Why India Still Lives

Indian spirituality and the message of Vedanta reached the world due to Vivekananda’s participation in the Parliament of Religions. Vivekananda gives full credit of the visit to the Rajah of Ramnad, Bhaskara Sethupathy Thever for it was he who led him by his hand and arranged for his visit to Chicago. The Rajah strongly felt that the message of spirituality of our motherland must be told to the world.

“Ours is the only nation where people have gone fearlessly beyond time and space. The characteristic of this nation is transidentalism.” Despite a thousand years of slavery and foreign domination India still lives.

Then are we complete in ourselves? Or do we have to learn anything from the world outside? Many questions spring up in my mind. I have found answers to each one in Vivekananda’s thoughts.

Swamiji said, yes, we have to gain knowledge of the power of organisation, material knowledge, the knowledge to use and handle power from other nations. But if anyone wants to preach in India that life is about eating, drinking and merry making, then that man is a liar. He has no place in this holy land.

What is it that adds the vitality to our nation?

Religion and spirituality are the fountains that give vitality. The western world is bogged down by political ambitions and social scheming. In India the one note that is all powerful is Renunciation...Give up. The world is an illusion of two days. Beyond is the infinite, let us seek that.

Therefore should all the people shun the material world in India?

Some sort of materialism, toned down to our own requirement would be a blessing too many of our brothers who are not ripe for the highest truths said Swamiji. This is the mistake that we have been making of late. It is not right to force the highest truths on people who are not ready for them. Each ones method is different. A sanyasin is the ideal of Hindu life. Yet without tasting or experiencing the hollowness of material life we cannot expect ordinary men to know the truth.

How will this search for truth begin?

The Pravritti has to stop and the mind must move towards Nivrutii. We cannot teach a child the truth of renunciation; the child is a born optimist. His whole life is in his senses. So there are child like men in the society, who require a certain amount of experience of enjoyment to see through the vanity of it, and then renunciation will come. A poor man must be allowed to enjoy, and then he will raise himself.

From whom should we gain knowledge?

“ Learn good knowledge with all devotion from the lowest caste. Learn the way to freedom, even if it comes from pariah, by serving him. If a women is a jewel, take her in marriage even if she comes from a low family of the lowest cast” .These are Swamiji’s thoughts.

 In a world where we are fighting over castes and races in India, these thoughts are an eye opener.

So what must people of this land do?

It was only in India that we turned to the sages to know our lineage instead of turning to royal families. Spirituality is the essence of our national life. Swamiji said “ let us all work hard, my brethren, this is no time for sleep. On our work depends the coming of the India of future. She is there waiting. Arise, awake and see her seated here, on her eternal throne, rejuvenated, more glorious than she ever was – this Mother land of ours.”