Swami Vivekananda humanified and humanised

Part 1 of total 10 series, of Musings on Covid 19 Pandemic, viewed from the angle of Ancient Indian Philosophical and Sanskrit Literature. What I am writing here is not final. These are only musings, in the context of about 150,000 deaths as at 20th April 2020, which have taken place, mostly in Europe and USA, as a result of the widespread pandemic Covid-19. We shall start with our Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. By his reputation our Honorable Prime Minister is a vegetarian . His role-model swami Vivekananda was not only a non-vegetarian but also a staunch supporter of Meat-eating. Our Honorable Prime Minister's Guru's Guru Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa was a vegetarian , but if he was given meat offered to the Goddess, he used to hold it up to his head. Here is a quote from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 4, page 486. '...About vegetarian diet I have to say this - first, my Master was a vegetarian; but if he was given meat offered to the...

Here is a link to a beautiful analysis dated 11th Sept. 2017, by Shri Girish Shahane, at https://scroll.in/article/850441/vivekananda-laid-much-of-the-ideological-foundation-for-the-politics-of-sectarianism-in-modern-india . The occasion, was a speech delivered by Hon. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, while commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Speech delivered by Swami Vivekananda, at the Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893. Shri Shahane's Analysis is substantially lengthy, quite absorbing, and worth reading. Though I may not be able to agree with everything Shri Shahane wrote, at this point of time, I am not equipped to write my views covering all the points raised by him. However, many of them, are worth agreeing with. Right now, I shall cover one or two the most interesting items. My doubts about the genuineness of the Speech given by Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament. Reasons: In my personal view, the hidden object of World Parliament of Relig...

Triggers for this particular blog post: 1. Swami Vivekananda Birth day 12th Jan. 2017. 2. News reports about Swami Vivekananda scoring low marks in his Intermediate and B.A. Title: "Do you know Swami Vivekananda scored 46 per cent in English". Click to go to http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/swami-vivekananda-scored-average-in-english-examinations/1/852811.html and study the news . This news has also appeared in Indian Express, Deccan Chronicle, ND TV, Economic Times etc. It is based on PTI inputs. 3. A new book titled "The Modern Monk: What Vivekananda Means to Us Today", by author Mr. Hindol Sengupta. A Penguin publication. The book is available for purchase @ Rs. 279 for paperback, and Rs. 399 regular. Link to buy: Click to go to Amazon.in and buy . Note: I have myself not purchased the book, or read the book. By giving this link, I do not get any commission or incentive. Shri Hindol Sengupta, is also author of another book titled "Being...

Here is a link of Indian Express, Tiruvanantapuram Edition dated 14th September 2013, which contains a demand by a Senior BJP leader, asking for apology of Shashi Tharoor, for calling Swami Vivekananda. Click to go to Indian Express in a new window. http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Demeaning-statement-on-Swami-Shashi-Tharoor%E2%80%99s-apology-sought/2013/09/14/article1784192.ece?commentId=126225&pageNumber=2#comment-126225 A brief quote from IExpress: “Shashi Tharoor has hurt the sentiments of the country. It was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who declared Swami Vivekananda as a role model for the youth. Following this, Swamiji’s birthday, January 12, is being celebrated as the National Youth day. Now Tharoor has depicted him as an alcoholic. He should realise his fault and tender a sincere apology to the youth of the country,” Rajagopal said. . Comments by readers on that page show that they were also hurt. I myself find it excruciating to continue w...

For the Hindu monks, since the days of Sankaracharya, the custom is that they should not consume alcohol. This is the case both in case of unorganised mendicants and organised monastery dwellers. The taboo sounds reasonable if we consider the principles of Raja Yoga and the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Vivekananda also wrote a book titled "Raja Yoga", an English version and discussion of the Eight Fold Path. The Raja Yoga primarily aims at control of mind (Yogaha chitta vritti Nirodhaha). A person who consumes alcohol, often loses control over his mind as long as it affects his medulla oblongata. An inebriated person cannot distinguish between what is good and bad. His speech becomes unstable and often irrelevant. From 1887 (Death of Shri Ramakrishna) to 1889, letters written by Swami Vivekananda are not available. This may be the time he was living on Madhukara (alms collected by begging, the travails of which he narrated in his Pasadena, California speech). From 1890 to Ju...

I invite your comments. I am investigating deeply into his complete works. I shall come out shortly with details. Whose thoughts frighten whom? Nobody is, and nobody need be afraid of anybody. What Vivekananda did was just "word-jugglery". To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.