Swami Vivekananda and Indian Nationalism

Author(s): B. G. Gokhale
Source: Journal of Bible and Religion , Jan., 1964, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Jan., 1964), pp. 35-42
Published by: Oxford University Press

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1460427

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 Swami Vivekananda and Indian Nationalism
B. G. GOKHALE

ARENDRANATH Datta, better known to the world as Swami Vivekananda,

was concerned with Indian nationalism for a brief five years but left his impress
on almost half a century. In 1892 he was a little known sannyasi when Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, the "Father of Indian Unrest," met him on a Poona-bound
train.' Five years later he was hailed all over the country as a conquering hero. He "thun-
dered from Cape Comorin on the southern tip of India to the Himalayas" delivering his
message of nationalism which "came as a tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu
mind."2 For five years he played the role of an itinerant prophet of a renascent India that
had discovered its lost soul and was getting ready not only to recapture its past glories but
also to save the world. Admiring audiences avidly heard all he had to say and seemed to
welcome eagerly his message, which became the basis of a revitalized Hinduism.

The general history of Indian nationalism is now sufficiently well-known and need not
be detailed here.3 The study of Indian nationalism through the past four decades has revealed
that there was not one Indian nationalism but in fact an amalgam of four distinct na-
tionalisms. These included the secularly-oriented western-type nationalism of men like
Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917) and Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866-1915), the Hindu
nationalism of such leaders as Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1836-1886) and Bal Gangadhar
Tilak (1856-1920), the Muslim nationalism of Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) and the
poet Muhammad Iqbal (1873-1938), and the regional nationalism so dominant in Bengal
and Maharashtra.
Narendranath Datta was born on the twelfth of January, 1863.4 After his graduation
from Presidency College in Calcutta in 1883 he studied law, and there was a plan for him

BALKRISHNA GOVIND GOKHALE is Professor of History and Director of the Asian Studies
Program at Wake Forest College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Author of six books, his most recent
work is Indian Thought through the Ages: A Study of Some Dominant Concepts, New York: Asia Publishing
House, 1961.

1S. L. Karandikar, Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Poona, published by the author, 1957), p. 110.
2 Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of India, New York: Doubleday & Co., 1960, pp. 253, 256.
3 The list of works dealing either wholly or in parts with Indian nationalism is formidable indeed;
among the more recent titles mention may be made of A. R. Desai's Social Background of Indian Nationalism
and Recent Trends in Indian Nationalism, Bombay: Popular Book Depot, 1948 and 1960, and Vishwanath
Prasad Varma's Modern Indian Political Thought, Agra: Lakshmi Narayan Agarwal, 1961.
1 At least three different birth dates of the Swami are mentioned. V. P. Varma, op. cit., p. 143, note 1,
states that the Swami was born January 9, 1863; the official Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Group mentions
January 17, 1863 as Vivekananda's birth date; see Swami Budhananda, "Swami Vivekananda and the
American Heritage" in India News, Washington, D. C., published by the Embassy of India, Vol. 1, No. 41
(February 1, 1962), p. 6, while Bhupendranath Datta, the Swami's brother in his Swami Vivekananda,
Patriot-Prophet, Calcutta: Nababharat Publishers, 1954, p. 72, note 1, gives January 12, 1863 as his brother's
birth date, claiming that it is based on the Swami's original horoscope.
35

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36 B. G. GOKHALE

to proceed to Eng
and economic adv
Brahmo Samaj, a
great mystic-sain
aspiring to be an a
After Ramakrish
religious effort i
philosopher of the
The Swami's back
with the Brahmo
of his philosophy
scepticism and rat
A third element, t
the world, was int
At the time whe
Indian nationalis
Brahmo Samaj (fou
with a counter-a
who founded the
in the Punjab and
founded the Bhar
called Dharma Pra
ganizations were
School of Syed A
third was Sen's o
tionalism. The m
journals were sym
Thus between 18
to turn away fro
Tilak commenced
appear. In 1891 c
the Age of Conse
Tilak had begun t
Muslim Conferen
was highlighted
and 1894. In 1896
and increasingly i
political moveme
leadership.
The intellectual
1860 and 1890 W
upon vedic litera
revealed the antiq
pointed out the g
avidity and argued
its values, could b
arguments by hi

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 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND INDIAN NATIONALISM 37

inspiring champion of Hinduism and Hindu culture.' Wit

Ranade in 1901 the reformers lost much of their strength, an

II

It was in this intellectual atmosphere that Vivekanand

back on mere scepticism and rationalism in favor of the
had found his life's mission in his work as a Sannyasi discov
the spiritual tradition of India. Then in 1890 came the news
Parliament of Religions in conjunction with the World's C
in the Fall of 1893. Vivekananda was not an official delegate,
supporters felt that he could be an excellent representative
of his friends, among whom was the Rajah of Ramnad, co
the Swami's journey to America.6 The Swami left Bombay fo
1893, and arrived in Boston in August. On September 11
address to the Parliament of Religions. The Swami profou
his eloquence and earnestness, and his activities in Ameri
and leadership upon his return to India.
The Swami spent the next three years lecturing and p
and England, and returned to India in January, 1897. Fr
journey of triumph. He was hailed everywhere as the gr
thousands eagerly listened to his message. He also founde
serve India through a band of dedicated Sannyasis doing soci
of Vedanta and interpreting the values of Hinduism to t
preaching. He returned to the West for a year in 1899-1
the age of 39 - literally wearing himself out in fulfilling
generation of India.

III

In all Vivekananda's speeches and writings three ideas appear dominant. One
his sense of a supreme mission which almost appeared as a historical imperative
second was his conviction of the indestructibility of the "Indian soul" and the invincib
of Indian "spirituality." The third was nationalism which alone could become an ef
and adequate instrument for the fulfillment of India's destiny. These ideas formed a c
posite theme which he reiterated wherever he went and spoke in India. He effectively
his interpretation of Indian history and culture and his observations of the Western w
to make his message convincing, and to turn it into a new philosophy of Indian nation
The major premise of Vivekananda's argument, which he regarded as almost
evident, was that India was the center of the world's spirituality. He said, "Let others
of politics, of the glory of acquisition of the immense wealth poured in by trade,
power and spread of commercialism, of the glorious fountain of physical liberty, the
mind does not understand it. Touch him on spirituality, on religion, on God, on th

5For Vivekananda's references to Tilak's antiquarian work see The Complete Works of
Vivekananda, Vols. I-VIII, Mayavati: Advaita Ashram, 1956-1960, VII, 366; VIII, 385 (hereafter
viated as CW).
6 CW, III, 146-147.

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38 B. G. GOKHALE

on the infinite, o
India than many
that it could be e
vinced that "India
its being the mo
and human love.8
rialism, but it m
was breaking. Soo
sioned way that
have an end at la
to her feet."' He
was waiting for t
more glorious th
And this reawake
of human history
Punya Bhumi (Sa
account for Karm
come to attain it
gentleness, towar
introspection an
India's mission, f
the materialism
conquered the w
spirituality that
destiny, her sacr
provide that savin
can only obey the
perfection will b
Spirit.i" Vivekan
making, and it w
civilization and "r
dence of God, cr
centuries of silent
evolution of spiri
But however glo
tion was both com
on evil days. The
was political subj
out against ignora

7CW, II11, 148.

8 CW, III, 147.
9 CW, III, 145.
to CW, III, 154.
11 CW, III, 105.
12 CW, III, 109.
It In Defence of Hin
1 Ibid., p. 2.

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 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND INDIAN NATIONALISM 39

by saying that such a low state of affairs was "India

was only a passing shadow of pessimism, for the ration
for India's degradation. He said, "India's doom was se
word MLECHCHHA and stopped from communion
gion of the cooking pot, of the caste system, of th
untouchables.'7 But this phase was a temporary bligh
sound, the keystone is unimpaired" in spite of the cent
For India can never die; "the character, the power an
which counts culture by centuries, and has borne the bu
and still stands with the unimpaired vigour of eternal
about the indestructibility of the Indian soul and the in
based on his premise that whereas other great civili
Roman, came and disappeared, the Indian civilization
cheated time and disaster time and again must embody
He said, "the Indian nation cannot be killed. Deathle
the spirit shall remain as the background, so long
spirituality."'" And the Hindu, the common, down
spirituality for "he has been the blessed child of God
Such an attitude was one of faith, of a mystical fa
objective evidence to support it. We have seen earl
from mere rationalism and scepticism under the inf
his mind became deeply imbued with mysticism. It was
repeatedly in his prognostications on the future of Ind
became the basis of his faith in the indestructibility
vincibility of the Indian spirituality. In this respect
tenance in the common roots of Hindu nationalism. Ind
in the formation and development of Hindu nation
Mahatma Gandhi. Mahadev Govind Ranade (1842-
reformer, showed this mystical trend when he said, "I
of my creed. This country of ours is the true land
chosen race."21 Gopal Krishna Gokhale, the Modera
Liberalism also displayed this somewhat mystical trait w
on the fifth of February, 1898. He said, "By the gra
deavour humbly but firmly to acquire and achieve the
such diverse subjects and activities as learning histor
chology, membership of the Bombay Legislative Counci
to "try to become a preacher of the highest philoso
religion to the whole world"22 [Emphasis in the ori
1s CW, V, 190.
16 Ibid., p. 40.
17 See Ibid., p. 37; In Defence of Hinduism, pp. 24-25.
Is In Defence of Hinduism, pp. 27-28.
1s CW, IV, 160.
so CW, III, 105.
21 Quoted by D. G. Karve in his Ranade-The Prophet of Liberated India, Poona: Aryabhushan Press,
1942, p. 10, note 1.
22 This paper is preserved in the file of Gokhale's unpublished letters and documents deposited in the
office of the Servants of India Society in Poona.

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40 B. G. GOKHALE

fourth of Febru
of India when he
of existence is b
streaks of a new
perfect day.""23
play a special ro
the world for "n
This mystical fa
part and parcel o
from 1875 onwa
educated, Englis
finally to the rur
brought the need
the masses in th
Hindu tradition,
Hindu in its ideas
than a Welfare St
is an indication of
in India. Hindu
and inevitable el
this Vivekanand

IV

If the past was g

was to reawaken
regeneration. For
based? Vivekana
spirit - when th
was a patriot, and
duty to remind h
tion.26 India, he
religions, langua
There was the ne
barriers of lang
vigorous and cre
gion and spiritua
ground that we h
and upon that we
necessary as the
line of least resis

23 Speeches of Gop
24 G. Dhawan, The
1957, pp. 344-345.
25 CW, V, 35.
28 CW, III, 225-22

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SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND INDIAN NATIONALISM 41

this, would be disastrous. Therefore, the first plank in t

first step that is to be hewn out of that rock of ages, is thi
believed that his mission was to "find the common bases
national consciousness to them."28
He was convinced that "national union in India must be a
spiritual forces. A nation in India must be a union of tho
spiritual tune."29 This spiritual tune was compounded of
and ethical elements developed by Hinduism through the
of social reform if it tended to destroy faith in Hinduism,
everything was destroyed.30 He was not against borrow
other countries and civilizations, though he decried the imit
attitudes by the educated Indians of his day."3 The Hindu
for it was religion alone that could make him grow to full s
He said, "our life-blood is spirituality. If it flows clear, if it
everything is right, political, social, any other material d
land, will all be cured if that blood is pure."33
Vivekananda recognized the importance of political w
Indian National Congress, but regarded it a mistake if th
seen only in political and social reform movements, for the
religion.34 It was this awakening of religion that would p
and through it permeate the life of every Hindu. He criticiz
for it simply aimed at destroying the higher elements with
rise to the heights of the Brahmin.35 In his program of reg
great importance to the revival of Sanskrit learning wh
identity of Hinduism intact. He also wanted the Sanskrit
provincial languages so that the knowledge of Hindu cultu
form among the masses, and thus bring about a reawakening
And finally he wanted to organize a band of "fiery" mission
religion, foreign languages, and comparative religion, and th
anew among the masses of the people through preaching
of his was realized in practice with the foundation of the Ra
whose agents are functioning even now in parts of India,
Vivekananda thus appears as the fulfillment of Hindu nat
since 1875. He was also its philosopher and prophet, and his i
its own impact on the subsequent history of Indian nati
means a Hindu fanatic, but he was deeply convinced th
effectively based and developed into a mass movement only

27 CW, III, 286-288.

28 CW, V, 226.
29 CW, III, 371.
so CW, III, 216-219.
31 CW, V, 25; IV, 478.
32 CW, V, 22.
a3 CW, III, 288.
"4 CW, V, 199-200.
35 CW, III, 293-295.
36 CW, III, 287-289.
87 CW, V, 52.

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42 B. G. GOKHALE

Vivekananda, Tila
ideas on Hinduism
Gandhi too believ
conceive of politic
creed but a unive
For him Swraj w
Righteousness on
like Ram Raj, he
in the Hindu min
Chandra Bose, wh
of moral and phy
Vivekananda's Hin
nationalist as a na
on the reacquisit
jection, more or l
secularism and den
Indian culture. H
Hinduism purged
relations. In this
prophet of a rena
the force of India

38 N. K. Bose, Selec
3 Chatter Singh Sa
Irene Tinker (Eds.),
1959, pp. 68 ff.

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