Swami Vivekananda Spiritual Teacher In America

THE SPIRITUAL TEACHER IN AMERICA

       

       The Parliament of  Religions was over and Swami Vivekananda was now a famous man.  He received many invitations to speak before clubs, churches, and many other groups.  Later, he accepted and offer from a lecture bureau and he then traveled far and wide giving lectures.  He had all the qualities required to be a good speaker -voice, language and appearance-and his ideas also attracted people.  What lofty things he said!  He was in demand all over America.  It was very hard work.  He had to travel long distances and sometimes he had to give many lectures a day.  He often felt very tired. Sometimes his mind also was tired and he would wonder what to say in his lecture the next day.  Then a strange thing would happen.  When he went to bed at night he would hear a voice talking to him or giving a lecture.  He would get many new ideas in this way

        

       Yes, it was hard work, and yet he continued to travel and give lectures for about one year.  There was great excitement wherever he went and the newspapers wrote long articles about him.  Once he gave a lecture in a western town where there were some cowboys.  They what happened around him.  They decided to test him.  He spoke to them in the open air, standing on a wooden were shooting their guns and bullets went whizzing past paid no attention to the shots and continued his lecture.  After wards, the cowboys came to him and said that he was "a right good fellow".

     
       Late in 18 94 Swamiji decided that he had done enough traveling.  He now decided to stay in one place and train a number of disciples to carry on the work.  He began to live in New York and gave a series of lectures.  A group of sincere people gathered round him and followed his teachings.  This work was so successful that he started a Vedanta Society there.  He held classes and gave lectures in which he said that God is in all men.  Men can see God if  they pray and meditate.  He taught them how to do this.  He also taught them that all religions are true.  People came to him for help and advice and some became his disciples.  Among them there were many important people.