Birth Of The Pious Soul Theology Religion Essay

[Theologian]

SWAMI VIVEKANAND was an Indian Hindu Monk, Religious scholar, Social Entrepreneur, Humanitarian and for some Celestial Soul. In his short span of life, Swami played an active role in promoting Hinduism and demolishing untouchability from the society for good. Apart from teaching Indian Vedas Swami Vivekananda was a scholar of European literature and History; he encouraged western logic, science and technology over superstitions and ignorance. A true patriot Swami urged his young countrymen to follow the path of righteousness, celibacy and spirituality to take India forward. Though a true devoted Hindu, he held great respect for all other religions and customs equally. Vivekananda area of work was not only limited to promoting religion and spiritualism, he constantly endured in establishing small scale industries and schools for underprivileged members of the society. Travelling length & breadth of India Swami Vivekananda spread his spiritual teachings and knowledge from Royals to Paupers evenly. A century later many individuals across the globe staunchly follow ideals of Swami Vivekananda, his charitable organization and missionaries are spread all over the world for spiritual upliftment of mankind. The following story is a true reflection of this pious human being.
Birth of the pious soul

Datta family from Calcutta was known for its affluence philanthropy, scholarship and independent spirit. Naren's father, Vishwanath was an attorney-at-law in the high Court of Calcutta. He was well versed in English and Persian Literature, his wife Bhuvaneswari Devi came from a traditional Hindu family. She was well versed with Ramayana and Mahabharata, and had memorized it to a great extent. 6:33am just before sunrise on a Monday morning, on January 12th 1863, Bhuvaneshwari Devi gave birth to a son. He was named Narendranath, but was fondly called as Naren. Bhuvaneswari Devi bore one more son besides Naren and four daughters, two of whom died at an early age.
Naren was an innocent child with ill temper. At the age of two, he was a nuisance to his sisters. When he got very rebellious, the mother would often put his head under a running tap to cool down his temper, to some extent this worked. Naren in his later years agreed that maybe it was the cold water which ran his hot temper down to the drains.
Since childhood Naren was attracted to holy monks, coming at his doorsteps for alms. Steeped with respect Naren ensured no Sadhu ever leaves his place empty handed. The young boy would offer anything he would find at home to monks in form of clothing or grains. He was often locked in a room for avid generosity when monks passed. One day when Naren was locked in a room, he saw an ascetic holy man through his window singing praises of God, removing a cloth around his waist Naren called for the Sadhu and donated to him.
Apart for his love for mankind Naren was very fond of animals and birds, and loved to keep them at home and play with them. Naren Domesticated pets like a cow, monkey, a goat, a peacock, many pigeons and guinea pigs.
Seed of Spiritualism

Naren's religious education started early at home by his mother. He learnt holy stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana. Naren in later years often credited his mother for his spiritual makeup and sowing the seeds of Hinduism.
At a young age of 6 he had dreams of a bright white light, in which he would watch himself immerse. This vision stayed with him till the end of his life. Once when Naren heard that, holy people meditate to please Shiva, he decided to do the same, but with a fear that while mediating his hair would grow so long that they would seep in the ground. A mere imagination of innocent mind with a pinch rumor he had heard. Naren would often open his eyes to check his hair; he was still a child with a soft heart, unconscious of the true world and its facts. He once covered himself with ash, and when his mother asked him what he was upto, he said "I am Shiva."
At the age of 6 Naren was sent to a primary school. One day in school he overheard some abusive words and repeated the same at home. This incident made his parents worried and they arranged private tuitions at home. If this is what a child would learn at school as a parent anyone would be concerned, like his parents were. He started studying under a private tutor who taught him and a few local children in the worship hall of his house.
A child's life is shaped by the way he is bought up by his parents. Just like Naren's father who would respond to Naren as an adult and not by scolding, something most parents do. Once Naren asked his father "what have you done to me", and his father replied "look at yourself in the mirror". It was a father's way to help Naren think and find his own answers and be independent.
Naren's mother played a great role to bring out and groom her son's natural qualities. One day when Naren was mistreated in school, he came home and complained to his mother, to whom his mother explained to him: what matters is that one should be right; one should concentrate on what is right and follow that path and not argue or fight to prove it right. She also mentioned that there could be consequences for speaking the truth, but he should not leave the field and run away like a coward, instead stand tall and be proud to be true. A lesson Naren followed through out his life.
Swami Vivekananda's Quote:
"You need fear no one so long as you keep to the path of truth and Dharma (Virtue). One should not be browbeaten. One should guard one's self-respect. Love of one's religion should not mean hatred of others religions. Patriotism is essential for man's welfare. Foreign enemies may invade a country, but they cannot take away people's ancient and potent culture."

Truth, Myth or fiction

Naren entered high school in the Metropolitan Institute of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, at the age of 8, in 1871. Till now he was well versed with Sanskrit grammar, Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to his teachers Narendra was an intelligent student. In his early schooling days Naren never liked English as it was a foreign language. It is said that before taking up English Naren had an argument with the teacher as to why he should not study only Sanskrit. English at the time started to become a symbol of prestige. Parents would send their children to learn this language even though; they themselves did not understand a word. But his hunger for Western knowledge made him adopt English language. Unlike other students Naren spent most of his time in extracurricular activities, as studies took only a small part of his busy schedule of playing.
"The first thing to be got rid of by him who would be a Gyanani, is fear."- Swami Vivekananda
The life lessons taught by his parents made Naren seek Truth, challenge myths and know fiction. Mischievous he was, and during one such time while trying to pluck flowers from a neighbors tree, he heard something and proved to his friends that one should learn to differentiate between myth and facts, and not just listen and believe in what anything or anyone says, until and unless they themselves know that "its" a fact. To prove his point Naren started plucking neighbors flowers climbing a tree, he was caught by the owner and scolded saying 'that the flower tree was guarded by a ghost with a white robe and if he plucked flowers again he would twist his neck'. Was Naren afraid unlike other children? No! He decided to end the myth once and for all. While the other boys ran away Naren stayed back and started plucking leaves and breaking branches. He turned around and told his friends "what asses you all are! See, my neck is still there. The old man's story is simply not true. Don't believe what others say unless you yourself know it to be true". This demonstrates the traits of Naren as being courageous and having stable presence of mind.
Naren's father was a lawyer and his cliental list had people from different castes. As a custom every client was offered Hukka after food. Naren used to hear people speak of castes. He also noticed that different caste people had different hukka's. This made him wonder what would happen if he smoked one from a different caste Hukka?! Finally one fine day he managed to have a smoke, to his surprise nothing happened to him or the client. He now knew that caste was 'nothing' but just a division of people in terms of ones blind faith and convenience of someone with affluent power and money.
One day he asked his father "Hospitality is certainly a great virtue. But is it right to feed the lazy? Is it right to provide them with cigarette and pipe to smoke?"And his father always replied "You do not understand their misery, my boy. When they smoke tobacco, they at least for a while forget the bitterness of their life."
Rise of Spiritualism

All this while, while playing a brat, being naughty and also studying, Naren never forgot his admiration for monks and their lives. He was sure he wanted to become one, and often he would point out to a line on his palm and say to his friends "I shall certainly become a sannyasi". By the age of 15 he had already read many books on history, literature, newspaper, intellectual matters, and attended many public meetings. He also loved music and felt that it arouses the most in-depth feelings of the musician.
His first spiritual experience was at the age of 14. In 1877 his father was in Raipur in the Central provinces. He wanted his family to move in with him and the trip was to be led by Naren. The railways at that time were constructed only till Nagpur; hence they had to travel by a bullock cart via Allahabad and Jabalpur through dense forest. While moving through the woods he noticed a bee hive in the cleft of a giant cliff, and his mind filled with surprise and respect for the astounding divine intervention. It was calling, but from whom? Wondered the innocent soul. Naren was not aware that his prediction was about to come true very soon.
I must also stand up

Narendra was considered a master story-teller when he was in school. His words were as compelling as his character. Whenever he spoke people would get absorbed in his stories. Once while in school he decides to tell a story to his friends during recess while seated in the class. The teacher entered the class, assuming that there was pin drop silence in class, besides some whispering started teaching his subject. It was soon that he heard some whispering, annoyed he asked every student about what his lecture was about. No one could reply except Naren, it was due to his ability to concentrate on two things together that he had managed to hear his master lecture while telling a story.
The teacher asked the class who was talking, everyone pointed at Naren, but as he had given a correct reply, master thought that the class was lying hence asked all of them except Naren to stand up on the Bench. Naren too immediately stood uo on the bench and when the master asked him why he did so Naren replied: 'No sir, I must also stand up because it was I who was talking to them.'
Education….a piece of cake…

Naren cleared the Matriculation in 1879 from Calcutta University at the age of 18. Naren's ability to grasp made him remember what was taught at one go. He once said that teachers repeat what they have taught so that they could learn and remember themselves. His level of understanding was much higher than the other boys of his age. He had a natural ability to understand things at reach to the bottom of any matter. Naren had mastered the art of grasping essential things; he would see the truth and discuss the real issue without any disarray. He acquired Knowledge by reading books of English and Bengali literature. Once Naren said "I could understand an author without reading every line of his book. I would read the first and last lines of a paragraph and grasp its meaning. Later I found that I could understand the subject-matter by reading only the first and last lines of a page. Afterwards I could follow the whole trend of a writer's argument by merely reading a few lines, though the author himself tried to explain the subject in five or more pages'.
In 1879 Naren entered Presidency College of Calcutta for Higher studies, and after a year he joined the General Assembly's Institution founded by the Scottish general Missionary Board, which was later know as Scottish Church College. Naren who was fond of music, now excelled in instrumental and vocal music, which he studied under expert teachers. He learnt Hindi Urdu and Persian songs, most of them being devotional. He joined the Brahmo Samaj, which influenced his youth life. Brahmo Samaj was an important religious movement of that time, started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who spoke of breaking away from materialistic possessions and guiding the youth to dedicate themselves to 'worship and adoration of the eternal, the unsearchable, the immutable being, who is the author and preserver of the Universe
Choosing a dream…

"You are the makers of your own fortunes. You make yourselves suffer, you make good and evil, and it is you who put your hands before your eyes and say it is dark. Take your hands away and see the light."-Swami Vivekananda.
Naren in academic days had started seeing 2 dreams, one where he saw himself as wealthy man having servants and huge mansions, and second where he had given up all materialist possessions to live a life in a forest, eat what the tress could give him, wear a loin cloth, and depend only on God's will. Naren knew he could attain either of the dreams, but life of a renunciation intrigued him a lot. He said that whenever he got distracted by the questionable adventure, he could feel a hand holding him back. He was in search of purity, and purity for him was eternal bliss, and not just refraining from carnal pleasures. He believed that purity was to preserve the powerful spiritual force that would later manifest itself in all the fine aspiration of life.
Naren unlike other youths was not influenced by the European Culture; he would still prefer Sanskrit over English and Indian culture over westernization. He considered himself as a Brahmachari, which helped him gain control over himself, gave him power of concentration, memory, Insight, strength and stamina. He now wanted to understand God, he felt uneasy listening to people talk about God even when he had not seen him. So one day he questioned Devendranath, the leader of Brahmo Samaj,"sir have you seen God?" and Devendranath replied "my boy you have the eyes of a yogi, you should practice meditation".
Naren was not happy; he was in search of a reply, who could give him one? Who could tell him who God is? He remembered once the principal of his college and professor of English literature Mr.Hastie had mentioned a name. He said "I have known only one person who has realized that blessed state and he is Sri Ramakrishna, from Dakshineswar. You will understand trances if you visit the saint"
Ramakrishna meets his God…

Sri Ramakrishna was a priest in the temple of Goddess Kali and a great devotee. It was believed that he had realized God. Scholars who met him became his disciples. In November 1881, at the age of 19, Naren met Sir Ramakrishna in Dakeshineswar. He said "come my boys! Oh where are you all? I cannot bear to live without you!" Naren was one among many youths who went to listen to him speaking.
One day at the temple garden of Dakshineswar, Naren sang several songs, putting his soul into them...
His first song was:
Let us go back once more,
O mind, to pour home!
Here is this foreign land of earth
Why should we wander aimlessly in strangers guis?
These living beings round about,
And the five elements,
Are strangers top you, all of them;
None are your own.
Why do you so forget yourself,
In love with strangers,foolish mind?
Why do you so forget your own?
Mount the path of truth,
O mind Unflaggingly Climb,
With love as the lamp to light your way.
As your provision on the journey, take with you,
The virtues, hidden carefully;
For like two highwaymen,
Greed and delusion wait to
Rob you of your wealth.
And keep beside you constantly,
As guards to shelter you from harm,
Calmness of mind and self control.
Companionship with holy men will be for you.
A welc ome rest house by the road;
There restyour weary limbs awhile,
Asking your way,
If ever you should be in doubt,
of him who watches there.
If anything along the path should cause you fear.
Then loudly shout the name of God'
For he is ruler of that road.
And even death must bow to him.
As soon as the holy song was over, Sri Ramakrishna grabbed hold of Narens hand and took him to the northern veranda of kali temple. He shut the door behind, with tears of joy and happiness rolling down his eyes, he said to Naren "Ah you come so late! How could you be so unkind as to keep me waiting so long! My ears are well-nigh burnt by listening to the profane talk of worldly people.oh how I yearn to unburden my mind to one who can appreciate my innermost experience!" Sri Ramakrishna folded his hands and addressed Naren,'lord I know you are that ancient sage, Nara, the incarnation of Narayana, born on earth to remove the miseries of mankind"
Naren was stunned, he did not know how to respond back, here he was standing in front of a man whom he had met for the first time and was treated like a God. Naren thought for a second 'iam the son of Vishwanath Datta, how could one dare to address me in this manner'. He kept mum and heard every word Ramakrishna said. Naren recalls further saying that, Ramakrishna fed him sweets with his own hand, which he had brought from his room. He asked Naren to promise him that he will visit Dakshineswar again. Naren wondered if this man was good to be a great teacher. He went near him and asked him "have you seen God sir?", Ramakrishna replied "Yes I see him just as I see you here, only in a much intense sense; one can talk to him as Iam seeing you and talking to you here. But who cares for God, people shed tears for their wives, children, wealth and property, but who cries for the vision of God? If one cries sincerely for God, one can surely see him".
Naren was stunned again, for the first time he was talking to a person who claimed to have seen God, and what he spoke of was an inner experience of his soul. He did not doubt any word Ramakrishna said further. But still he could not believe how Ramakrishna was behaving with him and how he behaved with other youths. Ramakrishna's affection for Naren seemed manic to the young lad, but deep inside he knew that was in a company a celestial guru, a true saint and that he deserved honor of mankind. Naren bowed to him and left for Calcutta. Still wondering……
In his second visit to meet Sir Ramakrishna: whom now Naren referred as the Master went close to Naren and placed his right foot on his body. Naren recollects that at the very moment, he saw everything disappear, his eyes were open, but the room, the garden, the world was disappearing, and he for a moment thought was going to die, he was travelling far in infinite space, speeding through planets, stars and galaxy, it was exhilarating…..it was Godly. Master laughed on Naren's reaction, and said "Enough for today," and moved away his foot from Naren's lap. Naren became normal but was left bodily lighter and totally confused.
During his third visit to Dakshineswar, it's said that Ramakrishna went into Samadhi and praised Naren as if he was God. Master would meet Naren as if they were old friends. Master could not stop taking care of him whenever he was around him. Naren was annoyed by this behavior, and used to respond by telling Master that he would end up being a monk wandering door to door seeking alms, if he did not stop his behavior. Master laughed at him and said 'you are a rogue; I won't listen to you anymore. Mother (master referred to Goddess Kali as mother) says that I love you because I see the Lord in you. The day I shall not see Him in you, I shall not be able to bear even the sight of you'.
Still Naren was attracted to Ramakrishna, and it was not long before Ramakrishna realized the greatness of Naren, he believed that he was being guided by kali and that is what she wished. Naren had yet not accepted Ramakrishna as his guru. He wished to test him first. He remembered that Master once had mentioned during his lecture that to realize God one must give up desire for men and women.
Although Narendra was Ramakrishna's favorite disciple he did not accept every word Naren said. Narendra was highly decisive of people who worshipped idols. He abandoned the theory of "Advaita" (monism). He had no faith in supernatural experiences. Advaitic assertions such as "I am Brahman", "I am Shiva" never impressed Narendra. It was only Ramakrishna would always tell him "There are many roads to reach a destination. No one has the right to say that the path the other man takes is not the right one. It is improper to pass judgment on anything that one does not understand." Naren understood what was said.
I surrender …..

It took 5 years before Naren accepted Ramakrishna as his guru. These five years were the training period of Naren, the unknown training through pranks and tests. Like one day the Master told Naren that he had gained powers through years of mediation and that will give man whatever he desires. And as he had given up all his desires these powers were of no use to him. He also said that he wanted to bestow these powers on Naren. Guess what Naren said? He said that the powers were of no use to him as he wanted to realize God, and the powers would not help him realize the Self. Naren had passed the test.
It was Ramakrishna's turn to be tested now, Mischievous as he was, but this time to test master he hid a rupee under his pillow when he was out. And waited eagerly for him to return. Ramakrishna came back to his room and the moment he lay on his bed he jumped as if bitten by an insect. He shook is mattress and found the rupee. He smiled and left it there. He knew it was Naren testing him. Ramakrishna had passed the test.
Slowly Naren gave up all his worldly desires. In the mean time he got busy preparing for his BA degree, it was 1884. Naren would pay visit to his master as often as he can, because he was also preoccupied with his studies. It is said that the Master would send for Naren if he did not visit him for a number of days. His parents were trying to convince him at such an early stage to get married, so that he could divert his mind from Ramakrishna, and not become a sannayasi like his grandfather. Naren was firm on his decision to lead a life of spirituality. He denied the proposal.
Naren's father died when Naren was enjoying his graduation party the same year, a turning point of his life. With death of earning member in the family [father] Naren and his mother became poorer and poorer by day; his family had difficulties getting even one meal a day. Naren always believed in God, but never believed in idol worship, but he still went to the master and asked him to request his Divine mother to rid him of this poverty, Master asked him to do it himself. Naren stated: Reaching the temple, as i cast my eyes on the image, I actually found that divine mother was living and conscious, the perennial fountain of love and beauty, I was caught in the surging wave of devotion and love". Naren the same moment forgot the world; Divine Mother ruled his heart now. His visits to Mater increased, they started sharing their dreams, and thoughts and meaning of materialist and non materialistic things. Soon he gave up to his feelings and accepted master as his Guru. According to Naren his Master was the only one who truly loved him, unlike people who simply pretended.
Naren took up teaching as a profession, and taught in Vidyasagar School. He managed to earn enough for two meals a day. He also took up education of law simultaneously. In 1885, Ramakrishna was diagnosed with throat cancer. Naren up on hearing this left his family, work and education and devoted his time in taking care of his Master. Ramakrishna was transferred to Calcutta and then Cossipore. Narens' spiritual education continued. It was at Cossipore that Naren experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He and other disciples were given the ochre monastic robes by Ramakrishna, which formed the first order of Ramakrishna. Naren had learnt that the most effective way to worship was through service to mankind.
Ramakrishna now had asked Naren to take care of the disciplines, and asked the disciples to take Naren as their leader. 16th August 1886, early in the morning Ramakrishna, in his garden house succumbed to cancer. According to his disciples this was Mahasamadhi.
Ramkrishna Math

After demise of Ramkrishna, Naren wanted to form a Math (Monastery) where disciples of Ramakrishna lived, chanted, prayed and recited the teachings of their guru. They needed funds for their pious cause,
Surendranath Mitra, the householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna came forward to help. A decaying house in Baranagar was chosen as the monastery, as it had low rent and was close to Cossipore burning - ghat where Ramakrishna was cremated. It was not an easy life in the monastery, for days there was no food, no salt, for months the members survived only on rice. Every disciple had 2 lion clothes to wear, they slept on dry grass. The house also had some musical instruments and few pictures of saints and God and Goddesses. Their precious possession was the library which had around 100 books.
Monk's Journey

In January 1887 Naren and other disciples took formal monastic vows. Naren first chose the name Swami Bibidishananda, but was later given the name Vivekananda by Ajit Singh, Maharaja of Khetri.
In 1888, while the disciples were getting angry and giving up hope of realizing God, Naren decided to test his strength and teach his disciples to not depend on him for solutions. He started his wandering journey, with his only possessions, just two clothes, his two favorite books, Bhagvad Gita and The Imitation of Christ, a kamandal and a begging bowl.
He started his journey form Varanasi, where he met Bhudev Mukhopadhyay, a Bengali writer and Trailanga Swami, a famous saint who lived in the Shiva temple. An incident occurred in the streets of Varanasi which he at times later spoke of as an experience to encourage people to face life's danger and not run away from them. It so happened that while wandering in the street of Varanasi he was chased by some monkeys. He started running, and the faster he ran, faster the monkeys chased. A monk saw the same and called Naren and said 'face the brutes' do not run from them in fear. Naren stopped and turned towards the monkeys, and guess what? The monkeys stopped too and then ran away. Naren had learnt his lesson which he later preached in his teachings.
He returned back to Baranagore. He was wondering if all the teachings and truth of Vedanta philosophy is meant only for monks, saints and scholars'. Is the common man not worthy of gaining knowledge about the same while he is struggling in life? Should he be not enlightened simply because he is not aware of the scriptures? He spoke to his brother disciples about preaching the Vedanta philosophy to the common man as it had become essential to share this knowledge for the betterment of the people.
In the lanes of India:

"In our country, the imparting of knowledge has always been through men of renunciation. India had all good prospects so long as tyagis (men of renunciation) used to impart knowledge." - Swami Vivekananda
After a short period in Baranagore, he set out for Varanasi to start his journey again. This time he met Pramananda Mitra who was a Sanskrit Scholar. Naren felt deep respect and affection for him; he also later wrote many letters to Mitra asking his advice in the interpretation of the Hindu scriptures
He then visited Ayodhya, Lukhnow, Agra, Vrindavan, Hatras and Rishikesh. In Vrindavan he saw a man enjoying a smoke by the road side. Naren approached him for a puff, the man denied as he was considered an out caste. This left Naren baffled. He started walking away, but then turned around and forced that man to give him a puff. Naren wondered why he had to face such a situation when he has considered the non duality of the soul and move on.
In Hatras, while waiting at the railways station for his train to Haridwar, he met Sarat Chandra Gupta, who had stated that he was mesmerized by the sight of Naren. He later became Narens's earliest Disciples as Sadananda. Here Naren sang songs and played music for the visitors. He later proceeds his journey towards Vaidyarath, Allahabad then Ghazipur where he met Pavhari Baba, an Advaita Vedanta ascetic who spent most of his time in meditation.
Naren had now completed his journey in Northern India, and felt that the world had fallen down on the feet of materialistic things. The fake priests and Sadhu's had manipulated the religious Hindu Culture for their own profit. People were not aware of the actual Vedas and what religion exactly is. Naren could not handle the sight of poverty, so started meditating again to forget the same. In December 1889, he left for Varanasi.
The road under your feet

Swami Vivekananda while trekking in the Himalayas found an extremely exhausted old man standing at the foot of an upward slope. He looked awfully tired. When the men saw Swami in dissatisfaction he asked Swami 'Oh, Sir, how to cross it; I cannot walk anymore; my chest will break.'
Swami replied, 'Look down at your feet. The road that is under your feet is the road that you have passed over and is the same road that you see before you; it will soon be under your feet.' These encouraging words helped the old man recommence his journey.
Realizing Purity

In July 1890 he started his journey for the Himalayas accompanied by Swami Akhandananda, a disciple of Ramakrishna. They visited Nainital, Almora, Srinagar, Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh; here he stayed for five months. During this journey Naren met Swami Brahmananda, Saradanand. They were also disciples of Ramakrishna. They journeyed together and stayed in Meerut for some time, meditating, praying and studying scriptures. January end 1891, Naren left for Delhi alone, assuming the name Swami Vividishananda as he wished to remain an unknown sannyasi, he wanted his disciples to make every effort to experience God.
From here he continued his journey to Alwar where he met some Muslims who became his disciples. It is here that he met Maharaja Mangal Singh who did not believe in Swami. And when they met they had a debate. Mangal Singh said
"Swamiji, I have no faith in idol worship," Naren replied "An idol is only a symbol. It is not something to sneer at. Every devotee has his own way of realizing God. It depends on the individual's devotion." The reply was not satisfactory for the Maharaja. Instead of explaining further Swami turned to a portrait of maharaja hung on the wall, he asked the Diwan by his side "Whose picture is that?" "The Maharaja's," replied the Diwan. Naren said, "Spit on it." The Diwan was speechless and thought that Swami had gone insane. Noticing his reaction Swami asked "Why are you unhappy?". "After all, the photograph is just a shadow of your Maharaja. It is devoid of flesh and blood." "But then it reminds us of the Maharaja, does it not?" said the Diwan. Maharaja knew what Swami was trying to say, he apologized to the Swami.
Swami journeyed to Jaipur where he had once studied Panini's Ashtadhyayi with a Sanskrit Scholar. He then travelled to Ajmer and Mount Abu. It is here that he met Raja Ajit Singh of Khetri, who became Naren's devotee and supporter. It is here that he met with another incident which he remembered for life. Raja Khatri requested Naren to be a part of a musical evening at his palace, where a nautch-girl would sing for them. Naren denied as he was a monk, and a monk does not involve in worldly pleasures.
The singer was hurt with this response and sang while weeping….
Look not, O lord, upon my sins!
Is not Same-sightedness Thy name?
One piece of iron is used
Inside the holy shrine,
Another for the knife
Held in the butcher's hand;
Yet both of these are tuned to gold
When touched by the philosopher's stone.
Scared the Jamuna's water,
Foul the water in the ditch;
Yet both alike are sanctified
Once they have joined the Ganga's stream.
So , Lord, look not upon my sins!
Is not Same-sightedness Thy name?
Naren had learnt a lesson from a woman who was condemned as impure by the society. Brahman does not distinguish between the pure and the impure, good and evil. And just like a Brahman, a sannayasin should look up at every individual as the same and express disapproval of a so called -impure person. Naren joined the party, tears rolling down his eyes. He went to the nautch-girl and said- Mother I am guilty. I was about to show you disrespect by refusing to come to this room. But your song awakened my consciousnesses. And it is here that Raja of Khatri gave Naren the name Vivekananda, which Swami readily accepted and then left for Mount Abu.
After spending two and a half months in Mount Abu studying Mahabhasya on sutras of Panini, and a brief interaction with Pandit Ajjadu Adibhatta Narayana Dasu, he turned his journey towards the west
Swami Vivekananda visited Rajasthan and then Maharashtra. He continued his journey to Ahmadabad, where he completed Islamic and Jain studies along with Wadhwan and Limbdi. He also met Thakur Saheb Jaswant Singh, who had visited England and America, and the one who advised Naren to preach Vedanta in America.
He later proceeded to Girnar, Kutch, Porbander, Dwaraka, Palitana, Nadiad (where he stayed at Diwan Haridas Viharidas Desai's house), Nadiad Ni haveli and a. It was in Porbander that he stopped and stayed for longest period. He wanted to get the Vedas translated with the help of learned Pandits living there.
In June 1892, he reached Indore after travelling through Mahabaleshwar, Pune and Khandwa. In Kathiawar his fellows urged him to attend the Parliament of the World's religions. In July he reached Bombay and while travelling to Pune form here he met Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In October Naren travelled to Belgaum, Panaji, Margao in Goa where he spent 3 days in the Rachol Seminary, studying important Christian Theological works.
His spiritual journey took him to Bangalore, which at that time was ruled by a Hindu Maharaja. This Maharaja was highly impressed by Swami Vivekananda 'brilliance of thought, charm of character, wide learning and penetrating religious insight'. He requested swami to stay as his guest in the palace. Naren during one of the conversations with the Maharaja mentioned his wish to visit America, instantly the Maharaja offered financial help, which was politely denied by Naren, he said that he did not know if God would agree for the same.
From Bangalore he visited Trichur Kodungallor and Ernakulum, Trivandrum, Nagercoil, and by Christmas Eve of 1892 he reached Kanyakumari. He proceeded ahead to Madurai where he met the Raja of Ramnad, who later became Naren's disciple and insisted him to represent India at the parliament of Religions in Chicago and promised Naren to help him about the same. It was in Madras that he met some devoted deciples who helped him collect funds for his trip to America.
Lessons learnt - Facts exposed

"Just as in case of Arjuna he saw only the eye of bird and this shows the concentrations he had and thus he was the automatic choice to receive the teachings of GITA by Lord Krishna." - Swami Vivekananda
1888-1893, five years Naren spent wandering as a monk. In these five years he learnt about the diverse religions in India. He met many Sadhus', priests, and learned people, with whom he shared his thoughts on Vedanta. He also saw a lot of poverty and suffering, and decided to uplift the nation. During his spiritual trip he befriended Scholars from all the walks of life - Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Pariahs (low caste workers) and government officials.
He experienced living with the richest and the poorest, like the Maharaja's and Pariahs. He had heard the cry of the people, struggling for basic necessity and freedom of speech and will for being an outcast. In his trip he also learnt and taught through his songs of God, spirituality and Vedanta. He was overwhelmed by the cultural unity in diversity, in India. This made him realize that he can become the source between the Divine Spirit and the Humans, by giving his service to mankind.
He disapproved the people of India, who imitated the western life and changed their own social, religious and political form. His main concern was to improve the living quality of the poor villagers, improve hygiene conditions, introduce scientific methods of agriculture, and develop means for daily requirement of water.
He questioned himself about, what he can do in this situation? Should he wander around in search of God? A vow he had taken as a Sannyasin, or should he dedicate himself to the service of mankind? He believed that religion was the strength of India. He blamed the superstitions and dishonesty that was being preached in the form of religion. People of India needed food, health, education, science and technology to raise their standard of living.
Naren came up on a plan and wrote a letter to a friend, in that letter he said 'suppose some disinterested Sannyasins, bent on doing good to others went from village to village, disseminating education and seeking in various ways to better the condition of all, down to the untouchable, through oral teaching and by means of many magic lanterns, globe and other accessories: would that not bring forth good in time. The long and short of it is that if the mountain does not come to Mahomat, then Mahomat must go to the mountains. The poor too poor to go to schools; they will gain nothing by reading a poetry and all this sort of thing. We as a Nation have lost our individuality. We have to give back to the nation its lost individuality and regain the masses. This was his VISION.
Journey to West

31st May 1893, Narain left from Bombay with the name Vivekananda. He was now Swami Vivekananda.
On his way to Chicago, he visited Japan. He traveled by a boat from Bombay. He first reached Nagasaki, then took a steamer of Kobe and decided to take a long route, so that he could visit 3 big cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. He was highly impressed by the cleanliness of the streets, people's attitude and gestures. This was a time when the Japanese were building their military. Vivekananda advocated his countrymen-the "offspring of centuries of superstition and tyranny" -to come out of their constricted thinking and have a look abroad:
"Only I want that numbers of our young men should pay a visit to Japan and China every year. Especially to the Japanese, India is still the dreamland of everything high and good. And you, what are you? ... talking twaddle all your lives, vain talkers, what are you? Come, see these people, and then go and hide your faces in shame. A race of dotards, you lose your caste if you come out! Sitting down these hundreds of years with an ever-increasing load of crystallized superstition on your heads, for hundreds of years spending all your energy upon discussing the touchableness or untouchableness of this food or that, with all humanity crushed out of you by the continuous social tyranny of ages-what are you? And what are you doing now? ... promenading the sea-shores with books in your hands-repeating undigested stray bits of European brainwork, and the whole soul bent upon getting a thirty rupee clerkship, or at best becoming a lawyer-the height of young India's ambition-and every student with a whole brood of hungry children cackling at his heels and asking for bread! Is there not water enough in the sea to drown you, books, gowns, university diplomas, and all? "</H2> July 1893, Vivekananda arrived Chicago via China, Japan and Canada. On his arrival he was let down by a fact that: any person who did not belong to a bona fide organization would not be accepted as a delegate. He did not know what to do; he did not have sufficient amount of money to survive till September in Chicago. So he telegraphed his friends in madras to arrange for money, and in the mean time someone suggested him to stay in Boston, which was far cheaper a place to stay.
It is here in Boston, that he met J.H Wright, professor of Greek at Harvard University. Professor wrote to the chairman in charge of delegates writing "here is a man who is more learned then all of our learned professors put together". He also wrote letters to a number of people connected to the parliament. After which he purchased a train ticket to Chicago for Swami.
On reaching Chicago, Swami met Lady Mrs. George W.Hale, a society woman of Chicago, who accompanied him and introduced him to Dr.J.H.Barrows, the president of the Parliament, who was her close friend. But how did he meet her is also an interesting and a beautiful experience in Swami's life.
When Swami reached Chicago, he had misplaced the address of some people. This city was full of Germans and Swami knew only English. He was unable to communicate with anyone; he had no place to go. Swami was stranded on the railway station, seeing an empty box in a corner, Swami curled himself in it. He was hungry too, so he moved out of the railway station and asked for alms in some houses. He was mistreated and insulted. He got tired and was sitting on some steps when a stranger approached him and asked ""Are you a delegate to the conference of World Religions?" The Swami replied, 'Yes'. The lady said, "Please come to my house. You can bathe and have food. Then I shall take you to the Conference." She was Mrs. George Hails. Thus Swami was accepted as a delegate.
A global platform

"The national ideals of India are Renunciation and Service. Intensity her in those channels, and the rest will take care of itself." - Swami Vivekananda
It was Monday, September 11th, 1893, the parliament of the world Religions opened at the Art Institute of Chicago. Swami represented Hinduism and India. Here he gave a brief speech. He addresses the audience as 'sisters and brothers of America'; to this he received a standing ovation from a crowd of almost seven thousand people. It took precisely two minutes for the noise of the claps to settle down. And Swami began his speech:
He greeted the youngest of the nations in the name of "the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sannyasins, a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.", he quoted two advisory passages from the Bhagavad Gita-"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 take, through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!" and "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths that in the end lead to Me."
Response to Swami's speech

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."
The press, 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 described Swami Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most popular and influential man in the parliament".
30 September 1893, The Boston Evening Transcript reported that Vivekananda was "a great favorite at the parliament...if he merely crosses the platform, he is applauded".
The parliament ended on 27th September 1893. And during this time he spoke of Hinduism and Buddhism, and harmony of all religions. One thing common in all his speech was religious broadmindedness.
While the conference was in session, many associations started inviting Swami to give lectures on religion and spiritualism. He had started becoming famous in America. Wherever he went he would speak of Hindu culture besides any topic such as History, Sociology, Philosophy or Literature. He spoke in ease.
One of the newspapers wrote:
"He speaks without a scrap of paper in his hand. We see in him some of the qualities of Jesus himself. A Strange attire, a radiant personality, a rare elegance, the skill to epitomize Hinduism superbly-with these gifts he has won the hearts of our people. He is mesmeric. He is unsurpassed in conversation. His mastery of English is exceptional. A man like him appears only once in age. We are fortunate that we can see him and hear him, "

Swami Vivekananda had broken the Myth of Americans that India was a land of superstition and ignorance. At that time India did not held a respectable position not only in America but in every progressive nation.
While Swami was being appreciated and loved by the people of America, he was deep within still concerned about the filth of poverty in India. He would spend sleepless nights thinking about the same. In the mean time he received an invitation from England, the newspaper there too were full of praise for the Swami
Rise at the expense of another?

Swamiji was now recognized in America. Once while traveling when he was getting of from a train he was given a huge welcome. A gatekeeper who was a Negro went forward to shake hands with Swami, he said: `Congratulations'! I am extremely delighted that a man of my race has attained such great honor! The entire Negro community in this country feels proud of you!' Swamiji refusing to deny that he was a Negro shook hands with the porter and replied kindly, `Thank you, brother!'
Altough famous Swami , in south America there was a notion that he was a Negro. Due to this belief he had to face insults, humiliation and was also refused entry into many hotels. Swami Vivekananda never thought that it was important to protest or explain to anyone that he was an Indian. A Western disciple once asked him why he did not tell them he was from India in such situations. `What!', Swamiji replied, `Rise at the expense of another! I did not come to earth for that!'
Two years of lecturing in America and England

"Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on 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." - Swami Vivekananda
Swami was now 30. He further decided to give lectures in America and England. By the spring of 1895, after two years of lecturing and tours, his body gave up. He started staying ill and tired. This is when Swami said 'would not even live to be 40.'
This is when he decided to stop touring for some time and in June 1895 he started giving free and private lessons on Yoga and Vedanta. He conducted several lectures for his disciplines at The Thousand Island Park, and later founded the Vedanta Society of New York.
During this visit to America, he travelled to England twice-in 1895 and 1896, giving successful lectures. In November 1895, he met an Irish lady, Miss Margaret Elizabeth Noble, who later became Sister Nivedita. In May 1896, he visited England for the second time. He lived at a house in Pamlico; this is where Swami met Max Muller a renowned Ideologist from Oxford University ,writer of Ramakrishna's first biography in the West.
He even visited some European Countries from England. Swami met another famous Ideologist Paul Deussen in Germany. At this time he was offered to become the chair person of eastern Philosophy at Harvard University and in Columbia. But Swami declined both, stating that he was a monk, who cannot stay in one place and had to move on.
Among his other followers were Josephine MacLeod, Miss Muller, Miss Noble, E.T. Sturdy, Captain and Mrs. Sevier-who played an important role in the founding of Advaita Ashrama and J.J. Goodwin who became his stenographer and recorded his teachings and lectures.
Marie Louise, a French woman, one of Swami's disciples, became Swami Abhayananda, and Mr. Leon Lands berg, became Swami Kripananda. Swami led several followers into Brahmacharya.
Scholars like William James, Josiah Royce, C. C. Everett, Dean of the Harvard School of Divinity, Robert G. Ingersoll, Nikola Tesla, Lord Kelvin, and Professor Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz, admired Swami's ideas.
American poets Harriet Monroe and Ella Wheeler Wilcox; Dr. Lewis G. Janes, president of Brooklyn Ethical Association; Sara C. Bull, wife of Ole Bull, the Norwegian violinist; Sarah Bernhardt, the French actress and Madame Emma Calvé, the French opera singer, were also among those people who admired Swami.
Vedanta: the core message of Vivekananda

A continuous message Swami gave to people in every place, city or country he went to:
"Truth is one: Sages call it by various names." Its four cardinal points are non-duality of the Godhead, divinity of the soul, oneness of existence, and harmony of religions. Religion, in the light of Vedanta, is the manifestation of the divinity already in man. The central theme of Vedanta is harmony of religions. This spiritual harmony is to be realized by deepening our spiritual consciousness. Vedanta asks a Christian to be a true Christian, a Hindu a true Hindu, a Buddhist a true Buddhist, a Jew a true Jew, Moslem a true Moslem. The message was timely and powerful. America had received a rude shock from the Civil War and its aftermath. Science had already shaken the very roots of religious beliefs and dogmas, and the ideas of Darwin were challenging conventional American thought and religion. Americans were looking for a philosophy that could harmonize science with humanism and mystical experience, and Swami Vivekananda's words gave them hope for the fulfillment of their spiritual aspirations. The message was powerful not because of its dialectical superiority or philosophical subtlety, but because of the personality of Swami Vivekananda. The message was an ancient one, but it bore a fire of conviction that was new. One familiar with the life of Swami Vivekananda will recall that his Master, Sri Ramakrishna, saw in him the power and potentiality of a great world teacher. Before the Master passed away, he prophesied: "Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) will teach others ….. Very soon he will shake the world by his intellectual and spiritual powers."
Amidst this touring and lecturing in the West, he did not forget India. He started writing letters to his disciples and devotees, giving those plans and instructions for rejuvenation. He asked them to take up work, to lead to better life, education and hygiene system. He encouraged his devotees to work for the upliftment of the women. Swami sent them money, which he had earned through his private lectures and teachings for religious and education activities, and lectures in India. The devotees of India now wanted Swami to return back, and to this Swami responded "stand on your own feet, if you are really my children, you will fear nothing, stop at nothing. You will be like lions. You must arouse India and the whole world".
Swami always tried to inspire his disciples in India to do something big. In one of his letters to Swami Akhandananda he wrote-
"Go from door to door amongst the poor and lower classes of the town of Khetri and teach them religion. Also, let them have oral lessons on geography and such other subjects. No good will come of sitting idle and having princely dishes, and saying "Ramakrishna, O Lord!"-unless you can do some good to the poor".

For the purpose of teaching the Vedanta, the periodical called Brahmavadin was eventually started in Madras, in 1895, with the money supplied by Vivekananda.
Journey back home

"Where do you find the Indian Society standing still? It is always on the move. Sometimes, as in the times of foreign invasions, the movement has been slow, at other times quicker. This is what I say to my countrymen, I do not condemn them. I look into their past. I find that under the circumstances no nation could do more glorious work. I tell them that they have done well. I only ask them to do better." - Swami Vivekananda
On December 16th 1896, Swami left for India from England with his disciples Captain, Mrs. Sevier and J.J Godwin. In between this journey they visited France, Italy, and carried on their journey from the Port of Naples on 30th December. He was followed by sister Nivedita, who spent her later life in educating the women of India, who was one of the causes of India's Independence.
Before he left London, one of his British friends put this question to him: `Swami, how do you like now your motherland after four years' experience of the luxurious, glorious, powerful West?' Swamiji said: `India I loved before I came away. Now the very dust of India has become holy to me, the very air is now to me holy; it is now the holy land, the place of pilgrimage, the Tirtha!'
15th January 1897, the ship from Europe reached Colombo, Sri Lanka. Here it was that he gave his first public speech in the east. He then travelled from Colombo to Pamban, Rameshwaram, Ramnad, Madurai, Kumbakonam and madras, lecturing all through the journey. He received a great welcome in these places. It is said that when Swami reached Pamban, the Raja of Ramnad drew Swami's carriage. At several places on his way to Madras, where Swami did not stop, he was forced to take a halt due to devotees who would stop his train by sitting on the railroad, and not allowing the train to pass. From Madras he went to Calcutta and then to Almora.
While in the west, he spoke of Hinduism and spirituality of India. And when back in India he gave lectures on need of industrialization and end of colonial rule, removal of poverty. These lectures are published as 'Lectures from Colombo to Almora'. These lectures are considered to be of patriotic feelings and spiritual beliefs.
During his short stay in Madras, he gave his four major lectures - 'My plan of Campaign', The Sages of India, Vedanta in the application to Indian Life, and The future of India. One thing common in these lectures was; revoking the people of India, their weakness and greatness; he urged them to be proud of their past and hopeful of their future. He also asked Indians to stop complaining and make the best use of their powers. (Few points from his lectures add here)
On February 19th 1897, Swami reached Calcutta. 28th of the same month Raja Benoy Krishna Deb gave him a public reception. Around fifteen thousand people attended the meeting. A few days later Swami Vivekananda gave a public lecture on Vedanta in all its phases. People started visiting him all the time. He could not handle the stress but still continued preaching Vedanta. As he saw them as: preaching of his 'man-making' religion.
Swami Vivekananda called a meeting of the Monastery and devotees of Ramakrishna at the house of Balaram Bose, who was an intimate disciple of the Swami. It was the 1st of May 1897. The purpose was to establish this work in a much organized manner. He compared Hindu and American organizing skills and said that there was lack of organizing spirit in India.
Sri Ramakrishna Mission

Every person who came to meet Swami, he taught them the importance of spiritual development. He taught his fellow monks the importance of service dedicated to humanity. He used to say, "I do not want salvation, as long as there is a single sorrow-stricken man in India." He knew that a dedicated organization was needed for continuous social work. And so he decided to start Sri Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 and put together its principles and goal. The year 1898 was devoted to training of Swami's disciplines, to consolidate the works he had started.
In 1899 Swami Vivekananda bought a site at Belur on the banks of Ganga and established the Belur Math. The main purpose of which was to train monks in spiritual practice and serve humans in all possible ways. After the establishment of Belur Math the Ramakrishna Mission Association functioned as an independent organization. On 19th March the same year he founded Advaita Ashrma-Mayavati
As of today Ramakrishna Mission is highly involved in and conducts work associated to health care, disaster relief, rural management, tribal welfare, primary and higher education and Indian culture. Hundreds of monks and householder disciples are responsible for application of these works. The foundation its work is on the principles of karma yoga.
The motto of the twin organizations (Ramakrishna Math and Mission) is Atmano mokshartham jagad hitaya cha, "For one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world". It was formulated by Swami Vivekananda.Â
Time to follow up and change

"Those that want to help mankind must take their own pleasure and pain, name and fame, and all sorts of interests, and make a bundle of them and throw them into the sea, and then come to the Lord. That is what all the masters said and did."- Swami Vivekananda
June 20, 1899, Swami decided to pay a visit to the west again to follow up on the works he had started there. He was accompanied by Sister Nivedita and Swami Turiyananda. They sailed for England first, stayed there for a short while and then left for New York on 16th august. During this visit he founded the 'Vedanta Society of San Francisco and New York, Shanti Ashrama (peace retreat) at California, with the help of an American devotee who gifted Swami 160 acre of land.
In 1900 he attended the Congress of Religions, in Paris. Here he spoke of worshiping the Linga and genuineness of the Gita. From Paris he went to Brittany, Vienna, Istanbul, Athens and Egypt. On 24 October 1900 he left Paris and reached Belur Math on 9 December 1900.Vivekananda spent some days at Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati and later at the Belur Math.
Thousands of visitors came to him during these years including The Maharaja of Gwalior and in December 1901, the stalwarts of Indian National Congress including Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In December 1901, he was invited to Japan to participate in the Congress of Religions, but he denied due to ill health. And as he saw his final days, he undertook pilgrimages to Bodhgaya and Varanasi.
At last God will behold me

During his tour in the west from 1899-1902, his health had taken a toll. He started suffering from asthma, diabetes, chronic insomnia and other physical illness. This was all a result of his hectic schedules of travelling, lecturing, discussions and correspondence. The severe somberness he practiced in his youth had now affected his physical health. He knew his end was here, and therefore just three days before his death he had mentioned the spot for his cremation.
It is said that the day he died, he had woken up early in the morning, visited the Chapel to meditate for three hours, then sang a song on Kali. He also taught Shukhla - Yajur-Veda to some of his pupils in Belur math. He later took a walk with Swami Premananda, his brother disciple and gave him instructions pertaining to the future of the Ramakrishna Math.
It was 4th July 1902, Swami was 39years only. Ten minutes past 9 in the morning Swami Vivekananda died a silent death during meditation. Swami's prediction of not living to be forty years old turned out to be true. This according to his pupils was Mahasamadhi. The real cause of death was never determined. Swami's pupils had seen some blood coming out of Swami's ear, nose, mouth and eyes. The doctor said that this could have been a result of blood vessels rupturing in the brain. Although the pupils believed, that the blood was due to Brahmarandhra- the opening in the crown of the head, which must have been pierced when he attend Mahasamadhi.
Swami Vivekananda's funeral was held at the bank of Ganga in Belur, using sandalwood. On the opposite bank, 16years back Ramakrishna was cremated.
Swami Vivekananda gave Hinduism an identity. He was the first leader to speak of Hinduism a common ground in every sector of the world. He was the first person to accept all Hindu doctrines and the views of all Hindu philosophers and sects as different aspects of one total view of Reality and way of life known as Hinduism
As Sister Nivedita wrote:
"… it may be said that when he began to speak it was of 'the religious ideas of the Hindus', but when he ended, Hinduism had been created."

Swamiji's Contributions to India

Amidst the vast linguistic, ethnic, historical and regional diversities in India, there was a strong sense of cultural unity. However, it was Swami Vivekananda who gave Indians a proper understanding of the country's great spiritual heritage, the reason for taking pride in their history. Thus, Vivekananda strengthened the sense of unity as a nation. He pointed out the drawbacks of the Western culture and the need for India's contribution to overcome those, which became a mission for the Indians eventually.
The sense of unity among Indians while taking pride in India's rich history and the sense of mission gave strength and purpose to India's nationalist movement. Many leaders of the freedom movement acknowledged their indebtedness to Swamiji. Free India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: "Rooted in the past, full of pride in India's prestige, Vivekananda was yet modern in his approach to life's problems, and was a kind of bridge between the past of India and her present … he came as a tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu mind and gave it self-reliance and some roots in the past." Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one of the most prominent nationalist leaders, said: "Swamiji harmonized the East and the West, religion and science, past and present. And that is why he is great. Our countrymen have gained unprecedented self-respect, self-reliance and self-assertion from his teachings."
Swamiji was the first to enlighten the Indians about their duty to the downtrodden masses. Even before the ideas of Karl Marx gained popularity in India, Swamiji publicly spoke about the role of the labouring classes in the production of the country's wealth. He was the first religious leader in India to speak for the masses, formulate a definite philosophy of service and organize large-scale social service.
Swamiji's Contributions to Hinduism