Introducing the National Youth Icon of India to the delegates of One Asia Youth Council Mongolia and to the youth of the world

May I be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum total of all souls—and, above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species, is the special object of my worship.
                                                                                         - Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda way in Chicago

12th January, is celebrated as the national youth day in India. We have chosen a unique personality to represent the youth of India, his name is Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902), a young monk who took the ancient wisdom of India to the nook and corner of the world. All of us know about infamous 9/11, however not many of us know about Sep 11, 1893. This is a historical date in Indian and American history. On this day this young man from India spoke about the ancient Hindu religion at the august Parliament of Religion that was held in Chicago. He started his speech by uttering 5 words. The first 5 words of his speech got imprinted in the hearts of all the delegates and US nationals. These 5 magical words were, 'Sisters and brothers of America'. Such was the effect of these 5 words that 7000 people present in the parliament stood up from their seats and applauded this young man for two minutes. He was a prince amongst all the delegates present in the meeting. After his two minutes speech he became a popular man in America. His posters were on the walls of the streets of USA and even those who did not know him, would stand in reverence to his majestic presence. Even his photo transpired purity and holiness and people would stand in awe to just have a glance of him. An American friend of Swami Vivekananda, who was a professor, wrote about him to the parliament of religion - 'this man is 20 times more intelligent than all the intelligent people of America put together'.

 During America's bicentennial celebrations in 1976, The National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution included Swami Vivekananda among the 29 eminent foreign visitors described in its book, Abroad In America. This is what they wrote about him:

 Crowds gathered in the streets of Chicago to see the picture posters of Swami Vivekananda placed on billboards around the city, and lecture bureaus vied with one another to enlist him for lectures in different cities. Leading newspapers and journals published his words in bold letters. Some of these newspapers described him as the "cyclonic Hindu," some as "prince among men" or "Brahmin monk," while others chose to designate him by such epithets as "warrior prophet" and "militant mystic." Contemporary leaders of American thought who met him were entranced by the radiance of his spiritual personality and his powerful message. Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University told Swami Vivekananda: "To ask you, Swami, for your credentials is like asking the sun about its right to shine." After hearing Swami Vivekananda, the correspondent of one journal wrote: "The impertinence of sending half-educated theological students to instruct the wise and erudite Orientals was never brought home to an English-speaking audience more forcibly." Professor William James referred to Swami Vivekananda as "the paragon of Vedantists." The Parliament of Religions, which was an afterthought of the planners of the Columbian Exposition, became a focus of historic importance because it served as a pulpit for the presentation of the message of Swami Vivekananda to the American public. Recalling this event, Romain Rolland (a Noble Laureate)wrote: "His strength and beauty, the grace and dignity of his bearing, the dark light of his eyes, his imposing appearance, and from the moment he began to speak, the splendid music of his rich deep voice enthralled the vast audience.... The thought of this warrior prophet of India left a deep mark upon the United States." America thus had the blessing of directly hearing a person of the stature of Buddha, radiating purity, compassion, and love. 

If you want to read Swami Vivekananda's speech at the parliament of religions, you can see the following link:

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2013/09/vivekanandas-speech-to-1893-parliament/ 

If you want to read a short biography of Swami Vivekananda you can see this link:

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2013/09/vivekanandas-speech-to-1893-parliament/

 Swami Vivekananda on India :

 If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi (pure land), to be the land to which all souls on this earth must come to account for Karma, the land to which every soul that is wending its way Godward must come to attain its last home, the land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness, above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality — it is India. Hence have started the founders of religions from the most ancient times, deluging the earth again and again with the pure and perennial waters of spiritual truth. Hence have proceeded the tidal waves of philosophy that have covered the earth, East or West, North or South, and hence again must start the wave which is going to spiritualise the material civilisation of the world. Here is the life-giving water with which must be quenched the burning fire of materialism which is burning the core of the hearts of millions in other lands. Believe me, my friends, this is going to be.

India's Mission:

 Each race has a peculiar mission to fulfil in the life of the world. Each race has to make its own result, to fulfil its own mission. Political greatness or military power is never the mission of our race; it never was, and, mark my words, it never will be. But there has been the other mission given to us, which is to conserve, to preserve, to accumulate, as it were, into a dynamo, all the spiritual energy of the race, and that concentrated energy is to pour forth in a deluge on the world whenever circumstances are propitious. But there is another peculiarity. … We never preached our thoughts with fire and sword. Slow and silent, as the gentle dew that falls in the morning, unseen and unheard yet producing a most tremendous result, has been the work of the calm, patient, all-suffering spiritual race upon the world of thought.

Back in 1893 on Sep 11, the great Swami had said this : 

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

 What will Swami Vivekananda say to you, if you happen to meet him? 

"Children of immortal bliss - what a sweet, what a hopeful name! Allow me to call you, bretheren, by that sweet name - heirs of immortal bliss - yea, the Hindu refuses to call you sinners. Ye are the Children of God, the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings. You divinities on earth - sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a standing libel on human nature.

Thank you for reading this post. We salute the infinite potential within you.