SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
Early Life
Swami Vivekananda’s original name was
Narendranath Dutt. He acquired the new name in 1886 when he took ‘sanyasa’.
His father was a lawyer who practiced at the Calcutta High Court. As a child he
developed great taste for music and was adopt in sports. Under the influence of
his mother he made a deep study of the Hindu scriptures. He was provided the
best of education. He graduated with honours from Calcutta University.
He had an excellent command over
Bengali, English, and Sanskrit. He was a voracious reader and had a sharp
memory. He could often display a verbatim familiarity with the ‘Encyclopaedia
Britanica.’ His principal Rev. W. W. Hastie once remarked, “ Narendranath
is really a genius. I have travelled far and wide but I have never yet come
across a lad of his talents and possibilities, even in German Universities,
among philosophical students.”
MEETING WITH SHRI RAMAKRISHNA- A TURNING POINT IN LIFE
SHRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA
He was deeply interested in the study of philosophy and religion. He studied eastern and western
philosophy and religion. For sometimes he was a classroom teacher also. His
search for truth led him to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, at Dakshineswar in 1882.
Though not literate, Swami Ramakrishna was an enlightened soul. During the next
six years of his association with the master, he had a spiritual transformation
and emerged as Swami Vivekananda. He left home and travelled all over India.
His wandering left him deeply affected by the despair and poverty of the masses
of India.
Swami Vivekananda organised the
Ramakrishna Mission in 1886, after the passing away of his master.
Soul- stirring Address at the
World Parliament of Religions at Chicago(USA) in 1893: On September 11,1893, on
the opening day of the Parliament, he sat rapt in silent meditation. In the
afternoon session he rose to speak. He bowed down to Saraswati the Devi(goddess
of learning) and addressed the audience as, “Sisters and brothers of
America.” Before he could utter another word, people were so much
mesmerised that there was applause for full two minutes. When silence was
restored, he began his address. His wisdom coupled with universal message of
love and tolerance made him a world teacher.
A small portion of Chicago Speeches of Swami Vivekananda is delivered here.
A small portion of Chicago Speeches of Swami Vivekananda is delivered here.
Message of Spirituality and Social
Service: He addressed several meetings in the U. S. A., U.K., Sri Lanka and spread the spiritual message. Swami Vivekananda devoted the rest of
his strenuous life in communicating his message of unity and tolerance. In India, he organised social
work also in addition to spiritual pursuits.
Swami Vivekananda organised the Ramakrishna Mission in 1896, after the passing away of his master.
Swami Vivekananda organised the Ramakrishna Mission in 1896, after the passing away of his master.
RAMAKRISHNA MISSION
PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF SWAMI
VIVEKANANDA’S PHILOSOPHY
1. God resides in every human
heart.
2. The best worship of God is
service to mankind.
3. Ethics and morality should
be the real basis of life.
4. Love and renunciation
should permeate the universe.
5. Religion means self-
realisation through self- control.
SWAI VIVEKANANDA’S PHILOSOPHY OF
EDUCATION
1. All knowledge is in the
human mind.
2. Education is the
manifestation of the perfection already in man.
3. Knowledge is inherent in
man. No knowledge comes from outside.
4. Like fire in a piece of
flint, knowledge exists in the mind. Man discovers it.
5. The infinite library of
the universe is in our mind.
Swami Vivekananda explains this as,
“We say Newton discovered gravitation. The falling of an apple gave the
suggestion to Newton and then he studied his own mind. He rearranged all the
previous links of thought in his mind and discovered a link among them, which
we call the law of gravitation.”
He believes in auto education or self- teaching. As is the plant, so is the child. The growth and development of a plant and that of a child takes place according to their nature. A gardener prepares the ground for the growth of his plants, protects them and nourishes them so that they grow properly. Similarly, the teacher takes care of the child, provides him a suitable environment and looks after his proper growth.
He believes in auto education or self- teaching. As is the plant, so is the child. The growth and development of a plant and that of a child takes place according to their nature. A gardener prepares the ground for the growth of his plants, protects them and nourishes them so that they grow properly. Similarly, the teacher takes care of the child, provides him a suitable environment and looks after his proper growth.
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S VARIOUS ASPECT OF
EDUCATION
Aims of Education
1. Development of
spirituality in social setting i.e. development of a spirit of fellow- feeling.
2. Development of character
which implies doing good to others, courage, fearlessness and strength and
above all strong will-power for a noble cause.
3. Development of balanced
human relationship.
4. Development of the
attitude of considering work as worship.
5. Development of spirit of
service to the poor and the neglected.
6. Development of a spirit of
renunciation, giving up pride and ego and acquiring spirit of self- sacrifice.
7. Development of vocational
proficiency.
8. Development of physical
health.
Character- building as the
most Important aim of Education: “If you really want to judge the character of
man, look not at his great performance, watch a man do his most common actions.
Those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of the great
man.”
‘Intellectually’
is not the highest good. ‘Morality’ and ‘Spirituality’ are the
things for which we strive. “Our women are not so learned, but they are more
pure.” He does not consider a man as educated if he can only pass some
examination and deliver good lectures. The basis of all system, social or
political, rests upon the goodness of man. No nation is great or good because
its Parliament enacts this or that, but because its men are great and good.
ROLE OF THE TEACHER
1. First condition is that he
should be sinless.
2. The second condition is
that he should know the spirit of scriptures.
3. The third condition is the
spiritual force of the teacher based on love for the students.
4. The fourth condition is
that the teacher should think that he is only helping the child grow. He is the
external teacher and he offers the suggestion which arouses the internal
teacher i.e. in the mind of the child.
PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING-LEARNING
1. Self-teaching: “No one was ever taught by another. Each of
us has to teach himself. A child educates itself.”
2. Living Examples of Teacher: “Words even thought,
contribute only one-third of the influence in making an impression- the man
two-thirds.”
3. Teaching through Positive
Suggestions: “We should give positive ideas. Negative ideas only weaken men. If you
speak kind words to them and encourage them, they are bound to improve in
time.”
4. Concentration as the only
method of education: “The power of concentration is the only key to the
treasure- house of knowledge.”
5. Qualities of the Learner. “The conditions
necessary for the taught are purity, a real thirst after knowledge and
perseverance.”
PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION
“Be strong, my young friends……….
You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of Gita.
EDUCATION TO BE BASED ON WESTERN
SCIENCE COUPLED WITH VEDANTA.
“Living with the Guru and a similar system of imparting education are
needed. What we want is western science coupled with Vedanta- ‘Brahmacharya’
as the guiding motto and also ‘Shraddha’ (faith) in one’s own self.”
EDUCATION OF THE MASSES
Vivekananda gave prime
importance to the education of the masses. He asserted, “The chief cause of
India’s ruin has been the monopolising of the whole education of the land, by
dint of pride and royal authority, among a handful of men.”
