Commentary
The Principle And The Practice - Mapping 15 Instances Of Swami Vivekananda's Speeches To Modi's Politics And Policies
PM Modi offering tributes to Swami Vivekananda
Twelfth of January, 2024, is the 161st birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. We know that PM Narendra Modi is deeply inspired by him.
Swami ji had once said, "We now mostly need the ideal of the hero with the tremendous spirit of Rajas thrilling through his veins from head to foot the hero who will dare and die to know truth, the hero whose armour is renunciation, whose sword is wisdom." Perhaps PM Modi is actualizing Swami ji's teachings.
Let us examine fifteen instances, where Swami ji's speeches seems to have had a direct impact on the politics and policies of PM Modi.
1. Swami Vivekananda
"Each nation has its own peculiar method of work. Some work through politics, some through social reforms, some through other lines. With us, religion is the only ground along which we can move. The Englishman can understand even religion through politics. Perhaps the American can understand even religion through social reforms. But the Hindu can understand even politics when it is given through religion; sociology must come through religion, everything must come through religion. For that is the theme, the rest are the variations in the national life-music. And that was in danger. It seemed that we were going to change this theme in our national life, that we were going to exchange the backbone of our existence, as it were, that we were trying to replace the spiritual by a political backbone. And if we could have succeeded, the result would have been annihilation."
PM Narendra Modi
Understanding that our heroes have to be spiritual
Being unabashedly Hindu
Bringing the centuries long tapas of Ram Mandir to fruition
Understanding the weakness in Congress that had tried "to replace the spiritual with a political backbone"
Intuitively grasping that changing national psyche has to be brought through culture and religion
2. Swami Vivekananda
"Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making, assimilation of ideas"
PM Narendra Modi
Mool mantra of the National Education Policy
Promotion of education through mother tongue
Skill India mission
Atal Innovation Mission
3. Swami Vivekananda
"Getting by heart the thoughts of others in a foreign language and stuffing your brain with them and taking some university degrees, you consider yourself educated"?
PM Narendra Modi
Disdainful treatment of so called foreign experts aka "buddhijeevis"
4. Swami Vivekananda
"Sometimes it is better to dream a dream, than die on hard facts. Great truths, even in a dream are good, better than bad facts. So, let us dream a dream "
PM Narendra Modi
Tackling cleanliness is a wicked problem. It cannot die soon - "hard facts". Swachh Bharat Abhiyan will be long and dream has to be reinforced constantly.
5. Swami Vivekananda
"This world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong... Jnana, Bhakti, Yoga and Karma, these are the four paths which lead to salvation. One must follow the path for which one is best suited... in this age special stress should be laid on Karma-Yoga".
PM Narendra Modi
Relentless work ethic
Taking mind-boggling amount of responsibilities with both the party and the government
Attempting bigger and challenging things such as Chandrayaan, G20, bid for Olympics etc.
6. Swami Vivekananda
"Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha"( For one's own liberation as well as the sake of the world")
PM Narendra Modi
His spiritual strength seems to come from the thrust on both inner and outer transformation. The example-setting enables connect with the people at a deeper level.
7. Swami Vivekananda
"Heart must become cremation ground- pride, selfishness, and desire all burnt to ashes. Then and then alone will Mother come"
PM Narendra Modi
His dispassionate dealing with the US, which treated him unfairly earlier, for the sake of greater good of the country.
8. Swami Vivekananda
"We should give positive ideas. Negative thoughts only weaken men".
PM Narendra Modi
All of his campaigns are positive and inspirational. Compare it with the campaigns of Congress, filled with "nirasha"
"Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat" programme is also one of hope and unity.
9. Swami Vivekananda
"Character is repeated habits and repeated habits alone can reform character"
PM Narendra Modi
The "Niti vs. Niyat" debate, in which PM Modi insists on good Niyat as foundation of strong Nitis.
The first assessment he is known to make when appointing someone for a party/government position is that of character.
10. Swami Vivekananda
"Be strong, my young friends, that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. You will understand Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger"
PM Narendra Modi
Strong promotion of physical health through promotion and practice of yoga
Fit India Movement
11. Swami Vivekananda
"Have no home, What home can hold thee, friend?
The sky thy roof; the grass thy bed; and food,
What chance may bring, well-cooked or ill, judge not.
No food or drink can taint that noble Self
Which knows itself. Like a rolling river free
Thou ever be Sannyasın bold! Say
Om Tat Sat Om!"
PM Narendra Modi
The song by Swami ji on sannyasins also characterizes PM Modi's parivarjika days.
The "bold Sannyasin" image reinforces his "na khaunga, na khane doonga" epithet that has inspired confidence in the electorate.
12. Swami Vivekananda
"Conceptions of the Vedanta must come out, must remain not only in the forest, not only in the cave, but they must come out to work at the bar and the bench, in the pulpit, and in the cottage of the poor man, with the fishermen that are catching fish, and with the students that are studying."
PM Narendra Modi
Social justice is the life-breath of PM Modi's politics and policy.
His constant exhortations on the upliftment of garib-vanchit-peedit.
His own story demonstrates that it is not about birth but inner development
13. Swami Vivekananda
"Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached. Arise, awake! Awake from this hypnotism of weakness."
PM Narendra Modi
His resurrection of India's geo-political stature, strengthening of BJP, and his own journey seems to rest on converting weakness into strengths.
The aphorism that "weakness is ignorance; strength is virtue" is permeating fast in the Indian society as well.
14. Swami Vivekananda
“Going around the whole world, I find that people of this country are immersed in great Tamas, compared with people of other countries. On the outside, there is simulation of the Sattvika state, but inside, downright inertness like that of stocks and stones… So my idea is first to make the people active by developing their Rajas, and thus make them fit for the struggle of existence.”
PM Narendra Modi
While Swami ji ruminated about the times he lived in, PM Modi seems to have assimilated it as personal inspiration.
The latter took this principle to heart in organization building. The new BJP and the government is a beehive of activity.
15. Swami Vivekananda
“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life; dream of it; think of it; live on that idea. Let the brain, the body, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, and this is the way great spiritual giants are produced.”
PM Narendra Modi
PM Modi's single-mindedness in pursuing political and national goals is apparent.
Start-up India, Stand-up India and Mudra loan scheme are aimed at to support single-minded entrepreneurs
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