Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 172)

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Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

By Sister Gayatriprana

part 172

 

2. Bring Life Back into the Country by Putting the Vedas into Practice

 

Playing on the khol [drum] and kartal and dancing in the frenzy of kirtana has

degenerated the whole people [of India]. They are, in the first place, a race of

dyspeptics - and, if in addition to this, they dance and jump in that way, how

can they bear the strain? In trying to imitate the highest sadhana, the

preliminary qualifications for which are absolute purity, they have been

swallowed in dire tamas. In every district and village you may visit, you will

find only the sound of the khol and kartal! Are not drums made in this country?

Are not trumpets and kettledrums available in India? Make the boys hear the

deep-toned sound of these instruments. Hearing from boyhood the sound of these

effeminate forms of music and listening to the kirtana, the country is well nigh

converted into a country of women. What more degradation can you expect? Even

the poet’s imagination fails to draw this picture! The damaru [hour-glass shaped

drum] and horn have to be sounded, drums are to be beaten so as to raise the

deep and martial notes; and with " Mahvira! Mahavira! " on your lips and shouting,

" Hara, hara, vyom, vyom! " the quarters are to be reverberated. The music which

awakens only the softer human feelings is to be stopped now for some time.

Stopping the light tunes such as kheal and tappa for some time, the people are

to be accustomed to hear the dhrupad music. Through the thunder-roll of the

dignified Vedic hymns, life is to be brought back into this country. In

everything the austere spirit of heroic manhood is to be revived. In following

such an ideal lies the good of the people and the country. If you can build your

character after such an ideal, then a thousand others will follow. But take care

that you do not swerve an inch from the ideal. Never lose heart. In eating,

dressing, or lying, in singing or playing, in enjoyment or disease, always

manifest the highest moral courage. Then only will you attain the grace of

Mahashakti, the Divine Mother.(3)

 

There are many things to be done, but means are wanting in this country [india].

We have brains, but no hands. We have the doctrine of the Vedanta, but we have

not the power to reduce it into practice. In our books there is the doctrine of

universal equality, but in work we make great distinctions. It was in India that

unselfish and disinterested work of the most exalted type was preached; but in

practice we are awfully cruel, awfully heartless - unable to think of anything

besides our own mass-of-flesh bodies.(4)

 

Possessed of a plenitude of rajas, [the Westerners] have now reached the

culmination of bhoga, or enjoyment. Do you think that it is not they, but you,

who are going to achieve yoga - you who hang about for the sake of your bellies?

At the sight of their highly refined enjoyment, the delineation in the Meghaduta

comes to my mind. [a description of the enjoyments of the Alakapuri by the poet,

Kalidasa] And your bhoga consists in lying on a ragged bed in a muggy room

multiplying progeny every year like a hog! Begetting a band of famished beggars

and slaves! Hence do I say, let people be made energetic and active in nature by

the stimulation of rajas.(5)

 

Cross reference to:

 

Shwe. Up., 3.8

 

Mund. Up., 3.1.6