The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Epistles - Fourth Series/LXXXVII Rakhal
LXXXVII
To Swami Brahmananda
HOTEL MINERVA, FLORENCE,
20th December, 1896.
DEAR RAKHAL,
As you see, by this time I am on my way. Before leaving London, I got your
letter and the pamphlet. Take no heed of Mazoomdar's madness. He surely has
gone crazy with jealousy. Such foul language as he has used would only make
people laugh at him in a civilised country. He has defeated his purpose by
the use of such vulgar words.
All the same, we ought not to allow Hara Mohan or any one else to go and
fight Brahmos and others in our name. The public must know that we have no
quarrel with any sect, and if anybody provokes a quarrel, he is doing it on
his own responsibility. Quarrelling and abusing each other are our national
traits. Lazy, useless, vulgar, jealous, cowardly, and quarrelsome, that is
what we are, Bengalis. Anyone who wants to be my friend must give up these.
Neither do you allow Hara Mohan to print any book, because such printing as
he does is only cheating the public.
If there are oranges in Calcutta, send a hundred to Madras care of Alasinga,
so that I may have them when I reach Madras.
Mazoomdar writes that the Sayings of Shri Ramakrishna published in The Brahmavadin are not genuine and are lies! In that case ask Suresh Dutt and Ram Babu to give him the lie in The Indian Mirror. As I did not do anything about the collection of the Uktis (Sayings), I cannot say anything.
Yours affectionately,
VIVEKANANDA.
PS. Don't mind these fools; "No fool like an old fool" is the proverb. Let
them bark a little. Their occupation is gone. Poor souls! Let them have a
little satisfaction in barking.