a research into the influence of Swami Vivekananda, himself once a master mason on Masonic ideas in India. Lot of questions remain unanswered. Seeking more information.

1. INFLUENCE OF
VIVEKANANDA &
VEDANTA
ON
FREEMASONIC IDEAS
TARAKNATH TARAPHDAR

2. FREEMASONS
• CONTROVERSIAL
• MYSTERIOUS
• OCCULT (?) PRACTICES
IN LIGHT & SHADE
• QUEER DRESS!
• CONSPIRATORS(?)
• FATERNAL NON-
RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION
• SPIRITUAL
• MONOTHEISTIC
• PHILANTHROPHIC
• SYMBOLISM
• MALE ONLY

3. ORIGIN
• STONEMASONS GUILD
• ENGLAND & SCOTLAND
• LATE 16TH. OR EARLY 17TH. CENTURY
• MAY BE EARLIER.
• ROSLYN CHAPEL, SCOTLAND: 15TH. CENTURY.
• They e e lea ly the elite of the labour
fo e, had se et usto s a d a ks..

4. SOURCE OF INFLUENCE
Freemasons
GREEK
PHILOSOPHY,
SCIENCE, MATHS
STONE MASONS
IDEAS &
TERMINOLOGY BIBLE,
HEBREW SCRIPTURES
ASTROLOGY
HERMETICISM
IDEAS OF CELTIC
DRIUDS
ANCIENT
MEGALITHIC
CULTURE
KNIGHT TEMPLARS
ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN
CULTURE
RELIGION &
PHILOSOPHY
OF EAST
KABBALAH
ALCHEMY SYMBOLISM

5. FREE MASONS: TRADITIONAL VIEW
• A system of morality veiled in allegory and
illustrated by symbols."

6. FREEMASONS: A MODERN VIEW
F ee aso y,…. is ut Ma s uest fo t uth. T uth,
indeed, is the most important of the three Grand
p i iples o hi h the o de is fou ded…..
The T uth that F ee aso y tea hes is… -- the
k o ledge of o eself …..Ou ituals a d e e o ies
are specifically designed to guide us into this spiritual
journey – to dispel ignorance, to know God, and
finally to experience God.
-- Masonic Symbolism & Vedanta, (2004)
W. Bro. Chakravarthy Sampath Madhavan
[Lodge Jyothi 253 Salem, TN.]

7. THE VIEW OF MASONS
• The religions of
the world, though
all aiming at
teaching truth,
express that truth
in different ways,
…
-The Meaning of Masonry by
W.L. Wilmshurst

8. EXPANDING FRONTIERS
• EARLY: ALL CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS SECTS
• JEWS MUSLIMS ZORASTRIANS
• SIKHS HINDUS
• P.C.DUTTA: Not polytheist, ot pa theist,
eithe idol o shippe

9. MONOTHEISTIC TO VEDANTA?
• DUALISTIC? QUALIFIED MONISTIC?
• NONDUALISTIC? MONISTIC? [MISTAKENLY
EQUATED WITH PANTHEISM]
• VEDANTA AS PAR RAMAKRISHNA-
VIVEKANANDA?

10. FREEMASONS
DEGREES
• APPRENTICE MASON
• FELLOWCRAFT
MASON
• MASTER MASON
* SCOTTISH RITE: UPTO 33o
3 GRAND PRINCIPLES
• TRUTH
• BROTHERLY LOVE
• RELEIF

11. NARENDRA BECOMES A MASON
1884
• FEB 19: APPLIED
• FEB23*: FATHER DIED
• APRIL5: PASSED
FREEMASON TEST
• APRIL 15: FELLOWCRAFT
MASON
• MAY 20: MASTER MASON NARENDRANATH IN FREE
MASON REGALIA(1884)
APRON OF F.C. MASON
(Authenticity to be verified)

12. SO SIMILAR?
WHAT IS THE SECRET OF A
MASTER MASON?
"The true knowledge
of ourselves, the
conscious
realization of our
divine
potentialities."
W.L. WILMSHURST
A MASTER MASON SAYS:
"Religion is the
realization of the
divinity already in
man.
Each soul is
potentially divine.
The goal is to
manifest it."

13. MASONS HIGHLY REGARDED VIVEKANANDA
(BUT NOT AS MASON)
• Deshbandhu C.R. Das (1870-1925)
• Dr. M.R. Jayakar (1873-1959)
• C. Rajagopalachari (1879-1972)
• Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Ayer (1879-1966)
• Sir A.L. Mudaliar (1887-1974)
• Dr. B.G. Kher (1888-1957)
http://www.masonindia.org/WellKnownFreeMasons.htm

14. Thus they have paid homage
There are number of prominent Indians who
have been Freemasons.
The most important and revered of all of
course is Swami Vivekananda, who is
known to us as Bro. Narendra Dutta , .....
R.W.Bro Justice Devinder Gupta,
(Past)G. M. Grand Lodge of India
http://www.lcl274.org/aboutus.html

15. Commemorating Vivekananda
LODGES NAMED AFTER HIM:
1.Kanyakumari Lodge Vivekananda 254
Inaugurated: 12Feb 1985*
2. Nagpur Lodge Vivekananda
Inaugurated: 2 April 2010**
*: http://www.masonicpaedia.org/showarticle.asp?id=13
http://www.masonindia.org/diaryofmasonic.htm
**: http://shirishborkar.blogspot.com/2010/04/masonic-lodge-named-after-
swami.html, published on 14.4.2010 . Pu lished i Hitavada Nagpu . . .
Not mentioned in http://www.masonindia.org/diaryofmasonic.htm

16. COMMEMORATING SWAMIJI
• Centenary Celebration of Swamiji becoming
Mason: 19/2/1984. ( Anchor & Hope Lodge)
• Dr. P.C.Chunder wrote:
• Brother Vivekananda 1884-1984, A Centenary
Tribute
• 17 Dec 1999: Conference Kolkata
• Chairperson: Justice M.M. Mukhopadhyay
• Guest of Honour: Swami Atmapriyananda

17. SWAMIJI’S BIOGRAPHY: MASONIC
VIEW
• AUTHOR: R. W. BROTHER R. RATNASWAMI
• Posted on: Sunday, June 16, 2002
• ‘Many brethren have requested that a write up about
Swami Vivekananda, as a Freemason should appear in
our web site.’
• SOME FACTS ARE ERRONEOUS, SOME
DEBATABLE.
• Available at:
• http://www.masonicpaedia.org/showarticle.asp?id=13

18. • Swamiji is the only Indian, whose
biography has been published by
this Lodge.
• NOT THE SAME AS WRITTEN BY BRO.
RATNASWAMI
• http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/vivekananda/vivekananda.html

19. An old book
"The Lost Keys of Masonry" by Manly P. Hall
(1924)
Foreward by Reynold E. Bright.
Essence of Vedanta
"Life is a Divine adventure, a splendid quest.
http://www.rgle.org.uk/The%20Lost%20Keys%20of%20Freemasonry.pdf

20. IN THE 21ST CENTURY
ESSAY COMPETITION 2004
• 1ST: MASONIC SYMBOLISM
• K. JYOTHINDRA KUMAR
• 2ND.: MASONIC SYMBOLISM & VEDANTA
• CHAKRAVARTHY SAMPATH MADHAVAN

21. MASONIC SYMBOLISM
• VEDANTIC VIEW OF MASONIC SYMBOLS &
IDEAS.
• “ a i Vi eka a da ou sai tly aso …
• 4 paths of Yoga to attain mukti can be
followed by Masons too.
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/kumar.html

22. Freemasonry in Light of Vedanta
Philosophy
• Despite the numerous parallels between the
symbolism of the fraternal organization of Freemasons
and the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vedanta, there is a
rather small collection of meaningful articles on the
topic.
• Given a working knowledge of both systems, here I
have attempted to formulate a basic structure by which
we can see how Vedanta understands the symbols and
teachings of Freemasonry.
---Ravi S. Kudesia, 28/12/2009
raviskudesia.blogspot.in/2009/12/freemasonry-in-light-of-vedanta.html

23. • DECEMBER 2011
• 2 ARTICLES
• "THE POINT WITHIN THE CIRCLE“: A
VEDANTIC PERSPECTIVE
by RW Bro SIVAKUMAR MURUGAIYAN
• SPECULATIONS INTO THE ORIGINS
AND WHYS OF RITUALS IN
FREEMASONRY
By W Bro V. DILIP KUMAR

24. "THE POINT WITHIN THE CIRCLE“: A
VEDANTIC PERSPECTIVE
RW Bro Sivakumar Murugaiyan
• A Vedantic perspective of “point with in a
circle” from Master Masons ritual, to establish
it as a Universal truth applicable to all.
• This definition of the absolute by reference to
the relative would give credence to Swami
Vivekananda's words that these are but
attempts to realise the infinite

25. SPECULATIONS INTO THE ORIGINS AND WHYS OF
RITUALS IN FREEMASONRY
By W Bro V. DILIP KUMAR
• Traces the history of rituals and charts us
through the gist of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra,
and its impact on the personality of man.
• He concludes by a notable quote by Swami
Vivekananda:
• Let me end my dissertation with the words of
Brother Swami Vivekananda: “that the
experience has been possible millions of times
before, and will be repeated eternally”.

26. Need of Guru
• The Masonic Guru Meets the Masonic Teacher
Who Meets the Mentor”
• Arthur Hendrickson
• 11 January 2013, 5:23am
• Freemasonry as a spiritual path.
• Discusses need of Guru
• Examples of Ramakrishna & Vivekananda
• http://purposelyhoodwinked.blogspot.in/2013/01/the-masonic-guru-meets-
masonic-teacher.html

27. Influence of Vivekananda
• The th ust of Hi du Veda ta as p opagated
by the Indian Mason Swami Vivekananda and
the pioneering work of Albert Pike in
establishing Hindu & ancient Aryan themes
within the American Scottish Rite degrees
formed impressive substantiation of spiritual
thought…..
• Masonry in India, Guy Beck & Naresh Sharma
http://homepage.mac.com/johngroves/AASR/Orations/Masonry%20in
%20India.pdf

28. “Pike and Vivekananda wove ancient Indian
teachings into Scottish Rite Lectures.”
ALBERT PIKE [1809-91] SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

29. MASONIC VEDANTA
• "It was Swami Vivekananda's teachings regarding
tolerance and belief in a Supreme Being that first drew
our attention towards commonalities between Hindu
Vedanta and Freemasonry.....
• Swami Vivekananda showed how closely the
Vedantic Hinduism resembles Masonic teachings of
the ascent of Masonic degrees....
• In rare genius Swami Vivekananda was able to weave a
fabric of universal religious tolerance for humanity that
was simultaneously Masonic and Vedantic and
might be labeled 'Masonic Vedanta'...."
• Masonry in India, Beck & Sharma
http://homepage.mac.com/johngroves/AASR/Orations/Masonry%20in%20In
dia.pdf

30. THE LEGACY CONTINUES
• Swamiji’s disciple Swami Paramananda
was cordially received by Masons in
Buffalo, USA.
• C-I-C of the GL felt: “the message that
the Swami had for them, was of the
utmost importance to all humanity.”
• Message of the East, Vol 9, 1920
http://books.google.co.in/books/about/Vedanta_Mo
nthly.html?id=tINXeP2JcaoC&redir_esc=y

31. A BRIEF REVIEW
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/
‘PIETRE-STONES Review of Freemasonry’
(Masonic Research papers, articles, short essays,
lectures: Alphabetical Index)

32. A REVIEW
• 240 PAPERS, 9 BY INDIANS
• VEDANTA IN 4, VIVEKANADA 1
• 215 ARTICLES BY FAMOUS MASONS
• VEDANTA 1:
• MARCUS AURELIUS AND VEDANTA by
• R.W. Bro. LEON ZELDIS 33o [ISRAEL]

33. DID SWAMIJI INFLUENCE THEM?
W.L.WILMSHURST
NORMAN VINCENT
PEALE

34. DID SWAMIJI INFLUENCE
WILMSHURST?
• Walter Leslie
Wilmshurst
• (22 JUNE, 1867 – 10
JULY, 1939) :
• One of the World's
greatest Masons,
deepest Mystics and
Most perfect of English
Gentlemen.

35. The Meaning of Masonry (1922)
• The ea liest tea hi g of the Myste ies
traceable within historic time was in the
Orient and in the language known as Sanscrit
(sic) … and for very great lights upon the
ancient Secret Doctrine one must still refer to
the religious and philosophical scriptures of
India, which was in its spiritual and temporal
prime when modern Europe was frozen
beneath an ice-cap. – Chapter V

36. Occult review (March1924)
‘e ie of ‘.M. Bu k s Cos i Co s ious ess
"The person affected realizes as never before the oneness
of the universe. He sees himself as part and parcel of
this unity which he senses as the expression of a single
conscious life. At the moment of the experience the
realization of the consciousness of the separateness of
the ego and the non-ego, the knower and the known,
entirely disappears. The man who has once had it is no
longer able to feel a shadow of doubt as to human
immortality.
He knows it with a certainty that no argument or
evidence can strengthen or shake.
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/webofhiram/?section=walter_l
eslie_wilmshurst&page=Cosmic.html

37. Raja Yoga of the Vedantists
It is the ‘aja Yoga of the Vedantists, the royal
art of self-i teg atio .
--Contempletions: Being Studies in Christian
Mysticism, [Chapter IV Raising of the Dead]
W.L. Wilmshurst (1994) pg 85.
http://ia701505.us.archive.org/13/items/ContemplationsBeingStudiesInChristianMysti
cism/Chapter4TheRaisingOfTheDead.pdf

38. W.L. WILMSHURST
• He had a p ofou d k o ledge a d
u de sta di g of o ld eligio s.
• The Chief “ iptu e of I dia The Bhagavad Gita)
a d its elatio to p ese t e e ts , 9 6
London: Philip Welby
• Widely acclaimed as a unique interpretation to
the Western world of one of the greatest esoteric
teachings from the East.
http://www.skirret.com/archive/dormer/symposium_of_papers
_contributed_8.html

39. • MAY HAVE KNOWN VEDANTA.
• OCCULT REVIEW, the monthly magazine,
where he published many articles, also
pu lished a y a ti les o Veda ta, e.g. The
Philosophy alled Veda ta y Flo e e Fa ,
(June 1908, pg 332)
• http://www.austheos.org.au/indices/OCCREV.
HTM

40. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
• The Power of Positive
Thinking,
• The Art of Living
• INFLUENCED BY JUNG,
WHO KNEW ABOUT
VEDANTA
• ANY INFLUENCE OF
VIVEKANANDA?
• NORMAN VINCENT
PEALE (1898-1993)
• Champion of Positive
Thinking
• "To me, Freemasonry is
one form of dedication
to God and service to
humanity."

41. MASONIC SYMBOLISM?

42. SUGGESTION
PERIOD EVENTS
1890-1902 “WAMIJI “ EVENTFUL LIFE
1902-1947 “WAMIJI “ INFLUENCE ON INDIAN F‘EEDOM
STRUGGLE, CHANGING ROLE OF INDIAN
FREEMASONS
1960-2000 GRAND LODGE OF INDIA (1961), VIVEKANANDA
CENTENARY
2001- INTERNET WIDESPREAD
COMPARE PRE & POST VIVEKANANDA PERIODS
FOR MENTION OF VEDANTA/ VIVEKANDA IN
MASONIC WRITINGS

43. QUESTIONS??