Swami Vivekananda

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Question & Answers With Swami Vivekananda

Posted by: " Bhakta Dhruva " bhakta_dhruva

 

Disciple: How is it, Swamiji, that you do not lecture in this country? You have

stirred Europe and America with your lectures, but

coming back here you have kept silence.

 

Swami Vivekananda: In this country, the ground should be prepared

first; then if the seed is sown, the plant will come out best. The ground in the

West, in Europe and America is very fertile and fit for sowing seeds. There they

have reached the climax of Bhoga (enjoyment). Being satiated with Bhoga to the

full, their minds are not getting peace now even in those enjoyments, and they

feel as if they wanted something else. In this country you have neither Bhoga

nor Yoga (renunciation). When one is satiated with Bhoga, then it is that one

will listen to and understand the teachings on Yoga. What good will lectures do

in a country like India which has become the birthplace of disease, sorrow, and

affliction, and where men are emaciated through starvation, and weak in mind?

 

Disciple: How is that? Do you not say that ours is the land of religion and that

here the people understand religion as they do nowhere else? Why then will not

this country be animated by your inspiring eloquence and reap to the full the

fruits thereof?

 

Swami Vivekananda: Now understand what religion means. The first thing required

is the worship of the Kurma (tortoise)Incarnation, and the belly-god is this

Kurma, as it were. Until you pacify this, no one will welcome your words about

religion. India is restless with the thought of how to face this spectre of

hunger. The draining of the best resources of the country by the foreigners, the

unrestricted exports of merchandise, and, above all, the abominable jealousy

natural to slaves are eating into the vitals of India. First of all,

you must remove this evil of hunger and starvation, this constant anxiety for

bare existence, from those to whom you want to preach religion; otherwise,

lectures and such things will be of no benefit.

 

Disciple: What should we do then to remove that evil?

 

Swami Vivekananda: First, some young men full of the spirit of renunciation are

needed — those who will be ready to sacrifice their lives for others, instead of

devoting themselves to their own happiness. With this object in view I shall

establish a Math to train young Sannyasins, who will go from door to door and

make the people realise their pitiable condition by means of facts and

reasoning, and instruct them in the ways and means for their welfare, and at the

same time will explain to them as clearly as possible, in very simple and easy

language, the higher truths of religion. The masses in our country are like the

sleeping Leviathan. The education imparted by the present university system

reaches one or two per cent of the masses only. And even those who get that do

not succeed in their endeavours of doing any good to their country. But it is

not their fault, poor fellows! As soon as they come out of their college,

they find themselves fathers of several children! Somehow or other they manage

to secure the position of a clerk, or at the most, a deputy magistrate. This is

the finale of education! With the burden of a family on their backs, they find

no time to do anything great or think anything high. They do not find means

enough to fulfil their personal wants and interests; so what can be expected of

them in the way of doing anything for others?

 

Disciple: Is there then no way out for us?

 

Swami Vivekananda: Certainly there is. This is the land of Religion Eternal. The

country has fallen, no doubt, but will as surely rise again, and that upheaval

will astound the world. The lower the hollows the billows make, the higher and

with greater force will they rise again.

 

Disciple: How will India rise again?

 

Swami Vivekananda: Do you not see? The dawn has already appeared in the eastern

sky, and there is little delay in the sun's rising. You all set your shoulders

to the wheel! What is there in making the world all in all, and thinking of " My

Samsara (family and property), my Samsara " ? Your duty at present is to go from

one part of the country to another, from village to village, and make the people

understand that mere sitting idly won't do any more. Make them

understand their real condition and say, " O ye brothers, arise! Awake! How much

longer would you remain asleep! " Go and advise them how to improve their own

condition, and make them comprehend the sublime truths of the Shastras

(scriptures), by presenting them in a lucid and popular way. So long the

Brahmins have monopolised religion; but since they cannot hold their ground

against the strong tide of time, go and take steps so that one and all in the

land may get that religion. Impress upon their minds that they have the same

right to religion as the Brahmins. Initiate all, even down to the Chandalas

(people of the lowest castes), in these fiery Mantras. Also instruct them, in

simple words, about the necessities of life, and in trade, commerce,

agriculture, etc. If you cannot do this then fie upon your education and

culture, and fie upon your studying the Vedas and Vedanta!

 

Disciple: But where is that strength in us? I should have felt myself

blessed if I had a hundredth part of your powers, Swamiji.

 

Swami Vivekananda: How foolish! Power and things like that will come by

themselves. Put yourself to work, and you will final such tremendous power

coming to you that you will feel it hard to bear. Even the least work done for

others awakens the power within; even thinking the least good of others

gradually instils into the heart the strength of a lion. I love you all ever so

much, but I wish you

all to die working for others — I should rather be glad to see you do that!

 

Disciple: What will become of those, then, who depend on me?

 

Swami Vivekananda: If you are ready to sacrifice your life for others, God will

certainly provide some means for them. Have you not read in the Gita (VI. 40)

the words of Shri Krishna, " — Never does a doer of good, O my beloved, come to

grief " ?

 

Disciple: I see, sir.

 

Swami Vivekananda: The essential thing is renunciation. With out renunciation

none can pour out his whole heart in working for others. The man of renunciation

sees all with an equal eye and devotes himself to the service of all. Does not

our Vedanta also teach us to see all with an equal eye? Why then do you cherish

the idea that the wife and children are your own, more than others? At your very

threshold, Nârâyana Himself in the form of a poor beggar is dying of

starvation! Instead of giving him anything, would you only satisfy the

appetites of your wife and children with delicacies? Why, that is beastly!

 

Disciple: To work for others requires a good deal of money at times, and where

shall I get that?

 

Swami Vivekananda: Why not do as much as lies within your power? Even if you

cannot give to others for want of money, surely you can at least breathe into

their ears some good words or impart some good instruction, can't you? Or does

that also require money?

 

Disciple: Yes, sir, that I can do.

 

Swami Vivekananda: But saying, " I can " , won't do. Show me through action what

you can do, and then only I shall know that your coming to me is turned to some

good account. Get up, and put your shoulders to the wheel — how long is this

life for? As you have come into this world, leave some mark behind. Otherwise,

where is the difference between you and the trees and stones? They, too, come

into existence, decay and die. If you like to be born and to die like them, you

are at liberty to do so. Show me by your actions that your reading the Vedanta

has been fruitful of the highest good. Go and tell all, " In

every one of you lies that Eternal Power " , and try to wake It up. What

will you do with individual salvation? That is sheer selfishness. Throw aside

your meditation, throw away your salvation and such things! Put your whole heart

and soul in the work to which I have consecrated myself.

 

With bated breath the disciple heard these inspiring words, and Swamiji went on

with his usual fire and eloquence.

 

Swami Vivekananda: First of all, make the soil ready, and thousands of

Vivekanandas will in time be born into this world to deliver lectures on

religion. You needn't worry yourself about that! Don't you see why I am starting

orphanages, famine-relief works, etc.? Don't you see how Sister Nivedita, a

British lady, has learnt to serve Indians so well, by doing even menial work for

them? And can't you, being Indians, similarly serve your own fellow-countrymen?

Go, all of you, wherever there is an outbreak of plague or famine, or wherever

the people are in distress, and mitigate their sufferings. At the most you may

die in the attempt — what of that? How many like you are

being born and dying like worms every day? What difference does that make to the

world at large? Die you must, but have a great ideal to die for, and it is

better to die with a great ideal in life. Preach this ideal from door to door,

and you will yourselves be benefited by it at the same time that you are doing

good to your country. On you lie the future hopes of our country. I feel extreme

pain to see you leading a life of inaction. Set yourselves to work — to work! Do

not tarry — the time of death is approaching day by day! Do not sit idle,

thinking that everything will be done in time, later on! Mind — nothing will be

done that way!

 

-(From complete works of swami vivekananda volume 5)