New Discoveries - Frank Parlato Jr.

New Discoveries on Swami Vivekananda

A couple of new findings in no particular order... may interest students of Vivekananda's life...

A letter written by Swami Vivekananda to Lydia Coonley Ward dated Nov 2, 1893. The transcribed version of the letter is found in the section 'Known letters of Swami Vivekananda - 1893'
The unauthorized Bhakti Yoga.
Not precisely new, but never before published on the web. The long out of print and withdrawn from circulation Edward T. Sturdy's edition of Swami Vivekananda's Bhakti Yoga.
Bhakti Yoga - unedited transcripts of Yoga classes by Swami Vivekananda (as transcribed by J.J. Goodwin and published by Edward T Sturdy.)
The Sturdy edition of Bhakti Yoga is an exciting addition to the web site, as it represents an important piece of history.... Edward Sturdy the Swami's chief London disciple was precipitous in publishing the book ahead of the NY Vedanta society. The NY group objected and at the Swami's request Sturdy reluctantly withdrew the book from circulation. Only a few of these books were ever distributed -making the book extremely rare.
Secondly the book represents almost 100% unedited versions of Swami Vivekananda's lectures,and they are substantially different than the edited version of the book (which by the way were edited with the Swami's approval)
However these lectures as published in the book are of great importance for herein we get the real, unedited Vivekananda,as he spoke in his classes, as transcibed, without editorial (his or Miss Waldo's) changes by J.J. Goodwin.
Article and Reminiscences about Swami Vivekananda by J. Ransome Bransby
A cache of New York Time articles never before published in connection with Swami Vivekananda

According to a New York Times article, Swami Vivekananda spoke on Thursday, Septembr 07, 1893 in the drawing room of the United States hotel in Saratoga. Additionally the Times article says that he left on September 10th for Chicago to attend the Congress of Religions, which is problematic if the story of him sleeping in a boxcar one night in Chicago is true, for he spoke on the 11th and it hardly seems possible. He could have slept in the boxcar on the night of the 10th and met with Mrs. Hale, got cleaned up and had breakfast with her and made it to the Parliament of Religions too to make his historic speech. If the boxcar incident is true, then Swami Vivekananda would most likely have left Saratoga on the 9th, which was a saturday, stayed in a boxcar early saturday, Morning met Mrs. Hale on sunday the 10th, and she took him to meet Dr.Barrows et al who arranged door his stay and probably at Mr. Lion's residence. Sunday night Sep 10th and on monday Sep 11th, he appeared at the Parliament and made his historic speech, which began, 'Sisters and Brothers of America'
Vivekananda's Death: July 04 was the aphelion for the earth in 1902
Two newly found articles from the Arena Magazine on the Swami, and a third article by Swami Abhedananda.
1. Women in Hindu Society by Swami Abhedananda
2. The Swamis in America by Anna Josephine Ingersoll
3. Interpretation of Vedanta by Horatio W. Dresser
Marie Louise Burke the "Paragon" of Vivekananda researchers, wrote of the Swami's visit to Thousand Island Park in the Summer of 1895, in Volume three of her New Discoveries: "Christina Greenstidel and Mrs. Mary Funke were the last to arrive bringing the number of known disciples up to eleven. But in her 'Introductory Narrative' to her Inspired Talks, Miss Waldo writes, 'By a singular coincidence just twelve students followed the Swami to Thousand Island Park.' At the date of this writing his or her identity is unknown."

We now believe a Syracuse newspaper: report may have solved this long standing mystery: Ethel Howe.

Eleven of the names were already known to biographers and the 12th name was a mystery. The 12 are: Stella Campbell, Ellen Waldo, Ruth Ellis, Dr Wight, Landsberg, Marie Louise, Miss Dutcher, Walter and Frances Goodyear, Chirstine Greenstidel, Mary Funke, and ... Ethel Howe. More on her later
Dr. Street, who is the third Western Sanyasin of Vivekananda's used the intitals J.B. and in an interesting article published in 1901 talks about a Hindoo Swami, appearing in connection with the World's Fair, having brought the knowledge of reading crystals-- which Dr. Street employed.... but the article does not specifically mention Vivekananda.
We now have a photo of the notorious Leon Landsberg. It was published in 1920, almost eighteen years after Vivekananda's death. In the article, Landsberg, using the name the Swami gave him-- (Kripananda), talks of indefinite mortal life, through asana and pranayama, while claiming he is not a "Hindoo". At present, we do not know the date of Landsberg's death, or if he was successful in preserving his own body- as he claims was possible. He would be approximately 160 years old now, if he were living, and about 70 when the article was published.
We also have the first known photo and sketch of Swami Abhayananda published in several newspapers, before and after her defection. The complete articles about her are also re-published ....
Yet another new discovery- at least for us- is to learn of the connection between Emma Calve and Henri Jules-Bois. Calve was the last host for Swami in the West in late 1900, a tour through east Europe to Egypt, Bois, along with Josephine MaCleod, and the former Pere Hyacinth and his wife also toured with them.

It seems that Calves and the writer Bois were well known among the then thriving Parisian esoteric scene as paramours. Bois who was deeply interested in magic and mysticism wrote a book "Satanism and Magic" which was banned by the Catholic Church. Calve apparently shared his fascination in the occult and employed some of the symbolic elements of withcraft, along with a dose of the lascivious and wanton into her role as Carmen.
More than 20 newly discovered Newspaper reports have been recently re-discovered, and, as far as we know, have never been published in connection with the Swami's life...
In November 1894, the Swami posed for a young artist, who later became quite a famous one, H. Franklin Waltman. According to his unpublished diary- which we acquired a photo -copy of- a portriat of the Swami was completed by the young artist... We have copied the relevant passages...
From the Journal of the Social Sciences 1894 we learn that Swami Vivekananda was at the Saratoga Town Hall on Friday September 8th 1893 and spoke before the American Association headed by Franklin Sanborn. It has been speculated that Vivekananda arrived in Chicago on this date and in light of this new material it seems unlikely- unless he arrived on the early morning of Sept 9th.
An annoucement of the Swami's upcoming article in the Metaphysical Magazine

- www.vivekananda.net edited by Frank Parlato Jr.