ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿವೇಕಾನಂದರು ಅಮೆರಿಕದ ಚಿಕಾಗೋದ ಗೆಳೆಯನಿಗೆ ಬರೆದ ಪತ್ರ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಎರಡೂ ದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಹೋಲಿಸಿ ನೋಡಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ – ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರ ಮತ್ತು ಈ ದೇಶದ ಅಸ್ಪೃಶ್ಯತೆಯ ಆಚರಣೆಯ ಕುರಿತು ವಿವೇಕಾನಂದರ ಅರ್ಥಪೂರ್ಣ ಚಿಂತನೆಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ.

(ಆಕರ- ದ ಕಂಪ್ಲೀಟ್ ವರ್ಕ್ಸ್ ಆಫ್ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿವೇಕಾನಂದ. ಭಾಗ V- ಪುಟ 21 ರಿಂದ 23. ಪ್ರಕಾಶಕರು Published by SWAMI MADHAVANANDA, ADVAITA ASHRAMA, Mayavati, Almora)

(Translated from Bengali.)
C/o George W. Hale Esqr.
541, DEARBORN AVENUE, CHICAGO.
28th December, 1893.

DEAR H ,
It is very strange that news of my Chicago lectures has appeared in the Indian papers ; for whatever I do, I try my best to avoid publicity. Many things strike me here. It may be fairly said that there is no poverty in this country. I have never seen women elsewhere as cultured and educated as they are here. Well-educated men there are
in our country, but you will scarcely find anywhere women like those here. It is indeed true, that “the Goddess Herself
lives in the houses of virtuous men as Lakshmi.” I have seen thousands of women here whose hearts are as pure and stainless as snow. Oh, how free they are ! It is they who control social and civic duties. Schools and colleges are full of women, and in our country women cannot be safely allowed to walk in the streets ! Their kindness to me is immeasurable.

Since I came here 1 have been welcomed by them to their houses. They are providing me with food, arranging for my lectures, taking
me to market, and doing everything for my comfort and convenience. I shall never be able to repay in the least the deep debt of gratitude I owe to them. Do you know who is the real “Sakti-worshipper” ?

It is he who knows that God is the Omnipresent Force in the Universe, and sees in women the manifestation of that
Force. Many men here look upon their women in this light. Manu, again, has said that gods bless those families where women are happy and well-treated. Here men treat their women as well as can be desired, and hence they are so prosperous, so learned, so free and so energetic. But
why is it that we are slavish, miserable and dead? The answer is obvious.
And how pure and chaste are they here ! Few women are married before twenty or twenty-five, and they are as free as the birds in the air. They go to market, school and college, earn money and do all kinds of work. Those who are well-to-do devote themselves to doing good to the poor.

And what are we doing? We are very regular in marrying our girls at eleven years of age lest they should become corrupt and immoral. What does our Manu enjoin?
‘Daughters should be supported and educated with as much care and attention as the sons.’* As sons should be
married after observing Brahmacharya up to the thirtieth year, so daughters also must observe Brahmacharya and be educated by their parents. But what are we actually
doing? Can you better the condition of your women? Then there will be hope for your well-being. Otherwise you will remain as backward as you are now. If anybody is born of a low caste in our country he is
gone forever, there is no hope for him. Why, what a tyranny it is ! There are possibilities, opportunities and hope for every individual in this country. To-day he is poor, to-morrow he may become rich and learned and
respected.

Here everyone is anxious to help the poor. In India there is a howling cry that we are very poor, but how many charitable associations are there for the wellbeing
of the poor ? How many people really weep for the sorrows and sufferings of the millions of poor in India? Are we men? What are we doing for their livelihood, for
their improvement ? We do not touch them, we avoid their company ! Are we men ? Those thousands of Brahmanas what are they doing for the low, down-trodden
masses of India? “Don’t-touch,” “Don’t-touch,” is the only phrase that plays upon their lips ! How mean and degraded has our eternal religion become at their hands !
Wherein does our religion lie now? In “Don’t-touchism” alone, and nowhere else !
I came to this country not to satisfy my curiosity, nor for name or fame, but to see if I could find any means for the support of the poor in India. If God helps me, you
will know by and by what those means are.

As regards spirituality, the Americans are far inferior to us, but their society is far superior to ours. We will teach them our spirituality, and assimilate what is best in
their society. With love and best wishes,
Yours,
VlVEKANANDA.

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