The greatest son of India

The nation observed the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda
recently to commemorate the great visionary. (Pandit Nehru called
him "the greatest son of India")






Swami Vivekananda undertook a long March traversing through hundred of cities, thousands of villages and meeting millions of people en route only to inspire them to 'strive to their utmost to remove their miseries and sufferings of the downtrodden.'


The Swami, who undertook the historic March in 1890, took about two years to complete it at Kanyakumari on December 24,1892. During this march, swami Vivekananda discovered that the millions of our countrymen were reeling under appalling conditions of starvation and poverty which moved him beyond expression. He then realised that it was "futile to preach religion amongst them without first trying to remove their poverty and sufferings."


His Bharat Parikrama commenced in July 1890 when he left Baranagore monastery. He delivered his famous Chicago address on September 11, 1893 and returned to India in 1897. Nearly seven thousand representatives from all over the globe had gathered on the historic occasion.


Swami once told Sister Nivedita that "Social life in the West is like a peal of laughter but underneath it is a wail. It ends in a sob. Here in India, it is sad and gloomy on the surface but underneath are carelessness and merriment. The West has so much to learn from the East and vice-versa. The future has to be shaped by a proper fusion of the two ideals."


Born on January 12, 1863 in Calcutta, Swami Vivekananda loved the youth instrumentally and the young people in turn, reciprocated his gesture doubly. He had infinite trust and reverence for the youth, because he strongly felt that the future of the country rested in their hands.


The youngsters on their part were convinced about his sincerity of purpose and absolute selflessness as also his erudition, intellectual powers, scientific temper and to cap it all his fearlessness to face the worst, which instantly endeared him to the young folk.


Romain Rollan once said: "Vivekananda's words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of the Handel choruses." Vivekananda's call to the youth did not merely come from his lips but from the depths of his soul. He felt that the future of India largely depended on the response he would get from the youth to his exhortations. That is why he said, "let India arise!"


Swami Vivekananda believed that it was "Onward for ever! Sympathy for the poor, the downtrodden, even unto death - this is our motto. Onward brave lads! Have faith in the Lord, no policy, it is nothing. Feel for the miserable and look up for help - it shall come... I bequeath to you, young men, this sympathy, this struggle for the poor, the ignorant, the oppressed."


Swami Vivekananda injected patriotism in the veins of the youth of the country by his magically impressive words. He said, "When we want are some young men who will renounce everything and sacrifice their lives for their country's sake."
After worshipping Goddess, Kanyakumari, he swam across the ocean where the goddess did penance standing on one foot for union with Lord Shiva. Sitting alone on the rock he meditated for three days on Past, present and future of India. This meditation culminated in the proclamation, "The best way to serve and seek God is to serve the needy, to feed the hungry, to help the fallen and friendless, irrespective of caste or creed."


The magnificent Vivekananda Rock Memorial stands as a spiritual lighthouse for thousands who visit Kanyakumari and silently express their gratitude to the great saint who revolutionised the concept of nationalism and service of mankind as the only means to self-realisation.