Legends Who Shaped My Life - Swami Vivekananda

Dear One,

"Arise! Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached."

Thus roared Swami Vivekananda, proclaiming aloud the message of the Upanishads. Vivekananda, brings a lot of fond memories of my eventful childhood. As a cent percent diffident child of circumstance, I turned to Vivekananda for inspiration and he did complete justice nonetheless. Vivekananda was my childhood hero, I clearly remember. When my friends were in awe of Superman and Bahadur, I dreamt of becoming a Vivekananda - The True son of the Indian soil.

The life of Vivekananda was filled with catastrophic upheavals and turmoils. From being born in an aristocratic family, to being reduced to a life of a pauper makes the reader wonder and admire the mettle of the man. His famous teacher, Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansa, was said to have once quoted, 'If it wasn't for someone like Naren (His pre-monastic name), nobody else could take on the blows of destiny with a broad smile.'

Vivekanada was raw power personified. It is said, his spiritual aura was so palpable, that no one could come near him for a few meters. Yet, the man had a heart of gold. He used to weep when he saw his country men spending sleepless nights of hunger and abjection. He avowed he shall not rest in peace, till the last man in his country shall not be fed with a square meal. Many are the anecdotes of Vivekananda, that show the strength of his sterling character. I have reproduced a few for you to adjudge and be inspired by India's famous and legendary warrior monk as he was rightly called.


1. Once at Varanasi, as Swamiji was coming out of the temple of Mother Durga, he was surrounded by a large number of chattering monkeys. They seemed to  be threatening him. Swamiji did not want them to catch hold of him, so he started to run away. But the monkeys chased him. An old sannyasin was there, watching those monkeys. He called out to Swamiji, 'Stop! Face the brutes!' Swamiji stopped. He turned round and faced the monkeys. At once, they ran away. Many years later, Swamiji said: 'If you ever feel afraid of anything, always turn around and face it. Never think of running away.' 


2. In America, Swamiji was watching some boys. They were standing on the bridge trying to shoot at egg-shells that  were floating on the river, but they always missed the target. Swamiji took the gun and aimed at the shells. He fired twelve times and every time he hit an egg-shell. The boys asked Swamiji: 'Well Mister, how did you do it?' Swamiji said ' Whatever you are doing, put your whole mind on it. If you are shooting, your mind should be only on the target. Then you will never miss. If you are learning your lessons, think only of the lesson. In my country boys are taught to do this.' 


3. Swamiji became well-known in America. Once he was given a rousing reception at a railway station as he got down from the train. A Negro porter went forward to shake hands with him saying: `Congratualations! I am extremly delighted that a man of my race has attained such great honour! The entire Negro community in this country feels proud of you!' Swamiji eagerly shook hands with the porter and said warmly, `Thank you, brother!' He refused to deny he was a Negro. 


Swamiji was insulted, humiliated and refused entry into many hotels in the South an suspicion that he was a Negro. But he never protested or explained that he was an Indian. A Western disciple once asked him why he did not tell them he was from India in such situations. `What!', Swamiji replied, `Rise at the expense of another! I did not come to earth for that!'

Today, as the man I stand in front of you, is mainly due to the influence of Vivekananda and his powerful message. The skeptic who became a disciple and later a monk, only to make the whole world tremble in awe under his gigantic spiritual persona. To him I pay my humble tribute and gratitude - Swami Vivekanda, The Warrior Monk of India.

Peace in oneself. Peace in the world.