananda.

 

CXCIII
To Swami Turiyananda
6 Place Des Etats Unis,
September, 1900.
{original in Bengali}
My Dear Turiyananda,
Just now I received your letter. Through Mother's will all work will go on; don't be afraid. I shall soon leave for some other place. Perhaps I shall be on a tour of Constantinople and other places for some time. Mother knows what will come next. I have received a letter from Mrs. Wilmot. From this, too, it appears that she is very enthusiastic. Sit firm and free from worries. Everything will be all right. If hearing the Nada etc. does anyone harm, he can get rid of it if he gives up meditation for a time and takes to fish and meat. If the body does not become progressively weak, there is no cause for alarm. Practice should be slow.
I shall leave this place before your reply comes. So do not send the reply to this letter here. I have received all the issues of Sarada's paper, and wrote to him lots a few weeks ago. I have a mind to send more later on.
There is no knowing where my next stop will be. This much I can say that I am trying to be free from care.
I received a letter from Kali, too, today. I shall send him a reply tomorrow. The body is somehow rolling on. Work makes it ill, and rest keeps it well--that is all. Mother knows. Nivedita has gone to England. She and Mrs. Bull are collecting funds. She has a mind to run a school at Kishengarh with the girls she had there. Let her do what she can. I do not intervene any more in any matter--that is all.
My love to you. But I have nothing more to advise as regards work.
Yours in service,
Vivekananda.

 

 

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