While reporting on Vivekananda’s lecture on “Hindu Philosophy” on 15 February, the Detroit Free Press did not miss how he stressed the essentials of religion:
“Some people find it difficult to understand the frenzy of religious fervor which moved the heart of Mahomet. He would grovel in the dust and with an agony. Holy men who have experienced these extreme emotions have been called epileptic. Throughout his discourse the speaker emphasized the absence of thought of self which should characterize the love for God. Religion now a days have become a mere hobby and fashion. People now a days go to church like a flock of sheep. They do not embrace God because they need Him. Most persons are unconscious atheists, who self-complacently think that they are devoted believers. In forcible manner Vivekananda referred to the foibles of the western world and there was much justice in his comments upon alleged western culture” (ibid. 848-49).
The above two lectures were given at the Unitarian Church of Detroit. On February 21st. Swamiji delivered another crowded lecture at the spacious house of Mrs Bagley. We shall look into some portions of this lecture to judge how his inestimable spirituality was complemented by his vast knowledge and undaunted courage. Perhaps “courage” is not the right word here, for this human attribute is relevant only when there’s a reason to fear in the first place. The Swami had no such reasons to dare. He always abided by the lofty purpose, which we may sum up in these words: I know the truth, and it is incumbent upon me to share it with you all—no matter where you live in this world or what is your religion,or even if you are a non-believer.
Mrs Burke once drew our attention to the irreparable loss of the lectures Swamiji delivered in Detroit during February-March 1894. She pointed out the limitations of what we read today in the abridged press reports of those long lectures with, however unintended, obvious misses and distortions. Secondly, she also raised this question: “… Was it merely to give battle to the bigots that a prophet of Swamiji’s supreme eminence underwent such suffering as his Midwest lecture tour entailed?”[1] We shall keep these points in mind when selectively reading the quotes from his Detroit lectures. Now to go back to the Swami’s lecture on 21 February—first, he points out the truthfulness of every religion, which the Hindus never contradict:
“…We never fight any religion. We do not say that ours is the only way to salvation. Perfection can be had by everybody, and what is the proof? Because we see the holiest of men in all countries, good men and women everywhere, whether born in our faith or not. Therefore it cannot be held that ours is the only way to salvation. [And with such idea] … fighting because of differences of religion are simply impossible”.[2]
Next came the oft-criticised practice of the Hindus—idolatry. The Swami said: “Then the man who is bowing down before the idol. It is not in the same sense as you have heard of the Babylonian and the Roman idolatry. It is peculiar to the Hindus. The man is before the idol, and he shuts his eyes and tries to think, ‘I am He’’ (ibid. 850). Gradually his arguments became more direct, though with no trace of bitterness:
“One thing I would tell you, and I do not mean any unkind criticism. You train and educate and clothe and pay men to do what? To come over to my country to curse and abuse all my forefathers, my religion, and everything. They walk near a temple and say, ‘You idolaters, you will go to hell.’ But they dare not do that to the Mohammedans of India; the sword would be out. But the Hindu is too mild; he smiles and passes on, and says, ‘Let the fools talk.’ That is the attitude. And then you who train men to abuse and criticise, if I just touch you with the least bit of criticism, with the kindest of purpose, you shrink and cry, “Don’t touch us; we are Americans…” (ibid. 852).
Even today, perhaps, it is far beyond many of our powers to guess the courage and conviction needed to utter such words in Detroit of the late nineteenth century. And finally, the undaunted prophet implores his listeners to follow the real path:
“You are not Christians. No, as a nation you are not. Go back to Christ. Go back to him who had nowhere to lay his head. “The birds have their nests and the beasts their lairs, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Yours is religion preached in the name of luxury. What an irony of fate! Reverse this if you want to live, reverse this. It is all hypocrisy that I have heard in this country. If this nation is going to live, let it go back to him” (ibid. 853).
On Vivekananda’s first three lectures in February 1894—‘Manners and Customs of India’, ‘Hindu Philosophy’, and ‘The Divinity of Man’—the Detroit Tribune wrote:
“It is not necessary for one to be a Hindu, or to have any sympathy with the Hindu system of religious belief, to appreciate and enjoy a man like Vive Kananda who has given a course of three lectures here in the last week. …It is a good sign when Christians are willing to hear all that can be said about religions other than their own. It is a hopeful state of affairs, when a distinguished Christian can meet a distinguished Hindu and listen respectfully to what he has to offer.”[3]
No doubt his lectures were drawing huge crowds and soon, as we shall see, Vivekananda would feel tired of all this lecturing. The Detroit Tribune of 21 February wrote: “If Vive Kananda, the Brahmin monk, who is delivering a lecture course in this city could be induced to remain for a week longer the largest hall in Detroit would not hold the crowds which would be anxious to hear him” (ibid. 373). And a little before this―while reporting the lecture delivered on the day before, the Tribune thus paraphrased Swamiji’s words: “Kananda said that a true lover of God would be so wrapt [rapt] up in his love that he would have no time to stop and tell members of another sect that they were following the wrong road to secure the God, and strive to bring him to his way of thinking” (ibid.).
(Cont’d in Vivekananda Convinces Detroit People)
Notes and References
[1] New Discoveries, 1.465.
[2] Pages from the Past, 850.
[3] New Discoveries, 1.341-42
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