Note: Swami Vivekananda was known
as Naren in his earlier days, as his name was Narendra Nath Dutta
Naren proceeded to Rishikesh, a beautiful valley at
the foot of the Himalayas, which is surrounded by hills and almost encircled by
the Ganga. From an immemorial past this sacred spot has been frequented by
monks and ascetics. After a few days,
however, Naren fell seriously ill and his friends despaired of his life. When
he was convalescent he was removed to Meerut. There he met a number of his
brother disciples and together they pursued the study of the scriptures, practiced
prayer and meditation, and sang devotional songs, creating in Meerut a
miniature Baranagore monastery.
After a stay of five months Naren
became restless, hankering again for his wandering life; but he desired to be
alone this time and break the chain of attachment to his brother disciples. He
wanted to reflect deeply about his future course of action, of which now and
then he was getting glimpses. From his wanderings in the Himalayas he had
become convinced that the Divine Spirit would not allow him to seal himself
within the four walls of a cave. Every time he had thought to do so, he had
been thrown out, as it were, by a powerful force. The degradation of the Indian
masses and the spiritual sickness of people everywhere were summoning him to a
new line of action, whose outer shape was not yet quite clear to him.
In the later part of January
1891, Naren bade farewell to his brother disciples and set out for Delhi,
assuming the name of Swami Vividishananda. He wished to travel without being
recognized. He wanted the dust of India to cover up his footprints. It was his
desire to remain an unknown sannyasin, among the thousands of others seen in
the country's thoroughfares, market-places, deserts, forests, and caves. But
the fires of the Spirit that burnt in his eyes, and his aristocratic bearing,
marked him as a prince among men despite all his disguises.
In Delhi, Naren visited the
palaces, mosques, and tombs. All around the modern city he saw a vast ruin of
extinct empires dating from the prehistoric days of the Mahabharata, revealing
the transitoriness of material achievements. But gay and lively Delhi also
revealed to him the deathless nature of the Hindu spirit.
Some of his brother disciples
from Meerut came to the city and accidentally discovered their beloved leader.
Naren was angry. He said to them: 'Brethren I told you that I desired to be
left alone. I asked you not to follow me. This I repeat once more. I must not
be followed. I shall presently leave Delhi. No one must try to know my
whereabouts. I shall sever all old associations. Wherever the Spirit leads,
there I shall wander. It matters not whether I wander about in a forest or in a
desert, on a lonely mountain or in a populous city. I am off. Let everyone
strive to realize his goal according to his lights.'
Narendra proceeded towards
historic Rajputana, repeating the words of the
Gautam Buddha:
Go forward without a path,
Fearing nothing, caring
for nothing,
Wandering alone, like the
rhinoceros!
Even as a lion, not
trembling at noises,
Even as the wind, not
caught in a net,
Even as the lotus leaf,
untainted by water,
Do thou wander alone, like
the rhinoceros!
Courtesy: Biography of Swami Vivekananda
