 National Youth Day

Roshni  January - March 2021

By Smt. Shevata Rai Talwar, Assistant Secretary, AIWC

Arise! Awake!And stop not till you reach your Goal!

The Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand on 12 January is celebrated as National Youth Day since 1985. He was a great philosopher and spiritual leader of the 20th century who while coming from a rich background having a dynamic personality, was open minded to social problems and empathised with the down trodden, especially simple villagers belonging to the lower castes. The Govt. of India felt that the philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked would be a great source of Inspiration for the Indian Youth.

Narendranath Datta was born in Kolkata in 1863 to Vishwanath (an attorney at law of the high court of Calcutta) and Bhuvaneshwari Devi a simple devout lady. Having a great sense of reasoning and a sharp memory ‘Naren’ as he was fondly called, excelled in studies and later joined the Presidency and then Scottish Church College and studied, Western logic and philosophy, history and literature. From an early age he was into gymnastics and meditation, and also a student of Vocal and Instrumental music. He even learnt to sing devotional songs in Hindi, Urdu and Persian from a Muslim teacher. He also became associated with Brahmo Samaj – a movement against religious dogmas and caste system.His quest for ‘GOD’ continued and finally brought him into the fold of his Guru Sri Ramakrishna under whom he later on took up and formed a new monastic brotherhood. After the disturbing situations of the passing away of his father and then his Guru, he travelled all over India and toured abroad, creating a bridge between the Eastern – Western world, highlighting our rich Indian Culture and Heritage. He believed in the brotherhood of mankind and the universality of Religion and chose to serve God through selfless service to mankind.

In the year 1893 his famous speech at the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago captivated his audience and made him into a harbinger of Indian wisdom to the spiritualism starved West. In the year 1897 he formed the Ramakrishna Mission and 1898 the Belur Math which jointly propagate Vedanta and various forms of social service such as assistance and relief work in natural calamities, running of hospitals and educational institutions. Swami Vivekanand passed away at the age of 39 years. He was a source of inspiration to great freedom leaders like Nehru and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. His concept of ‘Goal orientation’ and ‘potential divinity of the soul’ continue to make him a youth icon even today. He believed that one should, “take up one idea and make it the goal of life. Think of it, dream of it, and live on it. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be engrossed in that idea to crystallize into one and only one idea you dream or desire. Arise, Awake and Stop not till you reach your Goal.” He believed that strength was in the mind. We were as strong as we believed ourselves to be. He said that ‘Purity, Patience and Perseverance are the three essentials to success and above all love.’

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