— Dileep P Chandran (The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, Dr. Dileep P Chandran revisits Swami Vivekananda's teachings.) The young would be closer to heaven through football than reading the Gita, as the true understanding of the Gita could only be achieved through physical strength and vitality. These words of Swami Vivekananda hold profound significance, as they highlight the importance of physical well-being as a foundation for spiritual and intellectual growth. The government of India declared Swami Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day in 1984. On his 162nd birth anniversary, let’s revisit his teachings, which emphasised the equal importance of spiritual growth and physical strength. Early life Narendra Nath Datta, better known as Swami Vivekananda, was born on January 12, 1863. His short life-span of thirty-nine years (1863-1902) symbolised youthful energy and the reawakening of a valorous nation. For instance, his historic clarion call to “arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached” inspired Indian leaders to awaken colonial India from its long slumber. Vivekananda was introduced to the great mystic saint of Bengal - Ramakrishna Paramahamsa - in 1881 by Keshab Chandra Sen, the founder of Brahmo Samaj of India where Vivekananda stayed. After Ramakrishna’s death, Vivekananda devoted his life to the regeneration of Hindu society. He sought to reconcile the dualistic philosophy he inherited from his master with his belief in Advaita philosophy. Practical Vedanta Vivekananda believed that dualism thrived globally because it was easy to convey to the uneducated masses, but cautioned that a dualistic religion with multiple sects within it would weaken its position against other civilisations. He famously remarked, “If you are a dualist, you are a fool to try to help God. If you are a monist, you know that you are God…” In Advaita philosophy, every individual is part of the infinite universal soul; therefore harming others is equivalent to harming oneself. However, Vivekananda’s Vedanta harmonised seemingly incompatible philosophies, including dualism and monism. He believed in the supreme authority of Vedas and the immutable status of Upanishads. For him, Vedic religion was both universal and tolerant. Yet, he was of the view that the truths of Vedanta have little appeal for people suffering from hunger and poverty. This realisation led him to introduce his version of practical Vedanta. The essence of practical Vedanta was to integrate devotion to God with compassion for fellow beings. Vivekananda traced the roots of poverty in India to the neglect of material civilization and excessive focus on mental power and renunciation. He prioritised the alleviation of poverty over preaching of religious texts. He found it futile, insulting, and meaningless to preach scriptures without providing food to people suffering from poverty. Inspired by his master’s words that religion is not for empty stomachs, he emphasised the significance of social service. World Parliament of Religions Vivekananda’s address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893 marked a turning point in the universal assertion of Hindu identity. In this historic speech, he addressed some of the key concerns of 19th century India, such as national awakening, Hindu identity, and religious tolerance. He presented a liberal and humane Hinduism as the path towards progress and unity. In fact, religious tolerance was the predominant theme of Vivekananda’s speeches. He referred to Hinduism as the “mother of religions”, and asserted its legacy of tolerance and universal acceptance. He also highlighted Hinduism’s historic role in offering refuge to persecuted sects from around the world and affirmed that this sense of tolerance is intrinsic to the “blood of the nation”. He also highlighted the interdependence of Hinduism and Buddhism, saying, “Hinduism cannot live without Buddhism, nor Buddhism without Hinduism. Then realise what the separation has shown to us, that the Buddhists cannot stand without the brain and philosophy of the Brahmins, nor the Brahmin without the heart of the Buddhist.” Unity of all existence Vivekananda outrightly rejected fanatism, sectarianism, and bigotry that led to violence. But he acknowledged that religious differences would persist as long as people are ignorant of others’ faith. He argued that ridiculing another’s God was tantamount to ridiculing one’s own religion. For him, this sense of oneness stemmed from the ideals of Vedanta and monism, which affirm the unity of all existence. In his Chicago speech, he also criticised Christian missionaries for prioritising the construction of churches over addressing the plight of the starving. He stated, “I do not believe in God or religion which cannot wipe the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan’s mouth.” Vivekananda preferred to feed the hungry before preaching about God. In the concluding session of the Parliament of Religions, he expressed regret for those who envisioned the exclusive survival of their religion, saying that true religion embraces unity in diversity. In sum, Vivekananda reiterated that tolerance is the core of Hinduism. However, some critics have argued that his ideal of tolerance was "tenuous" and "fragile". His eloquence impressed audiences in America. He spent the next three years in the West preaching and lecturing. He returned to India in 1897. Thereafter, he was hailed as a champion of the spiritual regeneration of India and went on to establish Ramakrishna Mission (1897), which primarily worked through social service and preaching. "Patriotic saint of modern India" In The Discovery of India, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote that Vivekananda “came as a tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu mind.” In fact, Vivekananda’s concept of spiritual nationalism influenced leaders of India’s national movement, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Mahatma Gandhi. By the 19th century, Hindu mysticism and spirituality played a dominant role in inculcating a sense of national spirit among the masses. Leaders from Dayananda Saraswati to Gandhi drew upon this legacy while Vivekananda emerged as one of its earliest and vocal exponents. Although Vivekananda’s mission primarily addressed India’s cultural humiliation rather than political subjugation, he believed that the lack of self-governance was a key factor in the enslavement of Indians. Yet, his vision extended beyond self-governance as he imagined a spiritual oneness of the entire world. Vivekananda’s idea of nationalism Moreover, Vivekananda’s idea of nationalism is characterised by a ‘centre’. He argued that every nation has a centre and its survival depends on preserving this core. He found religion as the centre of India. He believed that India’s spiritual independence was vital to counter the dominance of the West’s materialism and urged to begin a wave of spirituality to rejuvenate the nation. He also perceived India as the centre of the world’s spirituality and capable of conquering the world through its spiritual strength. Vivekananda saw Vedantic spiritualism as the solution to India’s subjugation and the means to saving humanity from the destructive effects of Western materialism. He asserted that because of its spiritual foundation, Indian civilization survived the test of time, unlike the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations. He also believed that any efforts for political independence or religious reform that ignored spirituality and religion would be futile because they form the ‘life-blood of nation’. As the forerunner of Indian nationalism, Vivekananda criticised modern material civilization and asserted the cultural roots of nationalism in India. On body, sports, and masculinity During colonial rule, the British created a binary of the “manly colonial masters” versus “effeminate Indian subjects”, which persuaded Indian nationalists to regenerate an indigenous notion of masculinity. It is argued that Vivekananda, as the advocate of sports and physical strength, was one of the earliest exponents of this notion, believing that physical strength was essential towards national emancipation. Therefore, he argued that the first step toward national regeneration was strengthening the body, which would enable the youth to contribute to the work of national revival. Vivekananda believed that the young would be closer to heaven through football than reading the Gita, emphasising that true understanding of the Gita could only be achieved through physical strength and vitality. He emphasised that to regenerate the nation, it’s important to overcome physical weakness and embrace masculine qualities like courage, strength, and resilience. He justified the use of physical force in self-defense, stressing the importance of fighting against oppression. While he cherished the virtue of forgiveness, he cautioned that it should not stem from passivity or weakness. Vivekananda popularised a version of “ascetic nationalist masculinity”, which combined physical strength with spiritual discipline. He extensively wrote on colonial sports, gymnastics, and the importance of physical culture. He believed that religion alone was insufficient to regenerate Indian civilization from the clutches of slavery. For him, physical vigour - symbolised by biceps and the Gita - was the way to overcome challenges posed by British rule in India. He urged his disciples to be ready to engage in deep meditation and rise from it to go to the field. Post Read Questions What does Swami Vivekananda mean when he says the young would be closer to heaven through football than reading the Gita? Why did Jawaharlal Nehru describe Vivekananda as a “tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu mind” in Discovery of India? How did Swami Vivekananda's concept of spiritual nationalism influence leaders of India’s national movement? What role did Hindu mysticism and spirituality play in fostering a sense of national spirit in 19th-century India? What made Swami Vivekananda one of the earliest and most vocal exponents of spiritual nationalism? (Dileep P Chandran is an Assistant Professor at the department of Political Science in University of Calicut, Kerala.) Share your thoughts and ideas on UPSC Special articles with ashiya.parveen@indianexpress.com. Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
