Friday 2 May 2014



   A DATE
                                photo of swami vivekananda
It was 11th September 1893 in Chicago
Parliament of World’s Religions opened
Seven thousand thirsty souls had come
To drink the ambrosia
The men on dais were to pour
The thirty year old monk’s* throat dried up
For he never lectured before such audience
He simply kept on delaying
Suddenly there was no one left but he
Who had to deliver the speech
 Which he hadn’t kept ready
It was no child’s play….he had to stand up
And what did he utter?
“Sisters and Brothers of America” and no more
For a two minute standing ovation
And a thunderous applause greeted him
Then in that sonorous baritone he thanked
All present there and completed his small speech
He was known as “the Cyclonic Monk” after that
And turned out as the greatest figure
His life giving words were the Amrita**
People drank in gallons and received bliss
It was another 11th September

*·  Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna.Wikipedia, he passed away in 1902 at the age of 39.
Posted for Kerry’s Friday Challenge ~ Vignette  

**Amrita (Sanskrit: अमृत; IAST: amṛta) is a Sanskrit word that literally means "immortality", and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word's earliest occurrence is in theRigveda, where it is one of several synonyms of "soma" as the drink which confers immortality upon the gods. It is related etymologically to the Greek "ambrosia",[1] and it carries the same meaning courtesy :  wikipedia

13 comments:

  1. You present an interesting portrait of an enigmatic man.

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  2. From parched throat to Gallons for disciples to drink! You capture the journey in a heat beat. With all our mentors we forget at times that they started, like us, at the beginning.

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  3. Bliss usually starts uncomfortably..lol. This was great vignette, you put a whole lot of character in such a small space. Great writing!

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  4. Very interesting scene you painted here Sumana ~ I learned something new today, thanks ~

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  5. how interesting...esp considering the date...one which many will always attribute with something ghastly....smiles he was given the right words....

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  6. Your last two lines are ideal closers. Thank you for this wonderful reminder of a magical moment in time.

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  7. This is so absorbing....thank you for bringing this being to us Sumana!

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  8. He truly was one of the greatest men ever. Respect to him always.

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  9. So well done and thank you for bringing him back into the light ~

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  10. A great tribute to Swami Vivekananda, a great man of his time. I can hear his voice saying those words.

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  11. This joyful event is in stark contrast to the September 11 that brings such pain..beautiful piece

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  12. Wonderful-- such a great approach to the prompt and man. This is Karin Manicddaily but I am having a hard time posting comments on my phone right now .

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