01:03 PM
Tuesday.
First of all to start with....A Very Happy New Year to all of you....may this year bring new heights of success for you and add new accolades in your life. A new year has just commenced...full of new hopes....new targets and not to forget new resolutions, leaving behind the memories of the old one. Lets hope this year will be peaceful, brighter and more prosperous for all of us.
Phew....again a huge break....again many excuses (though some are justified too)....but OMG !!....I forgot the first anniversary of my blog that was on 8th of January....oops I missed it....anyways belated Happy Birthday my blog. Well quickly coming to the main concern of today's post....how many of you know that 12th of January is celebrated as "National Youth Day" in India....and how many of you know that on whose birth anniversary this day is celebrated ??....If you don't know....don't worry you are still in majority !!
On 12th January, 1863 a boy named Narendranath Dutta was born in Calcutta which was then part of Bengal Presidency of slave India, who later turned out to be a legend and was known as Swami Vivekananda to the whole world. The same Swami Vivekananda who changed the way the world look at India, the same Swami Vivekananda who showed a path of success and enlightenment to the Indian Youth. The one who taught the lessons of spirituality , self control and human service to the whole world. He was the chief disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and later established Ramakrishna Mission on his name.
Since birth Narendranath was more inclined towards spirituality and realization of god. While searching for a man who could directly demonstrate the reality of God, he came to Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and became his disciple. As a guru, Ramakrishna taught him Advaita Vedanta and that all religions are true, and service to man was the most effective worship of God. After the death of his Guru, Vivekananda became a wandering monk, touring the Indian subcontinent and getting a first-hand account of India's condition. He travelled through rail and road to different parts of the country and studied various cultures and literature. He also gained information about various religions being worshiped in India. He visited almost every part of India and in this continuation he lastly visited southern India. At Kanyakumari, the Swami meditated on the "last bit of Indian rock", famously known later as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial for three days. At Kanyakumari, Vivekananda had the "Vision of one India", also commonly called "The Kanyakumari resolve of 1892". He wrote,
"At Cape Camorin sitting in Mother Kumari's temple, sitting on the last bit of Indian rock - I hit upon a plan: We are so many sanyasis wandering about, and teaching the people metaphysics-it is all madness. Did not our Gurudeva used to say, `An empty stomach is no good for religion?' We as a nation have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to raise the masses."
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago to attend The Parliament of Religions. His journey to America took him through China, Japan, Canada and he arrived at Chicago in July 1893. But to his disappointment he learnt that no one without credentials from a bona fide organization would be accepted as a delegate. He came in contact with Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University. After inviting him to speak at Harvard and on learning of his not having credential to speak at the Parliament, Wright is quoted as having said, "To ask for your credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine in the heavens." Wright then addressed a letter to the Chairman in charge of delegates writing, "Here is a man who is more learned than all of our learned professors put together."
The Parliament of Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the Art Institute of Chicago. On this day Vivekananda gave his first brief address. He represented India and Hinduism. Though initially nervous, he bowed to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and began his speech with, "Sisters and brothers of America!". To these words he got a standing ovation from a crowd of seven thousand, which lasted for two minutes. Dr. Barrows, the president of the Parliament said, "India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors." He attracted widespread attention in the press, which dubbed him as the "Cyclonic monk from India". The New York Critique wrote, "He is an orator by divine right, and his strong, intelligent face in its picturesque setting of yellow and orange was hardly less interesting than those earnest words, and the rich, rhythmical utterance he gave them." The New York Herald wrote, "Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation." The American newspapers reported Swami Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most popular and influential man in the parliament".
Swami Vivekananda not only helped to restore a sense of pride among Hindus over their religion but also enlightened the Indian Youth and provoked them to be thoughtful and be united. In many institutes, students have come together and formed organizations meant for promoting discussion of spiritual ideas and the practice of such high principles. Many of his quotes were responsible for this....some of them are :
There are many such quotes said by Swami Vivekananda which elucidated the thinking of many Natonal Leaders and inspired them. He will be remembered as a great spiritual leader and will be seen as a great idol for youths. Today's post is completely dedicated to this great man who is regarded as one of India's foremost nation-builders. To end with
On 12th January, 1863 a boy named Narendranath Dutta was born in Calcutta which was then part of Bengal Presidency of slave India, who later turned out to be a legend and was known as Swami Vivekananda to the whole world. The same Swami Vivekananda who changed the way the world look at India, the same Swami Vivekananda who showed a path of success and enlightenment to the Indian Youth. The one who taught the lessons of spirituality , self control and human service to the whole world. He was the chief disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and later established Ramakrishna Mission on his name.
Since birth Narendranath was more inclined towards spirituality and realization of god. While searching for a man who could directly demonstrate the reality of God, he came to Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and became his disciple. As a guru, Ramakrishna taught him Advaita Vedanta and that all religions are true, and service to man was the most effective worship of God. After the death of his Guru, Vivekananda became a wandering monk, touring the Indian subcontinent and getting a first-hand account of India's condition. He travelled through rail and road to different parts of the country and studied various cultures and literature. He also gained information about various religions being worshiped in India. He visited almost every part of India and in this continuation he lastly visited southern India. At Kanyakumari, the Swami meditated on the "last bit of Indian rock", famously known later as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial for three days. At Kanyakumari, Vivekananda had the "Vision of one India", also commonly called "The Kanyakumari resolve of 1892". He wrote,
"At Cape Camorin sitting in Mother Kumari's temple, sitting on the last bit of Indian rock - I hit upon a plan: We are so many sanyasis wandering about, and teaching the people metaphysics-it is all madness. Did not our Gurudeva used to say, `An empty stomach is no good for religion?' We as a nation have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to raise the masses."
Vivekananda Rock MemorialSwami Vivekananda went to Chicago to attend The Parliament of Religions. His journey to America took him through China, Japan, Canada and he arrived at Chicago in July 1893. But to his disappointment he learnt that no one without credentials from a bona fide organization would be accepted as a delegate. He came in contact with Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University. After inviting him to speak at Harvard and on learning of his not having credential to speak at the Parliament, Wright is quoted as having said, "To ask for your credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine in the heavens." Wright then addressed a letter to the Chairman in charge of delegates writing, "Here is a man who is more learned than all of our learned professors put together."
The Parliament of Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the Art Institute of Chicago. On this day Vivekananda gave his first brief address. He represented India and Hinduism. Though initially nervous, he bowed to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and began his speech with, "Sisters and brothers of America!". To these words he got a standing ovation from a crowd of seven thousand, which lasted for two minutes. Dr. Barrows, the president of the Parliament said, "India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors." He attracted widespread attention in the press, which dubbed him as the "Cyclonic monk from India". The New York Critique wrote, "He is an orator by divine right, and his strong, intelligent face in its picturesque setting of yellow and orange was hardly less interesting than those earnest words, and the rich, rhythmical utterance he gave them." The New York Herald wrote, "Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation." The American newspapers reported Swami Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most popular and influential man in the parliament".
Swami Vivekananda not only helped to restore a sense of pride among Hindus over their religion but also enlightened the Indian Youth and provoked them to be thoughtful and be united. In many institutes, students have come together and formed organizations meant for promoting discussion of spiritual ideas and the practice of such high principles. Many of his quotes were responsible for this....some of them are :
- “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.”
- “We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act.”
- “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”
- “The goal of mankind is knowledge ... Now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man 'knows', should, in strict psychological language, be what he 'discovers' or 'unveils'; what man 'learns' is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.”
There are many such quotes said by Swami Vivekananda which elucidated the thinking of many Natonal Leaders and inspired them. He will be remembered as a great spiritual leader and will be seen as a great idol for youths. Today's post is completely dedicated to this great man who is regarded as one of India's foremost nation-builders. To end with
"Arise, Awake! And stop not until the goal is reached"
Wishing you an enlightened year ahead,
Ravi Sharma
Ravi Sharma
