Puran Chander Sharma
The light of the world dawned for the first time upon the future Swami Vivekananda on Monday, January 12, 1863. It was the holy morning of Makara Sankranti day – a great Hindu festival. The millions of men and women who were observing the fast unknowingly greeted the the new born baby with prayers and worships, they had little known that he had just been born, who was to usher in a new age of glory for his country. And only a few miles North of Calcutta, in the Garden of Dakshineshwara, a great seer was waiting for the coming of this baby.
The mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi named the baby Vireshawara, after the aspect of Shiva which she worshipped before the child’s birth. They called him Bileh for short. Later Vireshwara became Narendra Nath. He was a sunny- tempered, sweet, loving child, but of such an extraordinary restlessness that it took two nurses to take care of him. The boy had a great fancy for wandering monks. As the first education is always at the knees of the mother, it were her knees that he first heard the tales of the RAMAYANA and MAHABHARATA, and it was no doubt that he thus caught some of the dramatic fire and force that he exhibited later. The first seed of spiritual life was sown at this. In him, there was immense pent-up strength. Narendra had special enthusiasm for lathi-play, riding was one of his favourite past times. His bold, generous, compassionate nature shines out from these and similar activities, together with his presence of mind and incredible energy.
Narendra’s father Vishwanath was a lover of music and used to sing himself. He had noticed Narendra’s love for music and his musical potentialities. He arranged for Narendra’s training under reputed masters. In fact, with him Music became a wonderful instrument for adoration of the divine. It was through music that his first communion with Shri Ramakrishna took place in November, 1881.
In the company of his master Shri Ramakrishna
The company of Shri Ramakrishna was, in itself, a most compelling stimulus to spirituality. What were Shri Ramakrishna’s answers to questions pertaining to God-vision and methods of realization! How to pray ? “Praying in any form”, he would say, “for the Lord hears the footfall of an ant”. How to find God ? “By the conquest of lust and gold”. Shri Ramakrishna was intimately connected with all paths of Sadhana that led to the realization of God. The general teachings which the Master imparted to his disciples, Narendra Nath assimilated in a unique way. His soul was most attuned to the spiritual vibrations of the Master’s words. Wonderful was the relationship between Shri Ramakrishna and Naren. So close, so deep was their love and regard for each other, that the disciples of both, always think of them as two souls in one-Ramakrishnavivekananda. Shri Ramakrishna once said to his disciples, “Naren will pass away only of his own will. The moment he realizes who he is, he will refuse to stay a moment longer in the body. The time will come when he will shake the world to its foundations through the strength of his intellectual and spiritual powers”. The climax was reached when the spirit of the Master, before he left the body in 1886, descended upon the disciple. This relationship served a great impersonal purpose_the revival of the religion of the Vedas and the preaching of the Modern Gospel to the people of the earth.
After the passing away of his Master, Narendra became the leader of his brother disciples. Now and then he suggested them to sit in meditation, prayers and all sorts of spiritual disciplines etc. After some time, he resolved to set-out for ‘Bharat Darshan’, and during this period he visited almost every corner of India by interacting with the people belonging to all castes, creeds and sects. This is during to his visit to Rajputana that he was invited by the Raja of Khetri, Ajit Singh to be the royal guest. Raja Ajit Singh was very much impressed by this wandering monk and begged him to be initiated by him. At the request of Raja Ajit Singh of Khetri, the Swami re-assumed the name Vivekananda for good, in place of Sachchidananda, which he had been using in South India.
Now the single minded monk had been transformed into a reformer, a national builder, a world-architect. The clear-eyed swami saw that renunciation and service must be the twin ideals of India. If the National life could be intensified in these channels, every else would be taken care of. Renunciation alone had always been the great dynamo of strength of India. So at this critical time he looked to the man of renunciation to uphold the cause of India’s down trodden masses. What could he do, a penniless sanyasi. In the midst of despair inspiration came to him. In his anguish he looked out over the ocean. A ray of light shot across his vision. Yes, he would go to America in the name of India’s millions. There he would earn money by the power his brain. Returning to India., he would devote himself to the regeneration of his countrymen-or die in the attempt.
At the Parliament of religions in Chicago
With the help of his disciples and the Raja of Khetri, Ajit Singh, Swami ji managed to participate in the Historic and unprecedented parliament of Religion which was held in Chicago. It was on Monday, September 11th ,1893, there sat upon the platform of the great Hall of Columbus representatives of the religious hopes and beliefs of twelve hundred million of the human race. The whole audience grew intent, a pin could have been heard to fall. Bowing to Devi Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, he addressed his audience as, “Sisters and brothers of America”. And with that, before he had uttered another word, the whole parliament was caught up in a great wave of enthusiasm. Hundreds rose to their feet with shouts of applause. The parliament had gone mad, everyone was cheering, cheering and cheering! The Swami was bewildered. For full two minutes he attempted to speak, but the wild enthusiasm of the audience prevented it.
When silence was restored, swami ji began his address by thanking of the youngest of Nations in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sanysis, and introducing the Hinduism as “The Mother of Religions, a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance”. And he quoted two beautiful illustrative passages, taken from the scriptures of Hinduism; “As 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 tendencies, various though they may appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee”. And the other : “Whosoever comes to me, through whatsoever form, I reach him. All men are struggling through paths which in the end leads to Me”.
It was only a short speech, but its spirit of universality, its fundamental earnest and broad-mindedness completely captivated the whole assembly. Thus, did the unknown monk blossom into the world-figures. On all sides his name resounded.
Conclusion
Vivekananda’s gospel marked the awakening of man in his fullness and that is why it inspired our youth to the diverse forces of Liberation through work and sacrifice. In recent times in India, it was Vivekananda alone who preached a great message which is not tied to any do’s and don’ts. Addressing one and all in the Nation he said : “In every one of you there is the power of Brahmn (GOD); the God in poor desires you to serve Him. He coined a new word, “DARIDRA DEVO BHAVA, MURKH DEVO BHAVA” i.e. all the sane, destitute, lepers, inflicted, poor are all our living ‘gods’, work for them, serve them, this is all of the religion. I believe in no religion and ‘God’ who cannot wipe the tears of a widow, who cannot give a piece of bread to the mouth of orphan.
“Arise, Awake, and Stop Not Till The Goal Is Reached”, great things can be done by great sacrifices. Work hard. Be holy and pure and the fire will come. Have Faith in yourself. Let the people say whatever they like, stick to your own convictions, and rest assured the world will be at your feet. Money does not pay, nor name, fame does not pay, nor learning. It is love that pays; it is character that cleaves its way through adamant time- walls of difficulties.
(The author is the translator of ,”The Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna” into Urdu titled as “Shri Ramakrishna ji ke Ekwal-E-Zarin”.)
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