National Youth Day: Four things for which Swami Vivekananda is remembered

January 12, which marks the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, is observed as National Youth Day. Vivekananda was India’s first global monk. He propounded a philosophy which in his words, “can serve as a basis to every possible religious system in the world”. Here are the four things for which Swami Vivekananda is best remembered: 1. He gave Hindu dharma a new identity: One of the most significant contributions by Swami Vivekananda was his fresh interpretations of Hindu dharma (read Hinduism). Before Swami Vivekananda came in, Hindu dharma was basically a confederation of different sects. Vivekananda was the first Hindu leader who spoke about the essence of a “common ground for all Hindu sects”. “…it may be said that where he began to speak it was of ‘the religious ideas of the Hindus’, but when he ended Hinduism had been created.” This is what Sister Nivedita, the Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda, had said. At a time when the Christian missionary propaganda was spreading canards about Hindu dharma, it was Vivekananda who came to its rescue. Vivekananda presented Hindu dharma as a man-making religion on the international stage and successfully positioned it as the most revered religion in the world. This was what Swami Vivekananda had said in his model speech, dated 11 September 1893, at the Parliament of the World’s Religions held in Chicago. “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.” Vivekananda’s Chicago speech marked the beginning of Western interest in Hindu dharma. 2. His interpretation of religion as a universal experience Another significant contribution of Swami Vivekananda was his interpretation of religion as a universal experience of the transcendent reality, common to humanity. Vivekananda propounded a philosophy which in his words, “can serve as a basis to every possible religious system in the world”. He taught the world that essence all religions are true, and service to mankind is the most effective form of worship of God. 3. A missionary who never converted people Swami Vivekananda was a missionary in true sense. He never converted people away from their religion. It was during one of his lectures in America, Vivekananda had said: “I do not come to convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; the Unitarian a better Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the light within your own soul.” Addressing the final session of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Vivekananda had said, “Holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character.” 4. He used religion as a scientific experience Vivekananda was the first religious leader of the world who used religion as a scientific experience. He said, “All science has its particular methods; so has the science of religion. It has more methods also, because it has more material to work upon. The human mind is not homogeneous like the external world. According to the different nature, there must be different methods. As some special sense predominates in a person – one person will see most, another will hear most – so there is a predominant mental sense; and through this gate must each reach his own mind. Yet through all minds runs a unity, and there is a science which may be applied to all. This science of religion is based on the analysis of the human soul. It has no creed.” Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had aptly said, “Swamiji harmonised East and West, religion and science, past and present. And that is why he is great.” The writer is a multimedia journalist having 17 years of experience, with 10 years in senior editorial positions. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.