Why have we still not took the message of Swami Vivekananda to every single Indian villages and children?
Sorry to say this, but still I see lot of things that should have changed since Swami Vivekananda’s life and message has not changed.
So sometimes I feel nothing, really nothing has changed and still ALL his message seems as true as ever and relevant. Yes agreed, that voices of great persons are for eternity.Yet Swami’s voice on society’s plight was said 100 years and still the society seems not to have learnt anything from his message.
Swamiji said, to spend few lakhs on learning Sanskrit…How many Sanskrit colleges are opened because of His wonderful message on learning Sanskrit and its use to our life. Considering the fact most of India ’s wisdom lives in this language which once united this land.
If American press took his ‘Sisters and Brothers of America ’ to world, shouldn’t his country press/journalists take his message in every single report they write in their every day’s report. Whenever they hear on anything which affects society, they should link the incident they report to Swamiji’s message and see how the incident could have been avoided(if it was something bad) or improved(if it was something good) or appreciated( if it was something better) or confirm(if it was best).
There are many ways to take Swamiji’s message from temple spiritual discourses to school books, to TV programs to educational films. But are we doing it.
There are many TV channels who talk of many country’s rich culture/traditions/ spiritual values..But do we have something similar to talk on Advaita philosophy in Indian TV channels?
Yes there is only hope that there are monks who have renounced their family life to take the world as their family. Its only with this hope that we can think of a better future for our generation to come.
If the followers of Swamiji’s call had with so much un-imaginable difficulties and had set up the Advaita Ashram to spread his message it shows their will and commitment which is certainly the inspiration for rest to follow. Many could read on how amidst those harsh conditions monks printed out and sent across country and world from Advaita ashram in those early days. But looking now, we need to question if during those harsh days if the monks printed out, we still have a long way to travel to give his message to those who still remain unheard and wanting to talk on other religions or other prophets.
There is nothing wrong to talk of other religions or prophets, but its important that they all take and accept that all religions are essential one and the same, as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said different religions are only different ways to reach the same GOD.
Recently I happen to read a very important and most wonderful book ‘My Idea of Education – Swami Vivekananda’ from Advaita Ashramam https://advaitaashrama.org/publication/book-details.php?bid=1509 from where I quote
A few hundred, modernized, half-educated, and denationalized men are all that is there to show of modern English India- nothing else.
The education that you are getting now has some good points, but it has a tremendous disadvantage which is so great that the good things are all weighed down. In the first place it is not a man-making education, it is merely and entirely a negative education. A negative education, or any training that is based on negation, is worse than death.
The present system of education is all wrong. The mind is crammed with
facts before it knows how to think.
It is one of the evils of your western civilization that you are after intellectual education alone, and take no care of the heart. It only makes men ten times more selfish, and that will be your destruction.
The education that you are receiving now in schools and colleges is only making you a race of dyspeptics. You are working like machines merely, and living a jelly-fish existence.
Open your eyes and see what a piteous cry for food is rising in the land
of Bharata, proverbial for its wealth! Will your education fulfill
this want? Never.
On one side, new India is saying,' What the Western nations do is surely good, otherwise how did they become so great?' On the other side, old India is saying, 'The flash of lightening is intensely bright, but only for a moment; lookout, boys, it is dazzling your eyes. Beware!.'
Our English education has destroyed everything and left nothing in its place. Our children have lost their politeness. To talk nicely is degrading. To be reverential to one's elders is degrading. Irreverence has been the sign of liberty. It is high time that we go back to our old politeness. The reformers have nothing to give in place of what they have taken away.
My idea of education is personal contact with the teacher-gurugriha- vasa. Without the personal life of a teacher there would be no education.
Why do you not become Sanskrit scholars? Why do you not spend millions to bring Sanskrit education to all the castes of India ?
Our pedagogues are making parrots of our boys and running their brains by cramming a lot of subjects into them...Goodness gracious! What a fuss and furry about graduating and after a few days all cools down! And after all that, what is it they learn but that what religion and customs we have are all bad, and what the Westerners have are all good! At last, they cannot keep the wolf from the door! What does it matter if this higher education remains or goes?
Q. What is the defect in the present university system?
A. It is almost wholly one of defects. Why, it is nothing but a perfect machine for turning out clerks. I would even thank my stars if that we all. But no! See how men are becoming destitute of sraddha and faith. They assert that the Gita is only an interpolation, and that the Vedas are but rustic songs! They like to master every detail concerning things and nations outside of India , but if you ask them, they do not know even the names of their own forefathers up to the seventh generation, not to speak of the fourteenth!
There should be an institution to train teachers who must go about preaching religion and giving secular education to our people; they must carry both.
Unless we accept and acknowledge and attempt to correct our ways in educations and try to get these wonderful thoughts of Swami on education, not much will change in our societies. And therefore its our utmost duty that THESE THOUGHTS OF SWAMIJI ON EDUCATION SHOULD REACH ALL TEACHERS IN INDIA, for his words of wisdom are still applicable and painfully true to this day of education in the country.
We must make efforts that this book finds its place in every Indian language and in every single school and more importantly get into the blood/nerves/ brains and hearts of every Indian
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