Punjab News- Swami Vivekanand’s ideology immensely relevant today- Goswami

Talwandi Sabo, September 30, 2013: Guru Kashi University celebrated 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, a great scholar, a cyclonic monk and a unique social reformer.

Delivering his keynote address on this occasion, Satish Goswami, Registrar lucidly dwelt upon the life history of Narendranth Datta, original name of Swami Vivekanad a promising son of an attorney at the Calucutta High Court.

Goswami stated that the life of Narendra was greatly influenced by his grandfather, a renowned Sanskrit & Persian Scholar, who left his family and became a monk at the age of twenty five. The religious temperament of his mother brought about shape of his thinking & personality.

Goswami stated in details how a naughty and restless child grew as a great preacher, a devout spiritual leader, a superb social reformer and above all a patriot to the backbone who inspired even Mahatma Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak and Rabindra Nath Tagore. His significant contribution as a spiritual leader is revealed by the message of Universal Brotherhood which became a great source of inspiration to millions of people in USA, France & England. In India, his major contribution was his mission of uplifting the poor, eliminating the caste system and ending colonial rule. The best tribute to Swami Vivekanand is in the words of Rabindra Nath Tagore spoken to Nobel laureate Rormain Rolland “If you want to know India, study vivekanand.”

Although millions of foreigners followed in his footsteps and several royal families of India adopted the path shown by him, yet he did not believe in conversion. He wanted to make the Methodist a better Methodist, The Presbyterian a better Presbyterian, the Unitarian a better Unitarian.

Goswami emphatically stressed that the ideology of Swami Vivekanand is immensely relevant today when the dirty politics of conversion, caste-system, exploitation of the poor have become the order of the day.

Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Director (Planning & Development) of the University and President Punjabi Sahitya Academy, while addressing the students & faculty, said that it was a pity that the land of great Guru and Rishi Munis, Punjab is gradually losing the light reflected through the works of great scholars & saints like Vivekanand and if we don’t learn a lesson even now, the day is not far off when Punjab will become morally spiritually and intellectually bankrupt.

Dr. AK Kansal, Dean College of Education thanked the Chief Guest and the audience and also expressed the hope that the young generation will get inspiration from the life of Swami Vivekanand which will not only make them great human beings but will also prevent the state of Punjab from becoming intellectually a barren land.