Ours world is playhouse of conflicts in which future course of life is paved with unpredictable dilemmas. While most of us get crushed in the affairs of life some not only manage to save themselves from ironies of life but they also come up to play an active part in shaping the future of society. Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual giant who devoted his life for regeneration of India, explored and interpreted secrets of nature in a remarkable way. He unfolded the glory of Vedanta vis-à-vis efforts aimed at finding solutions of complex problems haunting India.
What a pity that Hinduism which is storehouse of principles formulated by the Rishis for upliftment of human soul has attained a dubious from in the land of its origin. Unlike our pseudo intellectual’s secular interpretation of Hindutva which has done more harm than good, Vivakananda in an unambiguous terms revealed his love for it. “If at present the word Hindu means anything bad, never mind; by out action let us be ready to show that this is the highest word that any language can invent. It has been one of the principles of my life not to be ashamed of my own ancestors.”
There will be few takers of it if I say politics in our county can never be kept away from religion.But Vivekananda feels the same way when he says, “It is not only true that the ideal of religion is the highest ideal; in the case of India it is the only possible means of work; work in any other line, without first strengthening this would be disastrous.” Elaborating it further he says, “But the Hindu can understand even politics when it is given thorough religion; sociology must come through religion, everything must come through religion.For that is the theme, the rest are the variations in the natural life.” I wonder how those will react who believe religion should be confined to private life alone.
Vivekanand was conscious of the potential of youths and its power to change the fate of nation if effectively brought in application. Sadly, an overall picture of today’s youth does not present an appealing image.Although they have made rapid progress in spheres at par with materialistic aspirations their inner beings, however, are ruled by monsters of modernity converting them into cold-blooded heartless souls averse to concerns of those around.George Eliot’s words are fitting remark on their state-of-affairs when he calls them ‘figure led with dull consent into insipid misdoing and shabby achievements.’ Still, thinkers like Vivekananda lay great hopes on them as they know well what wonders can youths create once ‘knowledge of self’ is aroused in them.
To bring transformation in youths it’s necessary that gulf which exists between their inner world and external world gets reduced to maximum.
To make it a reality mind and heart of an youth is to be moulded in ‘life building, man-making, character making ideas’ right from childhood.Massive overhauling of education system is all what is required if we want to see future generation loaded with divine attributes.What are divine attributes? Charity, self-control, fearlessness, freedom from envy and from the passion of honour are some of the few divine qualities mentioned by lord Krishna in chapter sixteen of Bhagavad-Geeta.
But if we observe messy state of education system one gets the feeling it wishes otherwise. Emotionally dead but efficient in articulating perceptions alien to our culture is the picture of present day students.Can you imagine a more grim situation than the above in a nation which boast of a rich cultural heritage?
Even though the situation is alarming pessimism won’t improve it either.Instead, let us restore our faith in our abilities and strengthen it further by pondering over truths of our scriptures.
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Give up the awful disease that is seeping into our natural blood, that idea of ridiculing everything, that loss of seriousness. Give that up. Be strong and have shraddha (faith), and every thing else is bound to follow.
” Let these words of Vivekananda gets enshrined in our hearts forever.
Reference:
Literature Published By Ramakrishna Mission.
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