Next we find the Swami at Margao, in Goa. This was then a Portuguese coastal colony. In his letter written during his stay at Margao (but wrongly dated 1893), he wrote to Haripada Mitra:_x000d_ I have just now received a letter from you. I reached here safe. I went to visit Panjim and a few other villages and temples near by. I returned just today. I have not given up the intention of visiting Gokarna, Mahabaleshwar [different from the previous Mahabaleshwar, where the Swami had been that summer], and other places. I start for Dharwar by the morning train tomorrow. I have taken the walking-stick with me. Doctor Yagdekar's friend was very hospitable to me. Please give my compliments to Mr. Bhate and all others there. May the Lord shower His blessings on you and your wife. The town of Panjim is very neat and clean. Most of the Christians here are literate. The Hindus are mostly uneducated. Yours affectionately, Sacchidananda._x000d_ This is the first letter which the Swami is known to have signed "Sacchidananda". Evidently, during this period he changed to this name from "Vivekananda", which he had used in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Subrai Naik who was a scholar in Sanskrit and well versed in Hindu scriptures was naturally charmed by Swamiji's extraordinary intellect and the depth of his religious knowledge. Having come to know that the main object of his distinguished guest in visiting Goa was to study Christian theology from old Latin texts and manuscripts which were unavailable elsewhere in India, Subrai Naik invited a learned Christian friend, J. P. Alvares, and introduced him to Swamiji who had a talk with him on this subject in Latin [?]. Alvares who was greatly impressed by Swamiji's erudition, immediately made special arrangements for him to stay at the Rachol Seminary, the oldest convent-college of theology in Goa, four miles away from Margao, where rare religious literature in manuscripts and printed works in Latin [are] preserved.

Swamiji spent three days in this seminary assiduously perusing all the important theological works that he found there. His gigantic intellect and original views about Christianity based on sound knowledge were indeed a marvel to the Father Superior and to other Padres and also to all students of this Seminary.

On his return to Margao, visits to Swamiji from Padres even from distant places became a regular occurrence and they even took part enthusiastically in the farewell meeting organized by the Hindus in the town to honour this Hindu monk on the eve of his departure.

One day, it is said, the Swami sang some devotional songs and was accompanied on the Tabla by a reputed Tabla¬player named Kharupji. After the singing was over, the Swami spoke to Kharupji of his habit of distorting his face while playing on the Tabla. He said that one could play on the Tabla without making faces; but Kharupji said that that was impossible. Then the Swami himself played on the Tabla and showed that it is possible.

On the eve of the guest's departure Mr. Naik asked the Swami for a photograph of himself, to keep alive the memory of his visit. The photograph given by the Swami is still preserved by the descendants of Mr. Naik. Later, this gentleman took Sannyasa and became Swami Subramanyananda Tirtha. He passed away in the same room that had been occupied by the Swami.

Something of the Swami's visit to Goa is also known from an article published in the Hindu of January 19, 1964. The author, Shri V. S. Sukhthanker, writes:_x000d_ Swami Vivekananda, during his peregrination in India, happened to stop at Belgaum, where he expressed a desire to visit Goa to Dr. V. V. Shirgaonker, a prominent citizen of the city with whom he came into close contact. This was no ordinary visit, for he had a special purpose in mind. Dr. Shirgaonker wrote to Subrai Naik, his learned friend in Margao-Goa, to kindly be at the service of Swamiji._x000d_ The day on which Swamiji alighted at the railway station of Margao, he was received by hundreds of people who had come to accord him welcome. Seated in a horse carriage, he was taken in procession to the house of his host Subrai Naik.