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stripping the gurus - Brahma Kumaris Info

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CHAPTER III<br />

THE HANDSOME<br />

DUCKLING<br />

(SWAMI VIVEKANANDA)<br />

[Vivekananda] is seen not just as a patriot-prophet of resurgent<br />

India but much more—an incarnation of Shiva, Buddha<br />

and Jesus (Sil, 1997).<br />

Perfect from his birth, [Vivekananda] did not need spiritual<br />

disciplines for his own liberation. Whatever disciplines he<br />

practiced were for <strong>the</strong> purpose of removing <strong>the</strong> veil that concealed,<br />

for <strong>the</strong> time being, his true divine nature and mission<br />

in <strong>the</strong> world. Even before his birth, <strong>the</strong> Lord had chosen him<br />

as His instrument to help Him in <strong>the</strong> spiritual redemption of<br />

humanity (Nikhilananda, 1996).<br />

BORN IN 1863 IN CALCUTTA, Vivekananda began meditating at age<br />

seven, and claimed to have first experienced samadhi when eight<br />

years old.<br />

He regarded himself as a brahmachari, a celibate student of<br />

<strong>the</strong> Hindu tradition, who worked hard, prized ascetic disci-<br />

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