VIVEKANAND
Swami Vivekananda occupies a very special position among the thinkers of modern India. He was the first Indian who, in the late 19th century, preached and propagated, throughout the world, the basic philosophy of Hindu religion. He was neither a political philosopher nor did he propound any new political principle or concept. Yet, he occupies an important and special place in the galaxy of Modern Indian Political Philosophers mainly for two reasons Firstly, his personality and teachings exercised great influence on the nationalist movement of Bengal, as his socio-political views played a constructive role in the growth of national consciousness in India, in rallying the Indian people to fight against colonialism. Secondly, he was one of the first to pay attention to the misfortunes and sufferings of the masses and the pressing problems of the country. He inspired Indians to fight for their rights and instilled in their hearts, confidence in their own spiritual and physical strength.
Roman Rolland in his work, The Life of Vivekananda', called Vivekananda as the Hindu Napolean. The victorious marches of Vivekananda in the American continent and Europe, demonstrated to the people that Hinduism had grown powerful once more and was bent upon making spiritual, moral and cultural-philosophical propaganda in the world. It gave to our country a new self-confidence which is the genuine psychological presagement of an independent foreign policy. Vivekananda succeeded in providing a dynamic and heroic-spiritual fervour to the formation of the culture-complex of India. He inherited the great spiritual treasure of Indian philosophy as well as fetters of rigid, senseless religious rituals, oppressive caste system, appalling poverty of the masses and a privileged class which monopolised the wealth of the country. His call to the youth of the country to fight for the upliftment of the downtrodden, his revolutionary approach to the problem of liquidating the privileges of the rich and giving the toilers their due, his crusade against untouchability and above all his teachings for the purification of the soul was later adopted by the successive generations and political leaders.
There were three reformist movements in India, represented by the Brahmo Samaj, the Arya Samaj and the Theosophical Society, before Vivekananda started his life as a monk. But none of these movements was able to influence and inspire an average orthodox Hindu. This was the period of religious and scial crisis in India, and these religious and social movements were trying to pull the nation in their own directions. In such a situation, the nation was in dire need of a teacher who could guide its thought, humanise its religion and spiritualise its social ends and activities. The nation was fortunate to get Vivekananda at such an appropriate time.
0 Comments