Swami Vivekananda at Belur Math

This photo is usually published as Kolkata, 1901. However, in Sailendra Nath Dhar’s, A Comprehensive Biography of Swami Vivekananda, he mentions: On 19 June, a day before sailing, photographs were taken, singly of the swami and, in group [nos. 74 and 75], of him and the Brotherhood. One can easily understand from these pictures how deplorable was the state of Swamiji’s health and why, as we are told, his friends and disciples, who went to receive him at his landing in London, were shocked at the sight of him.24 This appears to be the photo of Swamiji taken “singly” on the occasion of the farewell gathering held in honor of him and Swami Turiyananda. Swamiji certainly looks unwell in this photo, as well as the following one, no. 77. ❊ ❊ ❊ The knowledge of Brahman is the one goal of all beings but the various ideas are the various paths to it. Although the real nature of the jiva is Brahman, still as he has identification with the qualifying adjunct of mind, he suffers from all sorts of doubts and difficulties, pleasure and pain. But everyone from Brahma down to a blade of grass is advancing towards the realization of his real nature. (CW [1979] 7:192-93)