ABSTRACT
Even After 117 years of his leaving this world, he lives in the core of our heart. We entered 21st century but his philosophy is the guiding source of inspiration for millions of population of the world. His ideals are the only weapon to remove all darkness. Therefore, his new understanding of religion, new view of man, new principle of morality and ethics, concept of East-West, contribution to India, contribution to Hinduism, teaching are still relevant in enlightening us. Swami Vivekananda clearly defined and strengthened the sense of unity as a nation. Swamiji gave Indians proper understanding of their country’s great spiritual heritage and thus gave them pride in their past. i.e. pointed out to Indians the drawbacks of Western culture and the need for India’s contribution to overcome these drawbacks. In this way Swamiji made India a nation with a global mission. Sense of unity, pride in the past, sense of mission – these were the factors which gave real strength and purpose to India’s nationalist movement.
Introduction
More than the contributions to India his sermons helped the world to understand oneness of humanity. As a monk he had his own way of teaching the common people to realize that they can rise above every challenge. He encouraged them to have faith in themselves to achieve their goal. He believed that Hindu religion is divine by nature and a fountain head of knowledge. His speeches took the world by storm. Western world realized that they did not understand well about India before Vivekananda. He enhanced the self respect of India. He still remains as great inspiration for young Indians. His patriotism and faith in Indian independence made Indians to believe in self determination. His writings and life gave Hinduism a face lift. He lamented that we Indians are ignorant of Hinduism and not following it in it’s true spirit. He wished Hindus live as Hindus in more refined form. His vision for a world order where human beings live in harmony as brothers and sisters was a tall order.Yet laid the seeds in the minds of all human beings to believe in brother hood in entire humanity. He belongs to the world still and India can certainly be proud of it’s one of the greatest sons ever born.
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Swami Vivekananda was the chief disciple of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He is considered a key figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the 'Western' World, mainly in America and Europe and is also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the end of the 19th century. He is considered to be a ‘major force’ in the revival of Hinduism in modern India. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech which began: 'Sisters and Brothers of America,' through which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893.
WAMIJI’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDIA:
Swamiji’s Contributions
- He was the first cultural ambassador to the west. He showed that India has much to contribute to world culture.
- He also showed that Science and Religion is not contradictory but complimentary.
- He gave an identity of who we are and what is Hinduism. He showed the common bases in different sections of Hinduism. He played a major role in unification of Hinduism. In words of sister Nivedita: '..it may be said that when he began to speak it was of ‘the religious ideas of the Hindus’, but when he ended, Hinduism had been created.'
- Defending Hinduism was one of the important work of his life. Missionaries of west and pseudo-intellectuals propagated their own understanding of Hinduism which were mostly negative in nature. He raised his voice against this and clarified the concepts of Hinduism thereby, giving self-pride to followers of Hinduism.
- He founded RamKrishna Mission to propagate the teachings of his Guru (teacher) Sri RamKrishna Paramhans and interpreted many ancient Hindu scriptures in context of the modern world.
- Preserving of Diversity. Hinduism is a diverse religion with different philosophies. like: worshipping different Gods , different life styles, different scriptures, different school of thoughts like Advaitism and Dualism. By accepting all the diversities, he helped in preserving the same.
- He played an important role in popularizing the Yoga.
- Sense of Pride among Indians: He used to take pride in our ancient advancement in Science, Arts and other areas and at the same time he used to quote them. That time the world looked on us as a country of snake-charmers. He was the first to raise these issues on international platform. In his own words: ' (India) where stood the earliest cradle of ethics, arts, sciences, and literature, and the integrity of whose sons and the virtue of whose daughters have been sung by all travelers.'
- Swami Vivekananda gave the most modern interpretation of Hinduism by freeing Hindu doctrine from social practice. Swami Vivekananda contributed to awakening of Hindus from their deep sleep. His writing and speeches were so electric that the British rulers of his time had him on their watch list. His specific achievments were:
- Awakening Hindus to demand their birth right of independence;
- He made Hinduism into a world religion by harmonising the different Vedantic schools. In fact some western academics accuse Vivekananda of concocting Hinduism from scratch. According to these academics there was no Hinduism before Vivekananda. You will get a good discussion of this in Rajiv Malhotra's book 'Indra's Net'. I myself do not accept that Vivekananda gave rise to Hinduism from scratch but I accept that he was the first person to definitely give a coherent picture of Hinduism.
- Reviving Jnana-Karma samucchay of the Gita which had died due to downgrading of Karma Yoga by Sankara. Sankarites were opposed to social work because the world is Maya and so helping people is useless. They would not help even if people were dying in front of them. They would argue that helping people would give rise to Karma which would hurt one on the path to Moksha. Vivekananda pointed out that Krishna has said in the Gita that nishkama karma is not binding and social work should be done for the benefit of the people in the spirit of service. Vivekananda got his idea from Sri Ramakrishna’s famous dictum, ‘Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva’. He revived Hindu social services like schools, Colleges, orphanages etc. Now all Hindu organizations do seva.
- He attacked the caste problem head on and pointed out the difference between caste (jati) and Varna of the Hindu scriptures. Hindus do not practice the Varnashram dharma of the Gita. Basically he freed the Hindu doctrine from its social moorings.
- The 9-volume Complete Works of Vivekananda has become essential reading material for understanding Hinduism.
- He was also an accomplished essayist and a poet in Bengali and Sanskrit.
Reforms
Vivekananda considered Hinduism to be the mother of all religions. He established through historical sequence. He showed that Vedic religion had influenced Buddhism which again was instrumental in influencing Christianity. He told that all the religions of the world have the same value and importance. In the Parliament of Religions he told—” …. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth ….Upon the banner of every religion soon be written … ‘Help and not fight’, ‘Assimilation and not Destruction’, ‘Harmony, and peace and not Dissension.”
Thus, through his universal religion, Vivekananda preached the unity of God. He told that though the paths are different for different religions but the goal is same. He attached great importance to the unity of all religions and their fusion into one universal religion.
Advaita Vendantism: Swami Vivekananda was a great lover of Vedantic philosophy. He believed in monism. He had firm faith on one God. His motto, as reflected earlier, was to establish a link among different religions. He had told that as water of different rivers mingle in the sea, similarly every religion finds itself at the feet of God. He did not see any difference between a Veda or Koran or Bible. Temple, Mosque and Church were equal for him.
He preferred to meditate at any place without any inhibition in his mind. By his personal example he preached monism or Avaita Vedantism. By that he showed his toleration towards every religion. He spoke the message of Vedanta regarding the world unity and to believe shapeless God. Socialistic thought: Swami Vivekananda was a socialist par excellence. Once he had told-“I am a socialist not because I think it is a perfect system, but half a loaf is better than no bread.” He had realized the plights of millions of hungry Indians. He thus, stated – “It is mockery to offer religion to a starving man”. As a ‘iconoclastic crusader”,
Vivekananda wanted “elevation of the masses” because he had opined that “the nation lives in the cottage”. He gave his message of socialism to stop exploitation of the mass. His socialistic idea is best explained in his words—“Material civilization, nay, even luxury, is necessary to create work for the poor. Bread! Bread! I do not believe in a God who cannot give me bread here, giving me eternal bliss in heaven! Pooh! India is to be raised, the poor are to be fed, education is to be spread, and the evil of priest craft is to be removed. No priest craft, no social tyranny! More bread, more opportunity for everybody.” Thus, as a hardcore socialist, Vivekananda wanted the upliftment the hungry mass of India.
On Women:As a feminist, Vivekananda glorified the role of women. He considered women as Shakti – the creating force. They are to be given proper education because they are mother first and mother last. If they are educated, they would educate the whole nation. They are not to be fretted simply as a wife. Proper steps should be taken for the education and training of women. The future largely rests on women.
Nationalism and Patriotism: Swami Vivekananda was a hardcore nationalist. Patriotism was present in his every vein. He emphasized on the virtues like manliness and patriotism. He wanted everybody to be free from the bondage of others. Giving a clarion call to the youth of India he repeated the Upanishad doctrine – “Arise awake and stop not till the goal is reached.” This goal about which Swami Vivekananda spoke was undoubtedly patriotism which was to be imbibed by every young man of India. His ideas gave direction to the future leaders of the country who carried on their protracted struggle against the British hegemony.
Internationalism: Vivekananda considered the world as his home and people of different parts of the globe as his brothers and sisters. In the ‘Parliament of Religions’ he had rojected this idea. He played the role of a world teacher and taught all for unity and integrity. He wanted a perfect amalgamation of Indian spiritualism and Western materialism. There should not be any distinction between the East and West; rather it should be regarded as one humanity. He also advocated universal brotherhood. He urged for the help of the rich nations to the poor for bringing parity in the world society. Thus, he suggested to overcome racial and religious prejudices. The gospel of universalism and world community was preached by Swami Vivekananda for the creation of a better world.
Crusade against Superstition: Swami Vivekananda was a crusader against superstitions. He vehemently opposed the superiority of the Brahmins, untouchability and so on. Giving a caution to the Hindus, he told –“Our religion is confined within the kitchen. The cooking pot is our God. Our religion is -1 am holy – touch me not.” To curb out the difference between man and man and to create a healthy social atmosphere, Vivekananda tried his level best. He opined that a new India wall emerge when the difference among its people will disappear. He gave a strategic blow to all the existing prejudices and advised people to be united for a common cause – the cause of the motherland. Ramkrishna Mission:
Estimate: Of course, Vivekananda was criticized for his idea regarding the caste system. His idea of internationalism was regarded as a platonic utopia. However, criticisms are only for criticisms sake. Swami Vivekananda constituent endeavor to free religion from superstitions really establishes him as a great reformer. His synthesis of the materialism and spiritualism is another remarkable feature of his philosophical thought. Thus, he was a great spiritual, nationalist, internationalist and so on. Renaissance and reformation were the two peas of Vivekananda personality. He really brought a reawakening of the Indian culture. By his sharp intellect and reformative attitude he made Hinduism a progressive force in the world. A rare gem he was in the treasure of Indian wisdom. Undoubtedly he dazzled as a shining star in the cultural horizon of India and attracted the attention of the people of the world.
Caste System: A striking contrast was noticed in the idea of Vivekananda regarding the caste system. Strangely enough, he supported the Varna system as described in the Vedas. Unfolding the advantages of the caste system, he told that division of labour is a great blessing of this system. It would lead to excellence in any profession. This division, of course, will lead to a caste on the path of progress. However, he also exposed the evils of this system. Untouchability was its worst part. So, Vivekananda criticized this type of “Don’t touches”. He wanted to curb out this type of dogmatism from the society.
Conclusion
Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a 'condensed India .' His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the 'paragon of Vedantists.' Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection.’’ His words,' writes Romain Rolland, 'are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, 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 burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!” Vivekananda drew the attention of Indians towards the values of Western ways of life. He opened the link between Indian minds and external things. The West appeared to him as the land of material civilization. The spirit of that civilization to him was essential for Indian progress. Therefore he declared “From the great dynamo of Europe, the electric flow of that tremendous power vivifying the whole world, we want that energy, that love of independence, that spirit of self-reliance, that immovable fortitude, that dexterity in action, that bond of unity of purpose that thirst for improvement”. His vision thus inaugurated an European society with Indian religion. Vivekananda therefore appeared on the Indian scene as a messiah of a new age, a symbol of a new spirit and source of strength for the future. At the age of 39 in 1902, the great man Swami Vivekananda passed away but his life and action inspired millions of Indians. His name remained as a source of national inspiration. The Ramakrishan Mission the brain child of Swami Vivekananda has been doing splendid and monumental humanitarian and social service by opening schools and colleges, libraries and orphanages all over the country.
REFERENCES
- Advaita Ashrama (1983), Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda (3rd ed.), Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama, pp. 430, (Collected articles on Swami Vivekananda, reprinted in 1994)
- Badrinath, Chaturvedi (2006), Swami Vivekananda The Living Vedanta, New York: Penguin,
- Basu, Shamita (2002), Religious Revivalism as Nationalist Discourse: Swami Vivekananda and new Hinduism in nineteenth century Bengal, New Delhi: Oxford University Press,
- Burke (1987) [1985], Swami Vivekananda in the West: New Discoveries (in six volumes) (3rd ed.), Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama,
- Chetananda, Swami (1997), God lived with them: life stories of sixteen monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, St. Louis, Missouri: Vedanta Society of St. Louis, pp. 655,
- Gambhirananda, Swami (1983) [1957], History of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (3rd ed.), Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama,
- Jones, Kenneth W. (1989), Socio-religious movements in British India, Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press,
- Jyotirmayananda, Swami (2000) [1986], Vivekananda: His Gospel of Man-Making with a garland of tributes and a chronicle of his life and times, with pictures (4th ed.), Chennai, India
- Nikhilananda, Swami (1989) [1953], Vivekananda: A Biography, New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, http://www.vivekananda.net/PDFBooks/BiographybyNikhilananda.pdf
- Nivedita, Sister (Margaret E. Noble) (1918), The Master As I Saw Him, London: Longmans, Green & Co., OCLC 364867356,
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