Swami Vivekananda

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Please find below excerpts from the article 'The Holy Trio'. It is

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< http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/holitrio.html >

*

Swami Vivekananda

 

To arrest the (sectarian influence of ) onward march of 'scientific

reason', to fight the onslaught of external technological progress which

claimed material prosperity as the only goal for humanity, one required

answers in the scientific language alone. Language of simplicity and

faith was brushed aside as weakness and defeat. Religion was on

defensive in the face of clattering advances of science. To combat this

destructive march of quasi purposive science, Swami Vivekananda entered

the world arena as a great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

Chicago; 11th September 1893. His call of, " Sisters and Brothers of

America… " echoed the voice of universality and oneness of life. It shook

the Western thought of reason and science at its very root. He extracted

scientific truths from Upanishads and Vedanta and put breaks on the

criticism of religion as non-scientific mumbling. The old philosophy of

Vedanta was given new form suited to the modern scientific thinking.

Swami Vivekananda experienced neo-vedantic culture and evolutionary

vision in the wonderful life of Sri Ramakrishna, and he maintained that

that was the essential pre-requisite for future survival of

civilization. As a man of vision, however, Swami Vivekananda advocated

the unity of physical and spiritual sciences. One is lame without the

other. He truthfully elaborated the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna that

were in 'seed form', so to say.

The Divinity is best manifest in human beings. Hence it is logical and

rational to 'worship God in each human face' rather than try to find Him

in icons and images, temples and buildings, scriptures and books. He was

convinced that the 'blot of untouchability', exploitation and slave

mentality would vanish from the face of the earth if the teachings of

Sri Ramakrishna are put in practice. He was convinced about this most

important teaching of his Master and the Holy Mother that all religions

are but so many paths to reach the same perfection or goal. Naturally,

religious fanaticism, persecution, and bigotry had no place in Swamiji's

concept of religion.

Thus we find an ideal synthesis of Divine qualities in the lives of Sri

Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda. If the human race is to

survive on this earth, if the value system is to be established in human

beings, if altruism is to have upper hand over hedonism, if pure reason

and science have to triumph, one needs study and imbibe the teachings of

Vedanta as preached in the lives and sayings of these three great souls.

A new light of spirituality is dawning on the earth; let us rush to see

the wonderful sunrise of Divinity and be Free!

*

dr c s shah

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