Behold!

Here is
Naren. See! See! Oh
what power of insight
he has! It is like the
shoreless sea of
radiant knowledge!
The Mother, Mahamaya
Herself cannot
approach within less
than ten feet of him!
She is barred by the
very glory
January which
12, 1863 She
July 4, 1902
has imparted to him!
 Prince among Men

This Hindu Sannyasi was born on 12

January 1863 precisely at the moment of
sunrise 06:23:09 at Kolkata. Jyotihsastra
gives techniques to correct the birth time
based on Karmic factors.

Swamiji who became renowned as the

cyclonic Hindu had great dreams about
his sacred motherland!
Narendra Cossipore 1886 Narendra in Calcutta 1885
Narendra and other
devotees and disciples of
Ramakrishna, Cossipore,
August 16, 1886.

Photo taken at the behest

of Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar,
Ramakrishna's physician.
The group is posed
standing before the body
of Ramakrishna, prior to
the cremation
Narendra Calcutta 1886
Group Photo at Baranagore Math, the first Math of the disciples of Ramakrishna, 1887
Standing l-r: Swami Shivananda, Swami Ramakrishnananda, Swami Vivekananda, 'our cook'
(some publications have identified this person as Swami Premananda), Devendranath
Majumdar, Mahendranath Gupta, Swami Trigunatitananda, H. Mustafi.
Seated l-r: Swami Niranjanananda, Swami Saradananda, Hootka 'Gopal' (some publications
have identified him as Swami Brahmananda), Swami Abhedananda
Group Photo at Baranagore Math, the first Math of the disciples of Ramakrishna, 1887
As identified by Swami Trigunatitananda (see handwriting above)
Standing l-r: Swami Shivananda, Swami Ramakrishnananda, Swami Vivekananda, 'our cook'
(some publications have identified this person as Swami Premananda), Devendranath
Majumdar, Mahendranath Gupta, Swami Trigunatitananda, H. Mustafi.
Seated l-r: Swami Niranjanananda, Swami Saradananda, Hootka 'Gopal' (some publications
have identified him as Swami Brahmananda), Swami Abhedananda
This photo is believed to be taken at the urging of
Haripada Mitra. The date of the photo is, based on
Mitra's recollection, October 28, 1892. When
Vivekananda's brother Mahendranath Datta saw
this photo he observed that, judging by his
appearance, his brother's health had improved
from the last time he had seen him -- more than
two years before.The photograph is believed to
have been taken by Govinda Shrinivas Welling.
The Swami paid a visit to Prince Martanda Varma, then under the tuition of
K. Sundarama Iyer and studying for the M.A. DegreeIyer accompanied
the Swami and was present at the conversation between him and the
Prince. The Swami mentioned his visits to various native princes and
courts during his travels. This interested the Prince who interrogated him
regarding his impressions. The Swami told him that, of all the Hindu ruling
princes he had met, he had been most impressed with H.H. the Gaekwar of
Baroda, and greatly admired the high qualities of the small Rajput Chief of
Khetri, and that, as he came south, he found a growing deterioration in the
character and capacity of Indian princes and chiefs.
The Prince asked if he had seen his uncle, the ruler of Travancore. The
Swami had not.
The Prince inquired regarding his impression of the Maharaja of the
Mysore State , whose guest the Swami had been for several days. The gist
of the Swami's view was that the Maharaja, like many other Indian rulers,
could not or would not assert himself, and that had produced undesirable
results.
The Prince inquired regarding his impression of the Maharaja of the
Mysore State , whose guest the Swami had been for several days. The gist
of the Swami's view was that the Maharaja, like many other Indian rulers, Trivandrum, December, 1892 .
could not or would not assert himself, and that had produced undesirable
results.
The Prince was struck with the Swami's striking figure and attractive
features; and, being an amateur photographer, asked the Swami for a
Photo by Prince Martanda
sitting and took a fine photograph which he skillfully developed into a
picture and sent as an exhibit to the Fine Arts Exhibition held in the
Varma of Travancore
Madras Museum .
Alameda, California, April 1900.Taken by Charles Neilson at
his summer house

( See next slide for the story)

"Charles Neilson was another Alameda friend whom Swamiji visited. It is
indeed to him that we owe what many feel to be one of the most beautiful,
'speaking' photographs of Swamiji that we possess. Among Mr. Allan's
papers one finds an account of the circumstances under which it was taken.

'Swamiji with a party of friends,' Mr. Allan wrote, 'was invited to lunch at
the home of Mr. Charles Neilson. After lunch they adjourned to the
garden, and Swamiji stretched out on the lawn.

'Mr. Neilson, wishing to take a picture of Swamiji, asked him to pose.

Swamiji being indifferent about having his picture taken was loath to get up.
'Mrs. Emily Aspinall, one of the party, said, 'Swami, Mr. Neilson wants to
take your picture, why not let him?' Swamiji then stood up in front of the
summer house and Mr. Neilson took the picture, and that is how Swamiji has
the flowers [actually a vine?covered lattice] for a background.' . . .

"It can be added to Mr. Allan's account that Mr. Neilson took two pictures of
Swamiji, the first [100] of which has not been generally known; it shows him
looking not at all pleased."
 Swami Vivekananda at Stoneridge [Ridgely Manor],

According to Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana

this information is from the label on the glass
slide, which was loaned to her by Joseph
Frost from his collection through the Eliot
Bahai archivist in Green Acre (who had also
provided the same information about photo
82). Ralph Bartlett, a friend of Mrs. Bulls
daughter Olea, arrived in Ridgely Manor a
few days after Mrs. Bull who arrived on
October 7; he stayed several days and
then left. Olea wrote him a letter from
Ridgely Manor on October 28.
Probably taken at Ridgely Manor,
mid-October 1899. Photographed
by Ralph S. Bartlett.
Possibly taken in Kashmir, 1898
 Mt. Lowe California, January, 1900
Vivekananda second row, 4th from left

Sister Gargi remarks: "In a photograph taken

unquestionably at Mount Lowe (not, as has
generally been supposed, in Switzerland), one sees
Swamiji standing in the very center of a funicular-
load of excursionists and looking, at the moment,
none too happy. The people around him
are unidentified, but just behind his right shoulder
appears a man whose photograph resembles one of
Mr. Baumgardt. The funicular is about to ascend
the first steep slope of the mountain by way of the
Great Cable Incline, a track that climbed straight
up for a dizzy half mile to Echo Summit--a small
plateau from which one could halloo once and
be answered by the friendly mountains thirteen
times."
Taken in San Francisco, at Bushnell
Studio, prior to March 18th, 1900
Ridgely Manor. Vivekananda and
Mrs Ole (Sara Chapman) Bull. 1899
Sititng: Swami Vivekananda, Alberta
Sturges, (obscured) Besse Leggett, Josephine
MacCleod, ?.
Standing: Turiyananda, Abedananda.
This photograph was taken sometime
between September 8th and 18th, 1899.
At Ridgely Manor 1899

Standing l-r: Swami Vivekananda, Swami Turiyananda, Swami

Abhedananda.
Sitting: Josephine MacCleod, Besse Sturges, ? .
Seated Below: Alberta Sturges.
Taken in San Francisco, at Bushnell
Studio, in 1900. At Ridgely Manor 1899
Taken in San Francisco, at
Bushnell Studio, in 1900.
Taken in San Francisco, at
Bushnell Studio, in 1900.
ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 1900

Ida Ansell in her reminiscences recalled the first

impression of Swamiji that she and her friends had when
they met him in February 1900:

We were startled and astonished at what we heard,

amazed and enraptured at the swami's appearance. He
was surely a Mahatma or a divine being, more than
human. No one had ever been so sublimely eloquent or so
deliciously humorous, such an entrancing storyteller, or
such a perfect mimic.
 The house, now known as the
Vivekananda House, located at
309 Monterey Road, South
Pasadena, was purchased in 1955
by a devotee and was deeded
over to the Vedanta Society of
Southern California. It was
restored to its original state
preserving its Victorian flavor
and was dedicated in 1956. Since
that time it has been further
renovated. In 1989 the
Vivekananda House was made
South Pasadena, California, January, 1900. Taken an official Historic Landmark.
in front of the Mead house, Monterey road, South
Pasadena, where Vivekananda stayed in January
1900. Carrie (Mead) Wyckoff standing on porch
According to the Vedanta Society of Southern
California, this photo of Swamiji standing with an
umbrella was taken on Monterey Road, South
Pasadena. The tree and the house in back of Swamiji are
no longer standing.
Mrs. Hansbrough mentioned in her reminiscences in
response to Swami Ashokananda's question:

"What would Swamiji wear to the [public] meetings?

Would he wear his robe? " She replied, "No, he wore the
black garment we see in several of the pictures of him,
something like a clerical frock, but looser. Sometimes if
it were not too warm he would wear his overcoat over
this. He would take his gerua robe and turban in a
suitcase, and put them on when he arrived at the Monterey Road, South Pasadena,
California, January 1900
meeting place."
Picnic - South Pasadena, January, 1900
Picnic, South Pasadena,
California, 1900

Seaeted L-r: ? , ? , Mrs.

Bruce, Swami Vivekananda,
Alice Hansbrough, ?

Standing: Carrie Wyckoff.

This picture possibly taken by Walery
photographers, Regent Street, Picnic, South Pasadena,
London, October (?), 1895 California, 1900
These pictures possibly taken by Walery photographers, Regent
Street, London, October (?), 1895
Possibly taken by Walery photographers, Regent
Street, London, October (?), 1895
These photos were taken in London in December 1896 by Alfred Ellis
These photos were taken in London in December 1896 by Alfred Ellis
This photo was taken in London in
December 1896 by Alfred Ellis. To date,
this photo of Swami Vivekananda is one
of, if not the best known. It is used in
many of the shrines of the order,
alongside the photos of Ramakrishna
and Sarada Devi. It is the only known
photo of Vivekananda assuming a
meditation pose.
Chicago, September 1893,
Photograph taken by Thomas
Harrison, at the World's Fair during
the Parliament of Religions
(September 11- 27, 1893)
Chicago, September 1893, Photograph taken by Thomas Harrison, at the World's
Fair during the Parliament of Religions (September 11- 27, 1893)
Chicago,September1893,PhotographtakenbyThomas
Harrison,attheWorld'sFairduringtheParliamentof
Religions(September11-27,1893)
Chicago, September 1893, Photograph taken by Thomas Harrison, at the World's Fair
during the Parliament of Religions (September 11- 27, 1893)
America (possibly 1893) London 1896
 Swamy Vivekananda Original writing

Chicago, September 1893, Photograph taken by Thomas Harrison, at the World's

Fair during the Parliament of Religions (September 11- 27, 1893)
Chicago, September 1893 with other Indian delegates of the
Parliament.

Left to right: Narasimha Charya, Laxmi Narayan, Swami

Vivekananda, H. Dharmapala, Virchand Gandhi.
Chicago, September, 1893. On the
platform, ( l-r) Virchand Gandhi,
Dharmapala, Swami Vivekananda, at
the Parliament of Religions.
Chicago, September, 1893
Swami Vivekananda (seated)
Narasimhacharya (standing)
Greenacre, Maine, August, 1894 ,Ralph Waldo Trine
( standing ) wearing cowboy hat.
Greenacre, Maine, August, 1894
From left to right: Swami Vivekananda, Sarah J. Farmer,
M. H. Gulesian, and Dr. Edward Everett Hale.
Photograph by Cora Stockham
Greenacre, Maine, August, 1894

Greenacre, Maine, August, 1894

Swami Vivekananda, Sarah Farmer (seated to his
left), Charles Malloy (standing with walking
stick)
New York, 1895 ,Taken at Prince studio,
31 Union Square, New York
Thousand Island Park Studio, July/August 1895
Taken in February, 1897 in Calcutta Art Studio,
185 Bow Bazar Street, Calcutta.
TakeninFebruary,1897inCalcuttaArt
Studio,185BowBazarStreet,Calcutta.
Group photo taken at Belur Math,
June 19th, 1899, on the eve of the
Swami's second vogage to the West
2nd group photo taken at Belur Math June 19th 1899.
Standing l-r: Devendranath Mazumdar, Swami Nirmalananda,
Swami Virajananda, Swami Shivananda, Swami Turiyananda,
Swami Akhandananda, Swami Vijnanananda, Swami
Saradananda, Swami Satchidananda, Mahendranath Datta ?,
U.N. Dev. Sitting on chair: Swami Vivekananda and Nadu.
Seated in the first row: (l-r) Swami Somanananda, Swami
Kalyanananda, Swami Advaitananda, Swami Atmananda,
Swami Trigunatitananda, Sureshwarananda, Swami
Bodhananda, ? , ? , Swami Prakashananda, Brojen, Swami
Suddhananda.
Seated on the floor: Swami Nischayananda (Haru Thakur)
Calcutta, February, 1897
Belur Math,
June 19, 1899 (?)
Group photo at Cossipore. Taken in February 1897 at Gopal Lal Seal's garden
house. Standing: l-r: Shantiram Babu, Mr. Turnbull, Swami Prakashananda,
Singaravelu Mudaliar, ?, Vivekananda Captain Sevier Shivananda, ? Seated (l-r):
Alasinga Perumal, Ramakrishnananda, Premananda, Charlotte Sevier,
Adbutananada, Turiyananda, G. G. Narasimhachariar. Floor l-r: ?, Mr. Harrison.
Public reception for Swami Vivekananda, at
Sobhazar Palace, February 28th, 1897.
Public reception for Swami Vivekananda, at
Sobhazar Palace, February 28th, 1897.
June 20, 1899 (?), Belur Math. Trigunatitananda,
Shivananda, Vivekananda, Turiyananda, Brahmananda.
Below Sadananda. Turiyananda would accompany
Vivekananda on his voyage to the West commencing the
following day, along with Sister Nivedita.
This photo was taken at 8 Bosepara Lane, Baghbazar,
Calcutta by Haripada Mitra.
Abovephotowastakenat8BoseparaLaneinCalcuttaattherentedhouseofSri
BoshiSen'sfamily.TheHolyMotherwaslivinginthishouseatthattime.
Althoughthisphotographispublishedashavingbeentakenin1897,fromthe
appearanceofSwamiji,SwamisTuriyananda,Shivananda,andTrigunatita,it
seemstohavebeentakenin1899ItisquitepossiblethatitwastakenonJune
20,thedaythatSwamijiandSwamiTuriyanandasailedfortheWestwithSister
NiveditaandSwamiSaradananda'sbrother.AccordingtotheLife, "Ontheday
ofdeparturetheHolyMothergaveasumptuousfeasttotheswami,Swami
Turiyananda,andallhersannyasichildrenoftheMath,atherCalcuttahouse."

In The Story of an Epoch, it is mentioned:

"June 20, 1899, was the date of departure. On that day, the Holy Mother, who was
then living in Calcutta (in Bosepara Lane, Baghbazar), had invited Swamiji and all
the sadhus of the Math for the noonday meal. In two large boats all the monks
crossed the Ganga to Baghbazar. There they were royally entertained by Sarada
Devi.

The Life also mentions: "Sometime in the second week of June, Nivedita left her
house at 16 Bosepara Lane and moved to the Holy Mother's residence at 8 Bosepara
Lane (Baghbazar), where she lived till she left for the West."
Photos were taken in January (sometime
between 15 - 19), 1897 in Colombo
Photos were taken in January
(sometime between 15 - 19), 1897 in
Colombo.
Miss Josephine MaCleod, Mrs. Ole (Sara Chapman) Bull,
Swami Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita (Miss Margaret Noble)
Kashmir, 1898
Seated on chair: Sadananda, Vivekananda,
Niranjananada, Dhirananda. Kashmir 1897.
 Vivekananda on a houseboat in Kashmir, 1898. His life with the three western women -
Mrs. Bull, Miss MacCleod and Sister Nivedita, at this time, living on houseboats, is
described in Sister Nivedita's "Notes of Some Wanderings with the Swami Vivekananda."

Under the boat canopy (l-r):

Josephine MacCleod, Swami
Vivekananda, Mrs. Ole Bull and
Sister Nivedita

An extract from Notes of Some

Wanderings by Sister Nivedita:

Amongst his own, the ignorant loved

him as much as scholars and
statesmen. The boatmen watched the
river, in his absence, for his return,
and servants disputed with guests to
do him service. And through it all,
the veil of playfulness was never
dropped.
Photographs taken by T. G. Appavan
Mudaliar, of Madras, in February,
1897. The largest outpouring of
public enthusiasm for Vivekananda
was in Madras (Chennai) where
Vivekananda stayed for nine days
before heading northward to
Calcutta.
Madras, February, 1897 Seated on floor: (second) Biligiri
Iyengar; (fourth) M. C. Nanjunda Rao.
Seated in chairs: Tarapada, Shivananda, Vivekananda,
Niranjananada, Sadananda. Standing: Alasinga Perumal
(first), J.J. Goodwin (second), M.N. Banerjee (third).
Holding the staff: Probably taken on the same day in Jaipur, 1891. The
Life mentions: At Jaipur the disciple [perhaps Lala Govinda Sahai whom
Swamiji initiated in Rajputana in 1891] insisted on the swamis posing for
a photograph. The swami, much against his wishes, finally consented. This
was the first time that a photo of him as a wandering monk was taken.
Last known photos of Vivekananda. Shillong, 1901

InMarch1901SwamijiwentontourinEast
BengalandAssam.Swamijishealth,whichwas
bythistimealreadydeclining,wentfrombadto
worse.
 Last known photos of Vivekananda.
Shillong, 1901

(Takenafteralongillness)
SwamijiwrotetoSwami
SwarupanandaonMay15,1901:

Ihavejustreturnedfrommytour
throughEastBengalandAssam.As
usual,amquitetiredandbroken
down.

AndinalettertoJosephine
MacLeodhewrotefromBelurMath
onJune14,1901,
Asforme,Iwasthrownhors
de combat [disabled] in Assam. The
climate of the Math is just reviving
meabit.
 WhileinShillongSwamijiwasveryill,asthisphoto,aswellasthe
next,indicates.SwamijitoldSharatchandraChakravarty:

TheShillonghillsareverybeautiful.There,Imet
SirHenryCotton,thechiefcommissionerof
Assam.Heaskedme,"Swamiji,aftertraveling
throughEuropeandAmerica,whathaveyou
cometoseehereinthesedistanthills?"Sucha
goodandkind-heartedmanasSirHenryCottonis
rarelyfound.Hearingofmyillness,hesentthe
CivilSurgeonandinquiredaftermyhealth
morningsandevenings.Icouldnotdomuch
lecturingthere,becausemyhealthwasverybad.
 His own words about 11 Sep 1893
On the morning of the opening of the Parliament, we all assembled in a building
called the Art Palace, where one huge, and other smaller temporary halls were erected
for the sittings of the Parliament, Men from all nations were there. From India were
Mazoomdar of the Brahmo Samaj and Nagarkar of Bombay, Mr. Gandhi representing
the Jains, and Mr. Chakravarti representing Theosophy with Mrs. Annie Besant. Of
these men, Mazoomdar and I were of course old friends,and Chakravarti knew me by
name. There was a grand procession, and we were all marshaled on to the platform.
Imagine a hall below and a huge gallery above packed with six or seven thousand men
and women representing the best culture of the country, and on the platform learned
men of all nations on the earth. And I who never spoke in public in my life to address
this august assemblage!! It was opened in great form with music and ceremony and
speeches; then the delegated were introduced one by one and they stepped up and
spoke! Of course my heart was fluttering and my tongue nearly dried up; I was so
nervous, and could not venture to speak in the morning. Mazoomdar made a nice
speech Chakravarti a nicer one, and they were much applauded. They were all
prepared and came with ready made speeches. I was a fool and had none, but bowed
down to Devi Saraswati and stepped up, and Dr. Barrows introduced me. I made a
short speech,...and when it was finished, I sat down almost exhausted with emotion.
Sisters and brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial
welcome that you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of
monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank
you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks also to some of speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates
from the Orient, have told you that these men from far off nations may well claim the
honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a
religion which has taught the world both toleration and universal acceptance. We
believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees
of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have
gathered in our bosom, the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to South India
and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to
pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which ahs sheltered
and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.
 I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to
have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is everyday repeated by
millions of human beings: As the different streams having their sources in
different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths
which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear,
crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held,
is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine
preached in the Gita: Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I
reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end all lead to
me.
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long
possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence,
drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilizations and
sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons,
human society would be far more advanced than it is now.
But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this
morning in honor of this convention may be the death knell of all fanaticism,
of all persecutions with the sword or pen, and of all uncharitable feelings
between persons wending their way to the same goal.
Three days before his passing away, as
the swami [Swamiji] was walking up and
down on the spacious lawn of the
monastery in the afternoon with Swami
Premananda, he pointed to a particular
spot on the bank of the Ganga, and said
to his brother monk gravely, When I
give up the body, cremate it there!
Swamiji entered mahasamadhi on July
4, 1902. This memorial was erected in his
honor on the very spot where he was
cremated.

Acknowledgements
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