Introduction
Swami Vivekananda is
the person who has influence around the world with his philosophy of practical Vedanta.
Swami Vivekananda and his teachings became the part of curriculum of the
schools and colleges because of his outstanding philosophy which he has
introduced to the world. He has uplifted the Indian spirituality; he made it
world famous spirituality. And this has its own impact in the mission even
today. Therefore, author is dealing with the Sanatana Dharma, Swami Vivekananda
and evaluation of his statement which he gave in the council of world religions.
1. Sanatana Dharma
1.1.Introduction to Sanatana Dharma
Sanatana
Dharma literally means “‘eternal religion.’ The religion of the Hindus,
formulated by the rishis of the Vedas.” (Vivekananda 1998, 309) The other name of
Hinduism can be considered as ‘Sanatana
Dharma’. Sanatana Dharma focuses on the charity towards the people of the
world and so people who follow Sanatana Dharma are more on the social work.
Sanatana Dharma is meant as the legitimate teacher of spirituality from India
which was the claim of the Swami Vivekananda. (Mathew 1999, 129)
1.2.Conceptual Framework of Sanatana Dharma
Sanatana
Dharma can be understood as the experience of oneness according to the
Vivekananda’s understanding which deals with the world principles and ideas,
rather than historic personalities and cults. Sanatana dharma claims to have
the principles of all religion and so conversion to dharma was not a necessary
part of it, it is just a secondary aspect. According to Vivekananda’s teaching,
Sanatana dharma consists of all religions and it includes all religious
principles in it but ultimatum is in Sanatana dharma. Vivekananda preached to
Americans that they were all Vedantins because Vedanta declares the oneness
with everything and Sanatana dharma awakes human mind into a moral
consciousness. (n.d.412-415)
Gandhi
recognizes himself as Sanatanist, he comments that the person who follow
Sanatana Dharma believes in Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and all that
goes by the name of Hindu scriptures, and therefore in avataras and rebirth. Dharma
does not discourage idol-worship and not even encourage. When comes to
scriptural understanding they do not believe that all scriptures are inspired
but at the same accepts all religious scriptures other than Hinduism. Sanatana
Dharma propagates Guruism because of the belief that it is the rare thing to
find a combination of perfect purity and perfect learning. Sanatana Dharma
gives more emphasis in god and his oneness in rebirth and salvation. It is an
understanding that all human are born to serve god’s creation, Brahmana with
knowledge. (Sharma 2004, 305-308)
2.
Swami
Vivekananda
D.S.
Sarma states, “Swami Vivekananda did for the gospel of Ramakrishna something
similar to what St. Paul did for the Gospel of Christ.” (Sarma 1973, 143)
2.1.Character Sketch of Swami Vivekananda
Swami
Vivekananda was born in 12 January 1863 in Calcutta. His official name which
his parents named is Narendranath Datta. His mother is Bhuvaneshwari Devi,
called her son Vireshwara (Boon from Siva) because he was born after long
offerings and prayers to Siva. Viswanath Datta, father of Vivekananda was an
attorney-at-law of the High Court of Calcutta, was well verse in English and
Persian literature. (Stephen 2005, 3) He belonged to the
caste of Kshatriya. At the age of seventeen as a college student,
Narendranath came under the influence of Ramakrishna. He was a keen student of
philosophy and poetry. He studies all the systems of western philosophy. His favorite
English poets were Wordsworth and Shelley. The principal of his college,
William Hastings, an English man, remarked that Narendranath was a genius and
would make his mark in life. Narendranath (also called as Naren) was a member
of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj before meeting Ramakrishna. But his membership of
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj did not satisfy him because he was longing for a
religious experience. He even questioned the religious leaders about their
visibility of God and no one was able to answer him with certainty except
Ramakrishna. Thus Naren became the disciple of Ramakrishna. Naren lost his
father when he was appearing to B.A. and then he joined for the law but was not
able to complete his studies because of his financial situation at home due to
the death of his father. As a result he was searching for a job to meet his
material needs but was not able to get any job and at last he ended up on
Ramakrishna in asking to intercede for him to goddess or mother kali.
Ramakrishna encouraged him ask by himself to mother Kali, Naren went but was
not able to ask because his Brahmo Samaj[1]
Influence but being with Ramakrishna he was changed. In 1888, Vivekananda started
his life as a wandering monk. He went throughout India as a wandering monk
initially traveler with his other monk brothers and later on alone. In these
journeys he discovered India and dedicated himself for the service of the poor
and needy. He realized that he has a great mission in life and when he reached
Madras some of his admirers collected funds and send him to America to the
first Parliament of Religious meeting in Chicago at the age of thirty. About
his impression in the Parliament of Religious meeting New York Herald
commented: “He is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of
Religions. After hearing him, we feel how foolish it is to send Missionaries to
his learned nation”. (Zarchariah 1998, 78) His remaining
lifespan he travelled throughout the world giving lectures and made many
disciples worldwide. Because of his visits around the world and making
disciples gave an understanding that there is no greater philosophy that
Hinduism and also it impacted on Modern Hindu Renaissance which became
self-conscious and adolescent. He died on July, 4th 1902 at the age
of thirty nine. (Zarchariah
1998, 79-82)
Vivekananda is recognized as St. Paul for the Ramakrishna who toiled and got
many converts as St. Paul had in his missionary life. (Neuner 1997, 363)
2.2. Influence of Ramakrishna in the understanding of Swami
Vivekananda
Ramakrishna
had a major impact on the life of Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda was the
favorite disciple of Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna did not write any books but
through the writings of Vivekananda and other disciples his teachings are known
to the world. It is said that Ramakrishna as the guru of Vivekananda initiated
Vivekananda into religious experience through the placing of his right foot on
his body. Ramakrishna considered Narendra (i.e. Swami Vivekananda) as his
spiritual son and heir and trained him for his great mission of life. Swami
Vivekananda adopted his teachings and preached around the world and extended
the mission of Ramakrishna. Thus, Ramakrishna Mission was founded. (Zarchariah
1998, 74-76)
In
the first interview of Vivekananda with Ramakrishna has impressed him a lot and
it is said that his illumination began. His second interview with Ramakrishna
has made him to perceive very vividly the spiritual powers of the saints.
Vivekananda (Narendranath) stated about this experience,
“Muttering
something to himself, with his eyes fixed on me, he slowly drew near me. I
thought he might so something queer as on the preceding occasion. But in the
twinkling of an eye he placed his right foot on my body. The touch at once gave
rise to a novel experience within me. With my eyes open I saw that the walls
and everything in the room whirled rapidly and vanished into nought, and the
whole universe, together with my individuality, was about to merge in an all compassing
mysterious- void! I was terribly frightened and thought that I was facing
death, for the loss of individuality meant nothing short of that. Unable to
control myself, I cried out, ‘What is this you are doing to me? I have my
parents at home!’ he laughed aloud at this and, striking my chest, said, ‘All
right, let it rest now. Everything will come in time.’ The wonder of it was
that no sooner had he said this than that strange experience of mine vanished.
I was myself again and found everything, within and without the room, as it has
been before. All this happened in less time than it takes me to narrate it, but
it revolutionized my mind.” (Sarma
1973, 147)
This
mystic touch ultimately changed Narendranath, a college youth into Swami
Vivekananda, a world famous monk. Narendra continuous his visit to Ramakrishna,
which lead him to grow in his illumination till his master looking upon him as
his spiritual heir. Ramakrishna was so capable that he was even able to
transmit his spirituality to others by the touch. At the death of Ramakrishna
he formally handed over his spiritual wealth to Narendranath. (Sarma 1973, 148)
2.3.Teachings of Swami Vivekananda
Swami
Vivekananda basically taught ‘Vedanta’ or ‘Vedas’. He taught the practical
aspect of Vedanta. Swami Vivekananda taught that fullest of divinity indwells
man. He teaches service of man because of the presence of Reality in man i.e.
Atman which is not different from Brahman. He is of the opinion that the best
way to reach god is by the service of man i.e. in other words can be said that
all mankind are gods. He practiced karma
yoga and even taught karma yoga as
it is taught in Bhagavad-Gita. He emphasized more on action and hence
Ramakrishna mission was focused on Philanthropic, charitable, religious and
educational missionary activities. (Zarchariah 1998, 82-83)
Vivekananda
wrote a book named ‘Vedanta: Voice of Freedom’ where he has put all his
teachings. He is of the opinion that Vedanta is the culmination of Vedas which
has no beginning and end. He further said that there are many facets of the
truth but religion is all about the realization. When spoken about god he said
that god is impersonal and at the same time personal because he is everything. When
comes to opinion about human the major teachings comes in that human are gods
and when looked into the perspective of god, there can be made many changes in
the structure of the society at the same time there will not be any fight or
hatred among the mankind which he named it as practical Vedanta. He is of the
opinion that the ultimate consciousness of self that is god is the attainment
of Moksha. Man dies, atman emerges with Brahman. (Vivekananda 1998, 1-270)
3. Evaluation: “Hinduism is the Crown of all religions and that all religions lead to
one great truth that is found in Hinduism: The Sanatana Dharma.”
Vivekananda
is saying that Hinduism is the crown of all religion i.e. he meant that he
recognizes Hinduism as superior to all religions of the world. He puts it has
the king or the queen of all religion. He further continues the statement
saying that all religion lead to one great truth. This can be understood as the
typical Hindu mindset. He claims that Hinduism is the queen of all religion but
at the same time accepts other religions also. He gives mere respect to other
religions also. Further he says that truth is found in Hinduism. He is of the
opinion that all religions have the truth but the ultimate truth is in Hinduism
that is in other words can be said that all religion or all truths of all
religion lead to one truth and that truth is in Hinduism. It simply means many
truths leads to one truth that is Hinduism. Vivekananda is conveying the
greatness of India as the custodian of spirituality. This statement can be
understood in the sense of Atheism that is in Vivekananda’s understanding,
India is the Mother Goddess. Anybody who attains divinity is a god and this can
be called as Atheism.
Vivekananda
says that he did not meant in external great thoughts of religion that are clad
when he speaks about religions; he did not mean about different buildings,
languages, rituals, books etc. that employ in various religions but what he
meant is the internal soul of every religion. He further says that every
religion has a soul behind it and that soul may differ from another soul in
another religion. Here, in this statement of Swami Vivekananda, he is trying to
bring together the whole religion of the world. He is of the belief that no
religion contradicts but supplementary with each other. Each religion takes up
the one great part of the universal truth. (Vivekananda 1998, 275) It is the same light
which is coming through different colors. Vivekananda stated that the Lord has
declared to the Hindu in the his incarnation as Krishna that he is there is in
every religion as the thread through a string of people and wherever the
extraordinary holiness and extraordinary power raising and purifying humanity,
know that it is Krishna there. (n.d.46) This simply means
that Krishna is there in every religion and so all religion speaks about the
same truth which is there in Hinduism. If it is so then the major question to
be asked is that if in religion there is the presence of Krishna then Jesus
would not have contradicted to Krishna because God cannot contradict with
himself in his teachings or even in the way he provides salvation.
The
major thing to be remembered is that when Vivekananda was shouting for the
greatness of Indian Spirituality, the condition of India was that Brahmins were
swelling their pot-bellies at the expense of the sweat of millions of hungry,
skeletal miserables who were to toil and moil the fields for producing food
materials. They without food to eat, cloth to wear, huts to lay their heads,
were to feed the spiritual vedabtiins. The admirers of Vivekananda never knew
of the utter darkness that was rampant in India. Thousands of god-men walked in
India enjoying all types of worldly pleasures without engaging in any
productive activity, without shedding even a drop of sweat. These spiritual
beings did not even feel pity upon the poor fold who died of hunger and thirst.
Instead they squeezed them and forced them down more and more. They attributed
the misery of the poor folk as the misdeeds of their previous births. The
highly spiritual godmen of India never felt pity for these wretched detestable.
Unfortunately these was no intelligent person in the World Parliament of
Religions to test the veracity of the statement of Vivekananda by visiting
India to see the godmen of India enjoying heaven upon earth amidst the millions
of skeletal suffering mlechas[2]
hellish life. India was and still is heaven for a small minority and hell for
the large majority. (Mathew, M.G. 2002, 306-307)
Mathew
states that Vivekananda was lying when he was praising Aryanism. There was not
even a shadow of truth in his portray of India. He should have been bold enough
to tell the truth that India was a land of mlechas, miserables, in utter
poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and ill-health. These godmen will neither help
the poor nor will they allow others to help them. In Hindu spirituality, there
is only selfishness, self-love and self-elation. There is no touch of love or
mercy. If a Shudra or low caste learns to read and write, Hindu Vedas say that
he should be killed. By birth he is banned from learning letters. A poor man
should suffer misery for he is born to suffer the wages of his sins he
committed in his previous life. Therefore, any religion which teaches love and
mercy is abhorrent to Hindutva. Christianity holds love as supreme quality and
hence Hindutva holds Christianity most detestable. (Mathew, M.G. 2002, 307)
When
looked into another side of same coin that is philosophical aspect. The
statement speaks about many truths but there cannot be many truths, there can
be only one truth. For instance, all the trains which leave from Chennai
Central do not go to Delhi but goes to different places in India. There can be
only one train which goes to Delhi at time. That is there can be one truth, it
cannot be possible there should be many truths which leads to one main truth.
Vivekananda
in his book Vedanta: the voice of freedom denounced Christianity saying that it
has no philosophy. But what is philosophy? More often than not, philosophy is
the effort of cunning intellectuals to present their ideas as truths to the
world. To present a plain truth, there is no need of philosophy. The bible
lacks philosophy because the bible presents ‘The Truth’ to the world. Take the
statement ‘God is love’. This is a plain truth and hence no philosophy is
required to prove the same. But take the statement ‘Man can attain godhead.’
This is a lie. To make the lei acceptable to at least some people, a long
narration of philosophy statements are required. To prove the biblical
statement there is no need of philosophical support. It simply means that the
statement of Swami Vivekananda is just a play of words. (Mathew, M.G. 2002, 308) Swami Vivekananda,
in one way trying to make harmony among world religions but his try to
harmonize the religion was in his philosophy of practical Vedanta which he
taught around the world and even made disciples. He tried to give freedom through
his philosophy. (Shah 2002, 176)
When it comes to the practical aspect, Swami’s
statement that all religions are same simply seems to be an illogical
statement. If it is so how would we able to distinguish the essence of a
religion from its supposed non-essentials? What principle we use? Presumably we
would make our judgment that on the grounds that some elements in a religion
are better than others. But from what vantage point shall we decide which is
better than others. And the whole question of truth get bypassed and swept
under the carpet by throwing them all into a saucepan, boiling them up and
straining off the essence. What if a religion gives a fuller expression of
religion than other? What if the absolute really has come in our midst, and God
Almighty has actually visited His people?
One thing is certain on man can claim that all religions are the same or
all religion holds the same truth. Because Christianity stand different from
any other religion in this world and there is no comparison which can be made
on the basis of logic when compared with any other religion. 
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