WHICH SWAMIJI?

WHICH SWAMIJI?

When I write 'Swamiji', do not ask, "Which Swamiji?" There is only one such that shines brighter than the sun. Now must you ask, "Which sun?" for there indeed are 10²² such in mathematical count in this universe alone, leave aside the countless others dotting the unnumbered parallel universes that abound? Dr. John Henry Wright, Professor of Greek, Harvard University, had written to Dr. Barrows, Convenor of the Chicago Parliament of Religions, 1893, "Here is a man more learned than all our learned professors put together. Asking him for credentials is like asking the sun for its right to shine." This was in response to the situation that Swamiji had landed in America uninvited and without any organisational authorisation to speak at the said Parliament on behalf of Hinduism, and was thus about to be debarrred from doing so. Dr. Barrows was persuaded by Dr. Wright's letter, and Swamiji spoke at Chicago to rock the world. Now must you ask, "Which Swamiji are you speaking of?" when the wide world knows who is being meant by that singular title ascribed as a permanent adornment on him which is also the general epithet accorded to all monks, which latter ascription, I understand, is causing your momentary confusion, and duly so? Pardon me if I have transgressed bounds of civility or am wrong in my questioning your question thus but my intent is clear, clear as the daylight which Swamiji shone on the world, and that is to galvanise human society with the volcanic message of this seminal soul. There is only one Netaji and one Swamiji. Period. At least till now till greater souls seize those epithets duly away. Right now that seems a far cry, for, verily, the preceptor and the pupil are a stellar duo that light up the celestial sky, binary stars of sublime effulgence. 

Written by Sugata Bose