As we prepare for Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, that falls on January 12, there is a need to recapitulate his ideas and ideals that are very much needed today for reinventing India. It was over a century ago that this young monk presented a different India to the Western world for whom till then this country was a nation of thugs, snake charmers and sanyasis.
Here was the sanyasi with a difference who mesmerised the audience at the World Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in September 1893. Vivekananda spoke about Hinduism in a new light, raising it to a new height. He, in fact, showcased Hinduism, packaging it as a world religion, the religion of entire humanity. Prior to this discourse of his, Hinduism was seen in a poor light by the West, which thought it was only about rituals and superstitions that was followed by illiterate people.
Vivekananda restored the pride of Hinduism. His words are worth reiterating. “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.” It was Vivekananda who talked about Hinduism as a truly Catholic religion in spirit and practice. A religion for all faiths.
He said, “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 may take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, they all lead to thee.” He presented the world with the universal view of Vedanta that said ekamsatamviprabahudhavadanti or the truth is one, the people call it by many names, which was the famous doctrine of Vedanta. He also introduced the world to the Gita by reciting the eternal wisdom of lord Krishna: “Whosoever comes to me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”
Swami Vivekananda spoke at six sessions during that World Parliament of Religions and his words touched the hearts of all those who listened to him. Vivekananda’s message was loud and clear, and the world needs to once again be given the same message. The message that holiness, purity and charity are not exclusive possessions of any church or religions institution in the world, that every system has produced men and women of the highest character. He very rightly pointed out that if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of others, he is to be pitied.
Just like a seed planted in the ground develops into a plant following law of its own growth assimilating the air, the earth and the water, similarly is the case with religions. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, or a Hindu or Buddhist is not to become a Christian. Each must assimilate the spirit of the other and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth. In the world so badly regimented in sectarianism where a new form of terrorism threatens to pit classes of humanity against one another, Swamiji’s idea of a universal religion needs to be propagated. The onus lies on India, which was the spiritual leader of the world once upon a time.
The writer teaches management at Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (Jharkhand). He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com