TARAPADA ACHARJEE(8 January) :: Swami Vivekananda was born Narendranath Dutta, son of a well-known lawyer of Calcutta, Vishwanath Dutta, and a very intelligent and pious lady, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, in the year 1863January 12. But Ramakrishana Mission observed birth tithi not birth date. 8 january this year the birth tithi of Swami Vivekananda has been obsered.
Naren passed Entrance Examination from the Metropolitan Institution and F.A. and BA Examinations from the General Assembly’s Institution (now Scottish Church College). Philosophy was the fist priority with him and Hastie, Principal of the College, was highly impressed by Naren’s Philosophycal insight.It was from Hastie that first heard of Sri Ramakrishna.
Swami Vivekananda address before the Graduate Philosophical Society of Harvard University, on March 25, 1896.
Some parts of swami Vivekanandas’ valuable speech stated bellow:
The Vedanta Philosophy , as it is generally called at the present day, really comprises all the various sects that now exist in india.
The word Vedanta literally means the end of the vadas-the Vadas beging the scriptures of the Hindus.
The Vedas are divided mainly into two portions: the Karma-kanda and the Janana-kanande the work-portion and the knowledge-portion. To the Karma-kanda belong the famous hymns and the rituals or Brahmanas.
Sometimes the term Upanishad is applied to books which are not included in the Vedas-e.g the Gita; but as a rule it is applied to the philosophical treatises scattered through the Vedas. There trearises have been collected and are called Vedanta.
The Vedanta, then, practically forms the scriptures of the Hindus, and all systems of philosophy that are orthodox have to take it as suits their foundation. Even the Buddhists and Jains, when it suits their purpose, with quote a passage from the Vedanta as authority.
So it is especially called the Vedenta philosophy: and the Sutras or aphorisms of Vyasa are the basis of the Vedanta philosophy.
There have been various commentaries on the Vedanta
All the Vedantists agree on three points. They believe in God, in the Vedas as revealed, and in cycles. We have already considered the Vedas.
Even in very ancient times the commentators on the Vedanta philosophy fromed themselves into the three celebrated Hindu sects of dualists, qualified non-dualists, and non-dualists. The ancient commentaries are perhaps lost; but they have been revived in modern times by the post-Buddhistic commentators, Shankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva. Shankara revived the non-dualistic from, Ramanuja, the qualified non-dualistic from of ancient commentator Bodayna, and Madhhva the dualistic from.
The Vedanta call is Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached. Arise, awake! Awake from this hypnotism of weakness.
He also said I am no preacher of any momentary socil reform. He also said I am not trying to remedy evils, I only ask you to go forward and to complete the practical realization of the scheme of human progress that has been laid out in the most perfect order by our ancestors.
The Vedantic idea is applicable not only here but over the whole world. Such is our ideal of caste as meant for raising all humanity slowly and grently towards the realisation of that great ideal of the spiritual, man who is non-resisting calm, steady, worshipful, pure, and meditative. In that ideal there is God.
About the goal of vedanta Swami Vivekanda said. When the Vedantaist has realised his own nature, the whole world has vanished for him. It will come back again, but no more the same world of misery. The prison of misery has become changed into Sat, Chit, Ananda Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Abolute_ and the attainment of this is goal of the Advaita Pholosophy.
The Message of Swami Vivekananda
Vivekananda told predicted sometime in 1897 that India would be independent in a most unpredictable manner within the next fifty years. Exactly after this India became independent.
Swami wanted `man-making’ and `character-building’ education. Education should be both moral and intellectual. At the same time, it will make man self-reliant.
World Thinkers of Vivekananda
If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative: says Rabindranath Tagor
Surely Swami Vivekanda’s writings need no introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible appeal: Mahatma Gandhi
Swami Vivekananda died july 4 1902, belur Blessed is the country in which he was born, blessed are they who lived on this earth at the same time, and blessed, thrice blessed are the few who sat at his feet.
Ref:1: Selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
2:Swami Vivekananda His Life and Message
