Be and Make: Vivekananda

A common boy, he was just like us but made a name in the world with his calm mind and humane thinking for which India hailed him as Swamiji. 119 years ago today he left the world with an atmosphere of mourning.

Vivekananda. Illustrated by Dishani Goswami: Visual Storyteller at ThisDay

A woman, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, in Bengal was a great devotee of Shiva. One day, she saw a dream that Lord Shiva himself had come down to the earth and was born from her womb. She prayed to the Lord day and night for a handsome and intelligent son to be born to her, just like the Lord of serpents. Her prayers and endless rituals to appease Shiva were finally answered when a son was born to her during the Makar Sankranti of 1863.

The happy couple believing the newly born to be an avatar of Shiva, named him Narendranath. As the kid started growing up, he became naughtier and restless, upsetting his parents and creating a nuisance for them. Bhuvaneshwari Devi would often beat her head and cry that Shiva had not offered her a son but has sent down a demon.

Little did they know that their son would one day become an idol and role model for people like APJ Abdul Kalam, Subhas Chandra Bose, Nikola Tesla and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

External nature is only internal nature writ large. - Swami Vivekananda

As he grew up, he became more serious about life and its issues. Brought up through formal education and a well-supporting family, Narendranath developed traditional as well as progressive thoughts in the shadow of his mother and father respectively. The rational attitude of Vishwanath Datta and the religious zeal of Bhuvaneshwari Devi helped in shaping his personality and thinking.

Narendra developed a sense of responsibility and he became a teacher, teaching people about the truth behind casteism and the evils of rich and poor. Once, the boy found two tobacco pipes in his father's office. On promptly asking about them, he found out that one of them was the Muslims while the other was for Hindus. He put them both in his mouth which angered his father. In response, Narendra said that both the pipes had the same taste and there was no difference in them.

All differences in this world are of degree and not of Kind because oneness is the secret of everything. - Swami Vivekananda.

Soon, his interests started turning towards religion and he became keen on meeting God in order to experience the feeling. This slowly became his ultimate goal in life and eventually, his faith in spiritualism grew. He wanted a guru who could guide him on the right path and he found one in Ramakrishna and joined him.

When the guru died, all his followers became homeless. This is when Narendranath, who was only 23 then took the responsibility for all of them and built a home for them, a dilapidated house in Baranagar was converted into a monastery. This is when Narendra became Swami Vivekananda.

If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of Evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. - Swami Vivekananda.

Without any resources or money, clad in saffron, Swami travelled from Bengal to Varanasi to Ayodhya to find the Lord. He went as far as America to talk about the God he believed in. His famous monologue in the Parliament of Religions began with "Brothers and Sisters of America", the words that were applauded and those that became the headline.

For Vivekananda, the world was like a family and all religions are a way to reach God. They are many doors to reach the same destination. His religion was based on mercy and universality. Yet his search for God was never satiated.

You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself- Swami Vivekananda

In 1902, when Vivekananda was 39, he finally found a way to meet God. He woke up early on the 4th of July, went to the math and performed mediation. Throughout the day, he went about doing his work like any other day. In the evening, he excused himself, pleading others not to disturb him, while he walked into his room. In complete silence and remembering the Lord, Vivekananda left the world that day.

When the guru died, all his followers became homeless. This is when Narendranath, who was only 23 then took the responsibility for all of them and built a home for them, a dilapidated house in Baranagar was converted into a monastery. This is when Narendra became Swami Vivekananda.

If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of Evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. - Swami Vivekananda.

Without any resources or money, clad in saffron, Swami travelled from Bengal to Varanasi to Ayodhya to find the Lord. He went as far as America to talk about the God he believed in. His famous monologue in the Parliament of Religions began with "Brothers and Sisters of America", the words that were applauded and those that became the headline.

For Vivekananda, the world was like a family and all religions are a way to reach God. They are many doors to reach the same destination. His religion was based on mercy and universality. Yet his search for God was never satiated.

You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself- Swami Vivekananda

In 1902, when Vivekananda was 39, he finally found a way to meet God. He woke up early on the 4th of July, went to the math and performed mediation. Throughout the day, he went about doing his work like any other day. In the evening, he excused himself, pleading others not to disturb him, while he walked into his room. In complete silence and remembering the Lord, Vivekananda left the world that day.

Patriot Saint of Modern India; Image Source: Hindu Jagruti