Narendranath Dutt, also known as Swami Vivekananda, was born on Makarsankranti day. It was also January 12. The Makara Sankranti marks the beginning of a transformation in nature. This birth also brought about a change in our country. That is why January 12 became National Youth Day. That change is continuing today. It will continue unabated because this country has its message to deliver to the world. It has a mission to accomplish, for the welfare of the world. Since it is eternal, the mission never ends. It is eternal in its vision and everlasting in its mission. Swami Vivekananda is the personification of this country’s vision for the modern era. Not only is he an inspiration, but he is also a role model not only for the freedom movement but also for the March towards Viksit Bharat.
Conquer the world with spirituality
In February 1897, Swami Vivekananda, the Vishwa Vijaya, arrived in Madras. From the 8th to the 14th, he presented his views and plans for the future of Bharat to thousands of people at various places in Madras. His speeches like “The Future of India”, “The Work Before Us”, and “My Plan of Campaign” later became the hope, enthusiasm, idea and ideal of the Bharatiya youth. He declared to the assembled crowd that “nothing smaller than India’s world victory is his goal.” It was not an enthusiastic speech. It was a long-term plan for at least a hundred years. “The vision and spiritual thought of Bharat should once again be made bright and conquer the world”; that was his idea. (The work before us. Com works. Volume Three) . He emphasised the need to disseminate India’s spiritual heritage, philosophy, and Sanskrit language throughout society.
Addressing the meeting held on February 14, Swamiji spoke on ‘Future of India’. He said that for a bright future, every Indian should see and worship the country as the Virat form of God. Virat means the people that we see around us. Our society. India! He said in front of the breathless and excited youth. “Slaves must become great masters! so give up being a slave. For the next 50 years this alone shall be our keynote – this, our great mother India! Let all other vain Gods disappear for the time being from our minds. This is the only God that is awake, our own rice. Everywhere his hands, everywhere his feet, everywhere his ears, he covers everything.” (V. Sa. Sa. Vol. 3) This was like the Bhagavad Gita in front of the hopeless Arjuna on the Kurukshetra battlefield, creating fiery sparks. Last verse of the Gita – Desire for loss… The clarion call of duty rang out in the youth of India. It created resonances of enthusiasm in thousands. To be precise, this call was made on February 14, 1897. After completing 50 years, on February 23, 1947, the British Parliament, which had ruled India, presented a resolution to grant India independence. It was not a transfer of power through magic. It was the sacrifice of thousands of people, social reform movements against superstitions and immoralities in society, and the continuous efforts of many great people who touched the inner soul of India through the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda.
Independent India initially faced some setbacks on the path to fulfilling its mission. The country, disguised as a democracy, moved towards family rule and autocracy. But India’s Brahma tejas and kshatra virya were revived. The popular uprising against the Emergency was more intense and sacrificial than the uprising against foreign rule. Not only against corruption and nepotism but also against poverty and unemployment against separatism and subversive activities, the youth, inspired by Vivekananda, worked tirelessly to awaken India’s sense of identity and to strengthen the sacred thread of unity amidst all diversity. Democracy remained strong even in times of political instability. Today, the world has accepted that India is the mother of democracy. And India has recognised its sense of identity and has acquired all the means to restore it. Management experts are talking about Yoga. ‘Yoga karmasu kaushalam!’ The healthcare sector is looking towards Ayurveda. The slogan of environmental protection is “Mata: bhumi(Mother Earth)”. Our ‘Shanti mantras’ are consoling on the war fronts. Swamiji’s death knell of religious conflicts at the World Parliament of Religions echoes the apologies and confessions of religious leaders and atonement.
Education to stand up on legs
In his speech, Swamiji said that the sacrifice and patriotism of the youth were the energy for change, and he had also warned that the overall development of India could be possible only through the restoration of national education, which is a manifestation of divinity already in man. Swamiji said, “Of Course, this is a very big screen, a very big plan. I do not know whether it will ever work out. But we must begin the work.” Swami also presented his vision of education in a crystal clear manner. “In the first place, it is not a man-making education. It is merely and entirely a negative education. Education is not the amount of information put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas.” The ideal, therefore, is that we must have the whole education of our country, spiritual and secular in our own hands. It must be on National lines. Through National methods as far as practical.” After 75 years of independence, India has adopted a national education policy emphasising Indianness and adopting Vivekananda’s views. Exciting activities are being seen nationwide to integrate Indian languages, Indian traditions of knowledge, and life values into the fabric of education. Even those who opposed it for political reasons are now ready to accept it.
Those outside India are more convinced than India that the solution to the crises facing the world today is Indian values, philosophies and lifestyle. Today, we can see the youth in India everywhere who see nature as their mother and are passionate about raising the locals to be vocal. They embrace their language, dress and literature with self-respect. Instead of wandering around in search of employment, they are enthusiastic about becoming employers and entrepreneurs.
India has become the most promising country in the world due to its youth power. India, considered an undeveloped country, has grown to the forefront of the world’s economic power. The young generation in all parts of the world deeply desires to acquire Indian knowledge of philosophy, music, Yoga, and Ayurveda. India is going to conquer the world once again. Not by weapons or by mere money power!But by spiritual power. By love. By sacrifice. It is not the philosophy of the weak! It is all emphasising the Almighty. It is not about forgiving; it is about universal inclusiveness. Amrit Kaal is not for enjoying the present. It is indeed a struggle to uproot the mindset of slavery and express self-respect.
Entrepreneurship Mantra of self-reliance
Swamiji, who roared from Colombo to Almora and shook India’s mind, arrived in Calcutta in December 1897. In a long discussion with an educated disciple searching for employment, Swamiji discusses entrepreneurship and the potential of India’s different sectors like agriculture and traditional small-scale industries. “What are you doing? Even after learning so much, you go about the doors of others, crying; give me enjoyment. Trampled under other’s feet, doing slavery for others, are you men any more? You are not worth a pin’s death! In this fertile country with abundant water supply, where nature produces wealth and harvests a thousand times more than another, you have no food for your stomach, no clothes to cover your body!” Here, not only is the attitude of the youth who have received modern education in India criticised, but it is also urged that India’s area of development potential be recognised. Even though the agricultural lands of Punjab and Bengal were lost to India after partition, India still has the largest cultivable land area in the world. Economic policymakers say that it is about 159.6 million hectares. Although we have achieved exports of 24 billion US dollars today, it is expected that with a little more focus, it can cross 100 billion in the next 10-12 years. To strengthen India’s rural economy, we must focus on the technology required for the agricultural sector, cooperative, decentralised economic systems and related skill development.
Swamiji highlights the strength of the industrial sector and the great acceptance of Indian products in the international market through his own experience. “The people of foreign countries import Indian raw goods, manufacture various commodities by bringing their intelligence to bear upon them, and become great, whereas you have locked up your intelligence, thrown away your inherited wealth to others, and roam about crying piteously for food.” His sweet message, hidden in his harsh words, was that the educated youth should work to create a self-reliant India. Swamiji continued, “Take Indian cloth, towels, bamboo -works, and other indigenous products, and peddle in the streets of Europe and America; you will find how greatly Indian products are appreciated in foreign markets.” Although we are very late, the picture is clear today. There is a great need for Indian-made products in textiles and natural products, medicines, software and security equipment. Even today, 45 per cent of India’s foreign exchange is still comprised of small-scale industrial products. This sector is the largest manufacturing cluster in the world. It is also home to over 4,000 small-scale industries that employ 20-22 per cent of the workforce in India.
The digital technology sector represents a huge employment opportunity and economic growth. Last year, we exported software worth $320 billion. Arms exports increased from $500 crore in 2014-15 to $70,000 crore in 2020. This year, the expectation is $140,000 crore! We have also achieved zero import status for 2851 items. Today, our share in international trade is only 1 per cent. But the potential is huge. We are the ones who are ready to face the challenge.
Swamiji emphasises the need to change the mindset of Indian youth. “You observe so much mystery in the mere service and salaries of others, but you are still not working up, and your misery is never at an end. This is certainly the delusive Power of Maya. In the West, I found that those who are in the employment of others have their seats fixed in the back rows in the parliament, while the front seats are reserved for those who have made themselves famous by self exertion, or education or intelligence.” He goes forth and says, “The education which does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not bring out strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy, and the courage of a lion- is it worth the name? Real education is that which enables one to stand on one’s own legs. You are working like machines merely, and leaving a jelly-fish existence.” (Complete Works Vol 7) Swamiji advised the Bharat to shift their mindset from employment seeking to employment entrepreneurship. Which is the Mantra of Atmanirbhar Bharat, or developed India. A self-reliant India is not a modern economic and political thought.
At a time when India shared 34 per cent of world trade, it was powered by the talent and entrepreneurship of Indian villages. To reclaim that tradition and transform India into a self-reliant nation that thinks of world welfare. We must provide education instilling youth dedication, courage, true knowledge, and trustworthiness. That is Swamiji’s artificial education. That is the vision put forward by the National Education Policy. That is the road map to Atmanirbhar Bharat.
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