Spiritual Imperialism in the narratives of the travelogue "Swami Vivekananda On Himself"

Quest for Spiritual Imperialism in the Travelogue " Swami Vivekananda on Himself"
The biography of Swami Vivekananda edited, compiled and published by Swami Bhodasaranand, Advaita Ashrama depicts the travel narratives of Vivekanand from his childhood to the Parliament of Religions. Actually the biography can be looked as autobiography because it is based on dairies of Vivekanand in the first person narrative 'I'. The story is narrated by Swami Bhodasarananda. So, I shall technically analyse wheather the sannyasin and nomadic life of Vivekananda was for his quest of spiritual imperalism and travel pleasure or not.
Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson in their book Reading Autobiography argue that, "We might ask what cultural meanings a narrative acquired when it was written or published "(166). Of course, the first edition of book is dated on 1963. It was the time when autobiography writing came to the "Second Wave" (122) approach where creative self representation was established. The historical figure is spiritual. The narrating I makes devotion to his religious belief Hinduism and to his master Shri Ramakrishna Pramhans (1884,figure 3; 8). Here, the narrated I Swami Vivekananda writes that he was born as the wanderer sannyasin and spiritual hunter. In the chapter two Discipleship he writes about his finding of horoscope concealed by his father, " I came across the chart among some papers in my mother's possession and saw from it that I was destined to become a wanderer on the face of earth" (9). From this very first confession of believing in Hindu Brahmin culture he hides the real truth but exposes the psychology of his narrative towards making of his autobiography to lead the conclusion, into which his life was finally saved.
Of course, Vivekananda was good wanderer and what we call a elite traveler from post colonial perspective. As Christians extended their Christianity during colonialism through missionary work in the name of "conversion and confession of a Christian sense of sin and shame" (85).The narrative included under the topic March of Events he confesses exposing his psychology of travelling "Travelling is the best thing in life. I am afraid I shall die if made to stick to one place for a long time"(93). From this narrative, how much hatred he keeps towards the immovable instinct of man  is cleared. Almost whole Europe, America and developed countries of Asia were visited by him.
Vivekananda was a spiritual imperialist for Hinduism is clearly manifested when he narrates his superiority for Hinduism in New York on 20th May 1895 writing " West is in need of Hindu ideas of God and calls upon the young men to go and preach to the West. This has created quite a furore of course amongst the Missions "(193). It verifies that he was against Christian missionary and wants to establish Hinduism as the superior. So, he was the East imperialist of Hinduism. His strong hatred is manifested when he tries to bring his real feelings in the chapter The Divine Call and the Parliament of Religions saying, " I go forth, to preach a religion of which Buddhism is nothing but a rebel child, and Christianity, with all her pretentions only a distant echo" (111). He says that he was called by Lord for this, which proves that his narratives of autobiography is "a form of devotion in the service of spiritual examination" (86).
In terms of looking through "The History of Reading Publics" (166), we came to know that it is written by Swami Sambuddhananda who was general  secretary of the Swami Vivekananda Centenary committee which was dissolved after its work was completed (V). Later on, it was published and circulated by chairman of Advaita Ashmrama, Uttrakhand (quoted in preface page). The position of historical person writing the autobiography is a prominent historical figure (168). Self important kind of turn comes through the narrative voice when Vivekananda says, " I in this big lunatic asylum, I am also mad, I am mad after God. If you are mad after God, you are mad; so am I. I think my madness is after all the best" (57). Autobiography critic Smith and Watson argue that, " The narrating I puts itself defensive through the narrative voice" (168). This is what we can find in the above narratives of Vivekananda.
There is also the changing tone of the narrating I because of the ideological notion of the I affecting the self narrator. His narratives during  New York praises White people. It is clear by his narratives in the topic March of Events "The Americans are most hospitable, kind hearted, generous and good natured" (238) but his frustration is also encoded in the lesson Return to India "I did not go to America as most of you know, for the Parliament of the Religions but this demon of a feeling was in me and within my soul I travelled twelve years all over India, finding no way to work for my countrymen, and that is why I went to America" (238). Hence, this narrative proves his frustration with his own countrymen being indifferent to his preaching and ideas.
But his prideful defense of earlier narrative is drastically changed latter on when he says," I am a countryman of yours, you the descendants of the most glorious Rishis the world ever saw I believe in patriotism" (274). In the topic The Plan of Work, he no longer only praises white Americans and Europeans but returning his narrative towards patriotism he tries to justify that after all he is a Hindu and he is proud of country where he was born.
"In terms of multiplicity of identity" (169), he contemplates over his own identity and people's criticism when he narrates, "Some would call you a saint, some a chandala; some a lunatic, others a demon"(154). Here, he contemplates over how people react to his work. He deliberately appeals his people to take him as a saint of spiritual philosophy but conflicting identity of nationality is also observed when writes," Western music is very good; there is in it a perfection of harmony, which we Indians have not attained" (150) on 10th April 1894 in New York.
his story is "a story of conversion through fall and enlightenment, a story of individual self making "(169). His biography depicts religious faiths, family history and cultural stereotypes. It is resembled in the narratives when he eulogizes about Advaita Philosophy," The Vedanta is the only light that lightens the sects and creeds of the world, the one principle of which all religions are only applications" (286). Here, he defines the importance of Vendantism. His story of individual self making and cultural stereotypes is cleared in the lines," Power comes to him who observe unbroken Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years with the sole object of realizing god. I have practiced that kind of Brahmacharya myself" (147).
Above narrative shows the contemporary cultural belief that one has to strongly leave all the worldly pleasures behind if one has to obtain enlightenment. If so, why he use to eat meat, used to live in luxurious apartments and used to be afraid of death comes as the conflicting ideas. But he accepts the real intension of going West and earning money when he says,"People here are sleeping on a bed of flowers, they eat all kinds of delicacies, while people in our country are dying of starvation. One of the objects of my going to the West to preach religion was to see if I could find any means for feeding the people of this country" (290). This shows at least, Vivekananda had understood hungry people need bread more than philosophy. So, he had a sense of what materialistic power could do.
The organizing principles are also employed in the biography such as photographs and illustrations embedded among the narratives to tell the story and involve the reader. There are photos in the early section of biography where his ancestral home, mother, master, himself on state of being enlightened as kali. Smith and Watson in their tool kit argue that, "The photo at once gives flesh to the narrator, embodying her for the reader"(170).hence, here, the use of photography brings the gaps between reader and the narrator more closer. It omits the distance of subjectivity and objectivity.
The time of telling the narrative is in his late thirties because according to his birth date he was enlightened in1886 (at the age of twenty three) and he went to America on 10th July 1893 (113). So, from these dates we can say that his telling is almost after his thirties. Similarly the times of past, present and future are organized chronologically in the telling of the story. So, the narrative relates a continuous chronology from birth to adolescence to adulthood.
The biographical narratives of addressing of multiple audiences from child to old age, from common official to high post officials he appeals. He appeals everyone to believe in God when he says," I hope you will have no bitterness. It is karma that brings us together and karma separates" (300). So, whoever comes before him is his addressee. There are silences and gaps about his family life which time and often puts him to regret. There is a little bit exposition when he regrets being unable to look after his family, brother and sister. He says, "My mistakes have been great. The peace the quit I am seeking I never found. I went years ago to the Himalayas, never to come back; and my sister committed suicide,  the news reached me there and that weak heart flung me off from that prospect of peace"(304). This provides us to look into the inner feelings of Vivekananda and helps us to find how deeply he was wounded form alienation of his family. But whatever, he could never control his desire of travelling.
In the "meanings of remembering"(172), Vivekananda especially emphasizes the saying of his master Ramakrishna Pramahans, " Wherever you will take me on your shoulders there I will go and stay be it under a tree or in a hut" (266). He also remembers his childhood about his character of donating money, food and other materials to Shadus and beggars in the topic Birth and Boyhood. He claims,"I have such a good memory. When I was only two years old, I use to play with my syce at being a vairagi, clothed in ashes and kaupina and if a sadhu came to beg, they would lock me in, upstairs, to prevent my giving too much away"(2). But his narrative does not focus much upon the act of remembering. Most of his visits are written in present tense. So, it is claimable that he has written his diaries during his visit to different places.
In terms of evidence, he writes actual speech delivered at the Parliament of Religions (128), and actual dates, photos and the reviews from international newspapers like Herald ( the greatest paper in Chicago) which states," Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation" (131). In terms of authority and authenticity there is no doubt that his diary entries are edited and printed in the first person narratives. So, it seems more authentic. He is himself the experienced one and writer but the fallacy is that it is edited version.
So, everything and whole truth is never too good to expect by readers. According to the New Testament, John 5, it is quoted that " If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another witness of me and I know that witness which he witnesses of me is true" (31-32,176). Of course, here, he himself bears witnesses but the weakness is that whole truth about his another side of life is not lighted. only his diary journals are there thought narrating I is someone different from narrated i.
agency, is created through the greatness of his spiritual leadership as being a enlightened guru. So, the strategy of gaining strategy (176) is through his self spiritual enlightenment. in terms of relationality he talks about Ramakrishna Pramahans as the other, mentor and over all the great divine force helping him to achieve the grace of god. he talks about the greatness of his master saying, "Mother, I want nothing but knowledge and devotion. coming out of the temple I understood that all this was due to the master's soul" (32).
the act of narrating his life has brought the autobiographical narrator to different ways of knowing that single life. In the beginning, he shows his repulsion towards Buddhism by saying it a rebel child but in the last lesson I believe he admits Buddha and says, " The lord Buddha is my Ishta- my God. he preached no theory about god head- he was himself god, I fully believe it" (331).
in terms of collaborative autobiography (178), this is not as-told-to narrative. Rather, it is semi ghost written narrative. It is clarified by the preface section of the biography that "the original publisher, Swami Sambuddhananda was general secretary  of the Swami Vivekananda Centenary committee which was dissolved after its work was completed.
so, overall technically analyzing biography of swami Vivekananda we find him as the spiritual seeker, imperialist, even escapist from reality. He made his family starve to death while he visited round the world. The narrative methodology is quite coherently applied in this biography. techniques and tool kits of autobiographical narratology may prove it to be a good biography but to talk about essence, Vivekananda has stood as the spokesperson of Hinduism, devotee to his master, strength of religion, a travel pleasure seeker. Hence, there is strong reason to claim that he comes as a first grade missionary of Hinduism.





Works Cited
Smith, Sidonie., and Julia Watson. Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives. London: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. 165-183. Print.
Bodhasaranda, Swami., and Swami Sambudhananda. Swami Vivekananda On Himself. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, May 2012. Print.
New Testament; Psalm's Proverbs( John 5;31:32). Nashville: The Gideons International, 2010.176. Print.
Mani, Lata. "Interleaves:Ruminations on Illness and Spiritual Life". New York: Yoda Press, Oct.4 2011. Print.
Horner, Winifrred Bryan, ed. "Life Writing". New Jersy: Prentice Hall, 1997. Print.