298-SWAMI VIVEKANANDA -CALL TO THE NATION

Once more,awake!

For sleep it was,not death,to bring thee life

Anew and rest to lotus-eyes for visions

Daring yet.The word in need awaits,O Truth!

No Death for thee!

Resume thy march,

With gentle feet that would not break the 

Peaceful rest even to the roadsidedust

That lies so slow.Yet strong and steady,

Blissful,bold and free. A wakener,ever

Forward!Speak thy stirring words.

My heart is filled with joy and bliss whenever I share the memory of Paramhansa Ramkrishna ji,the Divine Guru of Narendra or say Vivekananda who in a very short span of life,39 years left no stone unturned to empower the holy motherland-The incredible India,in its own unique style. Ramkrishna ji enlightened and provoked him for the great work of nation building which was based on spiritual brotherhood.He was an architect of nation as per the Sanatana Dharma basic principles.Vivekananda's patriotic approach besides his ascetic principles of complete harmony and basic oneness for the whole universe is remarkable.This call of his to the Nation assumes more and more importance in modern times because of the dynamics of globalization and "free market"economy forced upon or undertaken by one country.When science and Technology,inventions and advancements in knowledge fail to answer questions pertaining to declining moral and ethical values,widening gap between the rich and the poor,failing economics and feeling of insecurity all around one turns to some thing else.Thanks God!It'sour privilege that we have Swami ji to awake us and show us the path which will surely lead  us to become once again Vishwa Guru. It calls for conscious effort to acquire such broadness of vision and heart which Swami ji asked for.

The important point to note is Swami Vivekananda's insistence on individual liberation as a priority over the efforts to do good to the world.Achieving such exalted state of altered consciousness forms the basis for human actions.Every human act have this aim in sight.Thus religion or spirituality in the eyes of Swami ji was an act of inching higher & higher on the steps of consciousness,from animal to human and from human to Divine consciousness.

According to him,the major contribution of India,in the world today,would be in the sphere of spirituality.He said more than one hundred years back,"Here in this blessed land,the foundation,the backbone,the life center is religion and religion alone".The following words of Swami ji make us feel at ease and confidence.According to him (a)Try to be pure and unselfish-that is the whole of religion.(b)Each soul is potentially Divine.(c) The goal of human birth is to realize this divinity within and manifest it outside for the welfare of the humanity.

Swami ji saw the modern society as almost borne down,half killed and degraded by the political ambitions and social scheming.The remedy he suggested was renunciation and service.These twin ideals form the central theme of his message to bring back the hidden spirituality of a soul to the surface."In the effort if death comes welcome it",he said because he feels strongly that "the weak have no place here,in this life or any other life.Weakness leads to slavery,weekness leads to all kinds of misery,physical and mental.Weakness is death."

For Swami Vivekananda ji India was Synonymous with the spirit of religion."If India is to die,"he has said,"Religion might be wiped off from the face of the earth,and with it the Truth".He did not want to see India as a replica of a western country.This dream of future India was that of material prosperity along with spiritual revival,with which she would extend the hand of peace and blessedness to all people of the world.

And at last,summing up,I would like to share one of his poems,"Hold on yet a while,Brave heart",the victory is sure to come.

HOLD ON YET A WHILE, BRAVE HEART

(Written to H. H. The Maharaja of Khetri, Rajputana.)

If the sun by the cloud is hidden a bit,
If the welkin shows but gloom,
Still hold on yet a while, brave heart,
       The victory is sure to come.

No winter was but summer came behind,
Each hollow crests the wave,
They push each other in light and shade;
       Be steady then and brave.

The duties of life are sore indeed,
And its pleasures fleeting, vain,
The goal so shadowy seems and dim,
Yet plod on through the dark, brave heart,
      With all thy might and main.

Not a work will be lost, no struggle vain,
Though hopes be blighted, powers gone;
Of thy loins shall come the heirs to all,
Then hold on yet a while, brave soul,
      No good is e'er undone.

Though the good and the wise in life are few,
Yet theirs are the reins to lead,
The masses know but late the worth;
     Heed none and gently guide.

With thee are those who see afar,
With thee is the Lord of might,
All blessings pour on thee, great soul,
     To thee may all come right!

                                               OM-TAT-SAT-OM