SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON NATIONALISM

 

“Arise and awake and see her, that is, 

see India seated here on her eternal throne rejuvenated,

more glorious than ever, this motherland or ours.”

Swami Vivekananda’s Nationalism is different from all nationalism which we consider today. Vivekananda’s Nationalism was based on spiritualism, patriotism and religion.  There are some aspects of nationalism according to Vivekananda:

 

RELIGIOUS THEORY OF NATIONALISM

Like Hegel, Vivekananda believed that there is one dominating principle in the life of each nation. In India’s context it is Religion. He believed that Indian lives were very simple and their believe towards almighty always generated a spirit inside from them. He believed that Religion would be the center through which nationalism will be generated in Indian. He said “In each nation, as in music, there is a main note, a central theme, upon which all others turn. Each nation has a theme: everything else is secondary. India’s theme is religion”. He wants to build the foundations of a religious theory of nationalism which was later advocated by Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo. He tried to infuse into the new generation a sense of pride in India’s past and a spirit of self-confidence and self-respect. Hence, Indian nationalism had to be built on the stable foundation of the past historical heritage. The creativity of India mostly mentioned in the sphere of religion.

 

CONCEPT OF FREEDOM

Vivekananda believed in the concept of Freedom. He regarded the light of liberty as the only condition of growth. He said:

“To advance towards freedom, physical, mental and spiritual and help others to do so is the supreme prize of man. Those social rules which stand in the way of the unfoldment of this freedom are injurious, and steps should be take to destroy them speedily. Those institutions should be encouraged by which men advance in the path of freedom…”

He is not only talk about spiritual freedom but also material or external freedom of man. He believed that it is our natural right to use our own body, intelligence or wealth according to our will, without doing any harm to others. Physical freedom, mental freedom and spiritual freedom had been the main words include into Upanishads.

 

STRESSED INTO INDIVIDUALS

Vivekananda give more emphasis on individuals rather than state. He believed that a nation is composed by individuals. It was essential to identify one’s ego with the ego of the country and the nation. Vivekananda views was different from most of the western thinkers that time who believe in social aspects of nationalism. He also believed into social aspect of nationalism but with the growth of individual. Individual is the base on any society. If we forgot individual there is no use of nationalism in only social aspects.

 

Vivekananda Nationalism

STRENGTH AND FEARLESSNESS

Main aspect of nationalism according to Vivekananda is strength and fearlessness which can be called theory of resistance. Vivekananda declared that “The essence of my religion is strength. The religion that does not infuse strength into the heart, is no religion to me, be it of the Upanishads, the Gita, or the Bhagavatam. Strength is greater than religion and nothing is greater than strength.” Vivekananda justified the theory of fearlessness on the grounds of philosophic Vedantism. He wanted the cultivation of the spirit of the lion in every individual. He also said that the strength and fearlessness will come into society through education. Vivekananda was the embodiment of emotional patriotism.

 

MODERN NATIONALISM

Vivekananda is called as the father of modern nationalism because before him most of the nationalist of India develop nationalism through Caste, community and social status. Most of the nationalist were famous priests and related to religious places and they regarded other community as foreigners. Even also they don’t believe in the capacity of low caste people. They always exclude them. But Vivekananda united all the people of all casts, color and religion.  He said “We as a nation have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to give back to the nation its lost individuality and raise the masses. The Hindu, the Mohammedan, the Christian, all have trampled them under foot. Again, the force to raise them must come from inside, that is, from the orthodox Hindus. In every country evil exists not with, but against religion. Religion therefore is not to blame but men.”

 

UNIVERSALISM

Most important aspect of Vivekananda’s nationalism was Universalism.  Like Tagore, Vivekananda also believed in universal man. He believed that Indian have not only the duty to enhance themselves but also whole world. In every individual should have fraternity for every person from any community or nation. For him the awakening a liberation of India was to be a stage for the realization of universal love and brotherhood.

Vivekananda’s writings and speeches have contributed a good deal to the strengthening of the moral foundations of Bengal nationalism in theory and practice.