Bhagini Nivedita
Bhagini Nivedita ( 28th Oct 1867 - 13th Oct 1905 )
From her grandfather Margaret inherited measureless courage and boundless patriotism, while from her father she inherited tremendous compassion for the poor. And from her mother she inherited not only her great beauty but her tenderness and sympathy.
Margaret often went with her grand father and her father to the homes and hovels of the poor and joined them in rendering service to them. Thus, even from her earliest years, service became her constant companion.
When The Call Comes
Samuel's work was toilsome but his income meager. Even out of his slender means he gave away his utmost to the less fortunate among his flock. Overwork and care under mined his health. Samuel was just thirty four when death claimed his precious life. At the last moment he called his devoted wife and whispered in her ears, When the call comes from Heaven, let Margaret go. The little one will reveal her talents and do great things
Soon after her husband's death Mary went with her children to her parental home in Ireland. Her old parents gave all their affection to their grand children, yet brought them up under strict discipline.
Some years passed. The grand parents sent Margaret and her sister to the Halifax College, where the two girls were resident - boarders of the college hostel. Discipline was the watch word of the place. Life there was all discipline - rigid, severe discipline. But the sisters loved their studies. Margaret grew fond of music and art. She took keen interest in biology.
As A Teacher
Margaret was now seventeen, a beautiful young woman, with charming manners and a dignified bearing. Her education was over. She yearned to teach little children. She easily got a teacher's post at Keswick. Filled with joy she entered upon life, beginning as a small teacher, only to become a great teacher.
To teach tiny tots is no easy task, as children are fond of play. They must be made to learn even as they are playing. Margaret fell drawn to this challenging task. She tried several experiments to make her teaching not only successful but interesting. In 1892 she started her own school. It soon became popular. People got to know that Margaret was a brilliant teacher.
A Welsh youth, who was an engineer, was attracted by Margaret. Their friendship, growing more and more intimate, finally turned into love. They became engaged. Unfortunately, the young man became bed-ridden with a serious illness, which soon took his life. Margaret was plunged in grief. Yet she faced it bravely by applying herself more and more to her school work and her studies.
Finding the Guru
1895 - the momentous year that changed the very course of Margaret's life.
Lady Isabel Margesson, a friend of Margaret, invited her to her home to meet a Hindu monk on the following Sunday. Margaret has herself described her experience on the occasion. A majestic personage, clad in a saffron gown and wearing a red waist-band, sat there on the floor, cross-legged.
As he spoke to the company, he recited Sanskrit verses in his deep, sonorous voice. His serene face, his dignified bearing and his divine voice cast a spell upon the listeners, who felt electrified by his frequent utterance of the name of Shiva, Shiva! Margaret, however, who had already delved deep into the sacred lore of the East, found nothing quite new in what she heard on this occasion. What was new to her was the personality of the Swamiji himself.
Margaret found out that this rare Swamiji with his magnetic personality was none other than Swami Vivekananda who, two years before in 1893, had attended the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago. His inspiring address at the Parliament had captured millions of American hearts.
