25 November 2024 : Daily Answer Writing
Q1) Discuss the important teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Bring out their relevance in the contemporary world.
(150 Words/10 Marks)
ANS
Swami Vivekananda is considered one of the great social reformers of the 19th century. He was a devoted follower of Vedanta philosophy. He gave Indians a better understanding of their country’s great spiritual heritage, thus giving them pride in their past and strengthening the sense of unity as a nation.
Some of the important teachings of Swami Vivekananda are as follows:
- Tolerance: Swami Vivekananda preached tolerance and peace for humankind. His idea of tolerance and peace was global and included people of all religions and sects. This is reflected in his iconic speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions, 1893.
- Value Education: He stressed that good education is not merely learning facts but also the development of character. He was of the firm belief that education was the way to build one’s inner strength, intellect, etc.
- Strength: He emphasized the importance of being strong in life. He wanted the countrymen to have ‘muscles of iron’, ‘nerves of steel’ and ‘minds like thunderbolt’.
- Fraternity: Swami Vivekananda focused on the values like love, patience, perseverance in one’s life. This would increase brotherhood among the people, reduce conflicts among them and bind society as a whole.
- Self-faith: Having faith in oneself is important to achieve success in life. People should not only work hard but should also have confidence in their abilities.
The teachings of Swami Vivekananda and the ideals for which he lived and worked have a great relevance in contemporary world, as discussed:
- To address issues like casteism, communalism, and gender inequality that are still widely prevalent across societies. E.g., recent communal violence in Gurugram.
- Amid the wave of protectionism and de-globalization, his teachings of ‘World is One Family’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutambakam’ emphasize showing compassion to vulnerable sections of society/countries. E.g., India’s initiative of ‘Vaccine Maitri’.
- With various conflicts raging across the world, Vivekananda’s teachings of peace, tolerance, and universal brotherhood can pave the way for conflict management through dialogue and diplomacy. E.g., the recent Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine conflict.
- With rising trend of commercialization in education, it is high time to focus on value-based education and ‘learning through earning’ as highlighted in NEP 2020.
- Countrymen, particularly the youth needs to rediscover Vivekananda’s message of looking inward and develop EQ/Adversity Quotient to face contemporary challenges. E.g. stiff competition for admission into top colleges, getting good jobs; tackling depression/suicidal thoughts; issues of drug abuse.
Thus, the teachings of Swami Vivekananda have great contemporary relevance as he harmonized the East and the West, religion and science, past and present.
