Swami Vivekananda (IV): London, America, India

1. Swami Vivekananda 's Stay in Paris. First visit to London (England)
2. Return to the United States. Establishing the American work
3. Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita and Yoga go global
4. Return to London. Tour of the European continent
5. Swamiji's return to India

After his North American success, Swami Vivekananda began his first stay in England, traveling from New York. In India, some Christian missionaries harshly criticize Swamiji.

He stayed in London for a month, almost always staying with friends, like Mr. Sturdy. After his master lectures and classes, the Swami gained fame. In these lectures he spoke about self-knowledge, about the greatness of the Bhakti path, about the absolute freedom of Hinduism, about the importance of Sannyasa (renunciation). Vivekananda also created a study group on the Bhagavad Gita in London.

And a very important event occurs. Swami Vivekananda meets Margaret Noble, the future disciple of Sister Nivedita, a traveling companion years later in India, the Western disciple who dedicated the rest of her life to improving the education of Hindu girls.

In the United States, his disciples Swami Kripananda, Swami Abhayananda and Mrs. Waldo consolidated the teachings of Vedanta.

Swami Vivekananda returns to the United States to consolidate American work. The Vedanta Society of New York is created.

In the United States, Vivekananda will write one of his great masterpieces: Karma Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda resumes his lectures, but being so dense and profound, it was practically not possible to write them down in shorthand, until Mr. Goodwin arrived, later becoming a disciple, who was able to faithfully transcribe all his lectures. The topics of his lectures were: “Bhakti Yoga”, “The Real and the Apparent Man”, “Jnana Yoga”, “Sankhya and Vedanta”, “The message of India to the West” or “The ideal of a universal religion”. Very important was his lecture: “My Master, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa” at Madison Square Garden.

As a curious fact, Harvard University invited him to preside over a chair in Eastern Philosophy, but Swamiji kindly rejected it because he was a Sannyasin. He later also turned down a professorship at Columbia University.

At this time, Swami Vivekananda focused on reorganizing all Hindu philosophical thought as well as the very important work of adapting and explaining both the philosophy of Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita in Western terms. In Vivekananda's own words:

“A religion that is easy, simple, popular (even a child can grasp it) and at the same time satisfies the requirements of the highest minds”

Mrs. Waldo, the future Sister Haridasi, is appointed by Vivekananda to teach Raja Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda translates parts of his admired book “Imitation of Christ” into Bengali. On Vivekananda's travels he always carried this book in addition to the Bhagavad Gita.

Vivekananda then decides to return to London and begin a European journey.

In London he will continue to give his lectures on “the paths of Yoga”, “Jnana Yoga”, “The Necessity of Religion”, “A Universal Religion” and “The Real Man and the Apparent Man”, “Bhakti-Yoga” or about the concept of Atman.

In London he will meet a professor from the University of Oxford, Max Muller, who was already an admirer of Sri Ramakrishna, later he will write the famous book: “Ramakrishna: life and sayings”

He then traveled to France, Switzerland, Germany and Holland before returning to London. At this time Swami Abhedananda arrives in London to help in England.

Finally, Swami Vivekananda decides to return to India after four long and exhausting years. On the return trip he will stop in Rome where he attends Mass at St. Peter's. Later he would make stops in Aden (Yemen) and Colombo (present-day Sri Lanka). And he returned to his beloved motherland with a strong feeling.

“Now I only have one thought, and that is India”

Translated by Pedro Nonell.

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life of Swami Vivekananda (IV)

Life of Swami Vivekananda (III): Stay in the United States. Parliament of Religions of Chicago

1. Yogi in London
2. Self-Knowledge
3. Sannyasa

Path of love (Bhakti Yoga)

1. Bhakti (Devotion)
2. Para-Bhakti or Supreme Devotion
3. Jnana Yoga and Vedanta

1. Karma Yoga (Selfless work)”
2. Path of Action (Karma Yoga)
3. Bhakti Yoga
4. Jnana Yoga
5. Sankhya and Vedanta
6. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
7. Swami Sarvapriyananda (monk Ramakrishna Order)
8. Bhagavad Gita
9. Philosophy of Raja Yoga
10. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Vivekananda)

1. Sri Ramakrishna
2.  Sri Sarada Devi
3. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
4. M. Gupta
5. Belur Math
6. Jnana Yoga (Unity in diversity)

Union between Gunas Rajas and Sattwa

Swami Vivekananda (Childhood-death of Ramakrishna, enlightenment in Cape Comorin, Mahasamadhi)