The Socio-Political Magnitude of Humanism of Swami Vivekananda

Abstract

Between 1872 and 1886, when Sri Ramakrishna took his last breath, Belur became a new pilgrimage for people from all walks of life, from the upper classes of English educated Bengalis to the completely uneducated, and Sri Ramakrishna filled the spiritual thirst of everyone who came with true desire. But it was unusual that Sri Ramakrishna's first pick was young people, mostly English educated, and he became the backbone of his spiritual teachings and disseminated his message to the entire globe. Sri Ramakrishna selected Narendra Nath Datta, or simply ‘Noren,' as their leader, and he charged all of these young people with forming a new band of Sanyasins to disseminate the word of Vedanta to every part of the globe. Swami Vivekananda was inducted into his new function by Sri Ramakrishna following a roughly six-year spiritual training from 1881 to 1886. Armed with all of Sri Ramakrishna's divine energy, which he received at Kashipur when he took a vow to fulfill the work of 'Mother' (Divinely ordained task), he ready himself for the new chosen duties, the task of spreading the forest philosophy of Vedanta, the man-making philosophy of the old Indian system, which was held hostage by a few Sanskrit-knowing priests. Swami Vivekananda was a bridge figure among both East and West because of his English education, prior Brahma Samajist connection, and spiritual instruction under Sri Ramakrishna. After reviewing the existing socio-religious and economic situation for nearly seven years (August 1886-May 1893) and visiting every nook and cranny of the country, he discovered that the country was drenched in deep dogmatism, superstition, and ignorance spread in the name of religion, and was more dead than alive. People's thoughts were captivated with local rituals and superstitions in the guise of spirituality and religion, and they were thoroughly immersed in lethargy and unable to accomplish any real work. Slavery for hundreds of years and the imparting of British education had permanently shattered their confidence. People's physical power has been reduced by abject poverty, preventing them from having higher and noble thoughts.