21. I am bound, my dear friend, to give you every satisfaction of my being a genuine Sannyāsin, but to you alone.

541 DEARBORN AVENUE,

CHICAGO,
24th May, 1894,

DEAR ADHYĀPAKJI,

Herewith I forward to you a letter from one of our ruling princes of Rajputana, His Highness the Mahārājā of Khetri, and another from the opium commissioner, late minister of Junagad, one of the largest states in India, and a man who is called the Gladstone of India. These I hope would convince you of my being no fraud.

One thing I forgot to tell you. I never identified myself anyway with Mr. Mazoomdār’s party chief¹. If he says so, he does not speak the truth.

I hope, after your perusal, you will kindly send the letters over to me, except the pamphlet which I do not care for.

I am bound, my dear friend, to give you every satisfaction of my being a genuine Sannyāsin, but to you alone. I do not care what the rabbles say or think about me.

“Some would call you a saint, some a chandala; some a lunatic, others a demon. Go on then straight to thy work without heeding either”—thus saith one of our great Sannyāsins, an old emperor of India, King Bhartrihari, who joined the order in old times.

May the Lord bless you for ever and ever. My love to all your children and my respects to your noble wife.

I remain ever your friend,
VIVEKANANDA.

PS.—I had connection with Pundit Shiva Nāth Shāstri’s party—but only on points of social reform. Mazoomdār and Chandra Sen—I always considered as not sincere, and I have no reason to change my opinion even now. Of course in religious matters even with my friend Punditji I differed much, the chief being, I thinking Sannyāsa or (giving up the world) the highest ideal, and he, a sin. So the Brāhmo Samajists consider becoming a monk a sin!!

Yours,
V.

The Brāhmo Samāj, like Christian Science in your country, spread in Calcutta for a certain time and then died out. I am not sorry, neither glad that it died. It has done its work—viz social reform. Its religion was not worth a cent, and so it must die out. If Mazoomdār thinks I was one of the causes of its death, he errs. I am even now a great sympathiser of its reforms; but the “booby” religion could not hold its own against the old “Vedānta”. What shall I do? Is that my fault? Mazoomdār has become childish in his old age and takes to tactics not a whit better than some of your Christian missionaries. Lord bless him and show him better ways.

Yours,
VIVEKANANDA.

When are you going to Annisquam? My love to Austin and Bime. My respects to your wife; and for you my love and gratitude is too deep for expression.

Yours ever affectionately,
VIVEKANANDA.

Notes

1. Evidently, Keshab Chandra Sen. ↩