Swami Vivekananda – The Fire, The Flame And Sparks

On the auspicious Makarasankaranti Day, 12th of January, 1863, was born Narendranath Datta, a veritable fire-ball of knowledge and renunciation from his childhood, who, later, under the benign influence of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, got metamorphosed into the great Swami Vivekananda – fore most among India’s Patriots, Saints and Philosophers—a true Master, Mentor and Moulder and Maker of India’s destiny. More than eight years have passed, since this flame, which drew people to him like a magnet, extinguished itself. Yet, the sparks therefore continue to set aflame the hearts of thousands with fiery ideals of renunciation, dedication and love for Motherland, spreading blazing trails of idealism.

- Dr. M.Lakshmi Kumari

Swami Vivekananda occupies a unique place amongst our saints and philosophers in that, thanks to him the universal truths of Vedanta philosophy came to find practical application in the day-to-day life of man. Like the legendary Shiva, who took in his head the massive flow of Celestial Ganges and later released it in a trickle for the welfare of humanity, so did Swamiji first absorb unto himself the great wisdom of our Vedas and Upanishads as also the fullest meaning and purpose of the immaculate life of his great Master, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and then translate both in simple practical terms for the common man to understand, appreciate and practice in one’s own personal life. But for him, India would have by now lost forever her chance to revive the truth, beauty and vitality of her ancient culture and civilization, the oldest swept away in the storm of Westernisation that was raging over the country. But for him, the world would not have understood the meaning and import of the advent of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, which was to demonstrate the compatibility of the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads with the scientific and technological civilization of the modern world and proclaim the immutability and all time validity of the ultimate truth, the core of not only Hinduism but of all religions and philosophies. Swamiji imbibed the great humanism and the truly universal spirit of his great Master and showed us a new path to establish harmony amongst the warring sections of humanity.