Indira Gandhi, the former prime minister of India, addressing the youth of the country, once said “people like Swami Vivekananda, make you feel proud to be Indians”. Free India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: “Rooted in the past, full of pride in India’s prestige, Vivekananda was yet modern in his approach to life’s problems, and was a kind of bridge between the past of India and her present … he came as a tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu (Indian) mind and gave it self-reliance and some roots in the past.”
Swami Vivekananda is the quintessence of all that is good about Indian civilization. He represented the liberal thought that would allow all view points, but would also not be blown away by them. Though deeply spiritual and completely devoid of worldly possessions, he could empathize with the material deprivation of common Indians. He often said ‘the hungry man needs food to fill his stomach before he is fed spirituality”. Swami Vivekananda, was relentless in his efforts to awaken India from its slumber. He hated sloth and laziness and exhorted people to work- ‘Arise, Awake and stop not till your goal is reached’ was his constant refrain. While being a proud Indian, Swami Vivekananda did not miss a chance to point out the evils that have crept into the Indian society and was always suggesting ways of reforming. Vivekananda was the enlightened soul that descends once in a millennium and India was lucky that he was born here in this country.
Swami Vivekananda, born as Narendranath in an upper middle class family, in Bengal, was even from his child hood a spiritual boy in the quest of the unknown. Brilliant in studies, handsome in appearance with an athletic body, endowed with a melodious voice, he captivated one and all. He was the natural leader in any setting. He believed that one who has not seen God (not encountered a deep spiritual experience) could not help other people in that path. It is this query that brought him to Dakshineshwar, the temple garden, where Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the great spiritual master resided. Vivekananda was bowled over, when Sri Ramakrishna, told him, in response to his query that God can be seen and experienced. What was wanted was an intensity of feeling. Ramakrishna’s simplicity and honesty, made Vivekananda to accept him as his Master, but not before sufficient tests. Ramakrishna exclaimed on seeing Vivekananda and told him that he has known him for several generations and in this life he has been waiting for him to carry forward his (Ramakrishna’s) work. Vivekananda led a band of youth who formed the first set of the monks of the Ramakrishna order. He established the Ramakrishna Mission which continues to devote itself self to the cause of spirituality and education and in alleviating human misery. The headquarters of this mission, situated at Belur, on the banks of the River Ganga, has spread its roots all across the world. Vivekananda’s genius is in synthesizing spirituality with science. A votary of the advaita philosophy, he scoffed superstition and embraced rational thought. Vivekananda was singularly instrumental in bringing India and Hinduism to the world stage. Swamiji presented the Hindu thought to the Western public in a way they could understand and appreciate. By wonderfully blending spirituality with scientific reasoning Vivekananda interpreted the Upanishads and showed their relevance to the modern world.
After, the passing away of Shri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda travelled all over India and towards the end this journey came to Kanyakumari. He swam across the sea to an isolated rock and meditated. He felt that he needed to go to the west. He decided to attend the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, USA. After, dogged efforts and against all odds he managed to reach Chicago. His charming personality and his Indian attire and manners immediately won him admirers. As he rose to speak there was expectation in the air. He started his address with the now famous “ Brothers and Sisters of America..”. The audience, not used to being addressed with such love and affection was moved to offer thunderous applause. His address, in that meeting, mesmerized the audience and they wanted more of him. The idea of unity and acceptance of religions was one of the greatest messages of Swami Vivekananda. Using simple analogies he carried a powerful message. He said ‘ Just like a frog that lives in a small well and mistakes it to be the Ocean, a Hindu or a Christian live in their own small wells. Only if they choose to come out this they can learn to live expansively.’ His speech and ideas left an indelible impression in the minds of the people. The world appreciated his message and he had instantly become a world-hero. He made them reach out to the ocean and appreciate its vast nature.
At the end of the 19th century, the people in the west had a very wrong impression about Hinduism and India. India was considered a land of superstitions. It was considered a place where people worshipped snakes and cows. With the amalgam of spirituality and scientific temper, Vivekananda was able to paint a whole new picture of Hinduism and India which the West for the first time could perceive, understand and appreciate. He showed that Hinduism, far from being an antiquated bundle of ideas was in fact the sanathana dharma, the ancient repository of wisdom and spirituality with continuous relevance to humanity. Vivekananda showed that Hinduism is like the pole star that can guide troubled sailors during their travails on the sindhu of samsara.
After his return to India, Swami Vivekananda rejuvenated and modernized monasticism. The new monastic principles combined renunciation of the self with service to humanity as a means of realizing the divine. He elevated social service to the status of divine service (manava seva is madhava seva). The spiritual order that Swami Vivekananda has founded over a hundred years back has not just survived but is thriving and flourishing and is more relevant to us than ever before.
Swami Vivekananda shed his mortal coil after only 39 years. The work that he accomplished during this short span will guide the world for thousands of years.
