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“All power is within you. You can do anything and everything. Believe in that. Do not believe that you are weak. Stand up and express the divinity within you” – said Swami Vivekananda, the great spiritual leader and social reformer. It is worth knowing what Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the greatest freedom fighters who happened to meet and closely interact with Vivekananda more than once, said about Swami ji, “He preached Hindu religion in the length and breadth of the world and in my opinion, Swami Vivekananda was the "second Shankaracharya" of the 19th century who always talked about the glory of Hinduism very forcefully and logically.”
Narendra Nath Datta or Naren, as Swami
Vivekananda was known before finally resolving to live like a true monk in the
year 1886, was born in erstwhile Calcutta on 12th January, 1863
in a well-to-do family. His life was very eventful. He was intelligent,
meritorious, strong, sensitive and curious. Besides studies, Naren was
very good at sports and music. He graduated from Calcutta University and
was successful in acquiring a good understanding of various subjects including
History and Philosophy. He lost his father at the age of 21 and passed through
a very challenging life thereafter for some years.
From his early childhood, he had a spiritual
inclination. As such, he started practising yoga and meditation since his
school days. Later on, he associated himself with the Brahmo Samaj
Movement for a brief period. In November,1881 he came in contact with his
Spiritual Guru, Sri Ramkrishna in Dakshineswar near Calcutta. Naren
became his true disciple and finally became a monk. Sri Ramkrishna passed away
in August, 1886.
Swami Vivekananda started his journey to see and
know the real Bharat as a wandering monk in 1888 and travelled extensively for
almost five years in different parts of the country thereby having first-hand
experience of the ground realities prevailing in British ruled India. He
reached Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and sat in deep meditation on Rock
Island at Kanyakumari from 25th to 27th December,1892.
This place is now well-known as Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
In 1893, he went to America and addressed the
delegates in the “Parliament of Religions” in Chicago. His address
was historic and was widely acclaimed. Marwin-Marie Snell, the President of
Scientific Section of the Parliament of Religion, Chicago said about Swami Ji’s
speech, “By far the most important and typical representative of Hinduism was
Swami Vivekananda, who in fact was beyond question the most popular and
influential man in the Parliament.” According to a daily afternoon newspaper, The
Boston Evening Transcript, “Vivekananda’s address before the Parliament was
broad as the heaven above us, embracing the best in all religions, as the
ultimate universal religion – charity to all mankind and good works for the
love of God, not the fear of punishment or hope of reward. He is a great
favourite of the Parliament… …If he merely crosses the platform, he is
applauded… …At the Parliament of Religion they used to keep Vivekanand until
the end of the programme to make people stay till the end of the session … …The
four thousand fanning people in the Hall of Columbus would sit smiling and
expectant waiting for an hour or two to listen to Vivekananda for fifteen
minutes. The Chairman knew the old rule of keeping the best until the last.” In
fact, through his historic speech Vivekananda introduced Hinduism and
Spirituality to the western world and also emphasised the significance of
religious tolerance, universal brotherhood and the idea that all religions lead
to the same truth.
Swami Vivekananda founded “Ramkrishna
Mission” in May, 1897 and also got a big plot afterwards in Belur on the
banks of Ganga near Calcutta, now famous as “Belur Math”. His thoughts
were based primarily on his first-hand experiences of life and hence extremely
inspiring for all strata of people across the world. Let us take this
opportunity to enlighten ourselves with his views on certain important
subjects:
Motherland: Our sacred motherland
is a land of religion and philosophy - the birthplace of spiritual giants- the
land of renunciation, where and where alone, from the most ancient to the most
modern times, there has been the highest ideal of life open to man. This is the
motherland of philosophy, of spirituality, and of ethics, of sweetness,
gentleness, and love. These still exist, and my experience of the world leads
me to stand on firm ground, and make the bold statement that India is still the
first and foremost of all the nations of the world in these respects... … Study
the history of the whole world, and you will see that every high ideal you meet
with anywhere had its origin in India… …
Education: Education is not the
amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there,
undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making,
character-making, assimilation of ideas... …The real education is that which
enables one to stand on his legs… …The education which does not help the common
mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not
bring out strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy, and the courage of a
lion - is it worth the name?... …
Youth: My faith is in the younger generation, the modern
generation, out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole
problem, like lions… … The great thing is to have faith in oneself, even
before faith in God. The whole world has been made by the energy of man, by the
power of enthusiasm, by the power of faith… … Take up one idea. Make that one
idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain,
muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave
every other idea alone. This is the way to success… … Arise, awake and stop not
till the desired end is reached... … Our duty is to encourage everyone in his
struggle to live up to his own highest ideal, and strive at the same time to
make the ideal as near as possible to the truth… …
Swami Vivekananda left this world on 4th July, 1902 at the age of just 39 years. Notwithstanding, he left the most indelible mark on the hearts and minds of millions of people both in India and abroad both by his thoughts and deeds.
# Published in "Morning India' daily on the occasion of Swamiji's Birth Anniversary
