Swami Vivekananda :- The Eternal Flame.

Namaste.

Tomorrow is 160th Swami Vivekananda Jayanti (National Youth Day). Therefore, today's blog will be, ofcourse, dedicated to him. Well if you know me, you know that we've already discussed Vivekananda numerous times. His name is not new for Impulsum. If you have ever ever tried to love India even for a moment, you must have come through the name Swami Vivekananda. For me he is a saint, a soldier, a patriot and a ruthless seeker of truth. We've tried to understand him and his message multiple times before.

We cannot just discuss off his life and message in one blog. Thus, in today's blog, we will understand that man, that God, in the light of other great personalities. In today's blog we'll see how Swami Vivekananda is an Eternal Flame, lightning in the hearts of millions and millions, even after 120 years of his death. Here is a list of 8 famous Indians who were immensely inspired by Swami Vivekananda and what they said about him. 

1. Rabindranath Tagore :-

'If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative.'

2. Bal Gangadhar Tilak :-

 'Twelve centuries ago Sankaracharya was the only great personality, who not only spoke of the purity of our religion, not only uttered in words that this religion was our strength and wealth, not only said that it was our sacred duty to preach this religion in the length and breadth of the world—but also brought all this into action. Swami Vivekananda is a person of that stature.'

3. Mahatma Gandhi :-

' I have gone through Vivekananda’s works very thoroughly, and after having gone through them, the love that I had for my country became a thousand-fold.'

4. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose :-

'Swamiji was a full-blooded masculine personality —and a fighter to the core of his being. I can go on for hours and yet fail to do the slightest justice to that great man. He was so great, so profound, so complex. If he had been alive, I would have been at his feet.'

5. Jawaharlal Nehru :-

'Rooted in the past and full of pride in India’s prestige, Vivekananda was yet modern in his approach to life’s problems and was a kind of bridge between the past of India and her present. . . He was a fine figure of a man, imposing, full of poise and dignity, sure of himself and his mission, and at the same time full of a dynamic and fiery energy and a passion to push India forward.'

6. Vinoba Bhave :-

'Vivekananda not only made us conscious of our strength, he also pointed out our defects and drawbacks. . He taught us: ‘The same Soul resides in each and all. If you are convinced of this, it is your duty to treat all as brothers and serve mankind.’

7. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan :-

'If there is any call which Vivekananda made to us, it is to rely on our own spiritual resources.

 Man has inexhaustible spiritual resources. His spirit is supreme, man is unique.  He told us: ‘Do not be led away by the appearances. Deep down there is a providential will, there is a purpose in this universe. You must try to co- operate with that purpose and try to achieve it.

And we will end this blog by my favorite description of Swami Vivekananda. It is by Shri Aurobindo Ghosh.

8. Aurobindo Ghosh :-

'We perceive Vivekananda’s influence still working gigantically, we know not well how, we know not well where, in something that is not yet formed, something leonine, grand, intuitive, upheaving that has entered the soul of India and we say, ‘Behold, Vivekananda still lives in the soul of his Mother and in the souls of her children.’

My friends, let me share with you all a secret. If you wish to see in front of your eyes an India supreme, an India glorious, then you ought to read Swami Vivekananda. Nay, just try to love India more, just try to be more sincere, and then he himself will choose you. He himself shall work through you. His influence still is very very strong, and know that its my personal experience.

"I am anxiously waiting for the day when mighty minds will arise, gigantic spiritual minds, who will be ready to go forth from India to the ends of the world to teach spirituality and renunciation..For my own part I will be incarnated two hundred times, if that is necessary, to do this work amongst my people that I have undertaken."

              -Swami Vivekananda

Thanks,

Daksh Parekh.