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Tuesday 20 December 2011

India: Vision of Swami Vivekananda:

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.


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.
Children of Workers

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.
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.


Ancient Gurukul for girls
Ancient Gurukul
Pupils having Meal
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.
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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