Swami Vivekananda, a brief insight

Swami Vivekananda is considered as the thundering monk, who created awareness amongst the youth of India, at a time when there was a dire need of direction for our youth. His message is so universal in nature, that it is applicable to our youth of today, as much as it was 150 years ago. While discussing about Swami Vivekananda with some elderly people, I thought it was time to refresh my memory from my school and college readings about Swami Vivekananda, and the end result is this article.

I am sure all of you have seen Lage Raho Munnabhai, you remember the scene when he enters the library to study about Gandhiji. And then what does he do, he picks the smallest book on Gandhiji. Well, I too had a similar experience; I started my preparation on Swami Vivekananda with a small pocket book, and then book after book, I found it so fascinating and inspiring – the end result being this comprehensive matter.

On 12^th Jan 1863, in the well known Datta family of Calcutta, a family known for affluence, philanthropy and scholarly learning, was born a monk of India, to this day regarded as the thundering monk Swami Vivekananda. 12^th Jan is observed as World Youth day, to commemorate his birthday, because he was a true icon for the youth, and it’s a matter of pride for us that he was an Indian.

Let me begin with a few things that he strongly advocated.

Do not believe in a thing because you have read about it in a book.

Do not believe in a thing because another man has said it was true.

Do not believe in words because they are hallowed by tradition.

Find out the truth for yourself. Reason it out. That is realization.

So, you too can take a clue from this and instead of accepting all that I say as gospel truth, it becomes your bounden duty to research on your own, and ascertain yourselves about the formidability of his teachings. As regards this subject of Vivekananda, there is an ocean of information available and what I have here is a very small fraction. Since you are all internet savvy, you can also go on to the Swami Vivekananda sites and get lot of information especially from the London centre, which is more active in this field than many of us Indians. And I can guarantee you that once you understand his words, you will be a transformed youth, transformed for the betterment of yourself as an individual and for all of you collectively as the youth of the society who are the future of our nation.

The other aspect he stressed on was to be fearless, be courageous and have presence of mind. Let me take a detour here - in lighter vein, may be that is where Salim - Javed drew their inspiration from and used the famous dialogue in the legendary movie Sholay, wherein Gabbar Singh says Jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya. But let me warn you that that fearlessness and courage he is talking about is not to become a Gabbar Singh, but fearlessness in upholding the true values of life, honesty in our every action and courage to fight for the upliftment of the society.

The next point is - he advocated that everyone is quite free and independent to teach what he likes, if you have the spirit within, you will attract others……he said, “individuality is my motto. I have no ambition beyond training individuals. I know very little and that little I teach without reserve; where I am ignorant, I confess; I am a sanyasin. As such, I hold myself as a servant, not as a master in the world”.

That is the level of humility we have to elevate ourselves to, to confess what we know not, to act as servants of society, to respect that individuality because we know every individual is different.

Na mata, na pita, na bhrata, na bhandhu, you don’t have to await their judgment, except the judgment of your conscience. Every night, before sleeping, if you ponder on the actions and deeds you have gone through during the day, and you may have fooled your master or the boss, but if your inner conscience says you are wrong, then your head will hang in shame in your own eyes. You may copy or even steal notes from your friend and present as your own, you may bribe a peon to get the exam sheets, you may carry chits in your sleeves to the exam hall, all this happens, and if you remember the movie Lage Raho, Circuit gives these ideas to Munnabhai, but in the movie his conscience doesn’t permit him, that is the realization that Swami Vivekananda talks of that we must have. Realization is not getting magical and yogic powers, realization is honest to self, righteous conduct, respect for elders, especially the parents and the teachers. Don’t cheat yourself, you may get through for the day, but you will not get ahead in life.

Going back to the courage to confess that was mentioned earlier, we put up a false front in the society, among friends, then quietly sneak up for confession. In the church, you will find a confession box, how many of you have used it? How many of you go to temple and do this or go to Tirupati to absolve yourselves, or take a holy dip to absolve yourself. All of us do. Right. But when we come back, old account is squared up, all sins and bad deeds are now washed off, so we can restart now. Correct! Last semester I cheated and got through, went to the temple, put 100 rupees in the hundi, now I can cheat afresh. Yes, you can do it, provided, the man in the glass, your inner self, approves of it. If the man in the glass does not approve of it, then remember, you have to transform yourself. When each one of you is transformed, then only the society will be transformed. You and I form the society, you and I curse the society that means we are cursing ourselves isn’t it. Endorsing Swami Vivekanada’s preaching on this, Mahatma Gandhi has said, You be the change.

Let me take you to the famous Parliament of religion now. Swami Vivekananda’s talk at the Parliament of religion in 1893 is most significant because that was the first call of awakening the people to realize that all religions are equal – sarva dharma samanatva. All else that was spoken at this world parliament of religion is long forgotten, but to this day Swami Vivekananda’s preaching are still cherished and quoted world over. He opened the eyes of the people that every religion is rich in its philosophical depth, in spiritual intensity, in individual vigour of thought, in breadth and sincerity of humanity and human sympathy. He pleaded the people to search for truth and arrive at our own first hand experience of reality and divinity.

At this Parliament, representing Christianity was Cardinal Gibbons, the highest prelate among the Roman Catholics, and the other speakers included Annie Beasant of theosophical society, Dharmapada of Ceylon Buddhists, Majumdar of Brahmo Samaj and representatives of Islam, Shintoism, Jainism and other religions.

With these erudite speakers sat a first timer Swami Vivekananda. Yes my dear friends, it was his maiden speech, like you and me and all present here, he too had stage fright, trembling legs, dried mouth, fluttering heart, and an audience of 7000 people from various religions, cultures and races. When he rose, he offered his prayers to Goddess Saraswati and when he said, Sisters and Brothers of America, it sent an instant message of reverence to all assembled there, and instantly they arose in their seats and gave him a thundering standing ovation. He spoke to them in a natural manner, with candid warmth of a brother. He spoke straight from his heart, he spoke with utmost sincerity. If all of us adapt this in life, even we too will be heard and accepted with that sort of admiration.

He said that religions are divided into three parts, the rituals, the mythology, the philosophy. Our rituals may vary, our mythological characters and stories may vary, but our philosophy is same, it is the common thread of all religions, preaching humanity human sympathy and ethical living, be it at your college in your academics, at home with parents, socially with friends or later in your life, in service or business. He pleaded for termination of sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism. He said let this conference bring about the death knell to fanaticism, infinite is God and infinite are the ways to reach Him. Friends, he was an orator by divine right, a model representative of his race, a perfect master of English language, the sensation of the world’s parliament.

I mentioned bigotry, sectarianism, fanaticism; let me bring a coincidence to explain this. The date of the parliament of religion is unique, it has a triple coincidence. In 19^th Century, on this day, this parliament was held as a show of bigotry but Swami Vivekananda opened the eyes of the world here. On same date in 20^th Century, to open the eyes of the world to sectarianism, Mahatma Gandhi started his first satyagraha in South Africa. And now in 21^st Century, on the same date there was a blatant show of power and fanaticism, when the twin towers were razed to ground. Yes my friends, it is Sept. 11, what a coincidence, a strange coincidence indeed. The only difference is today we don’t have the beacon light, the guiding hand of a Vivekananda or a Mahatma amidst us. That’s our misfortune, but let us pray that we have one soon.

Swami Vivekananda during his travel through the length and breadth of India has several interesting encounters and anecdotes that make interesting reading. Once it is said that a dog ran away with his bread, and he ran behind it saying, oh Lord! Please stop, Let me butter the slice for you. For a man who could see God in a dog, you can imagine how difficult it must have been for him to see the evil effects of caste system. He claimed that his Guru, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, had asked him to dedicate his life to regenerate his motherland, because she was obscured with starvation, ignorance and above all superstition. Renunciation of wants and greed will rid us of starvation, and studying the Vedas will wipe out the ignorance of mind and self imposed shackles of superstitious beliefs including the caste system. He used to share his meals with the shudras much to the displeasure of his observers, but he said that to humanity and human sympathy man is one, there is no caste to the being. Here, I am reminded of the famous Kannada song, kuladali kil yavudo, hucchhappa mathadalli melyavudo, hutu sayuva halu, manshya manshyara madhye, mel yavudo kil yavudo. Once we are dead, our mortal remains know no caste, or faith or religion.

The success of his mission is celebrated even to this day because he showed our country India to the western world in a different light, which they had never seen or heard of. To them, a realized, learned monk coming from India was a shocking revelation, which later was converted into immense veneration. It is amply proved by the fact that many followed him and came to India in search of self realization.

He had prophesized that he will not see the 40^th year of his life, and on 04^th July 1902, he entered into Samadhi, when he was 39 years 5 months and 24 days old. Like the fabled last supper, he had one last meal with his devotees in the Belur Math and insisted that he would serve, and when the dinner was over, he washed their hands and dried them with a towel. An embarrassed Sister Nivedita said she should be doing this, and he simply said “Jesus washed the feet of his disciples”. How prophetic. He was so well learned and evolved, that shackles of religion could not bog him down. To him religion was ethical living, humanity and human sympathy.

Knowledge of the self, of the scriptures and of the religions will make you realize that ultimately, everything comes from our Vedas and Upanishads. Aham Brahmasmi, I am the Brahman the creator or the generator, Krishnam Vande Jagatguru, the operator who teaches us how to lead a life through the holy gita, this jeeva within us is Shiva, the destroyer - Generator, Operator, Destroyer, G O D that is GOD for all of you. He is within me, within you, within one and all. Hence, when we meet and greet others, there should be humility, divinity and above all sincere morality in our every action, in every walk of life.

Friends, I must have got carried away and been fervent or emotional at times, but that is the power of Swami Vivekananda, you become ardent and passionate about his preachings once you read them and follow them. When I started my talk, I told you about my beginning with a small pocket book – you too can follow suit and as the saying goes, the proof of pudding is in tasting. I urge all of you also to read about him and his writings and I am sure it will bring about a transformation within you. Your outlook to the world and the suffering in the world will change. Swami Vivekananda’s writings and preaching are his identity and though he is not with us today, he still inspires us through these books as a friend, a philosopher, a guide. Swami Vivekananda had a message of awakening for the nation, hope for the nation, dreams for the nation, and all of you – the youth of the nation have to pledge to yourself, to carry forward this dream, and for that the first step is do not cheat the man in the glass. That is a small leap for yourself but a giant leap for the mankind.