Be a hero always: Say ‘I have no fear’ – Swamiji Vivekananda’s message to the world

FUTURE: All the strength and success you want is within yourself. Therefore make your own future. Let the dead past bury the dead. The infinite future is before you and you must always remember that each word, thought and deed lays up a store for you and that as the bad thoughts and bad deeds are ready to spring upon you like tigers, so also there is the inspiring hope that the good thoughts and good deeds are ready with the power of a hundred thousand angels to defend you always and forever – Swamiji Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda known in his pre-monastic life as Narendra Nath Datta was born to an affluent family in Kolkata, India on 12th January 1863.His father Vishwanath Datta was a successful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects and his mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi was a lady with strong character and deeply devoted to religion. At school Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. He graduated from the University of Calcutta having read Western Philosophy and History. In 1881, Narendra met Sri Ramakrishna, who was staying at the Kali temple in Dakshineshwar. Narendra’s first question was whether Sri Ramakrishna had seen God. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna said.’ Yes I have. I see Him as clearly as I see you, only in a much intense sense.’ Thus began a guru-disciple relationship and the beginning of the monastic life of Swami Vivekananda.

Due to Swamiji’s in depth knowledge of Western Philosophy he was able to build a bridge of understanding between Indian and Western cultures. Netaji Subash Chandrabosh wrote: ’Swamiji harmonized the East and the West, religion and science, self reliance and self assertion from his teachings’. Swamiji opened the minds of the Indians to their duty of caring for the downtrodden masses. Swamiji said ’ They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive. This is the gist of all worship –to be pure and to do good to others. Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity already in man.’

Only character endures

Speaking of Character, Swamiji said: ’ Neither money pays, nor name, nor fame. It is CHARACTER that can cleave

through formidable walls’. He further advised: ’Get up and put your shoulders to the wheel-how long is this life for? As you have come to this world, leave some mark behind. Otherwise what is the difference between you and the tree and stones? They too come into existence, decay and die.’ He said: ’A few wholehearted, sincere, energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century,’

Swamiji’s words of wisdom are very valuable for the people of the world to lead a good life. Speaking of ACTION, he said:”We are responsible for what we are and whatever we wish to be. We have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our past actions, it certainly follows whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions.

Accounting for sins

So we have to know how to act.’ This saying is the same as that which is preached in Buddhism of the effect of karmic force. As Lord Buddha said :’Sins follow the perpetrator as the cart wheel follows the bull tied to the cart and the effects of

meritorious acts follow the doer as his shadow, which never leaves him..’ We have witnessed this happen in the past and know that those who commit sins, however powerful they are today would eventually have to account for such sins. Philosophy of Swamiji is almost the same as Buddhist Philosophy.

Speaking of COMMITMENT ,Swamiji said;’ Even a fool can accomplish a task, if it were after his or her heart. But the intelligent ones are those who can convert every work into one that suits their heart.’ He further stated:’ Every duty is holy and devotion to duty is the highest form of worship of God. When you are doing any work, do not think of anything beyond. Do it as worship, as highest worship and devote your whole life to it for the time being.’ Swamiji spoke of Fear and Fearlessness thus: ’

Say ‘I have on fear’

Be not afraid of anything. You will do marvelous work. The moment you fear you are nobody. It is fear that is the great

cause of misery in the world. It is fear that is the greatest of all superstitions. It is fear that is the cause of our woes and it is fearlessness that brings heaven even in a moment. Therefore ’Awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached. The earth is enjoyed by ‘Heroes’ This is the unfailing truth. Be a Hero always. Say ‘I have no fear’. Swamiji also stated:”Society does not go down because of the activities of criminals; but because of the inactivity of the good people..

Living a thoughtful life

Swamiji speaking of thoughts made this profound statement:’ We are what our thoughts have made us, so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far’. Swamiji passed away on 4th July 1902 at the early age of 39 years. They say that the good die young. Swamiji travelled all over the world and spoke at the University of Harvard, London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Canada, Naples and other European countries. Before his death, Swamiji wrote to a Western follower thus:”It may be that I shall find it good to get outside my body, to cast it off like a worn out garment. But I shall not cease to work. I shall inspire men everywhere until the whole world shall know that it is one with God.’

There are a magnitude of lessons that we can learn from this great sage’s life and words of wisdom, which are very useful for the proper conduct of our daily lives. We daily read about conflicts, wars, torture, senseless massacres, that are occurring all over the world. We undergo a lot of stress by hearing these miserable occurrences in the world daily. Then we start commenting about who is right or what is right and enter into endless, fruitless arguments on these mundane matters. Please do not run away with the conclusion that I have reached enlightenment. I am yet very far from it; but I think I have given my readers something valuable to think about and comment on.

Let me conclude with Swamiji’s words: ’Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man’.

Lakshman Keerthisinghe, LL.B., LL.M. is an Attorney-at-Law and a former senior consultant in the Law Reform Project funded by the UNDP for the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka

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