Vivekanand: Indian Freedom Struggle

THE SEDITIOUS MONK

We turn now to the impact of Vivekananda on India’s independence movement, excerpting (with some editing) from a comprehensive article by Prof. Sankari Prasad Basu (1928–) which appeared in the August, 1992, edition of Vivekananda Kendra Patrika.

AT THE OUTSET LET US REMIND OURSELVES of a known fact: Vivekananda was not directly involved in the Indian freedom movement. Nevertheless, he had tremendous influence on all phases of the movement. It has been said that Vivekananda’s influence on the Indian movement was no less than the influence of Rousseau on the French revolution, or of Marx on the Russian and Chinese revolutions.

Without the background of wide national consciousness, no freedom movement is possible. From all contemporary sources it becomes evident that Vivekananda’s was the most forceful influence to rouse the national spirit in India. To quote Sister Nivedita, “He was a worker at foundations. Just as Ramakrishna, in fact, without knowing any books, had been a living epitome of the Vedanta, so was Vivekananda of the national life.”

We shall go briefly into what happened in the national field before Vivekananda’s advent. English education, vernacular literature, the Indian press, various reform movements and political associations, including the Congress, had come and spread their influence before him. In spite of all these, a pervading national consciousness was absent. 

Otherwise, how could The Hindu of Madras write in early 1893 about the religion of the major community, the Hindus, that “it is dead” and “its course is run”? But the same paper, along with others, including Anglo-Indian and missionary papers, wrote in less than one year’s time (and also afterwards) that “the present time may be described as the renaissance period in the history of Hindus” (Madras Christian College Magazine, March 1897). It was called a “national uprising” (Madras Times, 2 March 1895). 

How did this miracle happen? The only answer that we derive from contemporary accounts is that Vivekananda appeared at the Parliament of Religions, proclaimed there the glory of Indian religion and civilization, won recognition for his country’s ancient heritage, and thereby gave back to his countrymen their long-lost self-esteem and self-confidence.

Source: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5344