WHAT DISTINGUISHES SWAMIJI FROM THOSE THAT HAVE FOLLOWED HIM

WHAT DISTINGUISHES SWAMIJI FROM THOSE THAT HAVE FOLLOWED HIM 

Swamiji was convinced about what he was saying as it was based upon spiritual realisation, deep intellectual reflection, vast erudition and an overwhelming sense of purpose born out of an abiding love for humanity that knew no bounds nor limited itself within geographical boundaries or cultural contours. Finally, he had received divine commission from his spiritual master to preach the word of God at home and abroad. Sri Ramakrishna had in his dying days at the Cossipore Garden House written on a scrap of paper, "নরেন লোকশিক্ষা দিবে যখন ঘরে বাইরে হাঁক দিবে |" ["Naren will teach the world when he will thunder at home and abroad."] Thus Vivekananda 'spoke with authority and not as the scribes do', and was victorious everything. His words were scripture and spiritually transformed his audience. If modern preachers are not so, it is because they possess none of the qualities which adorned the Swami. 

Realisation, reflection, reading, resistance to material temptation, universal sympathy, courage of conviction, freedom of the soul, uncompromising nature that does not stoop to seek worldly support, strength of character that is self-sustaining, abundance of talent, idealism, a vast mind, oratorical power as if 'by divine right'---all these and much more distinguished the Swami not only from his peers in the world then but also from fellow preachers after him. Most are compromised in life with material gain and are apologetic about what they say about the Dharma in relation to its suffering at the hands of alien invasive powers and their aggressive Abrahamic faiths. No wonder they fail to impress for long a discerning audience. And thus the Vedantic missionary work suffers. We need valorous souls with fiery force to come to the fore and preach the Dharma the masculine way across the length and breadth of the world. 🕉 Hindu!

Written by Sugata Bose