1899 - 1900 |
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March 1899 | Captain James Henry Sevier who had served the British Indian Army for five years and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth Sevier, met Swami Vivekananda in England in 1895.
............................................................................................ In a letter to Swami Swarupananda, editor of Prabuddha Bharata, Mayavati, Swami Vivekananda wrote the following letter and recommendation on the way the Ashram was to be conducted: [March 1899] MY DEAR S, I have no objection whether Mrs. Sevier's name goes on top or mine or anybody else's; the prospectus ought to go in the name of the Seviers, mustering my name also if necessary. I send you few lines for your consideration in the prospectus. The rest are all right. I will soon send the draft deed. V. The lines for the prospectus are given below. In Whom is the Universe, Who is in the Universe, Who is the Universe; in Whom is the Soul, Who is in the Soul, Who is the Soul of Man; knowing Him — and therefore the Universe — as our Self, alone extinguishes all fear, brings an end to misery and leads to Infinite Freedom. Wherever there has been expansion in love or progress in well-being, of individuals or numbers, it has been through the perception, realisation, and the practicalisation of the Eternal Truth — THE ONENESS OF ALL BEINGS. "Dependence is misery. Independence is happiness." The Advaita is the only system which gives unto man complete possession of himself, takes off all dependence and its associated superstitions, thus making us brave to suffer, brave to do, and in the long run attain to Absolute Freedom. ............................................................................................ Captain Sevier died on 28 October 1900, while the Swami was out of India and the Captain was cremated in the nearby river Sarada, according to Hindu traditions as he wished. Swami Vivekananda visited the ashram from January 3-18 1901, primarily to console Mrs. Sevier. Where the Swami stayed has been turned into a library. Mrs. Sevier continued to live at the Ashram for several years. |
- www.vivekananda.net edited by Frank Parlato Jr.