Swami Vivekananda: An Apostle of Peace and Positive Temperament in Life

Within a couple of days’ time entire humanity across the globe is going to celebrate the 162nd birth anniversary of an apostle of peace and positive temperament named Swami Vivekananda. Though Swami Vivekananda departed at a tender age of meagre thirty nine years of age way back in the year 1902 on July 4, but it is our inner feelings of mind that this global apostle of peace and positive temperament is still vivid deeply in our mind. My respected online readers of both India and Bangladesh why did I evaluate this globally reputed monk in this manner. Definitely there is a logic behind evaluating this monk cum thinker in this manner.

Swami Vivekananda was born in such a period of time in the year 1863 on January 12, when both nations were under dominance of colonial ruling. Though undivided Bengal was divided in the year 1947 on August 14. But the glorious heritage and legacy of Swami Vivekananda remains similar till date. I have evinced from the four corners of my vision about the impact of Swami Vivekananda in my mind and heart.

Now coming to the moot point pertaining to naming the heading of my column Swami Vivekananda as an apostle of peace and positive temperament in life. I feel that he was very much of such, which is felt dearly in our mind in the modern eras.

In the modern eras we find that there are too much of political and social violence taking place around the globe. Due to political violence economy of the nation was badly affected. In this regard the noble philosophy of Swami Vivekananda sounds of as paramount importance. Throughout his short longevity of thirty nine years Swamiji propagated for peace and positive temperament in our life. It is our utter misfortune that we lost this globally reputed thinker and philosopher in a shorter longevity. Till date we badly lament about Swami Vivekananda’s untimely demise from us. In this regard we should always feel that when our needs are over humanity has to depart for eternal peace to get mixed up with the stars. The sorrowful end of Swami Vivekananda’s life still carries the stigma upon our mind and heart. Again I repeat we accepted this hardcore facts more than hundred years back.

There are various reasons on account of which Swami Vivekananda is regarded as an apostle of peace. Among all some of the common ones are stated as such, he preached the doctrine of religious tolerance, Swamiji preached the doctrine of universal brotherhood, harmony between different religions and cultures, unity among all religions and languages and finally he preached that all global citizens should bed imbibed upon communal amity and integrity.

About peace Swami Vivekananda lamented that the citizens around us does not possess peaceful and amiable disposition upon other citizens. It reflects upon citizens of individual nation. Though Swami Vivekananda belongs to one generation being contemporary of Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. But as we are in the midst of such a generation where we find innovation bees but in real sense of the term we witness the reverse scenario. Now people are of a vicious and pernicious temperament. Now has sympathy and affection towards others. This is no way appreciable. Swami Vivekananda despite being a person of shorter longevity always propagated universal brotherhood and sisterhood. This he expressed during the time of World Congregation of Religions way back in the year 1893 in Chicago from September 11 to 27. So far this historic event has completed 131 years. If we recollect properly Swami Vivekananda gave the clarion call ‘To all brothers and sisters’. That means sisters and brothers should be brought under one banner. There should not be any discriminatory mental makeup between brothers and sisters of one nation with that of other nation.

Now what we find that virulent attitude is badly eating up the vitals of modern societies. Though this gathering was held more than one hundred years ago, but I feel it has its deep relevance even in the modern age. Now nobody has the temptation to feel positives about the welfare of humanity of other parts of the globe.

Now highlighting the positive temperament of Swami Vivekananda we find that he always interpreted that everything should be in its positive temperament or frame of life. It should be divided into five factors, such as, compassion, optimism, faith, humor and mindfulness. That same views I have already reiterated above. In this regard we should always bear in mind. That we should quit the art of being selfish motive in life. Always there should be a temperament of cordialityand amiability in everybody’s self-introspection. We should not be ruthless towards humanity.

Our political culture has reached to such a states of affairs which indicates we will only enrich ourselves with knowledge and wealth. As culture of Bengali is both intrinsic in both India and Bangladesh, hence the noble philosophies and thoughts are of deeper relevance to the citizens of both nations. The incidents taking place in both nations are no doubt despicable. In this regard if one follow the values of Swami Vivekananda then it might be morale booster for both. Though my focusing areas are on Swami Vivekananda’s apostle of peace and positive temperament in human life. But still we should not ignored his moral values upon self which was subsequently imparted to the citizens of India and Bangladesh. Thus in the subsequent paragraph it is my earnest responsibility to state about the moral values of this globally reputed thinker and philosopher Swami Vivekananda.

There are various moral values which was enunciated by Swami Vivekananda are stated as such, impact of honesty and integrity, we should be truthful, unselfish along with love, sacrifice, strength and patriotic feelings towards the development of societies.

Swami Vivekananda apart from his own thoughts had profound respect towards poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Former was two years younger than the latter. There were many occasions when Swamiji had memorable interactions with Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

Swami Vivekananda and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore were deeply intimate between each other. But there was a different between these two Great Philosophers cum thinkers. It was on the basis of their longevity. Such as Swami Vivekananda lived for 39 years and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore lived till the age of 80 years. Though they interacted twice or thrice in their lifetime, they exchanged pleasantries between each other. They thought of upgradation of societies of the globe. However it was during the decade of thirties Rabindranath Tagore evaluated Swami Vivekananda as one having an inclination to have an idea about India then we must update our knowledge fully about the Saint. As per the evaluation of Rabindranath Tagore about Swami Vivekananda which Tagore equipped that there is nothing negative in the mind of humanity, everything is positive upon us. From the philosophical point of view, The Superpower has given birth to us with equivalent intelligence. It is our goal to furnish our intelligence to skyrocketing level.

Summation of my views about Swami Vivekananda. One point is crystal clear in our mind that lot could have been written about this glorious Saint. Especially about the books written by him. But one point I would like to emphasize to my online readers of India and Bangladesh. That in order to follow the ideals of him, we should have the honesty and integrity among us. We shouldn’t have ill feeling among us regarding cross section of humanity. Rather compassion and cordiality should be the order of the day in today’s scenario. The purpose of deliberately avoiding this issue is that humanity should now be more calm and cordial about the purification of our society. We should not be involved into any sort of virulent mentality with our fellow citizens.


Sujayendra Das is a columnist
based in Kolkata, India.