Rajesh Pathak
In history in whatever country in the world missionaries went to spread Christianity and, as also, to pave the way for their ruling overlords a section of scholars inspired by them invented a theory which world knows as ‘Whiteman’s burden theory’. They included India also in this ‘mission’ of their, and indulged in establishing in the eyes of world that this country is half-civilised, a country of snake charmers; its scriptures are nothing but a bundle of unfounded rituals and of falsehood; and, as also, how many be its religious heads they all are many miles away from what is called
wisdom. And therefore, they preached, God laid responsibility upon them to make India civilised, to redeem it from this state of self-ignorance.
But fortunately at the same time there grew the trend among a section
of scholars and
philosophers of Europe and America to study Hinduism with fair mind. From the
conclusions drawn from the study a process of exposing the falsehood of missionaries began to take shape. According to Sir William Jones, “Vedas reveal every aspect of human life such as— culture, religion, moral-code, surgery, medicines, music, astronomy, environment and architect etc.” Similar views were held by the great thinkers like Arthur Shopenhower, Ralph waldo Emerson, Wilhelm Von Humboldt and such others. But since their voices did not rise from particular platform at particular event of
recognition they could not become the news of the world.
To India this opportunity came on September 11, 1893 when in Chicago held World Religious Parliament, in which came together the greatest of
proponents of different religions world over in order to present the tenets of their respective religions. This event proved to be one of transforming the views
regarding India, its antiquity, its
ancestors, its religion in the eyes of the people inside, as well as,
outside the country. By joining the event one that succeeded in doing all by alone this seemingly
impossible task then he
was none other than
Swami Vivekananda. In
participating in the Religious Parliament Vivekananda saw many missions to be fulfilled at one place at one time. Actually this was the time when having studied in Church sponsored mission schools and colleges Indian youths began to feel low about
everything concerning ‘self’. These were the youths who were not ready to accept
anything unless it came out of the mouths of Englishmen. And, most of all, no matter the declared purpose of the event at Chicago had been of bringing harmony among different
religious faiths but Christian church was looking this as an opportunity when once knowing the tenets of Christianity the followers of all the faiths would admit the supremacy of it (Christianity) and grow excited to come under it. For they were of belief that it was only due to their ignorance of Christianity that the people of the world forgetfully embraced to their chests their respective faiths.
Against this backdrop when Swamiji attained the Religious Parliament he had to wait to the last to deliver his speech. But when he began to speak then before the splendor of his discourse composed of all-inclusive Hindu philosophy none could save from its spell. Then 10-12 speeches that he gave in later days they were kept at last only so that the
audiences could be made to stay in the auditorium till the end of the
programme to hear them. Seeing this many of the newspapers then filled with his praise. World that had got to be habitual of seeing bloodshed in the name of crusade and jihad to that the discourse of Vivekanand composed of Gita’s philosophy of religious
co-existence and mutual harmony were beyond imagination.
Vivekananda went only to attend Religious Parliament but the response that he received there made him change his plan of returning India soon. In the words of Rashtrkavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, “Enthused with Religious Parliament, Swamiji stayed for three years in Europe and England, and living there spread the essence of Hinduism all over Europe and America. It was
difficult to convince Hindu intellectuals who were deluded with learning English, but when they saw the men and women of Europe and America themselves being turned the disciples of Swamiji and got to engage in the service of Hindutva, their minds set right. Thus, the storm in the form of English language, Christianity and European intellectualism that brewed up to swallow Hindutva that went back colliding with Himalaya—like gigantic tree of Vivekananda.”
