In today’s globe, the majority of nations place a premium on formal schooling rather than on man-making activities. The outcome is chaos and anarchy. The acquisition of wealth should not take precedence over fundamental human values. Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu seer, could determine the cause of this human disease long ago and spread his idea of education for solace and salvation of humankind. Vivekananda did not write a book on education, yet he contributed valuable insights on the subject that are still relevant and viable today.
Swami Vivekananda’s emphasis on holistic education
Swami Vivekananda, a philosopher, preacher and reformer, dedicated his life for the betterment of humanity. He emphasized the dynamism of his thought on improving the body and soul in order to achieve human excellence. The main theme of his stirring remarks for the entire world were about man’s evolution, development and fulfillment. Continue to work to achieve perfection in body, mind and spirit were prominent in all of his lessons and sermons.
His clarion call was: “We must have life-building, man-making, character-making” and assimilation of ideas. We desire education that develops character. The strength of the mind is enlarged, the intelligence is extended and this allows one to ‘Stand on one’s own feet’. Swami Vivekananda states, “The objective of all education and training should be man-making. But, Instead, we are constantly attempting to gloss up the outside. What’s the use in polishing When there is no internal realisation, no point in polishing from outside. Nurturing, molding and polishing this Swamiji’s education comes from inside and helps it manifest properly. What is it all about? This education ensures man’s organic growth from within and outside, not as an attempt to continue modifying from the outside in which, more often than not, closes the inner man in a chamber of gloom and forgetting”.
Swami Vivekananda proposed a variety of approaches to rebuild Bharatiya society, with education serving as the primary means of empowering people. He once stated, “Is education worth the term if it does not help the common people equip themselves for the struggle for life, does not produce strength of character, a spirit of charity and the courage of a lion? “True education is that which allows one to stand on one’s own legs”. He defined education as Dharma based learning that shaped pupils’ character and implanted human ideals in them. Swami Vivekananda said, “Teach yourselves, teach everyone their true nature, call on the sleeping soul and witness how it awakens. When this sleeping spirit is awakened to self-conscious activity, power, glory, kindness, purity and everything great will appear”.
Swami Vivekananda, a prominent nationalist in Bharat, aimed to reinvigorate the Dharma’s vitality and help to shape a nation. He believed that Dharma formed the “center”, the central theme of Bharat’s national music. He represents the Hindu renaissance. He had become “self-conscious and adolescent”. He was born during a key moment of the history of Bharat, when all the higher impulses were overborne by the oncoming tide of materialism. The educated people were adopting foreign traditions because they believed about the genuine acceptance of the western solution to Bharat’s problems and progress methods and institutions. Vivekananda attempted to stem the flow and set before the countrymen as the beautiful and exhilarating message of the Vedanta, which blended the Spirituality of the East with the organizational capacity of the west. This is what his philosophy of neo-Vedanta stands for and that he used to effect a synthesis of civilizations from the East and the West and therefore to find out the true salvation of humanity.
Swami Vivekananda’s faith in the youth
Swamiji said, I have faith in my nation, particularly its youth. My hope is in you. With an enormous amount of feeling and fervor in their blood, young heroes will march from one corner of the planet to the other, preaching and teaching our forebears’ timeless spiritual teachings. And this is the big work that awaits you. If you dare to believe me, you will all have a great future. Have immense faith in yourselves, similar to the faith I had as a child and am working on now. Have faith in yourself — that eternal power is lodged in every soul — and you will revitalize Bharat as a whole. Yes, we will travel to every country under the sun and our ideas will soon become a component of the various forces that operate to form every nation in the world. We must integrate into the lives of all races in Bharat and beyond; this will require effort. We must go forth and conquer the world with our spirituality and ideas. There are no other options; we must do it or perish. The essential requirement for awakened and vibrant national existence is Bharatiya thought’s conquest of the world.
Swami Vivekananda once observed, “Whatever you think, you will become. “If you think yourself weak, you will be weak; if you think yourself strong, you will be strong”. He additionally stated: “See for the highest, aim at that highest and you shall reach the highest”. His message was simple yet strong. Vivekananda expressed his thoughts directly to the people, particularly the youth. His speech broke down the barriers of caste and creed, speaking of a language of global brotherhood. What he stated illustrates the significance of his views and ideals to today’s kids in our society.
He embodied the youth’s endless vigor and relentless search for truth. It is perfectly suitable that Swami Vivekananda’s birth date, January 12, is marked as National Youth Day to reignite the immortal message of this great patriot and the son of Bharat. Salute to this great Sanatani humanitarian on his birth anniversary.
