Swami Vivekananda Among a Galaxy of Great

Swami Vivekananda Among a Galaxy of
Great Personalities

India has been gifted with a galaxy of great personalities to guide its people. Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda of recent times are the worthy successors in the galaxy.

Some researchers estimate that Lord Sri Rama was a living personality about ten thousand years . Sage Valmiki chronicled the events in his lifetime, as he was the protector of Sita and her twins. All the places connected with their lives like Ayodhya, Lucknow etc., and Janakpuri in Nepal connected with Sita and a place where they got married are believed to be in existence and are the places of pilgrimage today.

Similarly, Sri Krishna’s life popular through Mahabharata and Bhagavatha Purana appears as a recent occurrence and Kaliyuga is counted since his time.

Gautama the Buddha, who was born in Nepal, is just 2500 years old. His life and teachings have influenced the population of half the world. Similarly, Mahavir born in Bihar has ardent devotees till today and his teachings too have travelled far and wide.

Sri Adi Sankara, Sri Ramanuja, Madhwacharya and Vallabhacharya who have their followers in succession through their disciples are very much a reality today.

Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, recognised as incarnations are worshipped in temples dedicated to them. When Swami Vivekananda, after watching the holiness of his guru’s life at close quarters, entertained a faint doubt in his mind just before the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna cleared his doubt categorically by declaring himself that he was no other than Rama and Krishna reincarnating as Sri Ramakrishna in this age. Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions proved himself and his Guru as universal Personalities relevant to the entire humanity and not confined to India alone.

Sri Ramakrishna lived his holy life and never left any specific instructions either to Swami Vivekananda or the young band of dedicated monastic disciples except saying that Swami Vivekananda would lead them and would plan the methods with his intelligence. Not knowing as to how to proceed, Swamiji undertook a tour in the entire country on foot which finally led him to Kanyakumari where he discovered his plan of action. He carried out his plans in the next ten years from 1892 as guided by Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother. The record of his life and teachings is available through the medium of his selfless stenographer Mr. Goodwyn, Sister Nivedita, Mary Louis Burke and several of his brother monks. He himself initiated the publication of journals, and arranged to translate scriptures from Sanskrit and their publications.

Many of our leaders in the Freedom Movement were directly inspired by his literature, as confessed by eminent personalities like Balgangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhaschandra Bose. Many foreigners like Maxmuller, Romain Rolland have written their Biographies declaring them as eminent leaders with universal appeal. A radical thinker like Leo Tolstoy drew inspiration from them.

When Vivekananda travelled across the country as itinerant monk and had first hand experience of the poor, he was pained and he thought that his first task should be to improve their living conditions and see that they are fed and clothed first and given education to make them stand on their own feet. At Kanyakumari, sitting in meditation for three days at the end of December, 1892, he hit upon a plan and walked away refreshed. He proceeded to Madras (the present Chennai) where his unlimited abilities were discovered by the intelligentia of the city. Soon preparations were made to send him to America to attend the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. By the grace of Sri Ramakrishna, he could participate in it as a Hindu delegate. He unfolded the greatness of India and its ancient wisdom and its universal relevance to the entire world. He was applauded in his very first address and he captured the hearts of all those present.

He later left on visit to Europe. In the land of our rulers too he made a lasting impression and earned ardent sympathisers to India. To give a concrete shape to his plans for the work of Sri Ramakrishna, he founded Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. During the productive life of about ten years from 1892 to 1902, he unfolded his plans to his admirers. His main message was for youth in whom he had immense faith and his targeted group are the poor and oppressed and his heart bled with unlimited sympathy for the impoverished masses. When persistently asked as to why he did not plunge into action for achieving freedom, he said that we were not ready to rule ourselves with all our inherent draws, but he predicted with his unfailing intuition in 1897 that India would become Independent in fifty years. We became an Independent nation exactly after fifty years in 1947. His Birthday on 12th January was declared as National Youth Day by the Government of India.

With such a ground as this which earned him the name of patriot saint, our Governments at the Centre did not think it fit to introduce him to our youth. Whoever reads his life instantaneously get inspired and they try to do something in the service of the country and humanity. Swamiji’s literature can come to the rescue of the Nation to dedicate itself to uplift the poor. At least the younger generation has to be made aware of his writings and speeches. The only way to bring it to their notice is by way of including it in the curriculum from primary to higher education. It is for the educationists to make the Governments at the State and Centre realise the need to introduce the literature in the syllabus at all levels of education. Swamiji had definite ideas on education. The present system of education is the legacy of the one introduced by Lord Macaulay to manufacture obedient servants to the British Rulers. The latest trend is craze for English medium Institutions to the detriment of the child’s mother tongue. With it the fancy for Western Culture and way of life is gaining momentum and our present system is such that the younger generation is not even allowed a glimpse of our lofty culture. Are we not to be blamed for this drift? It is now time for the educationists to ponder over and take steps to restore our moral and ethical values. Swamiji’s literature has everything to inspire the youth to become real patriots and make them work for the uplift of masses who are still being oppressed.

According to the old religion a atheist is one who does not believe in God. According to Vedanta an atheist is one who does not believe in himself. 
-Vivekananda