"The Problems of Modern India and Swami Vivekananda"

(My this essay was selected at all Gujarat Level, on 150th Anniversary of Swamiji)

We the Indians (Aryans) have treated our country India as our beloved Mother, we have been seen as the country of snakes and magic, and also for the rich varied heritage, we have been bestowed by God to us. India would only be the country in the World having hundreds of languages, different religion being followed under one Land. Every religion had it's own speciality and similarly the ancient Indian society was bifarcated. The ancient history of India is full of descriptions of the gigantic energies and their multifarious workings, the boundless spirit, the combination of indomitable action and reaction of the various forces, and, above all, the profound thoughtfulness of a godly race. If the word history is understood to mean merely narratives of kings and emperors, and pictures of society tyrannised over from time to time by the evil passions, haughtiness, avarice, etc., of the rulers of the time, portraying the acts resulting from their good or evil propensities, and how these reacted upon the society of that time such a history India perhaps does not possess. But every line of that mass of the religious literature of India, her ocean of poetry, her philosophies and various scientific works reveal to us a thousand times more clearly than the narratives of the life-incidents and genealogies of particular kings and emperors can ever do the exact position and every step made in advance by that vast body of men who, even before the dawn of civilisation, impelled by hunger and thirst, lust and greed, etc., attracted by the charm of beauty, endowed with a great and indomitable mental power, and moved by various sentiments, arrived through various ways and means at that stage of eminence. Although the heaps of those triumphal flags which they gathered in their innumerable victories over nature with which they had been waging war for ages, have, of late, been torn and tattered by the violent winds of adverse circumstances and become worn out through age, yet they still proclaim the glory of Ancient India.

Whether this race slowly proceeded from Central Asia, Northern Europe, or the Arctic regions, and gradually came down and sanctified India by settling there at last, or whether the holy land of India was their original native place, we have no proper means of knowing now. Or whether a vast race living in or outside India, being displaced from its original abode, in conformity with natural laws, came in the course of time to colonise and settle over Europe and other places and whether these people were white or black, blue-eyed or dark-eyed, golden-haired or black-haired all these matters there is no sufficient ground to prove now, with the one exception of the fact of the kinship of Sanskrit with a few European languages. Similarly, it is not easy to arrive at a final conclusion as to the modern Indians, whether they all are the pure descendants of that race, or how much of the blood of that race is flowing in their veins, or again, what races amongst them have any of that even in them. Today India is a fastest developing country in the world. India, with its diversified culture, civilization, natural resources, technology and huge skilled human resources, is also a fastest growing economy in the world. But at the same time there are several problems plaquing our Modern India which is affecting the growth and development. Our India is facing such a situation where a combination of Modern as well as Ancient approaches are seen, on one hand we are advancing in technology, Infrastructure, on the other hand we still see system of "Dudhpiti" in certain regions of country, still our society is more of male dominance, our education quality is low, we are facing corruption, poverty, illiteracy, mal-nutrition, "Dahej Pratha", unemployment, etc. What is the main thing that we are losing our ethics and morality, we are ready to give bribe for taking up job. In an survey 50% people are victim of first hand corruption. In the desire to become rich and wealthy we are losing our purity of soul, the soul is sexless, there is no men or no women, it's the part of God. What is the need of the time is to have the ethics and morality standards, what Swamiji had to say is that, "For the good of the many, as well as for the happiness of the many" in an unselfish manner, with a heart filled with love and reverence. A Short Introduction of Swami Vivekananda: Swami Vivekananda, possibly the most masterful personality of modern India, "came, saw and conquered." He lit the torch of resurgent Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma, particularly the Vedanta philosophy, in far-off America. He preached the gospel of his Guru. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa all over India, and the world, reviving the faith of mankind in religion. With his superb oratorical flair, he advocated the spread of "man-making" education and was an untiring crusader of purity of life and character. He founded the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, perhaps the most wide-spread voluntary nonofficial socio-religious organization in the world. Correlation of Modern India's Problems and Swami Vivekananda: (1) Crime and public morality: Primitive men used to kill animals for there survival, but modern men kills for satisfaction, money, to show courage, etc. A child is gifted innocence by God, but as soon as he/she loses innocence, he/she loses everything, then it comes to mind the feeling of hatred, jealousy, ego, etc. The ratio of crime is increasing day by day. What Swamiji thought is that The facts are that punishment for crime often foments more crime than it prevents. The enforcers of law are as often corrupt and unlawful as not. And we could go on and on. "If it is social opinion that makes us moral, then really we are little better than animals," he said. "It is inner strength only that can curb the vicious tendencies." He told Indian boys, "You will be nearer to God by playing football than by studying the Gita." "Strength is the medicine for the world's disease." He encouraged athletic and bodily development in all who were effete. How sad he would feel, now, to see the dearth of Indian Olympians at the Games, and

the commercializing of sports! Swamiji saw crime as the result, not only of the injustices of society, but more the lack of selfesteem in the individual, and the impoverishment of higher ideals. He compared the social fabric of India with that of America, and felt that the Indian marriage system, in spite of its glaring injustices, was superior to the promiscuity (already rampant in his day) of the romantic West. He was getting wind of the license Freudianism was going to bring. He did not try to be a Manu, defining particular codes of conduct. Following his Master, he could prescribe for human nature only turning our base impulses in a higher direction: there was no other solution. "Consciously or unconsciously," he said, "that Indian idea of the divinity within everyone will express itself even in other countries." Behind the drunkard, behind the abuser, he saw the crushed and struggling divinity. "Do not seek help from anyone. There is only one sin: weakness. Be strong, physically, mentally, morally." (2) Family Breakdown: We are accustomed to have more faith on western styles, we are ready to accept everything from them, resulting in that we are destroying our culture like an slow poison. Hear Vivekananda: "It is the culture of the heart, really, not that of the intellect, that will lessen the misery of the world." "It is culture that withstands shocks, not learning! Today mostly nuclear family system is seen in India, if we actually see it, it increases expenses, waste of national wealth like land, on one side a richer family is having 4-5 houses, on the other side many people are living in huts. The increasing number of old age houses is the red signal that modernization is going to drown us one day, sooner or later. As to family coherence, he knew that "those who cannot discipline themselves cannot control their children and pointed out the folly of expecting the offspring not to follow their parents' conduct. What we would like others to do, we had better do, ourselves. (3) Health Care: Doctors are considered as the God on Earth, who saves life, but today due to corruption, peoples' faith in doctors have also shakened, it is become an pure business, money comes first and then comes society and service. We see malpractices in medicines, commission system, high cost of higher medical education, what shows it, we cannot even die peacefully. We shout that we are the land of God, No it's the land of monsters. If 'God' only gives the support to evil then, humanity would destroy. Sri Ramakrishna had been eclectic in his resort to methods of medical practice. He used to say that the Ayur Vedic treatments were good for the "Satya Yuga", the days of the rishis when time was abundant. They worked too slowly for modern times. But when stricken by cancer at the end, he would let all the schools of medicine try their hand! Swami Vivekananda too, in his approach to health and treatment, felt that all types of health management could be tried. He had no high opinion of what governments could do in the matter; they had to take a role, of course, but when all the evils of corruption, inefficiency, waste and callousness which attend bureaucracy were taken into account, how much could health be improved? Again, that idea of strength: "No disease can get a hold in you unless you are weak, and allow it to do so." We do not know for sure, but can surmise that in today's health controversies he would encourage prevention over cure, immunity over medicine, natural alternatives over pills, and spiritual practice to eliminate mental and physical dependence. There are hints of these, throughout the Swami's conversations. (4) Environmental pollution and denigration: The increasing number of industries is not the reason that Environment is degraded, but not so proper disposal of waste, carelessness towards society is the reason. Development should be sustainable, it should not extinguish our existence. There are many spices of animals which are extinct today because of us. The problem was scarcely recognized at the end of the nineteenth century, but one can extrapolate from nearly all that Swamiji said about life styles and conspicuous consumption.

He was a realist and knew very well that we cannot have something for nothing. "The misery of the world is like chronic rheumatismchase it from one area, it shows up in another, " he said. If he were here today to face the problem in its ripest stage, there is little doubt that he would be an "environment-alist", and surely would remind us that we are going to be the inheritors of our own mess, allowing the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation. And one may imagine the almost acid tones with which he would refer to the population explosion and accent the role of selfcontrol in its solution. The same is true of fiscal irresponsibility. Do you remember that he upheld the value of the caste system as regards its original ideal and concept? That the caste member who attained to wealth or status was under the dharmic obligation to help raise the whole community from which he had risen and which had launched his struggle? Then how can we provide only for our own offspring? That would be adopting the nuclear family framework of the West, not the best to emulate, in his mind. "Freedom is the first condition of growth;" he forcefully remarked one day, "what you do not make free can never grow." This applies to employees and dependents as well. (5) The question of male dominance and woman's status: A family can run smoothly with the presence of a woman. Woman was being just ignored till date, because they were used to, with the situation in which they are living. There world was just shortened to the 4 walls of the house. But today some of them have understood and are at the highest pick of success. They are able to go along with the man and can surpass him. It may be education, politics, research, technology, etc. The problem was that they were not got a chance for themselves. He never tired of brushing off the well-meaning concerns of men who would ask him about "women's problems": "Hands off! " he exclaimed, "women will solve their own problems." Men had no business attempting to solve them for them. In the United States he made a very interesting comment. He said, "American men profess to worship woman, but in my opinion they simply worship youth and beauty. They never fall in love with wrinkles and grey hair." By worship of woman, Sri Ramakrishna had meant, he assured us, that to him every woman's face was that of the Blissful Mother and nothing else. At the same time he could clearly see that in America alone there was now the social freedom to rise up and take equality with men. Swamiji met many women in the West, patrons, admirers, helpers, disciples and with all of them he dealt in his own natural and spontaneous way. They sometimes expected of him the gallant chivalry of that Victorian era, but he flatly refused. "You can take care of yourself, " he would say; "you are as able as I am, if not more." Swami Vivekananda was prophet enough to foresee what the twentieth century would bring. We can sum up the subject in his broad but telling generality: "Asia laid the germs of civilization. Europe developed man. America is developing woman and the masses." (6) Lack of religious identity: On this subject Swamiji had much to say. His years of wandering over his Motherland brought him to summarize what he considered the "Common Bases of Hinduism." These were: Belief in God (he once said with a bit of exasperation, "The Hindus can never give up His Majesty, the Lord of the Universe!"), belief in the Vedas as "revealed," the cyclic nature of time (yugas and kalpas in the macrocosm, reincarnation in the microcosm), and belief in all religions as valid paths because of the divinity of the human soul. Rather a minimal list, when one stops to think about it. As regards scripture, Swamiji declared: "The proof of religion depends on the constitution of man, not on any books." What was the role of religion for a Hindu? "Religion, to help mankind, must be ready and able to help him in whatever condition he is." Then is there any place there for caste? Above all, the Hindu is certain that we never go from falsehood to truth, but only from truth to truth. Be convinced of these and you are a Hindu.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that just by visiting temple, and lightening 100's of diyas doesn't make us religious and pure, purity should be from inside, Just dipping down in Ganga dosen't washes out your evils, you have to pay for it. What we need is the development with ethics, morals, standards, the development which we see is just 10-15% the real situation of India is different, just by material wealthiness, we are not developed, we live in a society, so we have just to make ahead the approach of Swamiji, when every one will be educated, everyone will be free to choose thier own path, then India will prosper in real sense. But freedom has a responsibilty, we have to bare that responsibility. Even 10 Vivekanandas' can't change India, if we only doesn't want to change. We have to first change, then we could affect the society and then nation. A good person can make a good society, and various socities create a nation like INDIA and many lands like India create the Globe.