Swami Vivekananda (The Master Builder of Our Nation)

March 30, 2000

MESSAGE OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA - SOCIAL REPORMER, PATRIOT SAINT AND SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Less than nine short years were left for him on this earth after his participation in the World Parliament of Religions when Swamiji laid the foundation for the re-building of his Motherland. He returned to India in 1897. He went to West again in June 1899 and returned finally in December 1900.

During the brief sojourn in India - short but intense years - he busied himself with the establishment of Ramakrishna Math and Mission at Belur and on the Himalayas and pilgrimage to several places in northern India in addition to imparting proper discipline and training to Brahmacharis. Yet, whenever he chose to speak, words of unusual strength, vigor, significance and relevance flowed in torrents which have come to us today in the form of his message. As our ancient wisdom proclaims - the 'Word is God' - so it is with Swami Vivekananda for those who draw inspiration from him, "His words are himself", revealing so much of the strength and majesty of his great personality, as integrated, universal and beautiful as Indian culture itself. A study of Swami Vivekananda is not complete without drinking deep from the fountain of his soul-stirring messages.

His messages speak of a philosophy which combines external action in a spirit of service for the enrichment of the society, with internal action for the spiritual enrichment of the individual. He combined the 'action' and 'inaction' of the Gita or in other words he blended 'Karma' and 'Jnana'. This is the essence of Swamiji's message. Most of his works of importance have been compiled by the Advaita Ashrama in eight volumes known as 'Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda'. We can surely get a glimpse of his great personality by reading through these volumes. What he truly must have been is portrayed by his great admire and biographer Romain Rolland in the following words:

"His words are great music phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handle choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his... without receiving 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!"

Cont.