Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda Barely thirty years of age, the young monk from India rose on September 11, 1893 at Chicago, where his baritone voice resonated thus, “Sisters and brothers of America. It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks of the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of all religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects….” These were the inspiring words and thoughts of Swami Vivekananda, the intrepid evangelist. Born Narendranath in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on January 12, 1863, he lived barely 39 years. His unwavering surrender to his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa metamorphosed his personality. The dynamic and resplendent personality of Swami Vivekananda was representative of the socio-political-cultural- religious renaissance which occurred in the second half of 19th century India. Narendranath’s early struggle in coursing for jobs where he was unsuccessful made him skeptical and scornful of the rigmarole of daily existence. The clairvoyant saint, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his obedient devotee were both bound by one cardinal principle. This was service or seva to mankind. Swami Vivekananda, like the Buddha, comes across as a powerful reader of the human mind by adopting a less visceral approach to attend to the muddles and complications confronting humans. He was full of vitality and zest, infinite dynamism, with high prana and energy levels. He was a man possessed, with little time for rest, to fire the imagination of people in general and the youth in particular. Swami Vivekananda was markedly influenced by the characters of Sita, Savitri, and Damayanti of Hindu mythology. He was inspired by their contribution to Indian womanhood, which he believed was a living embodiment of Universal Motherhood. The undaunted seva warrior trained in Vedanta and deeply spiritual, fumed at inertia. He exhorted his fellow monks and others to cast away the Bhagvad Gita and play football instead. He aspired for muscular minds and bodies. He once famously remarked, “I want men whose muscles are of iron and nerves made of steel, and who possess minds wrought from thunder.” Swami Vivekananda was razor sharp and he was fully abreast of the latest political currents of socialism, anarchism and nihilism sweeping across the globe. The minds of the youth of Congress, who were fervently participating in the Swadeshi movement, were ignited by the philosophy and approach of the fearless Swami. So much so, Pandit Nehru was compelled to draw a parallel between Swami Vivekananda’s brand of socialism and the old Vedanta. The indomitable Swami was at the forefront of the cultural and spiritual renaissance of the country. His mind was unsettled by the prevailing poverty, caste system and the social mores of the times. He dreamt of contemporary India rising from the huts of the impoverished peasantry, cobblers, fishermen and other deprived sections of the society. However, what really stood out in his personality was the pristine quality of humility. His modesty made him accessible to all. He never appropriated the movement. He was very clear in his mind that after him, several more Vivekanandas would rise to serve the motherland and each one of them would be greater than him. There may be many who would try to appropriate his contribution to India today, but would appear weak mimics. Romain Rolland, the renowned philosopher has aptly written, “If this man is not a God-man, who else is?”