The Power Of Youth And Vivekananda

The youth of India have great creative energy with the positive potential to take them to spiritual heights. If human creativity is a special quality, then the “Never say die!” spirit is its apex. Demographically, today’s India is at its youngest best and has the power to meet any challenge with the collective consciousness and effort of all people, especially young people.   

This is the perfect time when youth is alert and aware and provoked by the environment and lack of values. India is a nation facing incredible challenges. This is evident from the utter lack of safety and security for the girl child and women anywhere in the country and the impunity with which monstrous elements like rapists heap violence on girl children and women.

On the one hand, people can see such huge wealth and on the other, more than one-third of the people go without a second meal every day. We have examples of the very affluent as well as the extremely poor. And millions of our children have no access to education, even at the primary level. And we are still grappling with the issue of child labour.

Swami Vivekananda delivered a lecture on the issue of difficulties in life. He made the plea for the need for nationwide renovation with the ideals of ‘tyaga’ or sacrifice and ‘seva,’ selfless service, the most imperative aspects of shaping the life of young people. The monk made the point that this way of life is what can be called ‘spiritual pursuit’. The brevity of human triumph and the impermanence of material wealth were of serious thought to this philosophy. What he challenged us to do was to give ourselves a noble reason to live, a lofty ideal to live for and a higher state to reach within the boundaries of human existence.

The only qualification that Swamiji looked for in youngsters was to cultivate and nurture the ability to ‘feel’. He offered his potential ‘mantra’ and desired to take solid action so that those who wanted to go beyond just feeling could do so. The most influential P’s are: Purity, Patience and Perseverance. The P’s are the great traits that the youth of today are rich in and this is evident from their keenness to be part of positive change that will have impact on entire society.  

Purity is of thought and achievement. Patience is to understand the dynamic form and need to focus on the area for improvement. Today’s youth needs enormous perseverance to take part in the multifaceted challenges we face in today’s society. They need to place their efforts in the realities of livelihood, societal stages and political variety. And for these attempts to seriously address socio-political and ethical-moral issues, they need great perseverance. If not, one could easily get drained and unmotivated.

Swami Vivekananda believed that working for any social change required massive energy and spirit. Hence, he requested the youth to amplify both their mental energies and physical fitness. What Vivekananda wanted from the youth were ‘muscles of iron’ and ‘nerves of steel’. Today, the youth are exceptionally responsive and they just need to be encouraged in their quest for justice for common benefit. Swami Vivekananda was and is not only the medium; he is himself the message as well for the youth of India.

Jan 12, Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, is celebrated as National Youth Day. It is his 150^th birth anniversary this year.

By: Mithun Dey

mdey76@gmail.com

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Wake up Bharat and enlighten the world!

In the last two centuries, no individual has captured the hearts of the youth of Bharat the way Swami Vivekananda did. He blew energy into Bharat which was indulging in self-loathe. He exhorted people with his words: “This is the ancient land where wisdom made its home before it went into any other country… Here is the same India whose soil has been trodden by the feet of the greatest sages that ever lived… Look back, therefore, as far as you can, drink deep of the eternal fountains that are behind, and after that look forward, march forward, and make India brighter, greater, much higher, than she ever was.” 

He inspired people across the world for working towards the good of humanity. He inspired freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Tilak, Bagha Jatin & C. Rajagopalachari, scientists like Jagadish Chandra Bose & Nikola Tesla, poets & writers like Rabindranath Tagore, Subramanya Bharati, Leo Tolstoy & Romain Rolland, Rishis like Rishi Aurobindo, industrialists like Jamshedji Tata, Rockfeller and many more.

Rabindranath Tagore, while speaking to Nobel laureate Romain Rolland, summed it up beautifully in one line: “If you want to know India, study Vivekananda". Such was the impact of this one man. After Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa left his body, Swamiji toured the entire country for five years as a parivrajaka. He got to see firsthand the problems facing the nation and also got to understand the intrinsic strength of our nation.

He constantly tried to understand how a nation so glorious in the past had fallen so deep. In the course of his travel he reached Kanyakumari on Dec 25th 1892. He saw the Sripaada shila. He jumped into the sea and swam to the rock. For three days and three nights, Swamiji meditated on the past, present and future of Bharat. 

On the 3rd day, Swamiji had the vision of One India. He says: "We, as a nation, have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to raise the masses." He says: "One vision I can see clear as life before me is that the ancient Mother has awakened once more, sitting on her throne, rejuvenated, more glorious than ever. Proclaim her to the entire world with the voice of peace and benediction”

This was his plan of action for the future. The rest is history. He went to the World Parliament of Religions, spoke about the greatness of our nation and our Dharma. He was proclaimed as the "Hindoo monk of India." The Western media extolled him as a person who was more learned than all the learned men of America put together. After returning to Bharat, he toured tirelessly to inspire the youth to work for the uplift of the masses and, at the same time, exhorted the downtrodden sections to educate themselves and to live a life of honour and dignity.

At a time when the nation is groping in the dark trying to find its way, what better way but to turn to Swami Vivekananda's life and message? We are indeed fortunate to be living in these times to be able to celebrate the 150 Jayanti of Swamiji. 

During the centenary celebrations of Swamiji in 1963, the nation stood as one force to raise a grand memorial for him at Kanyakumari at the very place where he had meditated in 1892 before leaving for the World Parliament of Religions. To construct the Vivekananda Rock Memorial at the "Sripada Shila", contributions were raised from across the country cutting across caste, creed, religion and politics. The Vivekananda Kendra was also started that year.

This year, on the occasion of Swamiji's 150 Jayanti, Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari, Ramakrishna Math and many other like-minded organisations are spreading Swamiji's message to every nook and corner of the country. This is the year in which all of us need to spread out wide to spread the message of Swami Vivekananda: The message of Shakti, Seva and Samskar.

In 2013, many activities will be organised under the aegis of "Swami Vivekananda 150 Jayanti Celebrations Committee" and "Swami Vivekananda Sardha Shati Samaroh Samiti". Dec 25th, Sankalp Divas : Commemorating the day when Swami Vivekananda made his plan of action, " Sankalp Divas" programs are being organised across the country. Men and women would meditate on their mission of life and resolve to work for the development of the nation. 

To contact and address the cross sections of Bharat, these programmes are segmented into: Yuva (Youth), Samvardhini (Women), Gramaayan (Villages), Asmita (Tribals), Prabudha Bharat (intellectuals) and high school students. 

Vivekananda Jayanti: -On January 12 there would be rallies and shobha yatras throughout the entire country. 

Samuhik Suryanamaskar: On Feb 18th, 2013 - Collective Suryanamaskar would be offered by students between the age-groups of 13 to 18 years. This program would also include cultural activities.

One Week for the Nation: During the vacation period in April-May, students would be urged to give one week of their vacation time and go and live in villages. While the program is for all youth, it is specifically targeted towards urban youth. Message of Swamiji to every door: The life & message of Swamiji would be taken to every home in the country. A picture of Swamiji would be given to all households.

Bharat Jago Daud ( Run ) : On Sept 11th, the day when Swamiji spoke for the 1st time at Chicago World Parliament of Religions would be celebrated as "Universal Brotherhood Day". On this day, runs would be organised. Between September and December 2013, international and national level seminars would be held for intellectuals, Yuva Sammelans in all tehsils (Development block) of the country, thousands of medical camps, plantation of trees, Vivekananda melas in janajati (tribal) areas and special programs for women.

Human Chain: On Jan 12 , 2014, human chains would be organised across the country to show we are one nation. This would be the concluding event of the celebrations and, at the same time, the country would resolve to take his work forward.

Swamiji says: “My faith is in the younger generation, the modern generation out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole problem, like lions. I have formulated the idea and have given my life to it. Those desirous of participating in this mission are requested to send a mail to : Vivek150ap@gmail.com or Call 9440901360.

The writer is a CEO of a software company in Hyderabad and can be 
contacted at arisebharat@gmail.com or 9848038857

Ayush Nadimpalli

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