The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles - Second Series/LXXVIII Rakhal
LXXVIII
(Translated from Bengali)
1895.
DEAR RAKHAL,
. . . Your suggestion to me to go back to India is no doubt right, but a
seed has been sown in this country, and there is the possibility of its
being nipped in the bud if I go away all on a sudden. Hence I have to wait
some time. Moreover it will be possible to manage everything nicely from
here. Everybody requests me to return to India. It is all right, but don't
you see it is not wise to depend upon others. A wise man should stand firm
on his own legs and act. Everything will come about slowly. For the present
don't forget to be on the look-out for a site. We want a big plot — of about
ten to twenty thousand rupees — it must be right on the Ganga. Though my
capital is small, I am exceedingly bold. Have an eye on securing the land.
At present we shall have to work three centres, one in New York, another in
Calcutta and a third in Madras. Then, by degrees, as the Lord will arrange.
... You must keep a strict eye on your health; let everything else be
subordinated to that. ...
Brother Tarak is eager for travel. Well, it is good, but these are very
expensive countries; a preacher needs here at least a thousand rupees a
month. But Brother Tarak has boldness, and it is God who provides every
thing. Quite true, but he must have to improve his English a little. The
thing is, one has to snatch one's bread from the jaws of the missionary
scholars. That is, one must prevail over these people by dint of learning,
or one will be blown off at a puff. They understand neither Sâdhus nor your
Sânnyasins, nor the spirit of renunciation. What they do understand is the
vastness of learning, the display of eloquence and tremendous activity. Over
and above that, the whole country will be searching for flaws, the clergy
will day and night try to snub you, through force or guile. You must get rid
of these obstructions to preach your doctrines. Through the mercy of the
Divine Mother everything is possible. But in my opinion if Brother Tarak
goes on starting some societies in the Punjab and Madras, and you become
organised, it will be the best thing. It is indeed a great thing to discover
a new path, but it is as difficult a task to cleanse that path and make it
spacious and nice. If you live for some time in places where I have sown the
seeds of our Master's ideals and succeed in developing the seeds into
plants, you will be doing much greater work than I did. What will they who
cannot manage some ready-made thing do with regard to things that are yet to
come? If you cannot add a little salt to a dish almost done, how am I to
believe that you will collect all the ingredients? Let Brother Tarak, as an
alternative, start a Himalayan Math at Almora and have a library there, so
that we may spend some of our spare time in a cool place and practice
spiritual exercises. However, I have nothing to say against any particular
course which any one may be led to adopt; on the contrary, God-speed — "
bit. What's the good of being in a hurry? You shall all travel the whole
world. Courage! Brother Tarak has a great capacity for work within him.
Hence I expect much of him. . . . You remember, I suppose, how after Shri
Ramakrishna's passing away, all forsook us as so many worthless, ragged
boys. Only people like Balaram, Suresh, Master, and Chuni Babu were our
friends at that hour of need. And we shall never be able to repay our debts
to them. ... Tell Chuni Babu in private that he has nothing to fear, that
those who are protected by the Lord must be above fear. I am a puny man, but
the glories of the Lord are infinite. [078_rakhal_02.jpg] — Discard fear.
Let not your faith be shaken. ...Has danger any power over one whom the Lord
has taken into His fold?
Ever yours,
VIVEKANANDA.