Inspired Talks by Swami Vivekananda

Originally published in 1938, this volume is one of the first that presented the words of wisdom spoken by Swami Vivekananda within the intimacy of his inner circle. He was already revered as a lecturer, but his flashes of pure brilliance were more often only heard in familiar conversation. This book was constructed from notes taken by a Miss S.E. Waldo from New York, who worked so closely with Swami that she could almost put his very thoughts onto paper. Author: Vivekananda Swami Language: English Keywords: Philosophy / Religion Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. INSPIRED TALKS BY SWAMI VIVEKANANDA PREFACE ALL who had the blessing of personal contact with Swami Vivekananda are of one accord that those who knsv lm on tn lecture platform only, had but a small measure of his true power and greatness. It was in familiar conversation with chosen friends and disciples that came his most brilliant flashes of illumination, his loftiest flights of eloquence, his utterances of pro foLiridest wisdom. Unfortunately, however, his printed works so far have shown us only Vivekananda the lecturer Vivekananda the friend, the teacher, the lovinc? master, was known only to the happy few who had the rare privilege of sitting at his feet. Glimpses of this side of the great spiritual genius are revealed to o it is true, in his published letters but the pre sent volume is the first to give us words spoken by him in the intimacy of an inner circle. They were taken down by Miss S. E. Waldo of New York,, who from the early days of the Swamis American mission served him with unremitting devotion. It was to her that he dictated his translation and expla nation of Patanjalis Aphorisms, published in his Raja Yoga, and often has she told me how she would sit for long periods of time watching always to see that the ink on her pen was kept wet, ready to write down the first word that would come as the Swami would emerge from the depths of selfcontemplation into which he had plunged, to discover the true mean ing of the terse Sanskrit phrases. It was she also who prepared all his American publications for the press. And so great was Swami Vivekanandas confidence in her ability, that he would pass the typewritten trans criptions of his lectures over to her with the instruction to do with them what she thought best for his own indifference to the fruits of his work was so extreme, that he could not be induced to give even a cursory glance at his recorded words. Through this constant faithful service with heart and brain, the disciples mind became so at one with the master s that, even without the aid of shorthand, she was able to transcribe his teaching with wonderful full ness and accuracy. As she herself said, it was as if the thought of Swami Vivekananda flowed through her and wrote itself upon the page.