47. Think all of you that you are the infinitely powerful Ātman, and see what strength comes out.

(Translated from Bengali)

NEW YORK,

25th September, 1894.

MY DEAR—,¹

Glad to receive some letters from you. It gives me great pleasure to learn that Shashi and others are making a stir. We must create a stir, nothing short of this will do. You will be throwing the whole world into convulsion. Victory to the Guru! You know, “श्रेयांसि बहुविघ्नानि—Great undertakings are always fraught with many obstacles.” It is these obstacles which knock and shape great characters. … Is it in the power of missionaries and people of that sort to withstand this shock? … Should a fool succeed where scholars have failed? It is no go, my boy, set your mind at ease about that. In every attempt there will be one set of men who will applaud, and another who will pick holes. Go on doing your own work, what need have you to reply to any party? “सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयान:—Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. Through Truth lies Devayāna, the path of gods”.² Everything will come about by degrees.

Here in summer they go to the seaside: I also did the same. They have got almost a mania for boating and yachting. The yacht is a kind of light vessel which everyone, young and old, who has the means, possesses. They set sail in them every day to the sea, and return home, to eat and drink and dance—while music continues day and night. Pianos render it a botheration to stay indoors!

I shall now tell you something of the Hales to whose address you direct my letters. He and his wife are an old couple, having two daughters, two nieces, and a son. The son lives abroad where he earns a living. The daughters live at home. In this country, relationship is through the girls. The son marries and no longer belongs to the family, but the daughter’s husband pays frequent visits to his father-in-law’s house. They say,

“Son is son till he gets a wife; The daughter is daughter all her life.”

All the four are young and not yet married. Marriage is a very troublesome business here. In the first place, one must have a husband after one’s heart. Secondly, he must be a moneyed man. … They will probably live unmarried; besides, they are now full of renunciation through my contact and are busy with thoughts of Brahman!

The two daughters are blondes, that is, have golden hair, while the two nieces are brunettes, that is, of dark hair. They know all sorts of occupations. The nieces are not so rich, they conduct a kindergarten school; but the daughters do not earn. Many girls of this country earn their living. Nobody depends upon others. Even millionaires’ sons earn their living; but they marry and have separate establishments of their own. The daughters call me brother; and I address their mother as mother. All my things are at their place; and they look after them, wherever I may go. Here the boys go in search of a living while quite young; and the girls are educated in the universities. So you will find that in a meeting there will be ninety-nine per cent of girls. The boys are nowhere in comparison with them.

There are a good many spiritualists in this country. The medium is one who induces the spirit. He goes behind a screen; and out of this come ghosts of all sizes and all colours. I have witnessed some cases; but they seemed to be a hoax. I shall test some more before I come to a final conclusion. Many of the spiritualists respect me.

Next comes Christian Science. They form the most influential party, nowadays, figuring everywhere. They are spreading by leaps and bounds, and causing heart-burn to the orthodox. They are Vedāntins; I mean, they have picked up a few doctrines of the Advaita and grafted them upon the Bible. And they cure diseases by proclaiming “So’ham So’ham”—“I am He! I am He!”—through strength of mind. They all admire me highly.

Nowadays the orthodox section of this country are crying for help. “Devil worship”³ is but a thing of the past. They are mortally afraid of me and exclaim, “What a pest? Thousands of men and women follow him! He is going to root out orthodoxy!” Well, the torch has been applied and the conflagration that has set in through the grace of the Guru will not be put out. In course of time the bigots will have their breath knocked out of them. …

The Theosophists have not much power. But they, too, are dead set against the orthodox section.

The Christian Science is exactly like our Kartābhaja⁴ sect: Say, “I have no disease”, and you are whole; and say, “I am He”—“So’ham”—and you are quits—be at large. This is a thoroughly materialistic country. The people of this Christian land will recognise religion if only you can cure diseases, work miracles, and open up avenues to money; and they understand little of anything else. But there are honourable exceptions. …

People here have found a new type of man in me. Even the orthodox are at their wit’s end. And people are now looking up to me with an eye of reverence. Is there a greater strength than that of Brahmacharya—purity, my boy?

I am now busy writing a reply to the Madras Address, which was published in all the newspapers here and created a sensation. If it be cheap, I shall send it in print, but if dear, I shall send a type-written copy. To you also I shall send a copy; have it published in the Indian Mirror. The unmarried girls of this country are very good and have a good deal of self-respect. … These (the people) are come of Virochana’s⁵ race. To them ministering to the body is a great thing: they would trim and polish and give their whole attention to that. A thousand instruments for paring nails, ten thousand for hair-cutting, and who can count the varieties of dress and toilet and perfumery? … They are good-natured, kind, and truthful. All is right with them, but that enjoyment is their God. It is a country where money flows like a river, with beauty as its ripple and learning its waves, and which rolls in luxury.

काङ्क्षन्त: कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवता:।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा॥

—“Longing for success in action, in this world, (men) worship the deities. For success is quickly attained through action in this world of man”.⁶

Here you have a wonderful manifestation of grit and power—what strength, what practicality, and what manhood! Horses huge as elephants are drawing carriages that are as big as houses. You may take this as a specimen of the gigantic proportions in other things also. Here is a manifestation of tremendous energy. … They look with veneration upon women, who play a most prominent part in their lives. Here this form of worship has attained its perfection—that is the long and the short of it. But to come to the point. Well, I am almost at my wit’s end to see the women of this country! They take me to the shops and everywhere, as if I were a child. They do all sorts of work—I cannot do even a sixteenth part of what they do. They are like Lakshmi (the Goddess of Fortune) in beauty, and like Sarasvati (the Goddess of Learning) in virtues—they are the Divine Mother incarnate and worshipping them, one verily attains perfection in everything. Great God! Are we to be counted among men? If I can raise a thousand such Madonnas, Incarnations of the Divine Mother, in our country before I die, I shall die in peace. Then only will your countrymen become worthy of their name. …

I am really struck with wonder to see the women here. How gracious the Divine Mother is on them! Most wonderful women, these! They are about to corner the men, who have been nearly worsted in the competition. It is all through Thy grace, O Mother! … I shall not rest till I root out this distinction of sex. Is there any sex-distinction in the Ātman (Self)? Out with the differentiation between man and woman—all is Ātman! Give up the identification with the body, and stand up! Say, “Asti, Asti”—“Everything is!”—cherish positive thoughts. By dwelling too much upon “Nāsti, Nāsti”—“It is not! It is not!” (negativism), the whole country is going to ruin! “So’ham, So’ham, Shivo’ham”—“I am He! I am He! I am Shiva!” What a botheration! In every soul is infinite strength; and should you turn yourselves into cats and dogs by harbouring negative thoughts? Who dares to preach negativism? Whom do you call weak and powerless? “Shivo’ham, Shivo’ham”—“I am Shiva! I am Shiva!” I feel as if a thunderbolt strikes me on the head when I hear people dwell on negative thoughts. That sort of self-depreciating attitude is another name for disease—do you call that humility? It is vanity in disguise! “न लिङ्गं धर्मकारणम्, समता सर्वभूतेषु एतन्मुक्तस्य लक्षणम्—The external badge does not confer spirituality. It is same-sightedness to all beings which is the test of a liberated soul.” “अस्ति अस्ति” (It is, It is), “सोऽहं सोऽहं,” “चिदानन्दरूप: शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहं—“I am He!”, “I am Shiva, of the essence of Knowledge and Bliss!” “निर्गच्छति जगज्जालात् पिञ्जरादिव केशरी—He frees himself from the meshes of this world as a lion from its cage!” “नायमात्मा बलहीनेन लभ्य:—This Ātman is not accessible to the weak.” … Hurl yourselves on the world like an avalanche—let the world crack in twain under your weight! Hara! Hara! Mahādeva! उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानम्—One must save the self by one’s own self”—by personal prowess.

… Will such a day come when this life will go for the sake of other’s good? The world is not a child’s play—and great men are those who build highways for others with their heart’s blood. This has been taking place through eternity, that one builds a bridge by laying down his own body, and thousands of others cross the river through its help. “एवमस्तु, एवमस्तु, शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहं—Be it so! Be it so! I am Shiva! I am Shiva!”

It is welcome news that Madras is in a stir.

Were you not going to start a paper or something of that sort, what about that? We must mix with all, and alienate none. All the powers of good against all the powers of evil—this is what we want. Do not insist upon everybody’s believing in our Guru. … You shall have to edit a magazine, half Bengali and half Hindi—and if possible, another in English. … It won’t do to be roaming aimlessly. Wherever you go, you must start a permanent preaching centre. Then only will people begin to change. I am writing a book. As soon as it is finished, I run for home! … Always remember that Shri Ramakrishna came for the good of the world—not for name or fame. Spread only what he came to teach. Never mind his name—it will spread of itself. Directly you insist on everybody’s accepting your Guru, you will be creating a sect, and everything will fall to the ground—so beware! Have a kind word for all—it spoils work to show temper. Let people say whatever they like, stick to your own convictions, and rest assured, the world will be at your feet. They say, “Have faith in this fellow or that fellow”, but I say, “Have faith in yourself first”, that’s the way. Have faith in yourself—all power is in you—be conscious and bring it out. Say, “I can do everything.” “Even the poison of a snake is powerless if you can firmly deny it.” Beware! No saying “nay”, no negative thoughts! Say, “Yea, Yea,” “So’ham, So’ham”—“I am He! I am He!”

किन्नाम रोदिषि सखे त्वयि सर्वशक्ति-
रामन्त्रयस्व भगवन् भगदं स्वरूपम्।
त्रैलोक्यमेतदखिलं तव पादमूले
आत्मैव हि प्रभवते न जड: कदाचित्॥

—“What makes you weep, my friend? In you is all power. Summon up your all-powerful nature, O mighty one, and this whole universe will lie at your feet. It is the Self alone that predominates, and not matter.”

To work, with undaunted energy! What fear! Who is powerful enough to thwart you! “कुर्मस्तारकचर्वणं त्रिभुवनमुत्पाटयामो बलात्, किं भो न विजानास्यस्मान्, रामकृष्णदासा वयम्—We shall crush the stars to atoms, and unhinge the universe. Don’t you know who we are? We are the servants of Shri Ramakrishna.” Fear?

Whom to fear, forsooth?

क्षीणा: स्म दीना: सकरुणा जल्पन्ति मूढा जना
नास्तिक्यन्त्विदन्तु अहह देहात्मवादातुरा:।
प्राप्ता: स्म वीरा गतभया अभयं प्रतिष्ठां यदा
आस्तिक्यन्त्विदन्तु चिनुमो रामकृष्णदासा वयम्॥
पीत्वा पीत्वा परमममृतं वीतसंसाररागा
हित्वा हित्वा सकलकलहप्रापिणीं स्वार्थसिद्धिम्।
ध्यात्वा ध्यात्वा गुरुवरपदं सर्वकल्याणरूपं
नत्वा नत्वा सकलभुवनं पातुमामन्त्रयाम:॥
प्राप्तं यद्वै त्वनादिनिधनं वेदोदधिं मथित्वा
दत्तं यस्य प्रकरणे हरिहरब्रह्मादिदेवैर्बलम्।
पूर्णं यत्तु प्राणसारैर्भौमनारायणानां
रामकृष्णस्तनुं धत्ते तत्पूर्णपात्रमिदं भो:॥

—“It is those foolish people who identify themselves with their bodies, that piteously cry, ‘We are weak, we are low.’ All this is atheism. Now that we have attained the state beyond fear, we shall have no more fear and become heroes. This indeed is theism which we, the servants of Shri Ramakrishna, will choose.

“Giving up the attachment for the world and drinking constantly the supreme nectar of immortality, for ever discarding that self-seeking spirit which is the mother of all dissension, and ever meditating on the blessed feet of our Guru which are the embodiment of all well-being, with repeated salutations we invite the whole world to participate in drinking the nectar.

“That nectar which has been obtained by churning the infinite ocean of the Vedas, into which Brahmā, Vishnu, Shiva, and the other gods have poured their strength, which is charged with the life-essence of the Avatāras—Gods Incarnate on earth—Shri Ramakrishna holds that nectar in his person, in its fullest measure!”

We must work among the English educated young men. “त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशु:—Through renunciation alone some (rare ones) attained immortality.” Renunciation!—Renunciation!—you must preach this above everything else. There will be no spiritual strength unless one renounces the world. …

Why are Bāburām and Yogen suffering so much? It is owing to their negative, their self-abasing spirit. Tell them to brush aside their illness by mental strength, and in an hour it will disappear! I the Ātman smitten with disease! Off with it! Tell them to meditate for an hour at a stretch, “I am the Ātman, how can I be affected by disease!”—and everything will vanish. Think all of you that you are the infinitely powerful Ātman, and see what strength comes out. … Self-depreciation! What is it for? I am the child of the Infinite, the all-powerful Divine Mother. What means disease, or fear, or want to me? Stamp out the negative spirit as if it were a pestilence, and it will conduce to your welfare in every way. No negative, all positive, affirmative. I am, God is, everything is in me. I will manifest health, purity, knowledge, whatever I want. Well, these foreign people could grasp my teachings, and you are suffering from illness owing to your negative spirit! Who says you are ill—what is disease to you? Brush it aside! “वीर्यमसि वीर्यं मयि धेहि, बलमसि बलं मयि धेहि, ओजोऽसि ओजो मयि धेहि, सहोऽसि सहो मयि धेहि—Thou art Energy, impart energy unto me. Thou art Strength, impart strength unto me. Thou art Spirituality, impart spirituality unto me. Thou art Fortitude, impart fortitude unto me!” The ceremony of steadying the seat (Āsana-Pratishthā) that you perform every day when you sit down to worship the Lord—“आत्मानमच्छिद्रं भावयेत्—One must think of oneself as strong and invulnerable,” and so forth—what does it all mean? Say, “Everything is in me, and I can manifest it at will.” Repeat to yourself that such and such are Ātman, that they are infinite, and how can they have any disease? Repeat this an hour or so, on a few successive days, and all disease and trouble will vanish into nought.

Yours ever,
VIVEKANANDA.

Notes

1. Meant for his brother-disciples ↩
2. Mundaka, III. i. 6 ↩
3. The Orthodox Christians brand Hindus and people of other religions with this name and look upon them with scorn. ↩
4. An offshoot of degenerate Vaishnavism, calling God “Kartā” or Master, and noted for efficiency in faith-cure. ↩
5. The King of the Asuras and son of the saintly Prahlāda. He went to Brahma for Self-knowledge, but misunderstanding His teaching, turned a materialist. (Chhāndogya Upa., VIII). ↩
6. Gitā, IV.12 ↩