Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) and the Ramakrishna Mission
Nerendranath Datta, who later became Swami
vivekananda, was nor in Kolkatta in 1863. As a young man he was blessed with
robust health and was interested in wrestling, swimming and boxing. He was a student of philosophy
in Presidency College. The death of his father and the poverty at home created
in him a skepticism that was fed by the philosophy of thinkers like J. S. Mill,
David Hume and Herbert Spencer.
In
his very first Interview with Ramakrishna Narendranath asked him “have you seen
God?” The reply was, “yes, I see Him just as I see you here, only in a much
intender sense. God can be realized. One
can se and talk to god as I am doing with you now… If one weeps sincerely for
him, He surely manifests Himself.” Till that time he was member of the
Sadharana Brashmosamaj sharing in its devotions and zeal for reform Sri.
Ramakrishna gave him the thirst for God-experience.
After
the death of Ramakrishna in 1886, Vivekananda took to sannyasa. He wandered the length and breath of India
and cam into contact with the poverty and misery of the teeming milions of the
land. At Cape Comorin, sitting and maditating on the last bit of Indian rock,
he realized the meaning of Ramakrishna’s words: “an empty stomach is no good
for religion.” In 1893 Vivekananda took part in the word’s parliament of
Religions held in Chicago. His short speech there, advocating, universal,
tolerance and equality of religions made a deep impression on the audience.
Philosophy of Vivekananda
Vivekananda
considered himself a true disciple of Ramakrishna and his goal on life was to
broadcast to the world the teachings of his guru. Ramakrishna had taught his
disciples to strive for personal mukti in God-realization through renunciation
and meditation. Vivekananda wanted to bring this abstract Vedanta out of the
caves and apply it to everyday life. His philosophy could be called practical
Vedanta.
Vevekananda
saw the poverty and misery of the masses in India in contrast to the prosperity
of the West. He was impressed buy four factors in Western civilization: 1) the
education of the massed 2) the culture, freedom and respect women enjoyed in
the society, 3) the power of organization and 4) scientific progress. He wanted
to take from the western civilization all these values. With this goal in view
he interpreted Vedanta and established the order of Ramakrishna Mission in
1897.
At
first there was strong opposition from his fellow monks when they were told to
combine the ideal of service with that of renunciation and to stop to think of
individual salvation. A Bengali professor, an orthodox follower of Advaita
Vedanta, once objected that even charity and service belonged to the realm of
maya and the Vedanta definitely demanded a sover4ance from this realm.
Vivekananda retreated: “well, in that case even libe5ation is maya. The Vedanta
teaches us that the Atman is eternality free. Why then, should we struggle for
liberation?” When his fellow monks accused Vivekananda of having introdduced into
the mystical teachings of Ramakrishna the western ideas of organization, action
and service, his spirited reply was: “who cares for your Ramakrishna? Who cares
for your bhakti and mukti? I will go to hell a thousand times if I can rouse my
country men immersed in tamas and make them stand on their own feet.” The karma
yoga he advocated has become an integral part of Ramakrishna Mission.
Ramakrishna
Mission was registered and given legal status in 1909, with its headquarters at
Belur bear Kolkatta. Belur Matha was the motherhouse of the monks. Soon both
the Matha and the mission extended their activities to different parts of India
and to countries like America, England, France, Argentina, Mauritius, Fiji
Island and Ceylon. Under the Christian inspiration the Mission is running many
schools, colleges, hospitals and charitable institutions all over the world. It
also gibes training in Yoga and meditation for God realization.
Conclusion
The
Philosophy of Vivekananda, expressed through the activities of Ramakrishna
Mission, has taken Hindu renaissance for beyond the other three movements.
Vivekananda has criticized the ‘rationalism’ of the Brahmo Samaj though he was
an active member of the Samaj in his early days. He was also criticised of the
‘Vedism’ of Arya Samaj and the occultisms and esotericism of the Theosophical
society.
Through the Ramakrishna
Mission Vivekananda wanted to spread the gospel of Vedanta in all the countries
and apply it to practical life and to national problems in India. For this it
was necessary to educate the masses and to put an end to the cultural isolation
of India. A synthesis between the highest spirituality of India and the passion
for social justice of the western nations was to take place. Vivekananda had
achieved this synthesis within himself and he wanted to apply it to India as
remedy for all her problems. This is what he did when he started the
Ramakrishna Mission.
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