His Faithful Goodwin

Many of the lectures of Swami Vivekananda came about through the tireless efforts of J.J. Goodwin, an American disciple of the swami. An honest and interesting biography that sheds light on Swami Vivekananda and the world of the Vedanta movement in 1900. When he was preaching "Vedanta" in USA it was not not easy to find a stenographer who could keep pace with his rapid speech. Therefore,, his friends and admirers finally engaged a very expensive court-reporter, Mr. J J Goodwin, for this purpose. But after the first week he refused any money, saying "If Vivekananda gives his life, the least I can do is to give my service." When he joined Vivekananda, he was 25 year old.









When Vivekananda came back to India, he took Goodwin (and another lady Mrs. Savier) along with him. Swamiji thought that, there will be some impact to the Indians, seeing two English people along with him. But... Other than the enthusiasm, seeing an English man along with Swami Vivekananda, Indians treated him as a "Mlecha". He had to wait outside the temple, when Vivekananta and other went inside the temple. He was not allowed in the kitchen... and so on... Goodwin used to live here, just like another Sanyasi. Still he was not liking India.. He stayed here, only because, Swamiji is hre, and Goodwin was treating swamiji as God. Quateing his words reg. Vivekananda's work in India "I feel, that in India, he[Swamiji] will do very little. His chief weapon is in his Western work. For every success he has there the the influence here is tenfold. The people will run after him, and shout "Jai Vivekananda", by the thousands, and will applause him, when he says the 'God of India is the cooking pot and the religion of the country the kitchen', but the same people go back to home, and throw away their meal, if anyone look at it".

Most of the time in India, he stayed away from Vivekananda, since Swaji wanted him to take up various responsibility. He passed away in his 28th year, in Ooty, due to typhoid. Swamiji exclaimed in grief when on 21 June 1898 he received the cable announcing Goodwin’s death, "My right hand is gone!" He wrote a beautiful condolence letter to Goodwin’s mother in England and he also wrote a poem in his honour entitled "Requiescat in Pace".

==================================================== REQUIESCAT IN PACE (Written in memoriam to J. J. Goodwin, August, 1898.)
Speed forth, O Soul! upon thy star-strewn path; Speed, blissful one! where thought is ever free, Where time and space no longer mist the view, Eternal peace and blessings be with thee!
Thy service true, complete thy sacrifice, Thy home the heart of love transcendent find; Remembrance sweet, that kills all space and time, Like altar roses fill thy place behind! Thy bonds are broke, thy quest in bliss is found,
And one with That which comes as Death and Life; Thou helpful one! unselfish e'er on earth, Ahead! still help with love this world of strife!

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"Dear Goodwin, Accept my love and Prayers also. We are proud of your life"

I wish to add something to the entire story:
"A swamiji from India, can reform the whole world, except India."

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Ref: "My Faithful Goodwin" by Pravrajika Vrajaprana; Advida Ashrama
publication department.



***Some pics. from Goodwins graveyard AT Ooty.