Swami Vivekananda by his life has had tremendous effect on the minds of the Indian youth not just the time he lived but even on the youths of nation across generations , even today he is seen by youth as an inspirational figure his thoughts , his speech ,his ideas and selfless work for the nation that rejuvinated a nation that was living under immense poverty and tyranny of an arrogant british rule. Almost all freedom fighters wheather it be Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose were all inspired by Swamiji. Swamiji and his team set up Ramkrishna Mission that has silently done tremendous work across the nation and world, lives of people changed because of Swamiji , what he really really achieved was the change at level of thought of people he instilled in the society the value of self belief, fearlessness and brought to light the glory of ancient India and Indian culture.
Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 his birthname was Narendranath Dutta , the first war of Indian independence happened in the year 1857 so this was a period of lull in India's freedom movement the Indian nation was in tatters against an opressive British rule centuries of foreign rule had destroyed the manhood of the nation. There was poverty, misery,illiteracy and country lost in the darkness of superstitions and blind beliefs. The few educated ones were questioning the beleifs of their own Hindu religion and quite rightfully though there was this shameful untouchability a nonsensical caste system. It was Swami Vivekanada's guru and Bengal's greatest saint Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa who reinstilled the faith in Hindu religion. As a young man Narendranth Dutta was an excellent student and questioned every thought and belief he was of a curious nature once attending a class in collage he asked his professor, if trance happens for real the answer that he got was that the professor has seen only one man do that and the person was Ramkrishna Parmhamsa of Dakshineshwar.
The young Narendranath Dutta went to Ramkrishna Paramhamsa and asked a question that he had asked everyone " Sir have you seen God?" and for the first time he got an answer "Yes, I have seen god , I have seen god as I see you, if you want you can see god as well" and thus began the association of the guru and sishya. Naren went on to become a great monk after the death of Ramkrishna he went around the nation travelling on feet or by train and witnessed the plight of the nation first hand , moved by the wretched condition of the nation he decided to do something. After travelling across the nation he reached the southern most tip of India and swam his way to the island of Kanyakumari and meditated there for 3 days the entire history of the nation flashed in front of his eyes and he decided to go to USA to attain the Parliament of Religions.
With a small amount of money he left for America, on reaching USA it was not easy for him to adjust to a new country. The money he had was depleating fast and he had to wire India for more money. It so happened that he lost whatever little he had at one point and while he sat at the corner of a road at that time it was Mrs George W Hale who helped him took care of his need and introduced him to Dr. J.H. Barrows ,the president of the parliament who coordially accepted Swami Vivekananda as the representative of Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions.
At the Parliament of Religions religious leaders from all over the world had assembled. Everyone came with prewritten speeches but the Swami was totally unprepared and never before in his life he had spoken before such a large audience. He was all nerves and when Dr Barrows introduced him he rose to speak bowing to goddess Saraswati and remembering his guru Sri Sri Ramakrishna , his first words were " SISTERS AND BROTHERS OF AMERICA" and it was followed with a huge applause that lasted two minutes and it was followed by the following speech
"It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nationsmay well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and
universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year
in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the
different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.” The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent
whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal."
And this speech stole the show , the next day the newpapers were filled with reports about Swamiji and he became famous and well known across USA. He made many speeches in the Parliament of Religions and then followed it up with speeches at various places in America earning some money and many disciples along the way. Thus Vedanta and Yoga was introduced in America and the image of India as a poor uncivilized nation change to the image of a nation with glorious history and culture.
When he cameback to India he received a hero's welcome , people already knew about Swamiji's success in America from newspapers. From Ceylon(Sri Lanka) to Madras he visited various places and spoke on different aspects which were meant to awaken the masses that was living under servitude and had forgotten about their own divine nature and strength.
Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 his birthname was Narendranath Dutta , the first war of Indian independence happened in the year 1857 so this was a period of lull in India's freedom movement the Indian nation was in tatters against an opressive British rule centuries of foreign rule had destroyed the manhood of the nation. There was poverty, misery,illiteracy and country lost in the darkness of superstitions and blind beliefs. The few educated ones were questioning the beleifs of their own Hindu religion and quite rightfully though there was this shameful untouchability a nonsensical caste system. It was Swami Vivekanada's guru and Bengal's greatest saint Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa who reinstilled the faith in Hindu religion. As a young man Narendranth Dutta was an excellent student and questioned every thought and belief he was of a curious nature once attending a class in collage he asked his professor, if trance happens for real the answer that he got was that the professor has seen only one man do that and the person was Ramkrishna Parmhamsa of Dakshineshwar.
The young Narendranath Dutta went to Ramkrishna Paramhamsa and asked a question that he had asked everyone " Sir have you seen God?" and for the first time he got an answer "Yes, I have seen god , I have seen god as I see you, if you want you can see god as well" and thus began the association of the guru and sishya. Naren went on to become a great monk after the death of Ramkrishna he went around the nation travelling on feet or by train and witnessed the plight of the nation first hand , moved by the wretched condition of the nation he decided to do something. After travelling across the nation he reached the southern most tip of India and swam his way to the island of Kanyakumari and meditated there for 3 days the entire history of the nation flashed in front of his eyes and he decided to go to USA to attain the Parliament of Religions.
With a small amount of money he left for America, on reaching USA it was not easy for him to adjust to a new country. The money he had was depleating fast and he had to wire India for more money. It so happened that he lost whatever little he had at one point and while he sat at the corner of a road at that time it was Mrs George W Hale who helped him took care of his need and introduced him to Dr. J.H. Barrows ,the president of the parliament who coordially accepted Swami Vivekananda as the representative of Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions.
At the Parliament of Religions religious leaders from all over the world had assembled. Everyone came with prewritten speeches but the Swami was totally unprepared and never before in his life he had spoken before such a large audience. He was all nerves and when Dr Barrows introduced him he rose to speak bowing to goddess Saraswati and remembering his guru Sri Sri Ramakrishna , his first words were " SISTERS AND BROTHERS OF AMERICA" and it was followed with a huge applause that lasted two minutes and it was followed by the following speech
"It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nationsmay well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and
universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year
in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the
different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.” The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent
whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal."
And this speech stole the show , the next day the newpapers were filled with reports about Swamiji and he became famous and well known across USA. He made many speeches in the Parliament of Religions and then followed it up with speeches at various places in America earning some money and many disciples along the way. Thus Vedanta and Yoga was introduced in America and the image of India as a poor uncivilized nation change to the image of a nation with glorious history and culture.
When he cameback to India he received a hero's welcome , people already knew about Swamiji's success in America from newspapers. From Ceylon(Sri Lanka) to Madras he visited various places and spoke on different aspects which were meant to awaken the masses that was living under servitude and had forgotten about their own divine nature and strength.
