An Abiding Inspiration

Context: Swami Vivekananda's thought is as relevant to India's future as it was in its past.

Contemporary relevance of Swami Vivekananda's thought

• For India to become a global leader: His mantra "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached" is effective, relevant and inspiring.
  • "Make a life's aim and incorporate that idea into your life. Think that thought over and over again, Dream it, Live it. That is the secret to success" - inspires today's youth.
• Developing compassion: Everyone should see God in other humans and oneself, and this is envisaged in his thought, "Until you can trust yourself, you cannot trust Allah or God." 
• For secularism and unity of the nation: His belief about God is tied to every religion.
  • He represented Sanatan Dharma in Chicago in 1893, and his speech included themes like "Vishwabandhutva" (universal brotherhood), tolerance, cooperativeness, participation, religion, culture, nation, nationalism and the collective India-Indianness.
  • At the Parliament of World religions (PWR), he asserted that the nature of the Indian soil is to accept all religions as true and India is first laboratory and protector of secularism.
• Inclusiveness: His inclusive thinking is reflected in the slogan "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".
• Upliftment of poor: He said that, until the upliftment of the last poor person in the country is ensured, development is meaningless. This gave rise to the idea of Antyodaya. 
  • Through Charity: He said, "The more we come to help and help others, the purer our heart becomes. Such people are like God."

Conclusion: Swami Vivekananda was called "Cyclonic Hindu" due to his views, and is still standing firmly on the world stage with his positive thinking.