Swami Vivekananda’s Vision of Oneness
Bharat is a land of great saints and sages. It is the land where great souls, with the light of their wisdom, illuminated their surroundings and spread their teachings to the far corners of the world. This light of wisdom brought a qualitative change to the lives of billions of people.
A renowned name among these luminaries is Swami Vivekananda. He is the one who, through his deeds and ideas, renewed the ancient idea of ‘Vishwa Bandhutva’ across the globe and granted it a tangible shape.
Swami Ji drew the inspiration to lead this holy task from the profound teachings of his guru, Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa, whose entire life was dedicated to the service of mankind. ‘Nar Seva-Narayan Seva’ was the supreme ideal of his life. This highest ideal was fully embraced and lived by his great disciple Vivekananda, who made it his life’s motto. The disciple invested all his spiritual power in realising his guru’s goal to its fullest potential.
Swami Vivekananda, along with other close disciples of his guru, founded the Ramakrishna Math on May 1, 1897 with the aim of propagating and materialising the teachings and vision of their master. This became a great centre of religious and spiritual activities, where people from diverse backgrounds could experience a spiritual atmosphere conducive to enlightenment. Simultaneously, Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission. The Mission is dedicated to fulfilling Samajik Sarokar (social responsibility) and Samajik Seva (social service). It focuses on uplifting the quality of life for ordinary men and women by offering cultural, educational and medical assistance based on the foundational principles and highest ideals of Sanatan Dharma.
Swami Vivekananda possessed an unmatched personality. As a man of action, he led various outstanding initiatives throughout his life, but his rarest achievement was preaching Vedantic teachings to the entire world. He was the one who most judiciously propagated this ancient philosophy in the 19th century. His works were rooted in rationality and logic, and carried a deep touch of humanity. Vivekananda was a sincere and captivating figure; his vision and mission fascinated commoners whenever he visited public spaces. His electrifying ideas, passionate gestures, and charismatic aura exerted an immense influence on the masses. In 1893, he travelled to Chicago for the Parliament of the World’s Religions. On 11 September, he addressed this international conference, which delegates from various religious sects attended. Swami Ji was the representative of Bharat and Hindutva. He began his speech with the iconic words, “Sisters and Brothers of America...” He was not only deeply appreciated by the audience but also received a massive mark of respect. This not only established an affable relationship with his listeners but also set him apart from the crowd. The core philosophy behind these mesmerising words was inspired and driven by the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Indian philosophy. The Sanskrit term Advaita refers to the non-dualistic nature of reality. This term is extensively discussed in Hindu scriptures to explain the unity between Jiva (the individual soul) and Brahman (the cosmic soul). This philosophy of Advaita teaches us the idea of oneness and the unity of the self. Popular philosophical texts like the Vivekachudamani and Brahmagyanavali Mala beautifully define this notion:
“Brahma Satyam Jagan-mithya Jivo-Brahmaiva naparah”
This means that Brahman alone is real, the world is illusory, and the individual soul (Jiva) is none other than Brahman. The famous Upanishadic Mahavakya (grand pronouncement), “Aham Brahmasmi”, also refers to the unity of the individual self with Brahman, the Universal Absolute. Through these verses, it is entirely clear that the supreme entity exists commonly and universally in each and every creature of this universe. Therefore, we must think of unity, speak of unity, and act in unity. Swami Vivekananda delivered this great message of Vedantic Darshana to the world. Wherever he travelled as a Parivrajaka (wandering monk), he preached the idea of universal brotherhood, which lies at the core of Hindu Sanskriti (culture). The ancient shastras of Sanatan Dharma elaborate on this idea of oneness in every entity of the universe. The ancient Indian text Hitopadesha articulates this beautifully through the verse:
Ayam nijah paroveti ganana laghuchetasam
Udaracharitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam
This literally means that only narrow-minded people perceive things through a discriminatory outlook, whereas broad-minded people view the entire world as one family. Swami Vivekananda was a man of broad vision who always cast aside the notions of duality and saw an instinctive uniformity in everyone. In his speeches and letters, he drew attention to the significance of Advaita Darshana, which highlights the uniqueness of oneness in every man, woman, and creature, beyond the barriers of caste, class, and creed. He emphasised universal brotherhood for the betterment of the world and its people. His memorable speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions underlined incredible ideas such as brotherhood, tolerance, and acceptance. He received a standing ovation for his vision of religious harmony and the essence of humanity; consequently, his approach made a profound impact on the Western world.
Swami Vivekananda had a great vision for India; he viewed the society and surroundings of his nation with a practical attitude. He journeyed across India, covering different regions and sections of society, where he observed various problems in the lives of ordinary people. He identified poverty, starvation, illiteracy, and poor health conditions as the major challenges facing Indian society. As a true genius, he realised that one cannot accept or pursue a spiritual path under such miserable conditions. Therefore, with the motto “Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha” (For one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world), he stood up to transform the lives of India’s underprivileged sections. He led this venture under the umbrella of the Ramakrishna Mission, which even today works in education, healthcare, disaster relief, and other humanitarian activities across the country. The work of the Ramakrishna Mission inculcates the values of kindness and compassion within us and celebrates the Upanishadic assertion of “Tena tyaktena bhunjitha” (Find your enjoyment through renunciation).
Thus, these great ideals of service and sacrifice form the core of Bharatiya Chintan Parampara (Indian thought tradition), which continually illuminates the world with a ray of hope-a ray that is bringing a drastic change all around. May these eminent ideas of Swami Ji always give us the true strength to overcome the weaknesses within us, as he himself beautifully said: “Strength is life, weakness is death!”
The writer is Assistant Professor, Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi; Views presented are personal.
