HINDU NATION -- A NATIONAL POINT TO NOTE
See how Swamiji interchangeably mentions the words 'Hindu nation' and 'India'. Now, do you see how the word HINDU RASHTRA which is so detested by so many of you has its modern origin in the literature of Swami Vivekananda as well? Will you call him names now? In stating this I am merely highlighting this much contested contentious idea of the day and not trying to drive home a political point as such. This is for the education of the innocent in Vivekananda literature who, nonetheless, keep countering this idea of HINDU RASHTRA by referring to Swamiji's name as if he was opposed to India being understood as a Hindu nation which he evidently was not. Of course, you may differ with the other connotations, the ideological agenda and the plans and programmes and practices of its modern votary. But the truth can still not be wished away of India being at its source and flow a Hindu nation as Swamiji has so characteristically called her. The following extract from the works of Vivekananda will illustrate the point.
Foreword written by Sugata Bose
THE EAST AND THE WEST BY SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
(Translated from Bengali)
...Now you understand clearly where the soul of this ogress is — it is in religion. Because no one was able to destroy that, therefore the Hindu nation is still living, having survived so many troubles and tribulations. Well, one Indian scholar asks, "What is the use of keeping the soul of the nation in religion? Why not keep it in social or political independence, as is the case with other nations?" It is very easy to talk like that. If it be granted, for the sake of argument, that religion and spiritual independence, and soul, God, and Mukti are all false, even then see how the matter stands. As the same fire is manifesting itself in different forms, so the same one great Force is manifesting itself as political independence with the French, as mercantile genius and expansion of the sphere of equity with the English, and as the desire for Mukti or spiritual independence with the Hindu. Be it noted that by the impelling of this great Force, has been moulded the French and the English character, through several centuries of vicissitudes of fortune; and also by the inspiration of that great Force, with the rolling of thousands of centuries, has been the present evolution of the Hindu national character. I ask in all seriousness — which is easier, to give up our national character evolved out of thousands of centuries, or your grafted foreign character of a few hundred years? Why do not the English forget their warlike habits and give up fighting and bloodshed, and sit calm and quiet concentrating their whole energy on making religion the sole aim of their life?...
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