The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Epistles - Fourth Series/IX Diwanji Saheb
IX
BOMBAY,
22nd August, 1892.
DEAR DIWANJI SAHEB, (Shri Haridas Viharidas Desai)
I am very much gratified on receiving your letter, especially as that is the proof that you have the same kindness towards me.
About the kindness and gentlemanliness of your friend Mr. Bederkar of Indore
and of the Dakshinis in general, the less said the better; but of course
there are Dakshinis and Dakshinis, and I would only quote to you what
Shankar Pandurang wrote me at Mahabaleshwar on my informing him that I had
found shelter with the Limdi Thakore:
"I am so glad to learn that you have found Limdi Thakore there, else you
would have been in serious troubles, our Maratha people not being so kind as
the Gujaratis." So kind? heaven and hell!
I am very glad that your joint has now been nearly perfectly cured. Kindly
tell your noble brother to excuse my promise-breaking as I have got here
some Sanskrit books and help, too, to read, which I do not hope to get
elsewhere, and am anxious to finish them. Yesterday I saw your friend Mr.
Manahsukharam who has lodged a Sannyâsin friend with him. He is very kind to
me and so is his son.
After remaining here for 15 to 20 days I would proceed toward Rameshwaram,
and on my return would surely come to you.
The world really is enriched by men, high-souled, noble-minded, and kind,
like you; the rest are "only as axes which cut at the tree of youth of their
mothers', as the Sanskrit poet puts it.
It is impossible that I should ever forget your fatherly kindness and care
of me, and what else can a poor fakir like me do in return to a mighty
minister but pray that the Giver of all gifts may give you all that is
desirable on earth and in the end — which may He postpone to a day long,
long ahead — may take you in His shelter of bliss and happiness and purity
infinite.
Yours,
VIVEKANANDA.
PS. One thing that I am very sorry to notice in these parts is the thorough
want of Sanskrit and other learning. The people of this part of the country
have for their religion a certain bundle of local superstitions about
eating, drinking, and bathing, and that is about the whole of their
religion.
Poor fellows! Whatever the rascally and wily priests teach them — all sorts
of mummery and tomfoolery as the very gist of the Vedas and Hinduism (mind
you, neither these rascals of priests nor their forefathers have so much as
seen a volume of the Vedas for the last 400 generations) — they follow and
degrade themselves. Lord help them from the Râkshasas in the shape of the
Brahmins of the Kaliyuga.
I have sent a Bengali boy to you. Hope he would be treated kindly.