I

Swami Vivekananda it was that discovered India to herself as weIl as to the world. He did both some seventy years ago when he spoke at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago (1893).

There was need for that discovery, and it came in good time. His boyhood (B. 1863) found Britain consolidating her empire in lndia after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Britain’s advancing might and main, and the wonders of her science and diplomacy, had stunned and muffled India’s sense of herself. ln the face of such an all-conquering colossus, where was there any place on earth for India?

What good was she to the world, and what good was she fit to claim from the world? Such were the questions that thousands of earnest minds must have been asking themselves at the time throughout the land. The National Congress was then but eight years old and had yet to find its feet. The Congress might work for good government and even self-government; but that is not discovering a world-purpose for India to live for. It was to Swami Vivekananda that the vision came of a convincing answer.

II

Inspirations and insights come to men at rare moments. This can be seen from the life-stories of even scientists. But no scientist has yet been able to define when they come and by what channels. Somewhere, some day, some word that fell from the lips of Guru Sri Ramakrishna must have lunged Swami Vivekananda into the depths of Samadhi, – concentrated thought and intense meditation, – which, in its own good time, brought before the soul’s eye the vision of lndia as world-teacher, – of lndia beckoning humanity to a higher view of life and its values and recommending for its pursuit ends better in keeping with the pure spirit (Atman) which is the essence of man. The vision implied a two-fold task: First, India must recover her own soul from the deadweight of ages. Second, she must learn to stand erect among the nations.

III

The Swami had but nine years (1893-1902) to give to the tasks he thus set to himself. Insufficiency in time was more than made up by abundance in devotion and gifts. And what gifts of mind and intellect and character! A marvelous oratory, a regal personality, erudition in Sanskrit, mastery of what English had to give, unfailing sense of humour, the innate sympathy that brings insight into the hearts of others, courage an all-daring courage; such were the gifts. And fundamental to aIl was the vivid and luminous realization in his own person and experience of aIl that the Vedanta meant to life individual and life universal. The Swami was a yogi as well as a karmi, a rasika as weIl as a tarkika. He could be unsentimental and firm like a rock in business affairs; he could melt away Iike a child in tears at the touch of anything great or moving in human nature. A transcendentalist at heart and an Indian patriot in action.

IV

The aim of his Vedanta was man-making- not unmanning. His Sannyasa was not a ritualistic and cheerless renunciation of aIl values, but a glad and deliberate rejection of inferior values. To translate the Vedanta into terms of life, – of life at each level and grade according to its circumstances, was his comprehensive object. It is to the world’s good that it should be got to look at India; and lndia can achieve that good only when she looks at the world with both understanding and sympathy. This then was his supreme purpose: to bring home to all mankind a sense of its spiritual kinship. The Vedanta should be re-interpreted in terms of the life of today. That is what Sri Krishna did for his day, Shankara for his day, Vidyaranya for his world and his day. Of that long and illustrious tradition, Vivekananda is our contemporary representative. Vedanta for home and society, for the council and other assembly as much as for the mutt and the monastery. ln Vivekananda we thus salute the symbol of India’s soul reaching out bands of brotherliness to all quarters of the globe.

[A book of Swami Vivekananda particularly ta be recommended especially to young students, is the collection of lectures. ” From Colombo to Almora. “]

(This is article by Sri D V Gundappa (DVG) on Swami Vivekananda for Public Affairs Edition Feb 1963.)

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