He was at the forefront of the cultural and spiritual renaissance of the country

Barely thirty years of age, the young monk from India rose on September 11, 1893, in Chicago, where his baritone voice resonated thus, “Sisters and brothers of America. It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome that you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks of the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of all religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects….”

These were the inspiring words and thoughts of Swami Vivekananda, the intrepid evangelist. Born Narendranath in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on January 12, 1863, he lived barely 39 years. His unwavering surrender to his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa metamorphosed his personality.

The dynamic and resplendent personality of Swami Vivekananda was representative of the socio-political-cultural- religious renaissance that occurred in the second half of 19th century India. Narendranath’s early struggle in coursing for jobs where he was unsuccessful made him sceptical and scornful of the rigmarole of daily existence. 

The clairvoyant saint, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his obedient devotee were both bound by one cardinal principle. This was service or seva to mankind. Swami Vivekananda, like the Buddha, comes across as a powerful reader of the human mind by adopting a less visceral approach to attend to the muddles and complications confronting humans. He was full of vitality and zest, infinite dynamism, with high prana and energy levels.

He was a man possessed, with little time for rest, to fire the imagination of people in general and the youth in particular. Swami Vivekananda was markedly influenced by the characters of Sita, Savitri, and Damayanti of Hindu mythology. He was inspired by their contribution to Indian womanhood, which he believed was a living embodiment of Universal Motherhood.

Swami Vivekananda, an undaunted seva warrior versed in Vedanta, urged monks to discard the Bhagavad Gita for football, advocating for robust minds and bodies. Well-versed in political ideologies like socialism, anarchism, and nihilism, he influenced Congress youth during the Swadeshi movement. Nehru even drew parallels between Vivekananda's socialism and traditional Vedanta, acknowledging the Swami's impact on the evolving political landscape.The indomitable Swami was at the forefront of the cultural and spiritual renaissance of the country. His mind was unsettled by the prevailing poverty, caste system and the social mores of the times. He dreamt of contemporary India rising from the huts of the impoverished peasantry, cobblers, fishermen and other deprived sections of the society.

However, what really stood out in his personality was the pristine quality of humility. His modesty made him accessible to all. He never appropriated the movement. He was very clear in his mind that after him, several more Vivekanandas would rise to serve the motherland and each one of them would be greater than him. There may be many who would try to appropriate his contribution to India today but would appear weak mimics. Romain Rolland, the renowned philosopher has aptly written, “If this man is not a God-man, who else is?”

(The writer is the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd. and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd and is a faculty of the Art of Living; views are personal)