Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902)

“Be a Hero” that was Vivekananda’s clarion call. Modern India’s patriot saint was indeed the saint who awaken her dormant national consciousness.

Swami Vivekananda was born in the year 1863, on 12 January in Calcutta. Swami Vivekananda’s life was very short, as he lived to the age of only 39. Within such short span of life his achievements were stupendous.

In India as a patriot saint, to the Hindus he preached the ideal of strength giving and man making religion. He stresses that service to man is service to god as he saw this as the visual manifestation of Godhead. This became a special form of worship which he preached to the Indians who were immersed in rituals and myths of their ancient faith.

Vivekananda was both an Indian national and at the same time very international for he was a lover of mankind. He strove to promote peace and human brotherhood. He was a mystic of the highest order for he had a direct and intuitive experience of Reality. He derived his ideas and teachings from that ever flowing source of wisdom. His writings reflected this thoughts which were presented in soul stirring poetry.

In his short life of 39 years of which only 10 were devoted to public activities, Vivekananda left for posterity his four classics of Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga and Raja-Yoga. This four classics are outstanding writings of Hindu philosophy. This was not the only writings he left behind for there are innumerable lectures, inspiring letters written in his own hand to his many devoted friends and disciples. He composed numerous soul stirring poems and songs which are reminders of the tremendous energy within him.

Swami was the spiritual guide to the many who came to him. He was the foundation of the Ramakrishna Mission and order of monks which today stands as the most outstanding religious organization of Modern India and also in various parts of the world. The Mission is devoted to the propagation of Hindu spiritual culture as Ramakrishna saw it, not only in India but also in America and in other parts on the world.

Swami Vivekananda at the International level was an inspiring personality and was well known in India towards the last decade of the 19 th Century and the first decade of the 20 th Century. This unknown monk leapt to fame at the Parliament of Religious held in Chicago in 1883 when he stood up and boldly called out …………………

His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture and his deep spiritual insight, his fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colourful personality and handsome figure made him an irresistible figure to the Americans who came in contact with him. Those who saw him or even heard of him or read his lectures even just once in their life still cherish his memory even after almost a century. Vivekananda’s mission in America was the interpretation of India’s spiritual culture focusing on the Vedantic elements. The humanistic teachings and rational approach of Vedanta philosophy enriched the religious consciousness of the Americans. He became India’s spiritual ambassador and he eloquently spoke for a better understanding between India and the New World so as to create a synthesis of East and West in religion and also in the sciences. Today, the many Ramakrishna missions and orders in the West especially America in the seeds that were planted by Vivekananda.

Vivekananda, has a very special place in the history of India. His taught and teachings and his clarion calls created a nationalistic consciousness never felt before in India. His call to the youths of India, “ Arise! Awake!” And Stop Not Till the goal is reached!” saw within it the search for an India identity. This national consciousness made India a nation of its own. Many political leaders such as even Mahatma Gandhi, acknowledged publicly their indebtedness to Swami Vivekananda for awakening India.

To the youths of India and elsewhere he held a special place. They were really convinced of his sincerity of purpose and absolute selflessness. They were impressed with his catholicity of ideas, scientific thought, intellectual powers and his utterly fearless approach to things. Above all the youth adores him because his message opens up new dimensions of one’s own personality. Swami’s words go straight to the very young at heart which is open to truth; to every brain which is open to reason. Swami is call to the youth came not from just his lips but from his very soul. The future of the new world largely depends on how earnestly the youths of today respond to his call.

Finally, Vivekananda spoke once that he represented a “condensed India”. His life, teachings, lectures, poems are of inestimable value to the west to understand the mind of Asia. An Harvard scholar called Swami “the paragon of Vedantists”. Max Muller and Paul Deussen the famous orientalists of the 19 th century had genuine respect and affection. Ramian Rolland another famous orientalist says “His words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel cliaruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of backs, at thirty years distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burining water they issued from the lips of the hero!”

What a hero he was for within a span of 10 years he achieved and asserted a tremendous influence in India and the west. He was the champion for the youths. If only he lived on the youths of today will find him a spiritual guide who cannot be matched for the fire that burns with this great soul.

Saying of Swami Vivekananda >>