BIOGRAPHY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Okakura earnestly requested the Swami to accompany him on a visit to Bodh-Gaya, where Buddha had attained illumination. Taking advantage of severalweeks' respite from his ailment, the Swami accepted the invitation. He alsodesired to see Varanasi. The trip lasted through January and February 1902,and was a fitting end to all his wanderings. He arrived at Bodh-Gaya on themorning of his last birthday and was received with genuine courtesy andhospitality by the orthodox Hindu monk in charge of the temple. This and thesimilar respect and affection shown by the priests in Varanasi proved the extentof his influence over men's hearts. It may be remembered that Bodh-Gaya hadbeen the first of the holy places he had visited during Sri Ramakrishna'slifetime. And some years later, when he was still an unknown monk, he had saidfarewell to Varanasi with the words: 'Till that day when I fall on society like athunderbolt I shall visit this place no more.'In Varanasi the Swami was offered a sum of money by a Maharaja to establish amonastery there. He accepted the offer and, on his return to Calcutta, sentSwami Shivananda to organize the work. Even before Swami Vivekananda'svisit to Varanasi, several young men, under the Swami's inspiration, had starteda small organization for the purpose of providing destitute pilgrims with food,shelter, and medical aid. Delighted with their unselfish spirit, the Swami said tothem: 'You have the true spirit, my boys, and you will always have my love andblessings! Go on bravely; never mind your poverty. Money will come. A greatthing will grow out of it, surpassing your fondest hopes.' The Swami wrote theappeal which was published with the first report of the 'Ramakrishna Home ofService,' as the institution came to be called. In later years it became thepremier institution of its kind started by the Ramakrishna Mission.The Swami returned from Varanasi. But hardly had he arrived at Belur whenhis illness showed signs of aggravation in the damp air of Bengal. During thelast year and a half of his life he was, off and on, under the strict supervision ofhis physicians. Diabetes took the form of dropsy. His feet swelled and certainparts of his body became hypersensitive. He could hardly close his eyes in sleep.A native physician made him follow a very strict regime: he had to avoid waterand salt. For twenty-one days he did not allow a drop of water to pass throughhis throat. To a disciple he said: 'The body is only a tool of the mind. What themind dictates the body will have to obey. Now I do not even think of water. I donot miss it at all.... I see I can do anything.'Though his body was subjected to a devitalizing illness, his mind retained itsusual vigour. During this period he was seen reading the newly publishedEncyclopaedia Britannica. One of his householder disciples remarked that it wasdifficult to master these twenty-five volumes in one life. But the Swami hadalready finished ten volumes and was busy reading the eleventh. He told thedisciple to ask him any question from the ten volumes he had read, and to the