One Guru for Life- Vivekananda tries to take Deeksha
The Silent Intervention
These events took place some time after Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa had left his mortal body. Swami Vivekananda, still navigating the depths of his spiritual journey, was in contact with the revered saint Pavahari Baba of Ghazipur. During this period, he stayed at a small farm, some distance away from Baba’s ashram.
Swami Vivekananda felt a quiet dissatisfaction—he regretted not having learned any physical yogic techniques, particularly Hatha Yoga, from his Guru, Ramakrishna. With this in mind, he approached Pavahari Baba and requested initiation into Hatha Yoga. Baba agreed, and a date was set.
The evening before the initiation, Swami Vivekananda sat alone on a cot, lost in deep contemplation. As he sat there, he suddenly saw a vision: Sri Ramakrishna was standing to his right, silent and solemn, his face clouded with sorrow.
The moment was deeply unsettling. Vivekananda, who had wholly accepted Ramakrishna as his Guru, now found himself on the brink of taking diksha (initiation) from another. A wave of embarrassment and inner conflict overcame him. He gazed at the vision of Ramakrishna for hours—no words were spoken—until the form slowly disappeared into the night.
The experience shook him to the core. He postponed the initiation.
A few days later, as he again contemplated whether the time was right to take Hatha Yoga diksha, the vision returned. Ramakrishna appeared once more—silent, watchful, and sorrowful. This happened repeatedly, each time Vivekananda considered the decision.
Gradually, he realized: it was not the will of his Guru. In silent surrender, Vivekananda resolved not to take initiation from anyone else.
It is said that the bond between a true Guru and disciple is not born in a single lifetime—it is ancient, forged through karmic ties and guided by divine will.