Swami Vivekananda 150 - A Tribute - 3rd part

Swamiji certainly elevated the idea of Hinduism in front of the Western audience in Chicago but he did much more than that. He actually represented India as a whole, not only Hinduism but everything good that India stands for – purity, chastity, culture, learning, tolerance, diversity, respect for others among them. His message was so liberal and so broad that it instantly appealed to all except the fundamentalists, because they realized that here was a man who was speaking truth and whole of it, from his inside, from deep realization. Unlike other speakers who spoke something and believed in something else, Swamiji was united in his thoughts, speeches and actions. People could see purity itself speaking out to them on purity and truth and they marveled.

Marie Louise Burke (Sister Gargi) has given a comprehensive account of the trials and tribulations that he had to face in Americas. His first two years were spent in developing a favorable idea of India in general and Hinduism in particular in America and in breaking the existing prejudices and preconceived notions which were mostly negative and which were mostly inspired by the Missionaries. Thus he faced a very hostile and well organized enemy – the Christian missionaries, who were to lose significant share of the wealth that they obtained from America. The attacks were direct and even attempts on his life had been made, but he was unrelenting. “Truth must triumph,” he thundered. Missionaries were aided in some respect by his own countrymen, like the Pandita Ramabai circle of Detroit, the Brahma Samaj leaders of Calcutta who were jealous of the ascendancy of a home grown boy, and the Theosophical Society. The barrier in front of him was insurmountable, but it collapsed in front of his indomitable will and supremely divine physical and spiritual strength, purity of character and absolute childlike honesty and simplicity in dealing with people. He won many friends and admirers who fought his battle for him. He scarcely had to defend himself against unjust allegations leveled against him. There were several like Mrs. Bagley who spared no effort to defend him from such baseless allegations and character assassinations. Only once he was disturbed and that too by thinking about the impact of such mud slinging against him by one of his fellow Bengali Brahmo Samaj leaders on his old mother who had suffered much. In the end, he stood unscathed and his opponents dispersed, just as hyenas back off seeing the lion approaching its prey. In his own words –“Neither money pays, nor name, nor fame, nor learning; it is character that can cleave through adamantine walls of difficulties.” “Truth, purity, and unselfishness --wherever these are present, there is no power below or above the sun to crush the possessor thereof. Equipped with these, one individual is able to face the whole universe in opposition.”