Chapter 8

Chapter VIII

Swamiji’s comparison of Indian and English fighters

    There was a discussion about the fighting between England and China. Goodwin said that the British Empire had been established by the heroism of the British themselves, and for this reason they would preserve it. Swamiji showed a little annoyance and began to tell the true history. “What have the British done in the China war or any other war? Our Indian soldiers have gone everywhere and fought, and spilt their blood in building this empire and handed the victory to the British. This great empire has come into being through Indian blood and Indian money. What have you British done? Indians earned the profit you are eating up. Who fought in Egypt? It was our soldiers. Your empire has grown so big; wherever you have been successful, the Indian soldiers have fought. They have poured their blood like water and their money without stint so you have got a big empire. How many British were in the battle of Plassy? All were our countrymen and they defeated the British. When has your race showed courage in battle? Cowards themselves, by hypnotizing others, they lord it over the world. Remember it – some day the British Empire will become the Indian Empire. Just as the Romans conquered Spain, Germany, Greece etc. and later Spaniard and Germans came and sat as Roman emperors – so will it be with you.”
    Goodwin could not take this and said, “No, Swami, your men do not know how to fight.” Swamiji, becoming more heated, replied, “Our Indians don’t know how to fight? When Alexander of the Greeks conquered Persia and, swollen with pride, invaded India, who first opposed him? It was a Hindu king, Porus, who satisfied his thirst for battle. In the battle of Arbela an Indian army helped the Persian Emperor Darius a great deal. That is why Alexander decided to fight with the Indians. You say our Indians don’t know fighting! From time out of mind Indians have been famous for their prowess. But they don’t know the treachery of the British people, that ingratitude. Don’t you know? During the Mutiny the soldiers said, “For many days we have eaten the salt of the British; now they are in danger, they cannot survive.” So they, through nobility, again set up the foreign government. The Hindus have a chivalrous spirit. And you, this race you call so great and boast of, you have taken India by swindles. You didn’t even have a pillow under your head: you were a poor, worthless race. You were laggers-behind in European history. The French were the foremost. It was only by acquiring India, India’s wealth, that you grew strong. But when the Indians shake off their delusion and wake up from inner sleep, they will squeeze you like a lemon.”
    Goodwin now insisted: “You are a great man, no doubt, but your men do not know how to govern themselves. We, the British people, are the best men to govern India.”
    Swamiji then got more excited and told him how Chandragupta’s Megasthenes had reported the good panchayat system, the absence of theft, the people’s regard for truth etc., and it was no exaggeration. He also said that wherever the British influence has not penetrated and native rule still prevails, the people are happier and disturbance is less. The British seek only to enrich their own land. “And still you say what you say.”
    Swamiji told Goodwin that in the course of conversation a few days before, with a General, he had said this about the British having needed India and its wealth to raise their status, and the General himself had said that it was the acquisition of India which gave the British expansion in all directions.
    Goodwin knew little of Indian history or even ancient British; he read the papers. So what he learned from Swamiji surprised him. Of course he protested at pronouncements such as these, but through such arguments his faith and sraddha in Swami Vivekananda grew more sincere.

On the Indian “Congress”

Swamiji was in this mood for a few days. Talking with Swami Saradananda about “Congress” [the early promoters of self-government], he said, “Why are the Indian people raising such a fuss about this ‘Congress!, Congress?’ What use is there in a few noisy persons gathering in a place to beat their gums? Let them sit down, declare ‘From today we are self-governing.’ Let them send this declaration. Then see the hue and cry. Most people don’t even know there is in the world, a country called India. Why has America got a response throughout the world? Is it just a matter of kicking up a fuss? One must work on without anxiety. I want to work through due process (lawfully) and if any bullets hit the chest, let them hit mine first of all!” he said, pacing the floor. “Let the bullets rain on my chest; America, Europe – they will feel the shake, they will then understand what Vivekananda is! If my blood spills there will be a world-wide reaction. Let Congress make an outright Declaration of Independence. Sitting and whining like old women – what will that do?” Swami Saradananda and Mohendra heard in silence. Then he spoke of the oppression of the barbaric Russian government, and how the Tartar tribes had given a lot of trouble, but were now under control because of the terribly strict administration of the Russians. He noted that the Russian lands are all together in one place. It is not so convenient for the British in this respect, since, unlike the Russians their territory is broken up into little pieces and they have to manage that. Swamiji often used to say that a composite empire like this could never hold together long.

The East India Co. and The Indian Mutiny

The subject of the Mutiny came up again. Swamiji said, “The administration by the East India Co. was very bad at first. They ignored [the British] Parliament and everything else. This commercial company got a vast empire. Were they out to do business or to establish rule? At first, gain was their sole object, and their waywardness had that object. Gradually even the Indian sepoys got annoyed. But there was no single leader for them. The Mussalmans wanted to make the Delhi emperor strong again. The Hindus got excited and wanted to make a government under Bajirao’s son, Nanasaheb. Other petty princes tried to come forward to be independent. No one would listen to anyone else. The sepoys had learned the English method of warfare but had neither leader nor supplies. At last they began to loot for a handful of rice, even from their own Government. Hindus and Muslims began to pillage each other. The sepoys fell into such a condition that for obtaining provisions they had to sell their strings of pearls. The British, getting this opportunity, armed new native sepoys, subdued the Mutiny and conquered India again. As a result of the mismanagement of the East India Company the administration was transferred to Parliament. Then much more method and order came, but the humiliation and scorn were as much, only of a different sort.

Inventiveness in America

One day in conversation Swamiji spoke about the wheels of horse carriages. “Staying in America for several years I saw that America creates new things in every field. And I have been around and seen many places in Europe; everything is old and antiquated — smudgy, ugly things. In all America I saw smart, novel things, whether in building, in shoes, in dress, shirt buttons – there everything is clean and neat, all of a new type. I decided that in the race there is a vigorous living power. And in England everything is of an old type. I saw the American horse carriage wheels: thin, very fine, looking as if when you pressed them they would break, but so strong and durable. Do you know how they do it? [Then he describes the pressuring of the seasoned wood.] They are clean and light. It brought delight and upliftment to the heart to see American products. They are demonstrating the power of Man.” Swamiji became ebullient. To Mohendra he said, “Go. Go to America. What will you get out of England? There is a new country of new enthusiasm; seeing it your mind will expand and a new mentality will come. No new idea comes to this old place. If one wishes to do something in his own way he must see America. People staying in an old country get antiquated – no new idea comes to them at all.”
He talked about food and said it was a very old custom to eat onions with meat. In Polish “Pol” means meat, and Polish “with meat, another name for onions. He said fried onions were indigestible and gave stomach trouble, but boiled they were useful and cleared the bowels, hence so widely consumed.

Swamiji as a singer

Swamiji, on days when he was feeling happy, would hum Bengali songs. Goodwin could not understand them nor did the tunes please him. One day after breakfast Swamiji went upstairs where Goodwin, Swami Saradananda and Mohendra were. The conversation was about Indian music and with Swami Saradananda some talk of Indian and European music began. The gist of it was that in India there are big singers and their methods of singing also are of different types. Swami Saradananda tried to make this clear. Among those in Calcutta who specialize in drupad style Swamiji knew one big one in particular. Goodwin could not follow. Swami Saradananda easily made him understand that Swamiji was a fine singer and was reckoned among the best in Calcutta. Goodwin, much surprised, clapped his hands. “Why, I never knew that!,” he exclaimed. “I knew he was a great philosopher and a great speaker but never knew that he was a singer!” And he expressed his joy in various gestures, so happy he was to add the least glory to Swami Vivekananda.
A Swedish or Norwegian scientist named S.A. Andree was going with some companions up in a balloon to explore the Arctic. A lot was written of this in the papers. When all the others were talking of it one afternoon, Swamiji was silent. Goodwin and Sturdy were praising the people and the idea, saying it would mean the opening of a new passage in the world, etc., but Swamiji said nothing and seemed a bit depressed. He only said, “They will go by balloon, no doubt, but there is no certainty that they will come back.”[This prediction had been voiced by several experts]. Hearing this all were taken aback and the happiness they had felt was dissipated. The fact that there is another side to every affair was realized by all and they remained silent. As it happened, Andree and party never returned and nothing was heard of them. [Thirty-three years later three corpses were found on White Island along with Andree’s diary.]