Advaita Ashrama

History

Earlier, in 1895, James Henry Sevier who had served as a captain in the British Indian Army for 5 years, and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth Sevier, met Vivekananda in England. Later in 1896, for nearly nine months, they travelled with him through Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. It was in the Alps that Vivekananda, while travelling with the couple, that he expressed his desire to have a similar retreat for the monks in the Himalayas. In December 1896, the couple moved to India, with Vivekananda on board a steamer from Naples, Italy, with an objective to find a place near Almora, and set up an Ashram, and arriving at Madras in February 1897. Soon just as Vivekananda left for Calcutta, the couple left for Almora, where they rented a bungalow and this became the residence of Vivekananda and the Seviers for the next two years.

Later when he left for Kashmir, the Sevier couple along with Swami Swarupananda, a monastic disciple of Vivekananda, started travelling to the interior area looking for a suitable place, which was eventually found in July 1898, set amidst dense deodar, pine and oak forests; the land which was until then a tea estate was promptly purchased, and decided upon for the new Ashram. Finally, with the help of Swami Swarupananda, the Ashram was set up, along with a small dwelling for the monks, ashramites and the couple themselves, around the same time as the Belur Math was being established near Kolkata, when they moved in on 19 March 1899.

After the sudden death of its first editor, 24-year-old B. R. Rajam Iyer at Madras (Chennai), the publication of the English Journal Prabuddha Bharata was discontinued for a few months in May 1898. Meanwhile, in Almora, Vivekananda asked the Sevier couple to revive the magazine, and the editorship was given to Swami Swarupananda, who not only became the first head of the Ashram upon its opening on 19 March 1899, but also remained its editor, at its new base hence forth; and they held the position until his death in 1906.

Upon its foundation, Vivekananda sent the following letter, in March 1899, entailing the prospectus of the Ashram:

"...To give this One Truth a freer and fuller scope in elevating the lives of individuals and leavening the mass of mankind, we start this Advaita Ashrama on the Himalayan heights, the land of its first expiration.

Here it is hoped to keep Advaita free from all superstitions and weakening contaminations. Here will be taught and practised nothing but the Doctrine of Unity, pure and simple; and though in entire sympathy with all other systems, this Ashrama is dedicated to Advaita and Advaita alone."

James Sevier died on 28 October 1900, and was cremated by the nearby Sarada River, according to Hindu traditions as he had wished. Vivekananda visited the Ashram from 3 to 18 January 1901, primarily to console her, and his place of residence has now been turned into a library. Charlotte Sevier continued to stay at the Ashram for several years.

Publications

Advaita Ashrama publishes many important books in English and Hindi, as well as the English Journal Prabuddha Bharata which is being published since July 1896, making it the oldest running Journal by Ramakrishna Mission. A list of its most well-known other publications is as follows.

• The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Online version
  • Other works of Swami Vivekananda, like:
  • *Bhakti Yoga *
  • Jnana Yoga
  • Karma Yoga
  • Raja Yoga
  • Letters of Swami Vivekananda
• The Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples Online version
• Srimad Bhagavad Gita translated by Swami Swarupananda, 1907 Online version
• Eight Upanishads with the commentary of Shankaracharya, translated by Swami Gambhirananda

Adhyakshas of Advaita Ashrama

The first three adhyakshas of Advaita Ashrama were also editors of the Prabuddha Bharata. Thereafter, the post of Adhyaksha and Editor were held by different persons. From 1959, the Ashrama Adhyaksha was also called the Editor of Prabuddha Bharata, and the actual editor called the "joint editor". From September 1993, the Ashrama Adhyaksha is known as the Managing Editor, and the Editor is known as the Editor.

References

References

1. [http://www.advaitaashrama.org/mayavati.html Mayavati – History] {{Webarchive. link. (23 December 2008 ''Advaita Ashrama'')
2. [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030520/asp/calcutta/story_1984013.asp founded by Vivekananda in 1899.] {{Webarchive. link. (26 May 2011 ''[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)). The Telegraph]], 20 May 2003.''
3. Adwaita P. Ganguly. (2001). "Life and Times of Netaji Subhas: From Cuttack to Cambridge (1827–1921)". VRC Publications.
4. Sri Ramakrishna Math. (1982). "The Vedanta Kesari".
5. ''The National Geographical Journal of India'', by [[National Geographic Society. National Geographical Society]] of India. Published by National Geographical Society of India., 1986. ''Page 295''.
6. "Mayawati Ashram". [[Champawat district]].
7. "#49". [[Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts]] ([[IGNCA]]).
8. link. (15 July 2011 ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)). Outlook]]'', 2008.
9. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 9/Letters – Fifth Series/CLXVIII Mother. James Henry Sevier]] The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 9/Letters – Fifth Series/CLXVIII Mother – ''[[wikisource]]''.
10. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles – First Series/LXXI Alasinga. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles – First Series/LXXI Alasinga]] Letter of Swami Vivekananda, 11 November 1896.'' [[wikisource]]''.
11. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Interviews/The Missionary Work of the First Hindu Sannyasin to the West And His Plan of Regeneration of India. The Missionary Work of the First Hindu Sannyasin to the West And His Plan of Regeneration of India]] Madras Times, February 1897. ''[[wikisource]].''
12. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Epistles – Fourth Series/CXXVIII Rakhal. Letter 20 May 1898]] The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Epistles – Fourth Series/CXXVIII Rakhal – ''[[wikisource]]''.
13. [http://www.advaitaashrama.org/others/mayavati_route.pdf Mayawati Route – Visitors Booklet of Advaita Ashrama] {{webarchive. link. (21 November 2008 ''Advaita Ashrama''.)
14. The Vedanta Kesari, by Sri Ramakrishna Math (Madras, India). Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math., 1979. ''Page 212'' – Swami Swarupananda by Swami Raghaveshananda.
15. [http://www.advaitaashrama.org/prabuddha_bharata.html Prabuddha Bharata] {{Webarchive. link. (20 January 2009 ''Advaita Ashrama'' website.)
16. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbg/sbg01.htm Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, English translation and commentary by Swami Swarupananda, 1909] {{Webarchive. link. (23 December 2008 at ''sacred-texts.com''.)
17. [http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_5/writings_prose_and_poems/the_advaita_ashrama_himalayas.htm the Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Almora, Himalayas] {{Webarchive. link. (4 January 2011 ''Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda''.)
18. link. (16 May 2008 ''[[The Hindu]]'', 24 December 2006.)
19. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles – Second Series/CLXVII Joe. Letter 26 December 1900]] The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles – Second Series/CLXVII Joe – ''[[wikisource]]''. "Dear Mr. Sevier passed away before I could arrive. He was cremated on the banks of the river that flows by his Ashrama, à la Hindu, covered with garlands, the Brahmins carrying the body and boys chanting the Vedas".
20. [[s:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles – First Series/XCIV Mother. Letter 6 January 1901]] The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Epistles – First Series/XCIV Mother – ''[[wikisource]]''."Mrs. Sevier is a strong woman, and has borne her loss quietly and bravely. She is coming over to England in April, and I am going over with her."