Swamiji had great understanding and
vision for India. He says Indian culture is not only the oldest but the best in
the world. His vision was Indian culture is the best in the universe. The only lacuna
he found was "restricted education" He used to profess that let each
and every person be educated in a right way. Every person must be pure in both
mind and body. We have a lot to learn from westerners. However, we have a lot to give
to them. Our strength is our culture. We must not loose our culture. India
shall be equal to any of the countries in the world. He had no thought of
superiority over others or inferior to any one. Just all are equal. Swamiji
didn't bring any new philosophy. He just invited attention of the people to the
ancient Indian philosophy with illustrations. Swamiji has given many examples
of his time. I am afraid I may not place examples here, else this article would
be too lengthy to read.
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| Mother Sita |
His ideal woman is Sita. He used to
say Sita is a unique character. There is no need to find whether Sita ever
existed. Sita is one, there had been no Sita in the past and no Sita at present
or there shall be no Sita in the future. There had been only one Sita many
years ago either physically or in books. Every woman must be blessed "be
Sita" In order to follow Sita all women must be taught in a right way, to
be pure mentally and physically. There is no need to solve women's problems.
Teach them and let them find their own solutions. Worship of woman doesn't mean
physical worship similar to idol worship or similar to prayer to the god. True worship is
to treat them equal, not in the western way though. Westerners say "Good Morning
madam" and in the same breath they say "your breasts are so
tempting" Westerners worship women to make them their wives and not
mother. Almost all over the world woman is considered as an object of pleasure.
Somewhere they give equal status outwardly, whereas some where they are
protected as property. Ancient Indians considered woman as a mother first. This
is our culture and is the best to any other culture in the world.
Indians must not forget this and honour women and respect them as mothers. This
is the way how women must be treated. This shall make women equal to men and
shall have no danger in the society. Women must be given right education and
allowed to solve their problems on their own. This is how women must be worshiped.
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| Children of Workers |
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| Children of Educated People |
Swamiji said Brahman is one who is educated to
acquire knowledge. Brahman cannot be a Brahman just because his father or
ancestor was a Brahman. In Indian culture there are basically 2 castes. First
who acquire and deliver knowledge and other who do physical work. However, this
doesn't mean that Brahmans are superior or inferior to those who do physical
work. All are equal and any one who desires to acquire education must be
provided with suitable facilities. Those who desire to do physical work shall
be treated equal to Brahman in every respect except educational strength.
Brahman shall be superior in educational strength but inferior in physical
work. Both these are equally needed for survival of a society and are
inescapable necessities. Hence, there shall never be difference in the society
among such persons whether any one uses brain or muscles. Swamiji
considered right education is what is necessary to all. First stage shall be
bring all at par in education and then have competition among all. He used to
say don't forget that a particular dirt carried by a person on his head, had
remained in others stomach for days or more.
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| Karma Preachings |
Swamiji said there are many ways to
reach to the god. Every one can think of Nirvana. However, don't forget every
one has a duty or Karma to be performed before leaving this beautiful earth.
Karma is the best way for general public who passes through all four stages of
life. Have firm belief in Karma and one need not bother about external worship
or prayers. Remember external worship and prayers are tools to control one's
mind. Right Karma itself is worship of the god. One should see the god in every
human being. If one does this no one would be made slave or troubled and every
human being would enjoy life in the best way. Swamiji said let there be many
religions or sects but always remember there is only one religion in the
universe. What people consider as religion is just a copy of the universal and eternal
religion. Differences in various religions are based on place and time. In addition I wish to add society to his thinking. Religions
professed at various times at various places were based on society, for which
the religion is professed. Therefore, no religion can be inferior or superior
to any other so called religion. Swamiji says there is no need to convert
people from one religion to other. No religion guides people in the wrong
direction. The difference in direction may change with place, time and
society. It is so true, we follow concept of nation rather than religion in the
present world. We have various methods to make rules for behaviour of people in
the nation. This is what had been achieved in past. There were no boundary
fixed for nation in olden days. Boundary for religion is place, time and society. Personally I firmly believe in
this. I propose that conversion, in whatever form or through method, from one
religion to another should be considered as a crime. Punishment for such crime
should be loss of nationality for the persons involved.
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| Ancient Gurukul for girls |
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| Ancient Gurukul |
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| Pupils having Meal |
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| Ancient Gurukul |
Swamiji had great faith in "Gurukul"
Gurukul is an ancient form of Indian school where the pupils and
"Guru" stay in one place for education. The entire expenditure was
borne by the king (now we can say society or the state). Pupils were taught
while working in the spare time. Pupils also supported themselves through minor
work (basically work related to agriculture or housekeeping during those days).
Guru had total control in the gurukul and guided pupils all the time i.e. 24/7
in today's term. Every pupil had personal attention from the guru. Education
had been knowledge transferred through generations and practices for living in
right manner and ways. He desired gurukul for all, irrespective of religion,
caste, creed or belief. One gurukul for one society (we may say for one nation in
today's terms). Of course this doesn't mean one number but one mind. He said
let there be one gurukul on one bank of river for boys and another on the
opposite bank of the river for girls. Girls, he said should study up to age of
15 in the gurukul and then get married or as per the decision of their parents. However, while in gurukul all will follow "Brahmacharya" i.e. no sexual (both body and mind) pleasure. Once a pupil learns primary education,
professional skill and morality then every one can undergo higher education or
work as may be fit for the pupil. He always stressed on purity of mind and body
irrespective of sex of the person. Purity he wanted to develop in gurukul along
with other education and skills.
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| Vivekananda Street in USA |
I wanted to add and elaborate all thoughts of
Swamiji. However, I decided to do that based on the views of the readers. Thank
you.
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