Re: [Devotees of Holy Trio:16175] Did Swami Vivekananda Really Smoked?

[Rachna Gupta]

Dear Devotees:

 

How does it really matter whether Swamijee really smoked or not? Why do we want to get into unnecessary details? He has left a path for all of us to follow depending on our tendencies and capabilities and let us follow that. His smoking, frequency of smoking has no impact on his teachings. Our aim is to become what Swamijee was or go beyond even that instead of getting into arguments about his habits etc.

 

Jai Thakur

 

 

On 8/20/09, Prasanth Jalasutram <jvrspr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi All,

 

Today i had discussion with my relatives and somehow i failed to impress my relatives what they are saying is wrong.

 

Can some one please let me know whether vivekananda really smoked and drinked wine or not please?

 

Below links state that he indeed smoked daily.

 

I was really shocked to know about this but still could not believe this.

 

http://www.vivekananda.net/LettersToVivekananda.html

(see last letter - this is not someone's opinion - it's a report of what they saw or know)

 

http://www.vivekananda.net/ReminiscenesOnSwami/AliceHansbrough.html

(another letter, there is also mention of his pipe)

 

"'Was he a heavy smoker?'

 

'No. He would smoke after breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but never to excess"

 

--
Love And Love Alone

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya
Prasanth Jalasutram

[Girish]

The association of smoking with lung disease is only ~ 50 years and as far as I know, smoking was considered on par with chewing paan.
Does smoking detract in any way from Swamiji's message ? No.
Is smoking a moral attribute ? I don't think so.
Bad for health ? Yes - now it has been proven conclusively.

-G