January 12 is National Youth Day in India
Dear Editor,
The 12th of January is being celebrated as “National Youth day” (Yuva Diwas) in India, to commemorate the birth, the contribution and to pay homage to the universality of Swami Vivekananda, a world-class Indian Hindu monk, a bridge between the East. – Largest gap in religion, modern teacher and practical social reformer, after birth on January 12th, 1863, in Kolkata, West Bengal India. The name Swami Vivekananda (the bliss of wisdom) is a household name in India, any Hindu home worldwide and in the home of any Hindu student, devotee or lover. The name is again synonymous with Vedanta philosophy. The famous four signature words, “Sisters and brothers of America,” are his hallmark and, Swami Vivekananda received a two-minute standing ovation and thunderous applause from the crowd of seven thousand participants, as he addressed the Religions of the World Parliament. in Chicago on September 11th, 1893. With those opening words as a Hindu representative of India, he introduced Hinduism and Yoga to the West and immediately became famous and popular. This opportunity was made possible by his letter of introduction from Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University, having arrived in India with no qualifications from a bona fide institution, a prerequisite for any deputy. That opened the door for him and he was immediately accepted to speak as a guest in universities, colleges and other simple assemblies in churches and homes. Swamiji’s 473-word speech blew everyone’s mind. He talked about the basic but important things that one should follow in life: being patriotic; love all religions; analysis of religion; familiarization with science; knowing the importance and necessity of rituals, being aware of the roots of Hinduism; be aware of the aim of science; be aware of the cause of the fall of India and be against religious converts. After listening to it, Harvard psychology professor William James said, “that man is just a wonder of rhetorical power. It’s an honor for humanity. ”When in doubt, despair or delusion, Guyanese youth of all ethnicities should embrace his advice,” Anything that makes you weak – physically, intellectually and spiritually, rejects it as poison. ” considered one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the 19th century in India, he was “a great Indian youth icon.” Swamiji paid much emphasis to the power of youth towards nation building and universal brotherhood. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), “Swamiji regarded education as an ongoing process in which all aspects of life, such as physical, intellectual, emotional, should be implanted His contribution to the creation of a new modern India is incredible. ”
Born of Narendranath Datta at 3, Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in British Calcutta, Swamiji was the sixth child of nine siblings (sister died) to his father Vishwanath, an attorney, and his mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi. She was the bedrock of the home, a foundation pillar, a housewife and a self-taught English scholar, who advised her children to always be truthful, persecuted, dignified and gracious, impressing the eternal values of healthy living, education , morality. and religion. He created and emphasized the same interests for sons and daughters. His father’s progressive, rational attitude and his mother’s religious temperament helped shape his mind and personality. When molded, Narendra paid tribute and pretended, “I am indebted to my mother for the efflorescence of my knowledge.” Perhaps, fathers and mothers especially in Guyana, may take a page from his story and the crime rate may not be as high. At the age of eight, Narendranath enrolled at the Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Metropolitan Institute and was the only student to receive first division marks in the Presidency College entrance examination in 1879. He was an avid reader in a wide range of subjects including, Indian and Western philosophy, religion , European and Indian history, social science, art and literature. His Alma mater was the University of Calcutta (BA -1884). He was also known for his extravagant memory (shrutidhara), ability to read quickly and fluently in English, Hindi and Bengali. From an early age he used to meditate before the images of deities such as Shiva, Rama, Sita and Hanuman. Growing up, his interest in Hindu scriptures increased, including the Vedas, Upanishads, Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. He regularly took part in physical exercises and sports. Swami Vivekananda commented, “The world is the great gym where we come to make ourselves strong.”
As this young man (naujawan) surrounded himself as a nomadic seeker, he dabbled as a member of the “Masonic lodge,” followed by “Sadharan Brahmo Samaj,” who was active in “Band of Hope,” and joined “Nava Vidhan And finally settled with Ramakrishna on his return from “Christianity.” During this tenure as an adventure in his exposure to life and reality, he became acquainted with Western esotericism and his burning question remained to all those he met unanswered if not dissatisfied, have they seen and come “face face with God? ” The young man in his twenties found comfort in the comforts of Ramakrishna and his wife’s company and conversation and echoed in the answers and explanations to his burning questions and questions. He accepted Ramakrishna as his Guru, becoming his main disciple and when Ramakrishna died in 1886, Narendra and 8 other disciples took the monastic vows, formed the Ramakrishna Math in Baranagar Math, Kolkata, and took the mantle for the Ramakrishna Mission. They adopted the monastic way and Narendra became Swami Vivekananda. Between 1888 and 1893, Swamiji became a monk of wonder living on alms and traveling all over India; experience the fruits of a diverse culture, people and system; exposure to the concepts and principles of different philosophies; observing and absorbing the political and economic stagnation of India under strict British domination; and the poverty, suffering and limitation of victimization of prejudice and discrimination that pervade social injustices. As he made all these pilgrimages while visiting historical sites and sacred shrines, staying with Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious leaders and meeting and greeting Indians of all backgrounds, including high society, politicians, teachers, social workers, farmers and “Low caste workers,” he argued for an awareness of freedom from this choking of oppression, inequality and a high level of illiteracy and prompted a startup process for India to gain independence from England.
His work was bearing fruit, being recognized, recognized and awarded nationally and internationally. During his first visit to the West between 1893 and 1897, he toured many states in the USA, including Chicago, Detroit, Boston and New York while establishing the Vedanta Society, lecturing, yoga classes and making friends and acquaintances important and influential with politicians, teachers, teachers, businessmen, religious leaders and ordinary people from all walks of life. He visited Europe twice in 1895 and 1896, meeting Max Muller in the UK, Paul Deussen in Germany, Romain Rolland in France and a host of other personalities. Swamiji was offered lecturing positions at Harvard and Columbia Universities but declined. He also met Margaret Noble, an Irish woman, writer and social worker, who later became Sister Nivedita and accompanied him back to India in 1897, staying there to work with Indian women, getting involved in activities following the movement’s interest Swadeshi. Back in India, he went on to establish various monasteries throughout the country, paying particular attention to propagating education, advancing science and industrialization, tackling widespread poverty and suffering and ending colonial control. He returned to the West in 1899 to 1892 to complete his foreign engagements, specifically raising inter-faith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of the world’s leading religion during the 19th century. While sailing back to India, a new awakening arose in India and its people. Many international figures have paid tribute to his legacy and were easily influenced by his work, including Mahatma Gandhi, Subash C. Bose, Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobondo, among many more. His works, writings, lectures and speeches have been preserved in volumes of books written by several authors. Many websites and organizations are named after him. In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Swamiji’s original first name) unveiled a statue of Swami Vivekananda on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar Said said, “Swami Vivekananda is one of the most beloved intellectuals and spiritual leaders that India has been fortunate to produce. He enthused the youth with his message of freedom, development, harmony and peace in India. He inspired citizens to take pride in Indian civilization, culture and its diligent spirit. ”On July 4th, 1902, Swami Vivekananda went to his room to meditate at 7PM and asked not to be disturbed after a busy day of teaching, yoga, discussion and planning. He died at 9:20 PM from a brain blood vessel rupture, the tear due to his brahmarandhra (an opening in the crown of his head), being pierced when a mahasamadhi arrived (the act of consciously and intentionally leaving one’s body at the time of death) ). He gave of himself for 39 years, 5 months and 22 days to the world, thus fulfilling his prophecy that he will not live 40 years. Swami Vivekananda was cremated on the bank of the Ganga in Belur, opposite where his guru, Ramakrishna, was cremated 16 years earlier. His inspirational, stimulating, charming and famously flat quote is still exhausted and replaced: “Get up, wake up, don’t stop until you reach our goal.”
Respectfully,
Jai Lall