Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 196)

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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 196

 

4. The Theosophical Society Weakened the Indians by Giving Them back Their

Superstitions

 

I disagree with all those [the Theosophists] who are giving their superstitions

back to my people. Like the Egyptologist’s interest in Egypt, it is easy to feel

an interest in India that is purely selfish. One may desire to see again the

India of one’s books, one’s studies, one’s dreams. My hope is to see again the

strong points of that India, reinforced by the strong points of this age, only

in a natural way. The new state of things must be a growth from within. (48)

 

I am perfectly aware that, although some truth underlies the mass of " mystical’

thought which has burst upon the Western world of late, it is for the most part

full of motives unworthy or insane. For this reason, I have never had anything

to do with these phases of religion, either in India or elsewhere, and " mystics "

as a class are not very favorable to me….

 

I quite agree that only the Advaita philosophy can save humankind, either in the

East or West, from " devil worship " and kindred superstitions, giving tone and

strength to the very nature of humanity. India herself requires this, quite as

much or ever more than the West….

 

It is the patient upbuilding of character, the intense struggle to realize the

truth, which will tell in the future of humanity.(49)

 

Brave, bold men - these are what we want. What we want is vigor in the blood,

strength in the nerves, iron muscles and nerves of steel, not softening,

namby-pamby ideas. Avoid all these. Avoid all mystery. There is no mystery in

religion. Is there any mystery in Vedanta, or the Vedas, or in the Samhita, or

in the Puranas? What secret societies did the sages of yore establish to preach

their religion? What sleight-of-hand tricks are recorded as having been used by

them to bring their grand truths to humanity? Mystery-mongering and superstition

are always signs of weakness. These are always the signs of degradation and

death. Therefore, beware of them. Be strong, stand on your own feet. Great

things there are, most marvelous things. We may call them supernatural things so

far as our ideas of nature go, but not one of these things is a " mystery " . It

was never preached on the soil of India that the truths of religion were

mysteries, or that they were the property of secret societies sitting on the

snowtops of the Himalayas. I have been in the Himalayas…. I am a sannyasin, and

I have been for the last fourteen years on foot. These mysterious societies do

not exist anywhere. Do not run after these superstitions. Better for you… that

you become rank atheists, because you would have strength; but these are

degradation and death. Shame on humanity that strong people should spend their

time on these superstitions, spend all their time in inventing allegories to

explain the most rotten superstitions in the world. Be bold; do not try to

explain everything that way. The fact is that the Indians have many

superstitions, many bad spots and sores on their body - these have to be

excised, cut off, and destroyed - but these do not destroy their religion, their

national life, their spirituality. Every principle of religion is safe; and the

sooner these black spots are purged away, the better the principles will shine,

the more gloriously. Stick to them.(50)