New View of Man :
Vivekananda’s concept of ‘potential divinity of the soul’ gives a new, ennobling concept of man.
The present age is the age of humanism which holds that man should be the chief concern and centre of all activities and thinking.
Through science and technology man has attained great prosperity and power, and modern methods of communication and travel have converted human society into a ‘global village’.
Vivekananda’s concept of potential divinity of the soul prevents this degradation, divinizes human relationships, and makes life meaningful and worth living.
Swami Vivekananda has laid the foundation for ‘spiritual humanism’,
Swami Vivekananda was the epitome of all that was great and good in the India of the past. With Shankara’s intellect he combined Buddha’s heart, Christ’s renunciation, and the Prophet of Arabia’s spirit of equality, and the result of this holy confluence will in time flood the whole world.
- “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.”
- "Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity."
- When you are doing any work, Do it as worship, as the highest worship, and devote your whole life to it for the time being.
- “To me an Indian is one who has got a Vedantic brain which probes deep and soars high; an Islamic body that is vibrant and valiant; a Buddhistic heart overflowing with compassion and kindness and Christian limbs of service and sacrifice.”
- The Vedanta teaches that Nirvana can be attained here and now, that we do not have to wait for death to reach it. Nirvana is the realisation of the Self; and after having once known that, if only for an instant, never again can one be deluded by the mirage of personality. Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda on Women
- “The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women.”
- “There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved.”
- “Woman has suffered for aeons, and that has given her infinite patience and infinite perseverance.”
- “The idea of perfect womanhood is perfect independence.”
- “There is no hope of rise for that family or country where there is no estimation of women, where they live in sadness.”
- Do you think you can teach even a child? You cannot. The child teaches himself. Your duty is to afford opportunities and to remove obstacles.
- Impress upon your children that true religion is positive and not negative, that it does not consist in merely refraining from evil, but in a persistent performance of noble decals. True religion comes not front the teaching of men or the reading of books; it is the awakening of the spirit within us, consequent upon pure and heroic action.
- If I had a child I would from its very birth begin to tell it, “Thou art the Pure One”. You have read in one of the Puranas that beautiful story of queen Madâlasâ, how as soon as she has a child she puts her baby with her own hands in the cradle, and how as the cradle rocks to and fro, she begins to sing, “Thou art the Pure One the Stainless, the Sinless, the Mighty One, the Great One.” Ay, there is much in that. Feel that you are great and you become great.
The motto of Ramakrishna Mission is:
"For one's own salvation, and for the welfare of the world".
The main goals and objectives is based on the principles of Practical Vedanta, are:
How to Focus Mind under difficult circumstances -
Swami Sarvapriyananda
- To spread the idea of the potential divinity of every being and how to manifest it through every action and thought.
- To spread the idea of harmony of religions based on Sri Ramakrishna's experience that all religions lead to the realization of the same Reality known by different names in different religions. The Mission honours and reveres the founders of all world religions such as Buddha, Christ and Mohammed.
- To treat all work as worship, and service to man as service to God.
- To make all possible attempts to alleviate human suffering by spreading education, rendering medical service, extending help to villagers through rural development centres, etc.
- To work for the all-round welfare of humanity, especially for the uplift of the poor and the downtrodden.
- To develop harmonious personalities by the combined practice of Jnana, Bhakti, Yoga and Karma.
Swami Sarvapriyananda
3H head heart and hand
"My homage and respect to the very revered memory of Swami Vivekananda . . . . after having gone through his works, the love that I had for my country became a thousand fold."
-- Mahatma Gandhi
"His whole life and teaching inspired my generation . . . . he brought his great spirituality to bear upon his patriotism and thus his message was not confined to India only, but was for the whole world. I pay my homage to his memory."
-- Jawaharlal Nehru
"The thought of this warrior prophet of India left a deep mark upon the United States . . . . I cannot touch these sayings of his . . . without giving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!"
-- Romain Rolland
"Vivekananda is one of the very greatest historical figures that India has ever produced. When one sees the full range of his mind, one is astounded."
-- Christopher Isherwood
"The man, Vivekananda, is simply a wonder for oratorical power . . . the Swami is an honor to humanity."
-- William James
"At this exposition [the Parliament of Religions], the Swami charmed audiences with his magical oratory, and left an indelible mark on America's spiritual development."
-- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (from "Abroad in America: Visitors to the New Nation")
- "It was the voice of the ancient rishis of the Vedas, speaking sweet words of love and toleration."
-- The Brooklyn Standard
Should the worst come to the worst,
never swerve from the path of truth.”
- The Vedanta teaches that Nirvana can be attained here and now, that we do not have to wait for death to reach it. Nirvana is the realisation of the Self; and after having once known that, if only for an instant, never again can one be deluded by the mirage of personality.
- All of religion is contained in the Vedanta, that is, in the three stages of the Vedanta philosophy, the Dvaita, Vishishtâdvaita and Advaita; one comes after the other. These are the three stages of spiritual growth in man. Each one is necessary. This is the essential of religion: the Vedanta, applied to the various ethnic customs and creeds of India, is Hinduism. The first stage, i.e. Dvaita, applied to the ideas of the ethnic groups of Europe, is Christianity; as applied to the Semitic groups, Mohammedanism. The Advaita, as applied in its Yoga-perception form, is Buddhism etc. Now by religion is meant the Vedanta; the applications must vary according to the different needs, surroundings, and other circumstances of different nations. You will find that although the philosophy is the same, the Shâktas, Shaivas, etc. apply it each to their own special cult and forms. Swami Vivekananda
GREAT THINKERS OF THE EAST AND WEST ON SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
"My homage and respect to the very revered memory of Swami Vivekananda . . . . after having gone through his works, the love that I had for my country became a thousand fold."
-- Mahatma Gandhi
"His whole life and teaching inspired my generation . . . . he brought his great spirituality to bear upon his patriotism and thus his message was not confined to India only, but was for the whole world. I pay my homage to his memory."
-- Jawaharlal Nehru
"The thought of this warrior prophet of India left a deep mark upon the United States . . . . I cannot touch these sayings of his . . . without giving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!"
-- Romain Rolland
"Vivekananda is one of the very greatest historical figures that India has ever produced. When one sees the full range of his mind, one is astounded."
-- Christopher Isherwood
"The man, Vivekananda, is simply a wonder for oratorical power . . . the Swami is an honor to humanity."
-- William James
"At this exposition [the Parliament of Religions], the Swami charmed audiences with his magical oratory, and left an indelible mark on America's spiritual development."
-- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (from "Abroad in America: Visitors to the New Nation")
- "It was the voice of the ancient rishis of the Vedas, speaking sweet words of love and toleration."
-- The Brooklyn Standard
Should the worst come to the worst,
never swerve from the path of truth.”
One day the schoolboy Naren (Swami Vivekananda) got this bold and precious advice from his mother after his return from school.
A sad incident had taken place in the class. The geography teacher had said, “Naren, what you say is wrong.” “No, Sir, it is right.” “I say, it is not in the book.” “No, Sir, it is.” “No argument, I shall beat you black and blue.” Smack went the cane repeatedly. Yet Naren’s sincere and bold heart would not acquiesce in what he knew to be wrong.
After a while the teacher opened the book. To his extreme sorrow and shame he found Naren to be perfectly right.
As Naren was wont to disclose everything to his dear mother, this sad incident too he related to her. A tender smile played upon her lips. She fondly caressed and blessed her son, saying,
“I am really happy and proud of you, my son. Should the worst come to the worst never swerve from the path of truth.”
TRUTH IS GOD
A sad incident had taken place in the class. The geography teacher had said, “Naren, what you say is wrong.” “No, Sir, it is right.” “I say, it is not in the book.” “No, Sir, it is.” “No argument, I shall beat you black and blue.” Smack went the cane repeatedly. Yet Naren’s sincere and bold heart would not acquiesce in what he knew to be wrong.
After a while the teacher opened the book. To his extreme sorrow and shame he found Naren to be perfectly right.
As Naren was wont to disclose everything to his dear mother, this sad incident too he related to her. A tender smile played upon her lips. She fondly caressed and blessed her son, saying,
“I am really happy and proud of you, my son. Should the worst come to the worst never swerve from the path of truth.”
TRUTH IS GOD
