#123 VIVEKANANDA AND THE TITLE OF "PARAMAHAMSA"
Paramahamsa literally means Supreme Swan (Parama=Supreme, hamsa=swan). In Hindu philosophy a soul is symbolised as a swan. A paramahamsa, therefore, is a soul which has attained a state of supreme bliss. How to know whether a particular person's soul (if at all it exists) has attained/reached the supreme state of bliss? Nobody can check it. Anybody can claim that he has a soul, which has experienced the supreme bliss. There is an impression among some Hindus that 'Paramahamsa' title is conferred by some person of competent authority. We have to remember that Hinduism is not an organised religion and there are no competent authorities to award titles. Traditionally, some Monasteries used titles like 'Jagadguru (Teacher of the World)', 'Sankaracharya', and 'Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya' etc. But even for these titles, the authority is doubtful. Somebody in the line of succession over centuries started using them and the custom glued to the in...