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“Talk
of compassion for beings! Insignificant creatures
that you are, how can you show compassion to beings?
Who
are you to show compassion? You wretch, who are
you to bestow it?
No,
no; it is not compassion to Jivas but service to
them as Siva.”
Sri
Ramakrishna, in ecstasy
If
the affirmation that one can indeed see God and even
converse with Him is what attracted young Narendra,
he, later Swami Vivekananda, experienced the zenith
of Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings on hearing the above
Gospel, the Gospel that is the genesis of Sri Ramakrishna
Math and Mission that makes them strive for `one’s
own Realisation and for the Good of the world’.
The
iconic status of Swami Vivekananda, the foremost
of Sri Ramakrishna’s disciples, has few parallels. Inspiration
incarnate, he was the vehicle that carried Sri Ramakrishna’s
message the world over, the message that brought
Vedanta out from abstract philosophy to practical
life.
At
the time when the national character and the collective
Indian psyche were at their lowest, Swami Vivekananda,
like a giant power station radiated energy and instilled
confidence in the minds of his people, elevating
them without injuring the other religions. He made
them feel great about their lineage and taught them
the true import of the teachings of their forefathers,
the Great Rishis. Breathing new life into Raja Yoga,
Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga, he galvanized
the whole of India, revitalizing the core of her
strengths - ‘Spirituality’
Even
while lecturing abroad, never did he condemn other
faiths, but interpreted impersonal truths as revealed
to the Seers of the East and to other global teachers. He
was open to rational and scientific investigation. He
offered the fruits of his efforts to one and all. He
easily transcended all the barriers of caste, colour,
gender, sect, race, religion, symbols etc and also
helped his followers achieve them. A symbol of harmony
and love, and the giant intellect that he was, he
ceaselessly worked for the awakening of the Soul
towards attaining inner perfection leading to strength
of character and absolute fearlessness.
The
essence of his teachings finds eloquent expression
in the following exhortation:
“Come
up, O Lions, and shake off the delusions that you
are sheep; You are souls immortal, spirits free,
blessed and eternal…Arise, awake and stop not till
the goal is reached.”
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