Remember Vivekananda

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TODAY IS THE DAY OF ADVENT OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND

THIS DAY IS CELEBRATED AS NATIONAL YOUTHS DAY

(EVERY JANUARY 12TH) in INDIA

YOUTH IN THE SENSE NOT MEANS OUR AGE BUT OUR ACTIVITIES, BEHAVIOUR, CONDUCT,

COMMUNICATION, TREATING PEOPLE, RESPECT TO OUR RELIGION

&

A HEART TO HELP THE NEEDFUL

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR SWAMI VIVEKANAND¢S PHOTO AND ABOUT HIM

(PLEASE DON¢T THINK YOU ARE WASTING TIME BY READING THIS MAIL MAY BE ONE OF US

CAN BE ENLIGHTENED)

 

 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

[1863-1902]

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA' S inspiring personality was well known both in India and in

America during the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of

the twentieth. The unknown monk of India suddenly leapt into fame at the

Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, at which he represented

Hinduism. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep

spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human

sympathy, colourful personality, and handsome figure made an irresistible appeal

to the many types of Americans who came in contact with him. People who saw or

heard Vivekananda even once still cherish his memory after a lapse of more than

half a century.

In America Vivekananda' s mission was the interpretation of India 's spiritual

culture, especially in its Vedantic setting. He also tried to enrich the

religious consciousness of the Americans through the rational and humanistic

teachings of the Vedanta philosophy. In America he became India 's spiritual

ambassador and pleaded eloquently for better understanding between India and the

New World in order to create a healthy synthesis of East and West, of religion

and science.

In his own motherland Vivekananda is regarded as the patriot saint of modern

India and an inspirer of her dormant national consciousness, To the Hindus he

preached the ideal of a strength-giving and man-making religion. Service to man

as the visible manifestation of the Godhead was the special form of worship he

advocated for the Indians, devoted as they were to the rituals and myths of

their ancient faith. Many political leaders of India have publicly acknowledged

their indebtedness to Swami Vivekananda.

The Swami's mission was both national and international. A lover of mankind,

be strove to promote peace and human brotherhood on the spiritual foundation of

the Vedantic Oneness of existence. A mystic of the highest order, Vivekananda

had a direct and intuitive experience of Reality. He derived his ideas from that

unfailing source of wisdom and often presented them in the soulstirring language

of poetry.

The natural tendency of Vivekananda' s mind, like that of his Master,

Ramakrishna, was to soar above the world and forget itself in contemplation of

the Absolute. But another part of his personality bled at the sight of human

suffering in East and West alike. It might appear that his mind seldom found a

point of rest in its oscillation between contemplation of God and service to

man. Be that as it may, he chose, in obedience to a higher call, service to man

as his mission on earth; and this choice has endeared him to people in the West,

Americans in particular.

In the course of a short life of thirty-nine years (1863-1902), of which only

ten were devoted to public activities-and those, too, in the midst of acute

physical suffering-he left for posterity his four classics: Jnana-Yoga,

Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, all of which are outstanding treatises

on Hindu philosophy. In addition, he delivered innumerable lectures, wrote

inspired letters in his own hand to his many friends and disciples, composed

numerous poems, and acted as spiritual guide to the many seekers, who came to

him for instruction. He also organized the Ramakrishna Order of monks, which is

the most outstanding religious organization of modern India . It is devoted to

the propagation of the Hindu spiritual culture not only in the Swami's native

land, but also in America and in other parts of the world.

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!''

 

I DON¢T REQUEST ANYONE TO WORSHIP HIM, IT¢S LEFT TO U, BUT TRY TO FOLLOW

ATLEAST ONE OF HIS TEACHINGS.

SARVAM KRISHNARPANAM.

 

 

 

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