On 4 July 1902 (the day of his death),
[167] Vivekananda awoke early, went to the monastery at Belur Math and meditated for three hours. He taught
Shukla-Yajur-Veda, Sanskrit grammar and the philosophy of yoga to pupils,
[168][169] later discussing with colleagues a planned Vedic college in the Ramakrishna Math. At 7:00 pm Vivekananda went to his room, asking not to be disturbed;
[168] he died at 9:20 p.m. while
meditating.
[170] According to his disciples, Vivekananda attained
mahasamādhi;
[171] the rupture of a blood vessel in his brain was reported as a possible cause of death.
[172] His disciples believed that the rupture was due to his
brahmarandhra (an opening in the crown of his head) being pierced when he attained
mahasamādhi. Vivekananda fulfilled his prophecy that he would not live forty years.
[173] He was cremated on a
sandalwood funeral pyre on the bank of the
Ganga in Belur, opposite where
Ramakrishna was cremated sixteen years earlier.
[174]