The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles - First Series/LXXII Alasinga
LXXII
20th November, 1896.
Dear Alasinga,
I am leaving England on the 16th of December for Italy, and shall catch the
North German Lloyd S. S. Prinz Regent Luitpold at Naples. The steamer is due
at Colombo on the 14th of January next.
I intend to see a little of Ceylon, and shall then go to Madras. I am being
accompanied by three English friends — Capt. and Mrs. Sevier and Mr.
Goodwin. Mr. Sever and his wife are going to start a place near Almora in
the Himalayas which I intend to make my Himalayan Centre, as well as a place
for Western disciples to live as Brahmachârins and Sannyâsins. Goodwin is an
unmarried young man who is going to travel and live with me, he is like a
Sannyasin.
I am very desirous to reach Calcutta before the birthday festival of Shri
Ramakrishna. . . . My present plan of work is to start two centres, one in
Calcutta and the other in Madras, in which to train up young preachers. I
have funds enough to start the one in Calcutta, which being the scene of
Shri Ramakrishna's life-work, demands my first attention. As for the Madras
one, I expect to get funds in India.
We will begin work with these three centres; and later on, we will get to
Bombay and Allahabad. And from these points, if the Lord is pleased, we will
invade not only India, but send over bands of preachers to every country in
the world. That should be our first duty. Work on with a heart. 39 Victoria
will be the London headquarters for some time to come, as the work will be
carried on there. Sturdy had a big box of Brahmavâdin I did not know before.
He is now canvassing subscribers for it.
Now we have got one Indian magazine in English fixed. We can start some in
the vernaculars also. Miss M. Noble of Wimbledon is a great worker. She will
also canvass for both the Madras papers. She will write you. These things
will grow slowly but surely. Papers of this kind are supported by a small
circle of followers. Now they cannot be expected to do too many things at a
time — they have to buy the books, find the money for the work in England,
subscribers for the paper here, and then subscribe to Indian papers. It is
too much. It is more like trading than teaching. Therefore you must wait,
and yet I am sure there will be a few subscribers here. Again, there must be
work for the people here to do when I am gone, else the whole thing will go
to pieces. Therefore there must be a paper here, so also in America by and
by. The Indian papers are to be supported by the Indians. To make a paper
equally acceptable to all nationalities means a staff of writers from all
nations; and that means at least a hundred thousand rupees a year.
You must not forget that my interests are international and not Indian
alone. I am in good health; so is Abhedananda.
With all love and blessings,
Vivekananda.