REMINISCENCES OF
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION

MOST of these reminiscences appeared in periodicals from time to time. They are reproduced with due permission and thanks. The memories of Sister Christine are copyrighted by Shri Boshishwar Sen of Almora. In the absence of a most comprehensive term for the contributors, we have styled them as “His Eastern and Western Admirers”, though some of them are disciples, some friends, and some others admirers. The last writer is rather prejudiced. His article, however, deserved inclusion as depicting a picture not generally known. The articles are printed almost as they appeared earlier. In Sundararama Iyer’s second account, a few paragraphs summarising Swamiji’s Madras speeches have been omitted as these would have been superfluous.

A few more articles have been treated thus for similar reasons and the omitted portions have been marked with three dots.

Although these reminiscences are attractive, informative, and instructive, we must tell the readers that the publisher does not necessarily subscribe to all the opinions expressed in them. For instance, B. G. Tilak’s belief that Swamiji agreed with him that the Gita does not speak of monasticism and Reeves Calkins’s insinuation that in his talks Swamiji reproduced verbatim some of his set speeches are palpably wrong, and no student of Swamiji’s life and works can be misled. Such errors, however, are not many. At some places we have added footnotes to rectify biographical inaccuracies.

We hope that the book will be received as a timely publication coming as it does on the eve of Swamiji’s birthday centenary celebrations.

Mayavati
1 May 1961