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INTRODUCTION
XV
tion, if approach is made from the transcendental
point of view.
The Ashtavakra Samhita played a rather import-
ant part in the early life of Swami Vivekananda. In
the first days of his acquaintance with Sri Rama-
krishna the Swami was in intimate touch with the
Brahmo Samaj and was under the influence of its
ideas and teachings. At that time he would not
believe in Advaita at all. But at the very first sight
Sri Ramakrishna had seen into his inmost being and
found that of all his disciples the Swami was pre-
eminently monistic in temperament, though he him-
self was unconscious of it at that time. The Swami
would naturally resist any monistic teaching from his
Master. But Sri Ramakrishna overcame this difficulty
in a clever way. He had in his room a copy of the
Ashtavakra Samhita. He would often ask the Swami
to read it out to him. After reading a verse or two
the Swami would refuse to proceed further, and say
that it was a sin to call man God. But the Master
would induce him to read on by saying that he was
not insisting on his accepting this teaching but only
asking him to read it out to him. This was one of
the ways in which the Swami was taught Advaita,
and this book came to have a great influence on his
life.
Swami Vivekananda laid great emphasis on
Advaita and often declared that it would become the
future religion of mankind. He called upon the world
XV
tion, if approach is made from the transcendental
point of view.
The Ashtavakra Samhita played a rather import-
ant part in the early life of Swami Vivekananda. In
the first days of his acquaintance with Sri Rama-
krishna the Swami was in intimate touch with the
Brahmo Samaj and was under the influence of its
ideas and teachings. At that time he would not
believe in Advaita at all. But at the very first sight
Sri Ramakrishna had seen into his inmost being and
found that of all his disciples the Swami was pre-
eminently monistic in temperament, though he him-
self was unconscious of it at that time. The Swami
would naturally resist any monistic teaching from his
Master. But Sri Ramakrishna overcame this difficulty
in a clever way. He had in his room a copy of the
Ashtavakra Samhita. He would often ask the Swami
to read it out to him. After reading a verse or two
the Swami would refuse to proceed further, and say
that it was a sin to call man God. But the Master
would induce him to read on by saying that he was
not insisting on his accepting this teaching but only
asking him to read it out to him. This was one of
the ways in which the Swami was taught Advaita,
and this book came to have a great influence on his
life.
Swami Vivekananda laid great emphasis on
Advaita and often declared that it would become the
future religion of mankind. He called upon the world