Arise! Awake! And Go To The Greats!

This speech was written by Mohit,

it was delivered on the occasion of National Youth Day at FIS (Manasa).

 

•  Speech

Swami Vivekananda, in his childhood he was called Naren, was born on January 12, 1863 in Kolkata. His father, Vishwanath Datta, was an advocate in the High Court of Kolkata. Vishwanath had a deep interest in music and he thought of it as the source of much innocent pleasure. He used to read Bible and recite poems of Persian poet Hafiz with great joy. Naren's mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was extraordinarily intelligent and it was her habit to study Sanskrit scriptures the Ramayan and the Mahabharata.

    When Naren was studying in sixth class of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's Institution, he was told that he would have to study English. He was not willing to do so. It was a foreign language, he said, so why should he learn it? The teachers persisted and Naren went home crying to his parents and there his father made him aware about the Joy of Learning a new language, and thereafter, he did read English literature with great joy.

    He also studied at Scottish Church College where he passed the First Arts Examination in the Second Division. Naren did not limit his studies to the curriculum. During his first and second year of college, he acquired a deeper understanding of all the masterpieces of Western Logic, and in his third and fourth year he set himself to mastering Western Philosophy and Ancient and Modern History of Europe.

    Narendranath was in college when he first met Shri Ramakrishna. Before accepting him as a master, Naren observed his words and life, and he concluded that Shri Ramakrishna has the qualities of a Rishi. A few months later, his father had died suddenly of heart attack, and he had to knock about in search of a job. Starving and barefooted, he wandered from office to office with an application in hand, but everywhere the door was slammed on his face. After Shri Ramakrishna's death, Swami Vivekananda had a great purpose of spreading the teachings of Shri Ramakrishna all around the world.

    To represent Hinduism in the World's Parliament of Religions in September 1893, and to teach its essence, that is, Advaita Vedanta, he went to the city of Chicago. Then along with his disciples he established Vedanta Society of New York in America. In addition, he delivered many public lectures in the Western world. When he came to India, he was welcomed with the large gathering at the sea port. A year later, when the Plague appeared in Kolkata, he initiated the Ramakrishna Mission Plague Service, and he himself came to live in a poor locality to inspire courage in the people and cheer up the workers. On 4th July 1902, the death curtain fell upon his body.

    Along with numerous poems and some books, Swami Vivekananda wrote about 750 letters from 1888 until 1902.

    His poem Peace and a part of his letter shall be read.

• Peace

Behold, it comes in might,

The power that is not power,

The light that is in darkness,

The shade in dazzling light.

It is joy that never spoke,

And grief unfelt, profound,

Immortal life unlived,

Eternal death unmourned.

It is not joy nor sorrow,

But that which is between,

It is not night nor morrow,

But that which joins them in.

It is sweet rest in music;

And pause in sacred art;

The silence between speaking;

Between two fits of passion

— It is the calm of heart.

It is beauty never seen,

And love that stands alone,

It is song that lives un-sung,

And knowledge never known.

• Part Of A Letter

Next is the letter written to Mr. Perumal on November 2, 1893. (Mr. Perumal was the one who led a committee to raise funds for Swamiji's journey to the United States of America)

Swami Vivekananda wrote: Imagine a hall packed with six or seven thousand men and women representing the best culture of the country. Of course, my heart was shaking and my tongue nearly dried up; I was so nervous and could not venture to speak in the morning. Others were all prepared and came with ready-made speeches. I was a fool and had none. I made a short speech. I addressed the Assembly as “Sisters and Brothers of America”, a deafening applause of two minutes followed, and then I proceeded; and when it was finished, I sat down, almost exhausted with emotion. From that day I became a celebrity, you would be astonished if I sent over to you the newspaper cuttings, but you already know that I am a hater of celebrity.

    Students! For preparing this speech, I have referred to the biography of Swami Vivekananda written by His Eastern and Western Disciples.

At last I would say that, no biography can be as authentic as The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. So, for having a thorough understanding of his life we should set ourself for reading The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Although, it is not an easy task, but at the same time, it is a great task.