Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

POLITICAL SCIENCE

BAPS-14

MODERN INDIAN POLITICAL

THOUGHT

Block-01
RAMMOHAN ROY, PANDITA RAMABAI AND
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

UNIT 1: RAMMOHAN ROY: RIGHTS, REFORM

MOVEMENT, LIBERALISM
UNIT 2: PANDITA RAMBAI: GENDER, CRITIQUE OF
ORTHODOXY
UNIT 3: VIVEKANANDA: IDEAL SOCEITY, HUMANISM,
NATIONALISM
UNIT 4: RELIGION AND INTERNATIONALISM OF SWAMI
VIVEKANANDA
Course Writer

Prof. Anil Ku. Mohapatra Dr. Ratnakar Roy

Professor of political science, Associate Professor, Political Science
Fakir Mohan University, Balesore Kishore Nagar College, Cuttack
(Unit 1 & 2) (Unit 3 & 4)

Course Editor

Dr. Prabira Sethy

Assistant Professor in Political Science, Maharaja Agrasen College, University of
Delhi. (Unit-1)

Dr. Sachitananda Mishra,

Retd. Prof from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack. (Unit-2)

Dr. Dusmanta Ku. Mohanty,

Retd. Reader (Political Science), Rayagada Autonomous College, Rayagada. (Unit-3)

Dr. Rajshree Dutta,

Assistant Prof. in Political Science, Fakir Mohan University, Balesore. (Unit-4).

Course Coordinator

Ms.Tulasi Ray
Academic Consultant (Political Science)
Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur

Material Production
Prof. (Dr.) Manas Ranjan Pujari
Registrar
Odisha State Open University

© OSOU, 2021. Development process and social movements in

contemporary India is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
4.0http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-sa/4.0
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 UNIT-1 RAMMOHAN ROY: RIGHTS, REFORM
MOVEMENT, LIBERALISM
Structure

1.1Objectives

1.2 Introduction

1.2.1 Conditions of his time, and his life and Influences on him

1.2.2 Publications and Literary works of Roy

1.3 Socio-Religious and Political Ideas of Roy

1.4 Social Ideas of Rammohan Roy

1.4.1 Fight against the Caste System

1.4.2 Crusade against the practice of Sutee

1.4.3 Polygamy

1.4.4 Child Marriage and Remarriage of Widows

1.4.5 Spread of Education

1.4.6 Law of Female Inheritance

1.5 Religious Ideas of Rammohan Roy

1.5.1 Idol Worship and Polytheism

1.5.2 Brahmo Sabha and Human Unity

1.6 Political Ideas of Rammohan Roy

1.6.1 Liberalism

1.6.2 Human Rights

1.6.3 He exposed the British exploitation

1.6.4 Reform in the Judicial System

1.6.5 Hindu Muslim Unity

1.7 Rammohan Roy as an Internationalist

1.7.1Nationalism and internationalism are complementary to each other.

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 1.7.2 Opposition to Imperialism and Colonialism

1.7.3 Unification of the World

1.7.4 Support for Constitutional and Democratic Government

1.7.5 Honour of Human Rights

1.7.6 Development of all the nations

1.7.7 Opposition to Regionalism and Narrow Mindedness

1.7.8 Formation of world federation

1.8 His Liberal Thinking and His Views on Rights

1.8.1 Individual Liberty

1.8.2 Freedom of the press

1.8.3 Civil Rights

1.8.4 Constitutional Government

1.8.5 Sphere of state activity

1.8.6 National Liberation

1.8.7 Human Equality

1.8.8 Reform Proposal

1.8.9 Spread of Education

1.9 Summary

1.10 Exercises

1.11 References

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1.1 OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you should be able to understand:

 Conditions of his time, and his life and Influences on him

 Socio-Religious and Political Ideas of Roy
 Social Ideas of Rammohan Roy
 Religious Ideas of Rammohan Roy
of Rammohan Roy
 His Liberal Thinking and His Views on Rights

1.2 INTRODUCTION

Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833) was one of the illustrious sons of mother India.
Wherever there is a discussion or debate on Renaissance in Bengal or Brahmo Samaj,
it would be incomplete without referring to Raja Ram Mohan Roy. He was a
multifaceted genius. He had his ideas and observations from religion to science,
superstition to secular education, feminism to internationalism, and from law to liberty.
He was a passionate champion of these causes throughout his life, thus pioneering all
progressive movements in India. And he was successful to a great extent in translating
his ideas and wishes into reality. Therefore, he is hailed as a prophet of universalism,
an ardent supporter of liberty in every sense of the term, a political agitator for the
freedom of the press and the tenants' rights, an earliest Indian feminist, a socio-religious
reformer of a higher order. A new era in Indian political and social thinking began with
him. It is said that the social and political thought of modern India had its beginning
with Ram Mohan Roy. He is therefore held as a dominant maker of modern India. Thus,
the former President of India S. Radhakrishnan described him as “The founder of
modern India and the inaugurator of modern Indian Renaissance.”

1.2.1 Conditions of his time, and his life and Influences on him

Ram Mohan Roy was born and brought up in the erstwhile Bengal when the British
East India Company was trying to establish its stronghold in India through the Bengal
Presidency. The victories of the Company won in the Battle of Plassey (in 1757) and
Battle of Buxar (in 1764) helped it to secure the Diwani Rights from the then Emperor
of India Shah Alam-II to collect revenue from the wealthy Bengal Presidency
(comprising Bengal, Bihar and Odisha). Regulating Act, 1773 (an Act of the Parliament
of Great Britain) established the Bengal Presidency's supremacy over the two other
Presidencies viz., Bombay and Madras, for the better Management of the activities of
the Company. That was how the Company could consolidate its power and position in
India.

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The above account has been provided to show the importance of Bengal of his time
that paved the way for the consolidation of the British Raj in the country.

Ram Mohan Roy was born into a Kulin Brahmin Clan (Bengali Brahmins belonging to
the Hindu religion who were settled in Bengal coming from Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh)
in Radhanagar, Bengal (currently West Bengal in India) on 22 May 1772. He was
married and had two sons. He married three women as the first wife died early, and the
next one too followed her after giving birth to two children. He served the East India
Company as a private clerk to the Registrar of the Appellate Court at Murshidabad from
1803 to 1815. In 1830, the then Mughal Emperor Akbar Shah-II sent Ram Mohan as
his envoy to represent him before the Royal Court of King William-IV in England. The
Emperor conferred on Ram Mohan the title ‘Raja’, after which he was called Raja Ram
Mohan Roy. He died at the age of 61 years on 27 September 1833 in Bristol, England.

He was a polyglot (who knew several languages) such as Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian,
Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, English, etc. His love of languages brought him to
acquaintance with several cultures and their different belief systems. Being an
exceptional scholar, he started studying Hindu scriptures, Buddhist teachings, Jaina
scriptures, Islamic literature (especially the Quran), Sufi poetry, Christian writings, and
the Bible. Then, he could know the essence of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism
and Jainism, etc. He was not a blind follower of all these faiths. Instead, he was aware
of all of the inconsistencies while appreciating the good and rationale. Accordingly, he
disapproved of the doctrine of the divinity of Christ as proclaimed by the Christian
missionaries. Similarly, the practice of idol worship by the Buddhists; and the
superstitions and other evil practices of orthodox Hinduism such as Polytheism,
idolatry, polygamy, the custom of Sati ( the forcible burning of a widow in the funeral
pyre of her deceased husband), and dowry system, etc. did not find his appreciation.

Hence, he was a non-conformist to many such traditions.

The young Ram Mohan came across the thinking of Euclid and Aristotle written in
Arabic. He, too, mastered the Vedanta philosophy, which convinced him about
monotheism.

Ram Mohan was greatly moved by rationalism, and the modern scientific approach
followed in the West. He lived at a time when the world witnessed several momentous
events, such as the American war of independence, the French revolution, and the
defeat of Napoleon. All those events had a significant bearing on his mind and thinking.

1.2.2 Publications and Literary works of Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy as a scholar had written on several topics in three different
languages, viz., Bengali, Arabic and Persian, etc. In addition to books, he also wrote
numerous petitions and letters, and he translated a lot of the religious scriptures into
English.

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Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin is regarded as his first published work written in 1803(1804).
It was written in Persian with an introduction in Arabic as all intellectual discourses
then did not use the Bengali language. He wrote Vedanta Gantha (in 1815), Translation
of an abridgement of the Vedanta Sara (in 1816), Kenopanishads (in 1816),
Ishopanishad (in 1816), Kathopanishad (in 1817), A Conference between the Advocate
for, and an Opponent of Practice of Burning Widows Alive (in Bengali and English in
1818), Mundaka Upanishad (in 1819), A Defence of Hindu Theism (in 1820), The
Precepts of Jesus- The Guide to Peace and Happiness (in 1820), Bengali Grammar (in
1826), The Universal Religion (in 1829), History of Indian Philosophy (in 1829), and,
Gaudiya Vyakaran (in 1833), etc.

Roy is also hailed as one of the pioneers of Indian journalism. He published a Bengali
weekly called Samvad Kaumudi, an English weekly, namely the Bengal Gazette;
Miratul-Akbar in Parsi.

1.3 SOCIO-RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL IDEAS OF ROY

He is regarded as the father of modern India, one of the greatest reformers of his time,
a lover of freedom and a harbinger of the idea of universal humanism. Indian
Renaissance started in Bengal in the early 19th century, and Ram Mohan was its
pioneer. To him, it was essentially a matter of spirit that produced striking changes in
the realm of religion, society and culture, along with self-consciousness among the
people of India. So he is called the father of the Indian Renaissance. With him, a new
socio-religious consciousness grew among the people of India. He fully understood the
interrelation between socio-religious reformation and political progress. Therefore, he
devoted himself to the cause of socio-religious reforms in India.

1.4 SOCIAL IDEAS OF RAM MOHAN ROY

Raja Ram Mohan Roy strove hard throughout his life to reform the evil practices in the
then society. He believed that no improvement in the political conditions of the people
would take place unless favourable changes occurred in their social conditions. Ram
Mohan vehemently attacked social evils like the caste system, the cruel custom of
Sati(Sutee), polygamy and child marriage. He was a strong advocate of the remarriage
of the widows, the spread of education, and the law of female inheritance. Let’s now
discuss his social ideas in a bit more detail.

1.4.1 Fight Against the Caste System

According to him, the caste system was chiefly responsible for the centuries-long
subjugation and humiliation of most Indian people. He held that caste separated men
from men. Thus the unity of the people of India could not be achieved. That was the
reason behind the defeat of India by the invaders and exploiters. He argued that neither
the caste system was a part of Hinduism nor desirable from the point of view of its
utility.

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1.4.2 Crusade against the practice of Sutee

He was critical of the discriminatory and unjust treatment of society toward women.
First of all, he took up the issue of the custom of Sutee. The custom was based on the
forcible burning alive of the widow on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. To
him, it was great cruelty and injustice towards the womenfolk. He referenced the
scriptures and declared that such a practice had no religious sanction. The orthodox
Brahmin opposed him. Despite that, he could convince the British Government about
that evil practice. Law then prohibited that practice.

1.4.3 Polygamy

He was opposed to polygamy. He insisted that no Hindu should be allowed to have a

second wife during the life of the first. He let it under certain circumstances only. One
had to obtain a license from the magistrate, which was given under the system of
Shastras. Thus he was not in favour of keeping many wives at a time by an individual.

1.4.4 Child Marriage and Remarriage of Widows

He was critical of the marriage of the children at a tender age. His main point of
contention was that child marriages might result in child widows. Therefore, he
opposed child marriage and extended his support for the remarriage of widows who
became widows in their childhood.

1.4.5 Spread of Education

He rendered an excellent service to the cause of education in India. He realised that

without a radical reform of the educational system of his time, it would not be possible
to awaken a nation from the slumber of centuries. According to him, Indian traditional
education kept the people dark about the progress in the modern world. He was keen
to introduce scientific education in India. He believed that scientific education would
work as a panacea for the evils of ignorance, superstitions etc. His preference was
teaching natural sciences like Physics, Chemistry, etc. to the Indians. He was hopeful
that with such a change in the educational system, India would once again occupy her
rightful place in the comity of nations. Despite his advocacy of a western type of
education, he had deep regard for ancient Indian philosophy and religion. Roy felt the
great necessity of placing them within the easy reach of ordinary men. Therefore, he
translated the Vedas and Upanishads into Bengali and English.

1.4.6 Law of Female Inheritance

He was a champion of the right of the Hindu female to parental property. He pleaded
for one-fourth of such property for the daughters. He advocated strongly for an equal
share of the mother and her son(s) in the property left by her husband.

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1.5 RELIGIOUS IDEAS OF RAM MOHAN ROY

Ram Mohan Roy believed in the interrelation between religious reformation and social
change. He, therefore, tried to set right the evil practices attached to the then religious
systems in India.

1.5.1 Idol Worship and Polytheism

According to him, the evils were inherent in idol worship. He found the first thing
wrong with the Hindu religion was that idol worship had divided the community into
different segments. Therefore, instead of unity, it created bitterness among different
sections of the community. Religion should bring unity and harmony to society. Thus,
he preached monotheism. He, therefore, established Brahmo Samaj, which allowed the
people of every caste and race to join it indiscriminately. It was based on monotheism.
He wished the institution to be a meeting ground for people of all religious
denominations who believed in one God, formless and eternal. According to him, such
a religion might be able to achieve unity in India.

1.5.2 Brahmo Sabha and Human Unity

Ram Mohan Roy made a comparative study of all religions and thought for the
establishment of the Brahmo Sabha – a universal meeting ground for monotheists of
all races. It was aimed at achieving universal brotherhood. The Brahmo Sabha was
renamed Brahmo Samaj and was established in 1828, which believed in one eternal
and invisible God. It was opposed to idolatry, priesthood, rituals and sacrifices. Its
means of worship were prayers, meditation and reading of the scriptures. To achieve
the unity of all religions was its sole aim. It exerted tremendous influence on the life of
Bengal in the Nineteenth Century.

1.6 POLITICAL IDEAS OF RAM MOHAN ROY

Ram Mohan Roy was one of the leaders in the evolution of modern political thought in
India. He was the first agitator for the freedom of the press and the tenants' rights. He
was a passionate supporter of liberalism. His political ideas are discussed as follows.

1.6.1 Liberalism

He was the earliest Advocate of political liberalism in India. Like all other liberals, he
believed that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain
inalienable rights like the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. He was against
the despotic and arbitrary use of authority by anyone. He upheld the value and dignity
of the individual personality. He believed in the rule of law and was opposed to the
exercise of despotic power of any kind by anyone. He was convinced that constitutional
Government was the best guarantor of human freedom. He insisted on the constitutional

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means to safeguard human rights. He preferred the gradual improvement of the
condition of the people to a more radical one. However, he was not a classical liberalist.
He did not advocate unbridled individual freedom. He conditioned it to the common
good's tune and allowed state intervention where necessary to effect this.

1.6.2 Human Rights

He was openly appreciative of granting some fundamental rights by the British

Government to its Indian subjects. He considered the rights to life and liberty to be the
essential components of human rights. He agitated before the British Government to
grant some rights to Indians as were enjoyed by the people in Britain.

1.6.3 He exposed the British Exploitation

Ram Mohan Roy was the first to have drawn the attention of his fellow citizens to the
economic drain of India by the British rulers. He fought against the monopoly of the
salt trade by the servants of the East India Company. The price of salt was very high
than its expected price. The workers engaged in the manufacture of salt were in virtual
slavery. The people in business adulterated salt before selling it. Ram Mohan Roy
criticised the East India Company vehemently. Thus he left precedence for M.K.
Gandhi to fight against the salt tax. It was a minor issue, but it pointed to the rampant
exploitation of Indians by the English.

1.6.4 Reform in the Judicial System

Ram Mohan Roy was a strong supporter of the separation of the executive from the
judiciary. He appeared before the Select Committee of the British House of Commons
when the Charter Act of 1833 was passed. He argued there for the separation of
magistrates serving in India's judicial and administrative functions. He published his
ideas in pamphlet form with the title, “ An exposition of Revenue and Judicial System
in India.” In that pamphlet, he expressed his views on issues like the reform of the
Court, the codification of the laws, consulting people before legislation, the jurisdiction
of the courts of the country over Europeans, the establishment of a native militia, etc.

1.6.5 Hindu Muslim Unity

He was also an advocate of Hindu Muslim unity. When the British Parliament passed
the Indian Jury Bill on 5 May 1826, Ram Mohan Roy started a protest movement
against it. No Hindu or Muslim was allowed a seat on a jury, even in a trial of fellow
Hindus and Muslims. Indians were allowed to sit as jurists on the petty jury, not on
grand juries. Indians were disallowed to try the Christians. Such discriminatory
treatment aroused the nationalistic aspiration of Ram Mohan Roy. He convinced both
Hindus and Muslims to write a petition against that Act. He was aware that the
movement would not be successful without this unity.

Ram Mohan Roy advocated specific other ideas. He pleaded for the establishment of
codes of civil and criminal laws, reduction of the government expenditure, abolition of
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the standing army, formation of a native militia, and the investing of the village
panchayats or councils with the powers of the jury.

Ram Mohan Roy thus dealt with various problems of his day. In finding a solution to
those problems, he became the founder of socio-political and religious thinking in
India. He was a pioneer of all progressive movements in India and was responsible for
the constitutional agitation in the county. Therefore, he has been hailed as the father of
modern India. His crusade against social evils has made him immortal in the pages of
history. He stands in history as a living bridge connecting India's glorious but
mysterious past to her incalculable future.

1.7 RAM MOHAN ROY AS AN INTERNATIONALIST

Ram Mohan Roy was perhaps the first Indian thinker to have a clear vision of
internationalism. It was a part of his conviction that broader human fellowship,
undeterred by national or religious barriers, was an essential element of human
progress. With this conviction, he wrote to Charles-Maurice de M Tallyrand –the
famous French minister for Foreign Affairs, “All mankind is one great family of which
the numerous nations and tribes existing are only various branches.” Being an ardent
advocate of international fraternity, he suggested setting up an international congress
to settle the dispute among different nations of the world. His suggestion was proved
prophetic as it culminated in establishing the League of Nations and the United Nations
during the first half of the 20th century. He was never an aggressive nationalist: to him,
nationalism and internationalism are complementary and supplementary to each other.

Now we can discuss his views on internationalism under the following heads :

1.7.1 Nationalism and Internationalism are complementary to each other.

To him, there is no difference between nationalism and internationalism. His ideas of

nationalism and internationalism were based on the principles of universal fellowship
and the integration of the entire human society. His scheme of nationalism was the
initial work and marched towards internationalism. To him, the whole human race had
a common origin. Though there may be instant differentiation, that is not real, that is
artificial, and one day there must be the unification of the entire human race. The so-
called nationalisms are the different branches of one tree, and without realising this
norm, one who engages in creating opposition and hatred among the people is exploited
by ignorance and nothing at all. When this ignorance depletes, there must be the
realisation of internationalism.

1.7.2 Opposition to Imperialism and Colonialism

Ram Mohan Roy was against imperialism and colonialism. To him, colonialism and
imperialism are how the strong and rich nations exploit the poor and less powerful

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countries. This exploitation creates division within the society and breeds violence and
hatred among the people of the different nations, consequently leading to
misunderstanding and confrontation among the member nations of the world. To him,
every nation is to be considered from a common and equitable perspective. The
elimination of imperialism and colonialism is a matter of compulsion without which
the perception of internationalism is too challenging to realise.

1.7.3 Unification of the World

Ram Mohan Roy’s philosophy of internationalism was for the unification of the world
as a whole. To him, if there are differences among the nations and if, a powerful one
will conquer the sovereignty of any country, that would dilute the concept of unification
of the world, consequently leading to the demolition of internationalism. He also
pointed out that the military pacts hindered achieving internationalism.

1.7.4 Support for Constitutional And Democratic Government

Ram Mohan Roy believed that only democracy and limited constitutional Government
could facilitate the establishment of internationalism. If there will be dictatorship if
there are no constitutional restrictions on the use of the state's power that violates
international peace and prosperity. Though there might come the rule of a dictator, it
will be unable to continue forever. It is democracy alone that will last long and establish
peace in the world.

1.7.5 Honour of Human Rights

The ideals of right, liberty and fraternity of the French Revolution had put a tremendous
effect on Ram Mohan Roy. He gave his interpretation that if human rights will be
honoured and observed everywhere in the nook and corner of the world, there will be
a good condition for establishing internationalism.

1.7.6 Development of all the Nations

To Ram Mohan Roy, there should be even and equal development of all the nations
concerning socio-economic and political power. Unequal and uneven development
always create tension and indifference within society. He, therefore, laid stress on the
development of all the nations. A sense of fellow feeling and integrity then would be
evolved, contributing to internationalism.

1.7.7 Opposition to Regionalism and Narrow Mindedness

Ram Mohan Roy argued that internationalism was only possible in the absence of
regionalism and narrow-mindedness. Regionalism always creates hatred and
differences among the so-called different kinds of people. The narrow-mindedness and
regionalism widen the differences among the people, thus creating an obstacle to
realising internationalism.

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1.7.8 Formation of the World Federation

For the establishment of international peace and order, Ram Mohan Roy suggested the
organisation of a world federation that will endeavour to solve the burning world
problems among the sovereign states. There shall be an endeavour for cultural and
spiritual integration of the entire world through this federation.

What Ram Mohan Roy had thought, the world practised it after hundred years by
establishing the League of Nations and the United Nations. He did not support the
principles of political subordination of one state by another. His conception of
internationalism was thus intended to end the era of colonialism and imperialism. Ram
Mohan Roy had firm faith in the Hindu religion and the Vedic culture, which would
integrate the entire human race into an integrated whole. Basudheiba Kutumbakam
clearly illustrates that principle that assimilates all other cultures, values, and beliefs.

1.8 HIS LIBERAL THINKING AND HIS VIEWS ON RIGHTS

He was a progressive political thinker. He had a great passion for liberty and equality.
With him began many liberal movements in India. He was a grand champion of
individual liberty, freedom of the press, civil rights, etc. Like other liberals, he did
believe in limited and constitutional government. His liberal ideas are discussed below:

1.8.1 Individual Liberty

He was a strong advocate of individual liberty. He believed in human freedom, freedom

in every sense of the term. He even tried to liberate the human minds from superstition,
obscurantism, and everything that lowered their dignity. He argued for the necessity of
personal freedom. According to him, “freedom is the birthright to all human beings.”
He, too, believed in natural rights like Locke, Grotius, etc. Accordingly, every man
should have the right to life, liberty and property. He pleaded for the grant of freedom
in the political spheres and other spheres. In the sphere of religion, his love for freedom
took shape in the form of fighting against idolatry. In the social sphere, he started a
crusade against the practice of Sati (Sutee) and polygamy. He advocated for freedom
of speech, expression, and participation in the political sphere. He believed in the right
to private property, and (he held that land belonged to individuals, not to the state.

As mentioned earlier, as an envoy of the Mughal emperor, he had been to the UK in

1830 to support the law banning the practice of Sati. Lord William Bentinck then
introduced that. He upheld gender equality and campaigned for equal rights for women
concerning remarriage and inheritance of property.

1.8.2 Freedom of the Press

He was one of the earliest champions of the freedom of the press or written expression.
He objected to the Ordinance that prohibited newspaper publication or other periodicals
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without a previous license from the Governor-General in Council. He argued that
freedom for the press was good for both the Government and the governed. It was good
for the Government as it could know through it the views, wishes of the people and the
shortcomings of its policies. Revolutions would not then take place there. On the other
hand, freedom of expression would give people a chance to express themselves,
contributing to their mental improvement.

1.8.3 Civil Rights

He was a strong supporter and advocate of civil rights and political liberty. To secure
life and liberty, he demanded the codification of laws, separation of powers,
independence of judges, the introduction of a judicial system, the Habeas Corpus Act,
etc. As a champion of freedom and democratic rights and a believer in parliamentary
democracy, he supported the Reform Bill agitation in England. To him, it was a struggle
between liberty and tyranny. He championed the struggle for freedom and democratic
rights not for India alone but every country. In 1823, when the news of the liberation
of Spanish colonies of South America from the tyranny of Spain reached him, he gave
dinner to his friends.

1.8.4 Constitutional Government

As a liberal thinker, he was a great supporter of constitutional Government. According

to him, a constitutional government could better protect individual rights and liberties.
He felt pretty happy to hear the news of the introduction of a constitutional government
in Portugal.

1.8.5 Sphere of State Activity

Unlike the Classical Liberals, he favoured the intervention of the state to bring socio-
economic reforms. He was not in favour of a laissez-faire state. He, however, insisted
that the state should protect the private property of the individuals. Not only this, he
was a great supporter of other civil and political rights of the individuals. He was not a
socialist to advocate for the nationalisation of property. However, he wished to protect
the cultivators from the oppression of the Zamindars (Landlords). He insisted that the
Zamindars should not be given the right to increase the rent at their will.

1.8.6 National Liberation

He was a great supporter of the liberation of all the nations from alien rule. In the
words of the former President of India S. Radhakrishnan, “ Roy was a great advocate
of freedom from political subjections and political tyranny.” He was critical of
colonialism and imperialism. Wherever there was a movement for self-determination,
he extended his support to those movements. He expressed his passion for and
apprehension in the words that he would not live to see liberty restored to all nations.

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However, he was not against British Rule in India, and he never pleaded for Swaraj.
British Rule was a blessing to him as it could emancipate Indian society from all its
evils and degradation.

1.8.7 Human Equality

He believed in the equality of all human beings. He raised his voice of protest and said
that a country that called itself civilised must accept the basic principle of equality –the
equality of all human beings. He said, so long as some people were treated as inferior
and others as superior, you were not genuinely civilised men. He said that if India had
to pass through degradation and subjection because we were disloyal to our ideals. He
further said, “ And, if we are to get rid of all these things, we must abolish the
disabilities. In practice, complete equality should be given to men and women, to the
fallen and oppressed and the privileged.”

1.8.8 Reform Proposal

He insisted on judicial and administrative reforms in India. He wrote to the House of

Commons Select Committee to reform the Indian judicial system and legal system. In
that reform proposal, he proposed to separate the executive from judicial offices.
Among other things, he proposed for consultation of the people in legislation,
increasing the share of natives in jobs, ameliorating the condition of the ryots, making
the laws for their protection, etc.

1.8.9 Spread of Education

He realised that without a radical reform of the educational system in India, it would
not be possible to awaken the nation from the slumber of centuries. He wanted to
provide rational and scientific education to Indians. He wanted the natural sciences like
Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics should be taught to Indians. He believed that
people might throw up superstitions by the study of science. He appealed to the
Government to establish a school for imparting free instruction to the children of poor
Hindus. He knew that no country could free its people from the bondage of ignorance
without making education available to all.

1.9 SUMMARY

Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s influence and relevance are still in India even after his passing
away in 1833. His thoughts and writings provide insight into understanding then India
and India at present, better. He was an independent thinker. It is said that he was the
first voice of modernity and liberalism in the Indian subcontinent. He is regarded as the
father of the Renaissance in Bengal in the early 19th century. The reforms he undertook
by establishing Brahmo Samaj too influenced the same in other parts of India, such as
Prarthana Samaj in Bombay. He was a grand champion of women’s liberty and gender
equality. His command over and writings in many languages have made him one of the
most outstanding scholars of India. His sincere efforts to reform the then India have
13
made him a socio-religious thinker par excellence. Despite the criticism levelled
against him that he was pro-British and Christianity, he is found to be very rational in
whatever stand he took.

1.10 EXERCISES

1. Discuss Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s ideas as a social reformist.

2. Discuss the Political ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
3. Briefly discuss Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s views on Liberalism.
4. Explain about Social ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
5. Discuss the Religious ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

1.11 REFERENCES

Chakrabarty, B. and Pandey, R. K. (2009). Modern Indian Political Thought. New

Delhi: SAGE Texts.

Gouba, O.P. (2016). Indian Political Thought. New Delhi: Mayur Paperbacks.

Mehta, V.R. (1992). Foundations of Indian Political Thought. Delhi: Manohar

Publisher.

Padhy, K.S.(2017). Indian Political Thought. Delhi: PHI Learning pvt. Ltd.

Singh, M.P. and Roy, H. (2011). Indian Political Thought Themes and Thinkers. Delhi:
Pearson.

Varma, V.P. (2009). Modern Indian Political Thought. Agra: Lakshmi Narain Agarwal
educational Publishers.

14
 UNIT-2 PANDITA RAMABAI

Structure

2.1 Objectives

2.2 Early Life and Family of Ramabai

2.3 From Ramabai Dongre Medhavi to Pandita Ramabai Saraswati

2.4 Languages she knew

2.5 The influences on her and her writings

2.6 Her visit abroad and conversion to Christianity

2.7 Her social missions and the organisations

2.7.1 Arya Mahila Samaj (Arya Women's Society)

2.7.1.1 Arya Mahila Samaj and the Hunter Commission

2.7.2 Sharada Sadan (Adobe of Wisdom)

2.7.3 Mukti

2.8 Gender and Women Issues

2.9 Religious Orthodoxy

2.10 Summary

2.11 Exercise

.12 Reference

2.1 OBJECTIVES

After reading this unit, you will be able to understand :

 Early Life and Family of Ramabai

 From Ramabai Dongre Medhavi to Pandita Ramabai Saraswati
 Languages she knew
 The influences on her and her writings
 Her visit abroad and conversion to Christianity

15
  Her social missions and the organisations, Gender and Women Issues,
Religious Orthodoxy

2.2 INTRODUCTION

Pandita Ramabai (1858-1922) was one of the foremost Indian socio-religious reformers
and activists in colonial India. She was a lifelong crusader for women's rights, and she
voiced for the amelioration of their lot in several national and international fora. In the
process, she exposed the dark side of Hindu patriarchy. She fought tooth and nail to
dismantle it. Similarly, she had a different opinion on the traditional beliefs in the then
Indian society about religion. She vehemently opposed religious orthodoxy. Ramabai
was enlightened and brave. There was no difference between what she did preach and
act. She displayed her activism when very few women could venture for that. She was
a high caste Hindu Brahmin who opted for an inter caste marriage against the wishes
of her near and dear ones; became a Christian convert but she was not blind to the
weaknesses of that religion; and, she took all pains to expose the plight of women in
the Hindu Society in the distant land of the United States of America. Therefore, she is
regarded as one of the great women leaders of nineteenth-century India, such as
Savitribai Phule, Annie Besant, Sister Nivedita, etc. As a social reformer, she is
remembered alongside the great Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Jyotirao Phule, etc.

2.2 EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY OF RAMABAI

Understanding and appreciating Ramabai's work and mission in her life sketch are
essential. She was born as Ramabai Dongre on April 23, 1858, into a Brahmin family
having Maharashtra roots. According to some, the Brahmin family belonged to the
Chitpavan Brahmin community who were Marathi-speaking. In addition to the Marathi
language, Ramabai could learn Sanskrit as her father Anant Shastri Dongre was a
Sanskrit scholar who was managing an ashram on the border of Mysore. His family
was with him having three children, including Ramabai. The ashram was providing
hospitality to the pilgrims. Anant Shastri was so generous that he spent more on the
pilgrims than the amount received from them. That compelled him and his family to
leave the ashram in the same year Ramabai was born. He mastered the great Indian
epics and other mythological texts such as Puranas. As he had no other way to earn his
livelihood, he preferred to recite such texts moving from one to another Hindu temple
16
and other pilgrimage sites like a Sannyasin or holy man. Later on his son Srinivasa and
daughter Ramabai were taught Sanskrit so that they could join the public recitation of
such texts.

Meanwhile, Anant Shastri and his wife died due to starvation caused by the dreadful
famine of the 1870s. Ramabai became an orphan after losing her parents in 1874.
However, the brother-sister duo continued the family tradition of visiting pilgrimage
sites and reciting the scriptures to manage their family's economic needs. Another
sister, too, died during that time out of hunger. She almost covered visiting all corners
of India with her brother on foot. They came to Calcutta in 1878. However, her lone
companion, her elder brother, also died in 1880. Being alone, she then decided to marry.
She married a Bengali lawyer, and a Brahmo Samajist called Bipin Behari Medhvi in
November 1880. Medhavi belonged to a lower caste Hindu, Ramabai called that caste
as Sudra. Her marriage was thus solemnised against the wishes of her extended family
as a civil marriage. Therefore some write her name as Ramabai Dongre Medhavi.
However, their married life was short-lived as her husband died in 1882. The only gift
she received from her marriage was a daughter named Manorama. It is also a fact that
her daughter, too, died before her just before Ramabai died in 1922. Hence, her life was
full of agonies caused by poverty, homelessness, and frequent deaths of her family
members before her eyes. But she had had an indomitable will to survive for a cause.

2.3 FROM RAMABAI DONGRE MEDHAVI TO PANDITA RAMABAI

SARASWATI

One wonders to know how Ramabai Dongre Medhavi became Pandita Ramabai
Sarasvati. The previous paragraph mentioned that the child Ramabai was taught
Sanskrit by her father to support their family earnings. In the process, she could learn
several religious texts in Sanskrit. Bhagvata Purana and Bhagvata Gita were the basic
ones. Being a Hindu woman, however, she was kept away from studying the Vedas,
Vedanta and Upanishads in those days (but, later, she too studied them at the instance
of the Bengali reformer Keshab Chandra Sen ). Then two things happened; one, she
acquired mastery over more than 1800 verses; and the other one, she gained exposure
to public recitals and speaking by visiting various pilgrimage sites with her parents.
When her parents, especially her father, died in 1874, she was only 16. But to earn a
living she had to continue doing the same recital. In the next two/three years she earned
17
a good reputation for her knowledge in Sanskrit. Her fame reached Calcutta (now
Kolkata), and the Sanskrit scholars invited her there to deliver a speech. Her recital
skill and authority over the Sanskrit texts impressed the erudite audience. In recognition
of her exceptional learning and knowledge in Sanskrit, the titles 'Pandita'( means
scholar), and 'Saraswati' (implies goddess of learning) were conferred on her in
Calcutta in 1878 after a public examination held by the learned Indian and Western
scholars in the city. She was then 20 years old. Henceforth, she has been called as
Pandita Ramabai Saraswati, Pandita Ramabai, in short. The 'Medhavi' appendage
became redundant once her husband Bipin Behari Medhvi died when she was only 22-
years old.

That apart, in recognition of her social reform activities, the then British Government
bestowed upon her the Kaiser-e-Hind gold medal in 1919.

2.4 LANGUAGES SHE KNEW

She had a tremendous flair for learning languages. Sanskrit was very dear to her, but
she had had the inclination to learn several other languages too. She knew the other
Indian languages such as Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and Kannada. She also knew
international languages like English, Greek, Latin and Hebrew. These demonstrate her
exceptional learning ability.

2.5 THE INFLUENCES ON HER AND HER WRITINGS

As told earlier, her father, Anant Shastri Dongre was her first inspiration. It was because
of him, that she did not suffer from two curses that all the female children usually
inflicted with, one, no education, and, the other, child marriage. Coming under the
influence and tutelage of her father she studied great Hindu scriptures, as discussed
earlier.

The Brahmo Samaj activities greatly inspired her during her stay in Calcutta from 1878
to 1882. Keshab Chandra Sen gifted and advised her to study the Vedas. It is also said
that coming under the Samaj's influence, she also had married a non-Brahmin. Deriving
inspiration from the Samaj, she also established Arya Mahila Samaj in Poona (now
Pune) after leaving Calcutta in 1882. It was in the line of such institutions established
by the Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta.
18
Being dissatisfied with the patriarchy and orthodoxy practised in the Hindu society and
the Brahmo Samaj, she turned her face towards Christianity. In that connection, she
was influenced by Nilakantha Nehemiah Goreh , who was an Indian Christian
associated with Anglican Society of St John the Evangelist. Sister Geraldine was her
theological mentor. She came across different variants or branches of Christian
practices, churches, movements and groups which too could not satisfy her fully. The
practices such as conversion, and proselytization (to persuade someone to share other's
beliefs, faith, etc.); and the forms such as Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism (a form
of Christianity which believes in the direct experience of the presence of god) were
also profoundly impacted her.

Pandita Ramabai has authored several books. Her first book was 'Stri Dharma Niti'
(Morals for Women) published in 1882. It was followed by her book on the High Caste
Indian Women. Her next book 'A Testimony of Our inexhaustible Treasure' was
published in 1907. Pandita Ramabai's America (translated into English by Kshitiya
Gomes), 2003 was also another important work of the great social reformer where she
wrote about her observations on the U.S. She, too had translated the Bible written in
Hebrew and Greek to Marathi.

2.6 HER VISIT TO ABROAD AND CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY

Her husband's house was in Assam. Once she became a widow, she knew what would
have happened to her then. She would become a victim of what she was lecturing
against everywhere. Meanwhile, she received an invitation from social reformers in
Poona for a lecture. She accepted that and moved to Poona with her kid Manorama.
She delivered her speeches and devoted her time to promoting women's education
through Arya Women's Associations ( Arya Mahila Samajs). She also made contacts
with the Christian organisations promoting women's education and promoting medical
support to women. Ramabai started learning English and showed her inclination to
undergo medical training in England. Meanwhile, she wrote a book on Stri Dharma
Niti (morals for women) and earned some money to meet the expenses to travel to
England with her daughter. At the instance of the branch of Anglican Sisterhood at
Poona, she got an invitation to go to England in 1883. Accordingly, she reached there
in April 1883, and accepted the hospitality of the Anglican Sisterhood at Wantage. She
started improving her English while studying the Christian texts and scriptures.
19
However, she was not allowed to have her course in medical education as she
developed some condition of hearing loss. She was teaching Sanskrit in return. One
day, she visited an establishment for 'falling women' and found how that institution
extended compassion to the needy and distressed women and children there. It was a
part of the same Christian organisation. She then realized that Jesus was the Divine
Saviour, and convinced herself that only Jesus could transform and uplift the
downtrodden women of India. Therefore, both the mother and child got baptized in
Wantage. They stayed in that place for about a year.

They then shifted to the Cheltenham Ladies' College, and stayed there until February
1886, where she worked as a Professor of Sanskrit.

It was in 1886, she got an invitation from Dr. Rachel Bodley, Dean of the Women's
Medical College of Philadelphia in the United States of America. The occasion was the
graduation ceremony of the first female Indian doctor, Anandibai Joshi (she was the
cousin of Ramabai). She got exposed to the late 19th-century American feminist
activities –literature, activists, and movements during her stay there. She devoted her
time to translating texts, writing her book in English 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman',
and delivering lectures across the United States. There she conceived the idea of
creating a school like kindergartens for numerous Hindu widows and Widows' Home
in India. Therefore, she tried hard to raise funds for that. Two means she chose. One,
was delivering lectures, and the other, was organization of the "Ramabai Circles". The
plights of the child brides and child widows and the position of the Hindu women were
the main themes of her lectures. In the process, she could raise about Rs. 60,000 (in
that time) for her planned school project. Before leaving the United States, Ramabai
ensured that her fans and followers must form the Ramabai Association. Boston was
chosen as the headquarters of the association. The President and vice presidents of the
association were chosen from five religious denominations. The Board of Trustees was
composed of the best business intellects of Boston, whereas the Executive Committee
was exclusively comprised of women. The target was to establish Ramabai Circles
throughout the United States the members of which would contribute financially to
Pandita Ramabai's work among the Indian women for a decade.

She returned to India with Manorama via Canada, China and Japan, and landed in
Bombay (now Mumbai) on February 1, 1889 after six years staying away from India.
20
2.7 HER SOCIAL MISSIONS AND THE ORGANISATIONS

Ramabai was a great social reformer and she devoted her life to bring improvement in
the lot of the Hindu women in India. In this context, a discussion on her social missions
and the organisations she established for that purpose needs elaboration. The notable
among such organisations were Arya Mahila Samaj (Arya Women's Society), Sharada
Sadan (Adobe of Wisdom), and Mukti.

2.7.1 Arya Mahila Samaj (Arya Women's Society)

Following the death of her husband in 1882, she moved to Poona. A group of reformers
and educated people had started advocating for social justice, including women's
issues. Ramabai utilised the mood and platform to alleviate the position of oppressed
women and girls. She threw herself into the social reform movement in the Marathi-
speaking Bombay Presidency, joining herself with the Prarthana Samaj based on the
ideals of the Brahmo Samaj of Calcutta. Her lectures made a positive impact on the
enlightened masses in Poona. In the process she founded Arya Mahila Samaj (Arya
Women's Society) for the promotion of women's education and the prevention of child
marriage on November 30, 1882. It was in line of the reforms undertaken by the
Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta. It was founded with the aim of 'empowering and educating
each woman to lead a dignified life.' She covered important parts of the Bombay
Presidency and thus the branches of the Arya Mahila Samaj were formed in various
parts. These organisations (like women's clubs to discuss social reform issues from
women's own perspective) were created to mobilise women to realize the necessity of
the social reforms and to demand for those. She envisioned that in those Samajs the
teachers would be trained to teach women. Her plan was that all women would be
taught Sanskrit scriptures, grammar, history, geography, arithmetic and a little
medicine, and such other accomplishments as cooking, cleaning, sewing and
needlework, etc. Ramabai advised her fellow sisters through her lectures how to
prepare them for marriage (by choice); and how to be a good companion of their
husbands and an ideal mother to their children.

Such societies were devoid of the androcentric bias inherent in social reforms proposed
by masculine leadership. It was therefore unacceptable to the conservative segment of
such leadership.

21
2.7.1.1 Arya Mahila Samaj and the Hunter Commission

Hunter Commission was a landmark commission for educational reforms in India.

Viceroy Lord Ripon appointed it in 1882 to look into the status of women and
elementary education in the British territories. The commission was named after Sir
William Wilson Hunter who was a member of Indian Civil Service. Ramabai got an
opportunity to put forth her views before the Commission on behalf of the Arya Mahila
Samaj. She depicted before the Commission about the lack of education for women
and their deplorable social conditions. The patriarchy question was raised which
hindered the women their rightful place. Ramabai demanded women teachers, doctors
and inspectors for girls. She emphatically stated about the problems faced by women
patients as they feel shy to go near male physicians. She explained that women's
conditions were such in India that women could only medically treat them. The absence
of lady physicians was responsible for the death of numerous women patients as
patriarchal thinking never cared for the general health of the women. President Hunter
was invited to a special meeting of the Samaj attended by almost 280 high caste Hindu
women and several European ladies. It was demanded to appoint Indian lady doctors
and the women to be admitted to medical colleges. Nearly fifty women signed the
memorandum written in Marathi.

Being impressed by her eloquence, Dr Hunter got her speech translated from Marathi
to English, and it is said that it was communicated to Queen Victoria. She was so
impressed by the passionate demands of the Samajists that subsequently, women's
hospitals were established and medical training for the first female physicians in India
was set up. Immediately, a few British women doctors and nurses were dispatched to
India under Dufferin Scheme.

2.7.2 Sharada Sadan (Adobe of Wisdom)

As said earlier, during her visit to the US she was inspired to see the conditions of
women there and thought of establishing kindergartens and widow homes in India by
raising funds for that purpose. When she returned to India in 1889, she founded Sharada
Sadan in Bombay. It was a secular residential school for high caste child widows. She
also led a delegation of eight women to the Indian National Congress which was
holding its annual session in Bombay in December 1889. It was regarding some

22
important proposal for social reforms. Seeing her intention for social welfare and
patriotic feelings, several Hindu reformers too extended their support to it despite their
feelings against her conversion to Christianity. It included the noted social reformer
M.G. Ranade. He was its adviser.

Initially, two students were enrolled and the curriculum wastaught in three languages -
Marathi, English, and Sanskrit. The primary goal was not to "promulgate" Christianity.
She was rather willing to provide such conditions that all would get religious freedom
in performing their sacred rites and by observing the customs of caste.

Ramabai’s religious neutrality was not acceptable to the Christians in India. However,
she did leave her love for and adherence to the Christian faith. In 1890 she shifted the
Sadan to Poona for making it more effective. Some students gradually showed interest
to participate in the private prayers at her home. As those students of high caste Hindu
families developed more interest in knowing about Christianity, they were converted
into Christianity. That conversion issue made the Hindu social reformers distance them
from the Sadan, and the Hindu parents too withdrew their children from the Sadan. The
Sadan was criticized as a means of conversion.

Thus in 1891 the Sadan came under siege. However, Ramabai through her letters
written to her English friends wrote about the suffering and stigma faced by the young
or child widows. She rather justified how the Sadan was taking an initiative to make
their lives really meaningful.

2.7.3 Mukti

That incident during the siege of the Sadan was very shocking for her. She had a
farmland in a place called Kedgaon, that was 40 miles away from Poona. She shifted
her Sadan to there and renamed that as Mukti Mission. She wished to make it a self-
reliant community. It followed by a dreadful famine and plague epidemic in Central
India in 1896. That made many women victims. She then mobilised her own girls to
trace the upper caste widows, famine victims, sexually victimised women, and blind
women. She provided shelter to them by constructing tents on that land. She
vehemently criticised the government for the plights of such large number of women
in the hospitals. She created a separate section for them and established a rescue home
called the Kripa Sadan (Home of Mercy). It gave shelter especially to more than 350
23
famine victims who had been sexually abused. In her books she mentioned that all of
them were suffering owing to the terrible customs of child-marriage, polygamy and
enforced widowhood.

The number of the residents of the Mukti Mission reached 1500 by the year 1900 and
there were over a hundred cattle inside that. It was by that time her daughter Manorama
came from the US and she joined hands with her mother to run the Mukti Mission.
Manorama published a bulletin called The Mukti Prayer Bell symbolically to promote
and advocate for the political and social freedom of such a community of sufferers.
Another girls’ school was established by them in Hyderabad.

In the words of Keith J.White (no date), “The intention of Mukti was that women
should be accepted, nurtured, loved, trained, and equipped to take their place in Indian
society whether as parents, teachers, nurses, or Bible women. It was a place of
empowerment and transformation —a model Christian community following the
teaching of Jesus and the life of the early Christians.”

To make them self-reliant they were given the training how to cook, clean, sew, weave
besides study. They knew embroidery, and carpentry, and were running printing press.
This was how Ramabai spearheaded the feminist revolution in India by providing
shelter to the destitute and fallen women. The Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission still
exists today. They are given support for housing, education, vocational training, etc.
For her activities she was awarded the Kaiser-e-Hind gold medal in 1919 by the British
Government.

2.8 GENDER AND WOMEN ISSUES

Despite Ramabai’s contributions to women’s movement in India her name did not
appear in the dominant nationalist discourse until the emergence of feministic debates
in India. Thought she made the people of America and elsewhere aware of the plight
of the high caste Hindu women during her visit to that country and through her works,
she was cornered because she was a woman who fought against patriarchy. Her
marginalisation has been attributed to her gender, fierce opposition to patriarchy, and
her views on the position of women in Hindu society. She was dreaming of a new
Indian society where women would play a key role by unleashing their full potential.
Therefore, she was fighting for their emancipation.
24
Her life was a bright example of how she did not accept the rationality behind gender
discrimination. She rather championed the cause of gender equality. Earlier it is already
stated that because of her enlightened father, she was not forced to marry when she was
a child and she got an education and access to study the Hindu scriptures which were
denied to women of her time. She, therefore, read the Vedas when Mr. Keshav Chandra
Sen asked her to do so.

If one looks at her marriage to Medhavi –a lower caste Hindu one finds that she was
able to select her husband. She broke all caste rules by marrying Bipin Behari Das
whom she referred to as a Sudra. She used to address her husband by name instead of
‘my lord’ and other such titles which was like a custom those days. That was
unacceptable to the women in her surroundings but she did not care for that. She did
the same thing while naming her only child. She preferred to keep her name as
Manorama, or joy of heart instead of the derogatory names given to the girl babies by
most families, who preferred male children, especially for the first child. It is also
known that when her husband died after sixteen months of her marriage she did not
stay in her in-laws house in Assam to suffer the stigma all the young widows were
facing. She rather took the baby in her arms and came to Poona to fight against the ill-
treatment of such women by the then Hindu society, and for their emancipation.

Ramabai was very critical about human suffering. In her book Pandita Ramabai’s
America she has described how the Native Americans and African Americans were
facing discrimination. In the same book in one chapter entitled ‘The Condition of
Women’ she has stated her views as a critique the British colonialism and Hindu
Brahminical oppression. In another chapter in the same book titled as ‘Domestic
Conditions’ she made a comparison between the US and Indian treatment of animals
just to say sarcastically how the Hindus were treating their women. To her, unlike the
Americans, the Hindus were more kind to animals than humans.

It is said that to writing Ramabai’s life story is regarded same as writing the history of
the first-wave feminism she initiated in western India. The region covering Bombay
Presidency witnessed the same scene about women’s suffering despite the introduction
of reforms in Bengal and that region later on. According to her the reforms were too
having patriarchal links. She therefore, asserted that a woman could say what would
have been better for her. The common Indian gender-related reform issues were child
25
marriage, early cohabitation, enforced widowhood, and lack of education (while
additional issues of special concern in Bengal were polygamy and widow immolation
or sati).Ramabai used two separate means to expose the wrongs in the Hindu society,
one, her writings and the other, her lectures and organisations. She did it with a militant
tone and fearless analysis to emancipate women. She wished to give the women a real
taste of freedom by emancipating them from the clutches of the cruel customary
practices in Indian society.

It was due to her conviction and realization; she wished that her fellow sisters in India
should read the Bible for their knowledge and for their self-discovery. Ramabai
regarded it as a radical instrument of change. She therefore, devoted the last twelve
years of her life for the translation of the Bible from the original Greek and Hebrew to
Marathi. She believed that the Divine Saviour (Christ) could only transform and uplift
the downtrodden women of India. It might be her personal conviction but her intention
was clear that she was dreaming of women emancipation and liberation.

2.9 RELIGIOUS ORTHODOXY

Ramabai was a religious woman if one carefully looks at her life. She was the person
who got by heart the 1800-odd Sanskrit verses from the great Hindu scriptures; and she
was the same woman who became a Christian convert later on and translated the Bible
into Marathi. However, she was not a blind believer of all such religions or faiths.
Rationality was her key to accept or reject any of such faiths.

She was born as a High caste Hindu –called Brahmin. She, however, did not buy all
the justifications of caste about its treatment of women. When she opened the Abode
of Wisdom called Sarada Sadan in 1892, she was disheartened to see many older
women widows who had shaved their heads and hid their faces in their saris to hide the
disfigurement imposed by cruel customs. She could not approve of the disqualifications
imposed on Hindu women to study the ancient Hindu texts such as the Vedas and
Upanishads, etc. Likewise, the sufferinWg of the child widows was unbearable to her.
The girl children were neither responsible for their marriage nor their widowhood. It
was similar like the customary practice of Sati (Sutee) where the widows –child, young
or old, were burnt alive in the funeral pyre of their deceased husbands. She was having
the same view regarding the custom of the temple prostitutes. There was a hand of

26
patriarchy and Hindu customs in it. Despite that they had to suffer in the society without
a fault of theirs. All those attitudes were legitimised, she argued, by a patriarchal
reading and explanation of such sacred texts. She therefore, opposed vehemently such
oppression of women. She deplored the belief that "women of high and low caste, as a
class, were bad, very bad, worse than demons, as unholy as untruth." Similarly she
could not come to term with the belief that women, like people of lower castes, could
not obtain mukti (ultimate liberation or salvation) unless they were reincarnated as
Brahman men by virtue of their merit.

Her search for truth, in the beginning, took her nearer to the reformers of Hinduism in
the shape of Brahmo Samaj activities. She appreciated their approach to caste and
religion. However, later on she found the reforms in the Samaj too patriarchal.
Therefore, she showed her inclination to learn Lord Christ and Christianity. She started
believing that Christianity had a solution to the problems faced by women. Hence, she
got baptised in England. In that connection Meera Kosambi writes that Ramabai
regarded her own conversion to Christianity as a protest against the inherent
discrimination against women in Hinduism. However, it was her personal reaction not
social formula.

She started learning Christianity and studied the Bible and other Christian texts.
However, she was unhappy to see the multiplicity of Christian denominations and
creeds of churches. She did not wish to be identified with a particular one. Therefore,
she was an Anglican in a formal sense but she was more than a mere follower. She
regarded the British high church Anglicanism as narrow. Ramabai rather was looking
for a comprehensive Christianity. Hence Ramabai articulated her guiding principles in
the following words. She wrote "I believe in Christ . . . But at the same time, I shall not
bind myself to believe in and accept everything that is taught by the church; before I
accept it I must be convinced that it is according to Christ's teaching." At some other
place, she had written that, “I had found the Christian religion, but not Christ,Who is
the life of the religion.” She opposed to the idea of Trinity as preached in Catholic
faith that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. According to
her accepting Christ as both the God and His Son was confusing. She was not at all
interested to subscribe to the practice of polytheism as in Hindu. She was also opposed

27
to the Anglican doctrine of Trinity where it was said salvation would not come to the
followers of the Christians of other denominations.

If one goes through the letters of Ramabai written to Sister Geraldine, one can
understand how Ramabai was critical about the implicit racial and colonial arrogance
embedded in the Anglican Church.

The above account shows how she was not blind to the orthodoxy inherent in the
religions of both the East and West. She was against the irrational traditional values
and stereotypes in them.

2.10 SUMMARY

Pandita Ramabai was many in one. She was a dauntless Indian feminist, outstanding
linguist, popular Bible translator, much acclaimed author, leading woman social
reformer, and a unique Christian convert epitomising both cultural Hinduism and
practicing Christianity. In the words of D. K. Karve –she, the famous Indian social
reformer, “was one of the greatest daughters of India." However, Ramabai’s name does
not find due place in the dominant nationalist discourse of her time as she was
vehemently opposing to Hindu patriarchy, especially during her visit to the US. Her
conversion to Christianity cost her reputation in India. Therefore, her views on women
in the Indian society were misjudged as unpatriotic. Therefore, she could not find a
place as it was given to Annie Besant or Sister Nivedita by the nationalists. But she
was a great nationalist as she never had distanced herself from the best of India’s native
cultures including its music, dress, literature and tradition. She insisted that Hindi in
the Devanagari script should be the national language of India. Nevertheless, her entire
life was consecrated to emancipate the position of women in India, and she was a great
champion of women’s education and empowerment. Therefore, she is discussed more
these days and her name is gaining more prominence these days as feminist discourses
are more encouraged and promoted in India now than earlier.

28
2.11 EXCERCISE
1. Write a short note on how she converted from Rambai Dongre Medhavi to
Pandita Rambai Saraswati.
2. Critically examine how Pandita Rambai Converted to Christianity.
3. Discuss the social missions and the organisations of Pandita Rambai.
4. Write short notes on Arya Mahila Samaj & the Hunter Commission.
5. Briefly discuss Pandita Rambai’s views on gender & women issues.

2.12 REFERENCE

 White, Keith J. ( No date) Jesus was her Guru, Christian History and Biography,
Issue 87, pp.12-18.
 M. Kosambi (2000) (ed.), ‘Pandita Ramabai Through her Own Words: Selected
Works’, New Delhi, Oxford University Press.
 Thapar, Romila, (1997) ‘Ashok and the Decline of the Mauryas, ‘ New York,
Oxford University Press.
 • V. Mehta, (1992) ‘Foundations of Indian Political Thought, New Delhi,
Manohar Publications.
 • V.P. Varma, (1974) ‘Studies in Hindu Political Thought and Its Metaphysical
Foundations’, New Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass.

29
UNIT-3 VIVEKANANDA: IDEAL SOCIETY,
HUMANISM AND NATIONALISM

Structure

3.1 Objectives

3.2 Introduction

3.3 ‘Ideal Society’ as envisaged by Vivekananda

3.3.1 Caste System

3.3.2 Importance of caste

3.3.3 Scheme of Ideal Society

3.3.4 Analysis of ‘Ideal Society

3.3.5 Social Westernization-- Is ‘Ideal Society’ possible?

3.4 Swami Vivekananda’s Humanism

3.4.1 Swami Vivekananda’s Spiritual Humanism

3.4.2 Vivekananda's Humanism Vs. Ambedkar’s Humanism.

3.4.3 Assessment of Vivekananda’s Humanism

3.5 Swami Vivekananda’s on Nationalism

3.5.1 Swami Vivekananda’s Views on Nationalism

3.5.2 Assessment of Swami Vivekananda’s Nationalism

3.6 Summary

3.7 Exercises

3.8 .References

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3.1 OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able :

 To know the Scheme of the Ideal Society of Vivekananda

 To make an Assessment of Vivekananda’s Humanism
 To Analyse Swami Vivekananda’s Nationalism

3.2 INTRODUCTION

Swami Vivekananda was the hero of the spiritual world whose inner strength and
beauty, grace, and dignity had a deep impact upon his worldly man. Many of his
followers in India and abroad professed to spiritualize their life under his guidance. It
was his life present and past, east and west. He was a Vedantist who preached his
concept of universal religion. He was a leader in nationalist championing, India’s
independence, an internationalist, advocating an interdependent world order, a social
reformer, making a crusade against social prejudice, and a humanist who believes inner
goodness of man.

Notwithstanding his immense love for humanity, Swami Vivekananda always pointed
out the drawbacks in the attitude of people, especially those who compromised with the
principle of egalitarianism. He valued Equality very much. He appreciated
Mohammedanism (Islam) for its equal treatment of all believers. He implicitly
criticized the Christians for not specifically promoting social equality. According to
him the basic premise of any religion is that “all men are equal”. He did not hesitate
whenever he noticed any departure from the basic premises he followed.

3.3 ‘IDEAL SOCIETY’ AS ENVISAGED BY VIVEKANANDA

Two difficult hurdles are faced in attempting to understand Vivekananda’s concept of

‘Ideal Society. Firstly, his views and ideas relating to the ‘Ideal Society’ are scattered
throughout his writings. Secondly, many of his biographers did not extensively deal
with his concept of ‘Ideal Society. Among the biographers of Vivekananda, Abraham
Stephen, Hiltrud Rustau, and V. Brodov have in contrast to the other biographers,
extensively dealt with this ideal. Hence, the analysis of the ‘Ideal Society’ is based on
the utterances and writings of Vivekananda himself, and also the writings of his
biographers. V. K. Arora vividly summarizes Vivekananda’s understanding of society
as well as its features: Society is a Divine creation, an aggregate of different
individuals, with religion as the backbone. Its features are essentially self-sacrifice for
well-being, gradual transition to being ‘one’ with the society, and the final result of

31
human relations cooperatively shared happiness. This view depicts Vivekananda’s
understanding of society as individualistic and socialistic. Moreover, religion and
spirituality play a major part in it. To Vivekananda, Societies should be moulded upon
Truth, and Truth has not to adjust itself to society. For Vivekananda, the progress of
human society must be informed and directed by sensitiveness to spiritual values. He
also believes that every society has its rise and fall. This motion is always going on.
The Neo-Vedanta philosophy of Vivekananda was directed to increase the cultural
strength of Hinduism and pave the way for the growth of nationalism in modern India.
He interpreted Indian nationalism in the context of Reformation and Rejuvenation of
Hinduism.

3.3.1 Caste System

The starting point to understand Vivekananda’s concept of society would be caste as

explained by him. Vivekananda has divided society into two castes —the higher caste
(Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya) and the lower caste (Shudra). He justifies his
contention by saying that in the history of the world, the three upper castes had, in
succession, ruled the society. It would be relevant to quote Vivekananda himself:
Human society is in turn governed by the four castes—the priests, the soldiers, the
traders, and the labourers. Vivekananda’s approach to caste was moderate and
humanistic rather than revolutionaries. Like Aristotle, he was a safe conservative. The
priests (Brahmins) cultivate the mind, the military (Kshatriya) rule is tyrannical and
cruel, but they are not exclusive, and the commercial (Vaishya) rule comes next which
is awful in its silent crushing and blood-sucking power. Its advantage is, as the trader
himself goes everywhere, he is a good disseminator of ideas, but culture begins to
decay. In the end, the labourer (Shudra) rule will come and its advantages lie in the
distribution of physical comforts,—its disadvantages (perhaps) the lowering of culture.
There will be a great distribution of ordinary education, but extraordinary geniuses will
be less and less. He views that all the three upper castes had completed their turn and
now, it was the turn of the Shudras to have their rule in society. He opines that the other
rules had been experienced but found unsatisfactory, and it was a time for the Shudras
to have their turn. In this context, Vivekananda has envisaged the ‘Ideal Society. In the
opinion of Vivekananda, if it is possible to form a state in which the knowledge of the
priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive character of the commercial,
and the ideal equality of the last in the social ladder can all be kept intact, minus their
evils, it will be an ideal state.

3.3.2 Importance of Caste

Vivekananda’s ‘Ideal Society’ was based on caste. But, for him, caste, which is
opposed to the Vedanta philosophy, is a social custom, the outgrowth of political
institutions, and a hereditary trade guild. In Vivekananda’s scheme, there will exist
only one caste in the Ideal Society because the lower will be raised to the level of the
higher. It also gives the impression that society should try to overcome the lapses of
the four periods of the past, yet preserve the advantages of each period. The ideal at
32
one end is the Brahmin and at the other is the Chandàla, and the whole work is to raise
the Chandàla to the status of the Brahmin. Vivekananda argues that the knowledge of
Sanskrit would be the best way to level up caste distinctions. To this, he adds that
‘Brahminhood’ is the ideal of humanity in India in which worldliness is absent and true
wisdom is abundantly present. In his ‘Ideal Society,’ Vivekananda asserts that there
will be no space for privileges of force, wealth, intelligence, birth, or spirituality.
Within this concept of ‘Ideal Society,’ Vivekananda also envisioned the indispensable
presence of ideal men and ideal women. Vivekananda’s concept of the ‘Ideal Society’
gives a call to build a society in the tradition of ancient India, where qualities similar
to those manifested by Ràma and Sità, his models, would be evident. Thus the Swami
tried to lay a foundation of the Indian society based on Hindu morality using religion
as the impelling force. Moreover, the ‘Ideal Society’ has to realize the ideal of oneness.
Vivekananda also believes that the combination of the Greek mind represented by the
external European energy added to the Hindu spirituality would help in the formation
of an ideal Indian society. Vivekananda also adds that the Ideal Society would be the
one in which the Indian idea of spiritual integrity and the Western idea of social
progress would be synthesized. The western idea of social progress indicates social
liberty, democracy, and a dose of materialism. Ideal Society is characterized by the
energy of love of independence, the spirit of self-reliance, the bond of unity of purpose,
and the thirst for improvement.

3.3.3 Scheme of Ideal Society

Swami Vivekananda was a great votary of equality. He was always for But he had an
interesting explanation for the great inequality prevalent in all societies in all spheres
of life. He termed inequality as a prerequisite for creation. It was inequality that
motivated people to achieve equality and hence it was at the root of all creation.
Vivekananda brought out the positive side of inequality. If equality is attained,
equilibrium is achieved. Vivekananda’s explanation of inequality acting as a catalyst
for change in society did not mean that he supported inequality. The Chaturbarna
system which was an occupational distribution in the ancient period was termed by
him as a trade guild

Vivekananda went to the extent of saying that the caste system is opposed to the
religion of the Vedanta. It was a training school for the undeveloped mind. One must
develop in one’s heart the feeling of the all-around good of all people irrespective of
caste or colour, to achieve the real ideal of life. He considered the caste feeling a barrier
to one’s spiritual development. Vivekananda knew well that culture and education were
the two tools to transform society. He understood that only education could bring about
social change. Swami Vivekananda always stressed education. But his concept of
education was not filling people’s brains with some facts only. He said that the ideal of
education was for one to achieve mastery over one’s mind it was in the Upanishadic
tradition of attaining self-control and realizing the understanding of Tattvamasi. Lack
of self-discipline has created havoc in the educated society. So Vivekananda said that

33
‘intellectual education’ alone was not sufficient as it did not take care of the heart and
made people selfish. He said that whenever there was a conflict between heart and
intellect, one should follow the heart. Vivekananda also advocated education for
women. During his time, very few women were educated. It was not for the male
society to decide what reform was necessary for women; it should be decided by
women themselves. He understood very well that education and social decision-making
were interrelated. It was education that endowed decision-making power on one.

3.3.4 Analysis of ‘Ideal Society

Vivekananda was optimistic about using education to remove class divisions in society.
He was an advocate of education for the underprivileged section. He criticized the
educated section of the society for appropriating the fruits of the labour of the lower
classes. As a supporter of social equality, he asked the higher classes to help the lower
classes in getting their legitimate rights. He gave the impression that Education was for
the masses.

He was a man of society. He never denounced the life of the householder to highlight
the life of renunciation. For him, everyone was great in one’s place. The duty of each
was different. So one should follow one’s duty. He advised people about their roles,
how the parents should treat children, and how children should treat parents. He advised
spouses to be loyal to one another. According to him, the householders should be
Karma-Yogi or selfless workers. Moreover, they should speak the truth. He understood
that untruth was at the root of all corruption and problems in society.
Swami Vivekananda had a distinct opinion about the institution of marriage. He said
categorically that “life to everyone must be a compromise”. Swami Vivekananda
highlighted the importance of the institution of marriage as an important part of
civilization. It was because if every man and woman were allowed the freedom to take
any woman or man as a spouse, there would be chaos in the society and all-around evil
effects. Clearly, he understood the social importance of the institution of marriage.

Swami Vivekananda spoke highly of the status of women in society. He said proudly
that women earned high honour and status in Indian society. The mother is the “centre
of the family”. Indian women enjoyed property rights for thousands of years and they
inherited deceased husbands’ property. Swami Vivekananda declared proudly that
India was the land of Sita and Savitri. Indian women personified compassion,
contentment, and reverence, which were rare elsewhere. He did not hesitate to say that
Western women were more like men and that feminine modesty, as well as reserve,
were found in India alone. Swami Vivekananda laid great importance on everyone
performing one’s duty. One should perform one’s duty without expecting any reward.
Thus he preached the Karma-Yoga principle of Geeta.

3.3.5 Social Westernization--Is‘Ideal Society’ possible?

34
He was against social westernization. He said India should grow according to her
traditions. He pointed out that reform is not the answer, but what is needed is growth
on national lines. But is such an ‘Ideal Society’ possible? Vivekananda did not give a
direct answer. Yet, in his attempts to realize his ‘Ideal Society’ he brings forth valuable
suggestions that he thought would be adequate to realize what he envisaged. He
demanded the practical realization of oneness by having faith in oneself, self-
confidence, compassion for one’s fellow beings, and tolerance. This oneness, the
essential ideal of Neo-Vedanta, is what Vivekananda desired as the first step. Secondly,
he felt that elevation of the masses was another step needed for the realization of the
‘Ideal Society. He also stated that the spirit of equality, freedom, work and energy
should be ensured without hurting the religious beliefs of the masses. The masses are
to be given their lost individuality. They are to be educated. When they will be
educated, Vivekananda believes, they will identify the agents of social oppression and
understand the hollowness of the so-called superiority of birth claimed by the high
castes. As mentioned earlier, Vivekananda did not believe that the caste system was
part of religion; in fact, he wanted people to know that it was a social system necessary
to maintain stability. The third step that Vivekananda suggested is the application of
religious ideas to society. He did not, however, forget to mention that religion should
be kept within its proper limits and that must give freedom to society to grow.

3.4 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S HUMANISM

Humanism gives stresses the importance of human values and dignity. It is proposed
that people’s problems can be resolved through the use of science and reason.
Sidetracking religious traditions Humanism focuses on helping people to achieve
personal growth, and make the world a better place to live in. Humanism is presented
as a feeling of fellowship.

3.4.1 Swami Vivekananda’s Spiritual Humanism

Swami Vivekananda’s humanism was spiritual. Humanism concerns itself with the
issue concerning man in society. It searches for individual identity, equality, and
rationality. The unique contribution of Vivekananda was his development of the idea
of scientific spiritualism. In India, Swamiji was one of the early pioneers of the idea of
Humanism. The core of his humanism was the study of man in depth which is the basic
theme of adhyatma vidya of Vedanta. The development of science in the West was able
to give knowledge of man’s physiology; of his anatomy and neurology, and also
something of his behaviourist psychology, but it was lacking in explaining what lay the
foundation of man’s existence. The practice of humanism implies the expansion of the
self of man. There is a transition from the sphere of self-interest to the sphere of the
active concern for the societal interests of others. It is to raise the man from the level
of his petty interests to the level of the interest of the whole of humanity. Swamiji was
of the view that every citizen and social functionary needs to grasp this truth and
endeavour to live it according to one’s strength. Swamiji found the problem of

35
assimilation embedded in Indian Society. Swamiji’s integral humanism is interpreted
as an eternal philosophy of social existence and progress. To him, each soul is
potentially divine. Swamiji insists that the people should develop the spirit of
humanism gradually until it unfurls and blossoms into divine power. Vivekananda’s
humanistic approach finds based on a grand philosophy of life. His humanism was a
harmonious development of the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual sides of nature.

Swamiji’s concept of humanism bears a unique stamp of individual power and

potentiality. It is ‘intensely human, even suprahuman.’ It cannot be equalled with the
prevalent idea of humanism in the West or with scientific humanism. It is a different
form strengthened and sustained by the ignition of the divine spark in man as supported
by Vedantic thought. This is the strength and relevance of Vivekananda’s Vedantic
humanism, echoed in present-day Biology as psycho-social evolution, an evolution
from the organic level to the ethical and moral levels. In his scheme of Vedantic
humanism, education plays a vital part which covers (i) Sila (physical aspect), (ii)
Chitta (mental aspect), and (iii) Prajna (intellectual pursuit or divine possibilities).

His humanism preaches the moral that service to humanity is a service to God. His
practical Vedanta is also important from the point of view of individual good, social
good, national good or national integration, and for humanity as a whole. The
exposition of Vedanta by Vivekananda is called practical or Neo-Vedanta.
Vivekananda’s humanism is based on this universal Vedantic vision of man as the
Atman. In the age of transition in Indian civilization, Vivekananda represents an
interlude between pre and post- oriental Renaissance rekindled the light of Vedantic
humanism from its remote antiquity. Within so short span of 39years and 7 months
(1869-1902) he showed to the world the dignity of the human soul, the potentiality of
the being - a path of enlightened citizenship.

Vivekananda’s concept of Humanism was not confined to the national scene only.
Western humanism which owed its ancestry to ancient Greeks and Romans was much
limited in its scope. It excluded the slaves and the outsiders and even dehumanized the
criminals. With the emergence of Christianity, Christian humanism was addressed
exclusively to the believers, setting aside the non-Christians. The shift of faith from
God to man was in the wake of classical revival during the Renaissance period.
Renaissance humanism is traceable to the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch whose
scholarship and enthusiasm for classical Latin writings gave great impetus to the
humanistic movement that eventually spread from Italy to all of Europe. Again, the
devastation of World War I, Nazi brutalities, and traumatic horrors of World War II
opened more and more avenues for international cooperation and solidarity. In his
lecture on “Vedanta in its Application to Indian Life”, delivered in Madras in 1897,
Vivekananda categorically upheld this vision of human solidarity in the following
words: The second great idea that the world is waiting to receive from our Upanishads
is the solidarity of this universe. The old lines of demarcation and differentiation are
vanishing rapidly. Our Upanishads say that the cause of all misery is ignorance.

36
3.4.2 Vivekananda's Humanism vs Ambedkar's Humanism.

Despite many dissimilarities between Vivekananda's approach to humanism and

Ambedkar's approach to humanism, the following are the important similarities :

(a) Ambedkar advocates social and democratic humanism based on liberty, equality,
and fraternity; while Vivekananda develops spiritual humanism.

(b) Ambedkar's humanism was predominantly confined to the all-round development

of the Untouchables mainly at the first-order level whereas Vivekananda's humanism
is directed towards mankind in general. In this regard, the application of Vivekananda's
humanism is wider in scope than Ambedkar.

(c) Ambedkar was vocal against the role of God, soul, etc. in religion when
Vivekananda was not vocal against God, soul, etc. in religion.

(d) Vivekananda's humanism is based on the essence of Vedanta; the highest mantra
whereas Ambedkar was not an ardent believer of Vedanta.

(e) Vivekananda gives importance to the inner cultivation of the human soul while
Ambedkar has given priority to social, economic, and political rights.

3.4.3 Assessment of Vivekananda’s Humanism

In the 1950s, a group of psychologists began to develop a theoretical perspective very

different from both behaviourism and psychoanalysis. Humanism arose as a reaction
to these dominant forces in psychology but found its roots in classical and Renaissance
philosophy that emphasized self-realization, that is, the ability of a human being to
intentionally grow and develop psychologically, intellectually, and ethically. The
philosophy of Swami Vivekananda is a gospel of humanism, for man is the pillar of his
life and thinking.

3.5 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S ON NATIONALISM

The idea of Nationalism came to India during colonial rule which embodied the idea of
loyalty to one’s nation-state, defined by territorial boundaries. Swami Vivekananda’s
Nationalism, which took birth during the colonial rule and mass poverty and suffering
of the masses, was based on Indian spirituality, morality, and religion and considered
a nation to be composed of masses rather than territories. It relied on the belief in
nationalism as an effective and adequate instrument for the fulfilment of India's destiny.

Swami Vivekananda’s Nationalism is associated with Spiritualism. He linked India’s

regeneration to her age-old tradition of spiritual goals. He said, “Each nation has the
37
destiny to fulfil, each nation has a message to deliver, each nation has a mission to
accomplish. Therefore we must have to understand the mission of our race, the destiny
it has to fulfil, the place it has to occupy in the march of nations, the role which it has
to contribute to the harmony of races”.

3.5.1 Swami Vivekananda’s Views On Nationalism

Vivekananda felt that Indian nationalism had to be built on the stable foundation of
the past historical heritage comprising religion and spirituality, through which Indians
will draw pride and self-respect. His emphasis on the idea that ‘Religion in India has
been a creative force of integration and stability, led him to revive the eternal things of
the Vedas and Upanishads to strengthen the nation’s growth and faith in its
individuality. He laid the foundation of spiritual nationalism in India. His Chicago
massage brought a turning point in his history in India. It laid to reawakening and
generated self-confidence in every Indian

Vivekananda’s Nationalism is also premised upon “Karmyoga” a system of ethics to

attain both political and spiritual freedom through selfless service and readiness for
supreme sacrifices in duty towards the motherland.

Swami Vivekananda’s idea of Nationalism is based on the two cardinal features of

Indian spiritual culture:- i). Humanism and ii). Universalism The nature of his
Nationalism is not materialistic but purely spiritual, which is considered to be the
source of all strength of Indian life. Unlike western nationalism which is secular,
Swami Vivekananda’s Nationalism is based on Religion which is the life-blood of the
Indian people. In this way, the idea of Nationalism of Vivekananda was different from
the materialistic and secular western form of nationalism which emphasized more on
the idea of the nation-state. The values of his Nationalism were derived from his deep
concern for the masses, freedom, and equality through which one expresses self and
spiritual integration of all based on universal brotherhood.

Vivekananda indirectly opposed the British political Imperialism and exploitative

Colonialism. His Nationalist Movement played an important role in the displacement
of the British emperor. Vivekananda’s Nationalism was based on Spiritualism,
Patriotism, and Religion. He linked the Indians with Vedas, Puranas, Bhagwat Geeta,
and the rich past heritage. He was also a great patriot. He stressed selfless service and
a sense of human dignity for National Integration. He believed that in India, religion
has been a creative force for stability and integration. He gave an idea of strength and
fearlessness to the Indian people. He also worked for removing the social evils like the
caste system, purdah system, untouchability, child marriage, etc. which were the
hurdles on the path of Indian nationalism. He considered education as the panacea to
all social and religious problems. He brought a synthesis between Nationalism and
Internationalism. At World Religion Summit in Chicago in 1893, he taught the whole

38
world a lesson about Universal Brotherhood. Hinduism is a political religion that
teaches the lessons of service and self-sacrifice.

Thus, four important components are found In Vivekananda's theory of Nationalism

which may be enumerated as:
 There was unity and oneness among the Indian people despite their outward
diversity.
 It was necessary to remove caste differences to inculcate the spirit of social
solidarity.
 There were similarities in the teachings of different religions and India
consisted of all religious, communities.
 National spirit in India could be developed by young people by devoting their
life to social service and national awakening.

3.5.2 Assessment of SwamiVivekananda’s Nationalism

India is one of the ancient lands where culture, philosophy, civilization, and religion
took their birth and reached their peak. It is the place where many people with their
different cultures are assimilated and integrated. It faced many cruel invasions but
remained firm and united. Because of its great past heritage, it gave some great
personalities who taught the world a lesson about unity, humanity, brotherhood, etc.
Vivekananda is one of them. He might be called the father of modern Indian
nationalism. He considered the duty to the motherland as the first duty. He took
motherland as a deity to be worshipped. He created a national consciousness amongst
all Indians. He showed the richness of past Indian culture in modern times. He was the
symbol of national unity. Vivekananda believed in the theory 'Unity in variety is the
plan of creation. Unity in diversity helps in Nation -building. He didn't impose one
religion on everybody but rather preached that the main core of all religions is one.
Vivekananda says that the best form of worship was to see God in the poor, the
downtrodden, the sick, and the ignorant and to serve them. He believed that in India,
religion has been a creative force in instability, and national integration. He gave an
idea of strength and fearlessness to Indians. He declared, 'essence of my religion is
strength'. Another base of Vivekananda's nationalism was spirituality. He told the
Indians about their great past culture. He considered spirituality as the main strength of
India which frees a man from all bondages and make him liberated. He was of the view
that the Indians should be proud of their history, culture, and religion and should try to
reform them in the light of the demands of time. The awakening of the spirit of India
was the goal of young people. Hence, he asked the youth to "Arise, Awake and Stop
not till the Goal is reached." Swamiji came as a stirring force to awaken Indian
nationalism. He was neither influenced by Garibaldi, Maziuinar nor any western
thinkers. It was his realization, devotion to the motherland, and a crowd for the masses
that made him a great nationalist.

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3.6 SUMMARY

Swami Vivekananda was born Narendra Nath Datta, on 12th January 1863. He was a
monk and chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He introduced Indian
philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising
interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the world stage during the late 19th
century. Vivekananda gave a new theory of ethics and a new principle of morality
based on the intrinsic purity and oneness of the Atman. Ethics according to
Vivekananda was nothing but a code of conduct that helps a man to be a good citizen.
He established Ramakrishna Mission in 1987, named after his Guru Swami
Ramakrishna Paramhansa. The institution did extensive educational and philanthropic
work in India. He also represented India in the first Parliament of Religion held in
Chicago (U.S.) in 1893.
Swami Vivekananda did not believe in abrupt changes in society. He believed
that socio-economic change can be brought about through education. He wanted both
moral and secular education to be imparted to the common man of this country. One
of the most significant contributions of Swami Vivekananda to the modern world is
his interpretation of religion as a universal experience of transcendent Reality,
common to all humanity. He was critical of Gender Disparity. He was of the view that it
is impossible to think about the welfare of the world unless the condition of women
is improved and a bird can't fly on only one wing

Vivekananda tried his best towards nationalism on a social foundation. He considered

that the caste system, child marriage, sati pratha, and purdah pratha are the restrictions
on the nation's integration. Vivekananda taught India’s tolerance and universal
acceptance of the Hindu religion to the world. Vivekananda spoke on Hinduism,
Buddhism, and harmony among religions up to the end of the parliament on 27
September 1893. He introduced the world to India's liberal spirituality and culture
(ancient Indian philosophy of Vedanta) at this World Parliament of Religions in
Chicago. He attracted widespread attention in the press which called him the ‘Cyclonic
Monk from India’.

Though the growth of Nationalism is attributed to the Western influence Swami

Vivekananda’s nationalism is deeply rooted in Indian spirituality and morality. His
nationalism is based on Humanism and Universalism, the two cardinal features of
Indian spiritual culture. Unlike western nationalism which is secular, Swami
Vivekananda’s nationalism is based on religion which is the lifeblood of the Indian
people.
The basis of his nationalism is a Deep concern for masses, freedom, and equality
through which one expresses self, spiritual integration of the world based on
universal brotherhood. and “Karmyoga” a system of ethics to attain freedom both
political and spiritual through selfless service.

40
Swami Vivekananda saw spirituality as a point of convergence for all religious forces
of diverse India capable of unifying into a national currency. Like Vivekananda,
Aurobindo Ghosh and Mahatma Gandhi also realized that religion and spirituality are
in the veins of Indians and worked for India’s unification through awakening the force
of religion and spirituality. He considered that education is a powerful tool to unlock
the golden door of freedom that can change the world. R.N. Tagore said about
Vivekananda, "If you want to know India, study Vivekananda." India is particular and
the world, in general, will remember him as a great spiritualist, nationalist and
humanist.

3.7 EXERCISES

1. Briefly describe the basic principles of Swami Vivekanand’s philosophy on

Ideal Society.
2. Evaluate Vivekananda’s contribution to Humanism.
3. Discuss briefly Swami Vivekananda's views on Nationalism.

3.8 REFERENCES

 B.C. Pal, the spirit of Indian nationalism.

 The complete works of Swami Vivekananda {Mayavati Memorial Edition},
part-IV, 1971.
 G. R. S. Rao, ‘Vivekananda’s SocioPolitical Relevance’ in Perspectives on
Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Vedanta Tradition, edited by M. Sivaramkrishna &
Sumita Roy (Hyderabad: Sterling Publishers, 1991),
 Ghai, Naresh.(2008) Philosophy: Thinker and thoughts living issues in
Philosophy Cyber-Tech Publication, New Delhi.
 Swami Rangananthananda, Swami Vivekananda: HIS HUMANISM,
Calcutta(1983).
 Swami Vivekananda, Practical Vedanta, (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2001),
 Swami Swahananda, ‘Swami Vivekananda’s Concept of Service’ in Virender
Grover (ed.), Swami Vivekananda, Political Thinkers of Modern India (New
Delhi: Deep and Deep,1993),
 V. K. Arora, The Social and Political Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda
(Calcutta: Punthi Pustak, 1968),
 "Our duty to the masses", the complete works of Swami Vivekananda, volume-
VI.

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UNIT-4 RELIGION AND INTERNATIONALISM OF
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
Structure

4.1 Objectives

4.2 Introduction

4.3 Vivekananda’s views on Religion

4.3.1 Vivekananda’s concept of Hindutva

4.3.2 Vivekananda’s Ideas on Unity of Religions

4.3.3 Harmony of Religions

4.3.4 Vivekananda and the idea of “True Religion”

4.3.5 Universal Religion and Vivekananda

4.3.6 Vivekananda’s Religion and Humanism

4.4 Vivekananda’s views on Internationalism

4.4.1 Enlightened Citizenship and Internationalism

4.5 Summary

4.6 Exercises

4.7 References

4.1 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit the Learners will be able to

 Analyze Vivekananda’s concept of Religion

 Assess Vivekananda’s concept of Hindutva
 Appreciate Vivekananda’s Ideas on the Unity of Religions
 Evaluate Vivekananda’s views on Internationalism

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4.2 INTRODUCTION

According to Vivekananda, the future of the country depends on its people. Religion
plays a vital role in the creation of humankind “preaching to the people their deity, and
their way of making it manifest in every facet of life.” Vivekananda believes that the
two aspects of Religion are: “faith in ourselves and faith in God — which is the secret
of greatness. He noted that the history of the world is the history of a few men who had
faith in themselves, and it is a faith that calls for the divinity within.

Vivekananda marched on the Universal Religion which is often taken to refer to the
concept of One World Religion. It is sometimes used about the religious heritage of
mankind.

Swami Vivekananda's Nationalism had its roots in Spiritualism, Patriotism and

Religion. He emphasized the work of self-sacrifice and the sense of human dignity in
the context of national unity. He gave ideas of power and fearlessness to the people of
India. He worked hard to end the segregation process, the purdah system, the impunity
and the marriage of children, among other social evils. He viewed education as a
solution to all social and religious problems. He also encouraged internationalization
in the same spirit. At the World Congress of Religions in Chicago in 1893, he gave the
idea of a worldwide Brotherhood.

As a True Native, he had a major influence on modern leaders - such as Mahatma

Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. He coined the term ‘Daridra
Narayan’ to mean ‘worshipping the poor is the worship of a God’, many years before
Gandhiji called the oppressed class of people in society ‘Harijan’ (children of the
Gods). Gandhiji had stated that his views got a radical change and his love for his
country grew a thousandfold after studying Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda can easily be hailed as the Father of the Modern Indian Nation.
He was a man who loved true Nationality out and out. Man’s first job is to do self-
sacrificing work in the mother country.

He believed that the main cause of India's fall was the exploitation of the poor. It was
his conviction that only with the upliftment of the poor and oppressed Nationalism can
be established. He urged Indians, especially the youth, to ‘stand up, stand up and stop
not until the goal was achieved.’ He believed that it was very important to instil a sense
of nationalism among the Indians. Through speeches and writings, Vivekananda
conveyed a sense of cultural pride and confidence to the people of India.

Despite several attacks, India has remained strong and united because of its great value.
It has produced a great personality, which has taught the world the lesson of oneness,
humanity, brotherhood and other higher ideologies. Vivekananda inspired the People
of different cultures and ideas to come together and become united for a greater human
cause in the way the People of different cultures and ideologies met and assimilated in
India. He built national awareness among the Indians. He showed the importance of the
43
richness of Indian culture in modern times and was a symbol of national unity. He was
a believer in unity in various ways.

4.3 VIVEKANANDA'S VIEWS ON RELIGION

No one is born into a religion, but each one is born for a religion. No two souls are
exactly alike. One religion may not fit all. Religion is a necessity for the very few, and
for the human race, it is a luxury.

Popular religious views are often small and misleading. Other theories, however,
indicate the possibility of a brighter and more comprehensive one. Vivekananda has
given us a broad but concise explanation of religion: ‘every soul has the power to be
divine. The purpose is to manifest this divinity within by controlling the environment,
both external and internal. Do this with work, worship, magic control or philosophy —
individually, or more, or all of these — and be free. This is the whole of religion.
Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary
details.’

For Vivekananda, Religion was not just a theory, but a real practice to be used in life,
raising the brute into man, and a person to be a god, saying "it is being and becoming,
not hearing or acknowledging; it is the whole soul becoming changed into what it
believes." he hated the religious practices that were practised.

4.3.1 Vivekananda's concept of Hindutva

The word, ‘Hindutva’ is an ambiguous noun formed by combining the Sanskrit word
‘tva’ into ‘Hindu’, which is freely translated as ‘Hinduness’ or Hinduism’ which comes
from a recent source. Although it became popular in Bengali in the late nineteenth
century, its current popularity should be noted in the work of Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar (1883-1966). Although the author of books such as the Indian war of
Independence 1857 (1908) and the Hindu pad-padashahi (1925), there is no doubt that
Savarkar's most important and powerful work is Hindutva; who is Hindu? Written
while Savarkar was imprisoned in the Andaman Islands and later in Ratnagiri, and
Published in 1923, Hindutva became a source of principles that formed the concept of
Hindu Nationalism in the 1920s and is now widely used to describe various Hindu
expressions relating to National organization. The popularity of the term ‘Hindutva’
and its widespread use in the current discourse to describe a wide range of ideas and
organizations has resulted in inaccuracies and ambiguity of meaning. It is also true that
many modern organizations that support the translation of Hindutva doctrines seek
legitimacy by seeking to Preach and spread the ideas and teachings of the Swami
Vivekananda (1863-1902). Given the current religious and political significance of the
various Hindutva versions and the interrelationships made with the life and teachings
of the Swami Vivekananda, it is important to clarify the original context and meaning
of this word as used by V.D. Savarkar to check out the progress claims made with

44
Swami Vivekananda and consider the consequences of any differences in
understanding.

For Vivekananda, a Hindu, first and foremost, is a person who registers for the
teachings and practices of Hinduism. While it is true that Vivekananda identifies the
essence of Hinduism and Vedanta culture and, more specifically, from the worldview
of Advaita, he does not limit his use of the word to Vedanta or Advaita culture.
Vivekananda thought of Hinduism as an umbrella name that includes Vaishnavites,
Shaivites, Shaktas, Vishishtadvatins, Dvaitin and Advatins. The important point here
is that both words describe the nature of religion. "If a Hindu is not a spiritual person,"
says Vivekananda, "I do not call him a Hindu." In Swami Vivekananda's first major
speech before the Religious Parliament, delivered on September 19, 1893, he used the
word ‘Hindu’ consistently as a symbol of religious belief. In one of his most important
speeches entitled, “the common foundation of Hinduism” he delivered in the city of
Lahore after his return to India from Parliament, Swami Vivekananda explored the
teachings and values shared by all Hindus. The Hindu, according to Vivekananda, is
the one who believes in the following: the authority of the Vedas, the god, the order of
the creative cycle, the preservation and consummation, the immortality of the atman
and its inner purity and perfection, rebirth and religion as perfection. . This is
established from one of the most famous and often quoted addresses of Vivekananda
which identifies the key attribute of Hindu Identity.

4.3.2 Vivekananda’s Ideas on Religious Unity

Vivekananda found similar values in all religions and stressed that religions can only
grow in unity if they learn from one another. Followers of all religions produce good
people who are morally upright; such was the case with all religions. This message is
important and relevant to our current religiously divided society. People are targeted
because they follow a religion that is despised. Differences based on religious symbols
and rituals are exaggerated and are portrayed as irreconcilable thereby deepening social
tensions. But Vivekananda explains that all Religions are the same but may have
different characteristics. By emphasizing that Hinduism, in particular, has recognized
this diversity and embraced this fact he said that “unity in variety is the plan of nature,
and the Hindu has recognized it. Every other religion lays down certain fixed dogmas
and tries to force society to adopt them. It places before society only one coat which
must fit Jack and John and Henry, all alike. If it does not fit John or Henry, he must go
without a coat to cover his body. The Hindus have discovered that the absolute can
only be realized, or thought of, or stated, through the relative, and the images, crosses,
and crescents are simply so many symbols--so many pegs to hang the spiritual ideas
on.”

Swami Vivekananda was a fan of Vedanta. To Swami Vivekananda Religion was not
just a statement or a doctrine or a theory in which the religion was visible, as he said,
"it is being and becoming, not hearing or acknowledging; it is the whole soul becoming
changed into what it believes." he also felt that religion was at the heart of all worship
45
and purity. Vivekananda believes that Religion is the idea which is raising the brute
into man and man unto God. He firmly said, despondency cannot be religion.
According to Vivekananda, the most important teaching he received from the
Ramakrishna was that the jiva is the shiva (each person is a personal deity). So he
emphasized the shiva jnane jiva seva, (serving the common people as a manifestation
of God). According to Vivekananda, Man is potentially divine, therefore, to worship a
Man is really to worship a Deity.

4.3.3 Harmony of Religions

Swami Vivekananda felt the greatest misfortune in the world is that we do not tolerate
and accept other religions. In his address to the Religious Parliament on September 15,
1893, he spoke of a frog that lived in a well for a long time, was born and raised there
and thought that nothing in the world could exist which was bigger than that. Swami
Vivekananda holds the story-

“I am Hindu. I sit at my little fountain and think the whole world is my little fountain.
The Christian lives in his little well and thinks the whole world is his source.
Mohammedan lives in his little well and thinks it is the whole world. ”

Swami Vivekananda said that we must not only tolerate other religions but also accept
them with certainty and that the truth is the basis of all religions.

4.3.4 Vivekananda and the concept of “True Religion”

Vivekananda has described the following aspects of True Religion in his views and
ideas scattered here and there finding expression in his speeches and conversations
which may be summed up as follows:

1. “True Religion is good and not evil. It does not consist in merely refraining from evil
but inspires a persistent performance of noble deeds. True religion does not originate
with human philosophy or the occult; it is the awakening of the spirit within us, which
results in pure action and heroism.

2. True Religion is “worship of the spirit by the spirit.”

3. True Religion does not support any religion or belief. No great preacher has ever
preached it and it will also come to an end. Belief in blindness leads to the degeneration
of the human soul. . Religion is a question of being and becoming or existence, not of
believing. “True religion is far from being perfect.”

4. "If any religion is true, then it must be able to show us the soul and show us God and
the Truth in ourselves."

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4.3.5 Universal Religion and Vivekananda

International Religion as opposed to certain religions is considered a form of religion

that is universally accepted outside of political barriers and across racial, national, and
territorial boundaries. It seeks to establish a person's faith over his or her true
personality and promotes higher values such as truth, virtue, justice, love, peace,
progress, etc. It gives attention to basic human values and spiritual personality. It
provides the same platform for all religious groups. Different religions are united by a
spirit of cooperation with a progressive attitude and pragmatic approach.

The Universal Religion can be summed up in the following ten ways. These are the
Ten Commandments of the highest spiritual fulfilment of man as it arises from the basic
premise of the fundamental truth that man is an integral part of the universe and
divinity.

 Oneness of God: that supreme being who one without a second is and whom
different religions call by different names.
 Equality of founders: Respect the founders of all great religions as
messengers of one common message.
 Love of humanity as the visible manifestation of the Supreme.
 Tolerance: Tolerate and try to understand different viewpoints, even the
viewpoints of enemies, heretics, atheists and agnostics.
 Know yourself, realize the foil potential of your existence, and offer your best
in the service of society.
 Follow the middle path, practice moderation, and steer clear of opposite
extremes.
 Love nature as the visible language of the Supreme, and intelligently follow
her guidance.
 Recognize truth wherever you find it, and draw spiritual nourishment from all
available sources.
 Develop a commitment to the highest standards and act as a creative path
 Participate in the evolution of the world into a conscious and lasting unity.

The concept of universal religion found India's soil is very fertile in terms of
nourishment and growth. In ancient India, its main supporters were Ramananda, Kabir
and Dara Shukoh. Kabir compares man's relationship with God to the relationship of
the ocean waves to the ocean itself. Kabir's mission was to preach a religion of Love
that embraced all people.

In addition to the above Stock Vivekananda subscribed that Man may continue to
believe in his religion but it is less than realizing that it is part of the universal religion.
Universal religion is all-pervasive. It provides important unity for all major Religions
of the world. Vivekananda uses one watchword to look at the Universal Religion, the
word 'acceptance'. Acceptance does not mean tolerance. He recommended a good

47
reception and a positive acceptance. Vivekananda recognized that Hinduism was a
progressive spiritual religion.

4.3.6 Vivekananda’s Religion and Humanism

The doctrine of Vivekananda's teaching of service is very powerful. His work in life
was to work for the poor and the downtrodden. He is therefore known as the first Hindu
missionary. His message was one of self-sacrifice and service to others, serving others
without distinction by Class, Category and Gender. He believed that in every creature
there was a God and that each person should be worshipped humbly and especially the
poor people. Serving others fostered the spirit of humanism which he loved very much.
Serving the needy was a real necessity for Vivekananda as it led to Nation- Building
and Man-Making with the development of Human Capital. At the same time, at the
spiritual level, it was a symbol of the fulfilment of human dignity. This emphasizes his
importance to human dignity. He wanted to challenge the selfish tendencies and
inclination of the people to exploit others. He was opposed to all forms of exploitation
and could not condone the exploitation of one sect of society under the pretext of
service.

Vivekananda and his philosophy of religion can be summed up as being truly

humanistic. Vivekananda wanted the Indians to be the first good people - generous,
kind, loving, friendly and dignified. He chose Hinduism and Religion as a way to
inculcate these liberal and international values in the Indians when they were fighting
the colonial powers, caste system, apartheid and bigotry in the country. His speech in
Chicago was greatly appreciated, not because he was apologetic or critical, but because
he demonstrated that religion finds its finest moment in the praxis of interfaith dialogue.
At times, Vivekananda appears to have given the Hindu religion a position of
superiority. But his message of inclusion and the universal nature of Hinduism remain
coherent. His message of service to all and essential unity amongst all religions is a
soothing balm for a society today injured by the fighting of human beings based on
religious and caste identities. His idea of Nationalism did not propagate hatred for
others.

4.4 VIVEKANANDA'S VIEWS ON INTERNATIONALISM

Swami Vivekananda's Nationalism is associated with Spiritualism. He linked the

revival of India with his age-old tradition of spiritual goals. He said, “Each nation has
the destiny to fulfil, each nation has a message to deliver, each nation has a mission to
accomplish. Therefore we must have to understand the mission of our race, the destiny
it has to fulfil, the place it has to occupy in the march of nations, and the role which it
has to contribute to the harmony of races”. His nationality is based on humanism and
universalism, two important aspects of Indian spiritual culture. He taught the people to
be free from self-inflicted slavery and the resulting suffering.

48
The nature of his nationality is not only materialism but also spiritualism, which is
considered to be the source of all the power of Indian life. In contrast to Western
Nationalism, the Nationalism of Swami Vivekananda is based on religion which is the
lifeblood of the Indian people. Deep concern for the masses, the freedom and equality
in which one expresses one's identity, the spiritual integration of the world based on
international brotherhood and the "karma yoga" moral code of liberation both
politically and spiritually through self-sacrificing service forms the basis of one's
nationality.

His writings and speeches stimulated the magic. His words not only irritated the minds
of the Indians but also aroused love for their country. He established the motherland as
the only deity to be worshipped in the mind and hearts of countrymen.

It revived the spirit of the nation by exposing the British policy of profit-making in
completely ignoring Indian interests. Explaining the plans of the European colonies
from the point of view of the Indians, he despised and demoralized the British rulers.
He highlighted the Nationalist Movement that swept the country and a new India
emerged. As he said, “let a new India arise out of the peasant’s cottage grasping the
plough; out of the hearts of the fisherman, the cobbler and the sweeper. Let her spring
from the grocer’s shop, from beside the oven of the fritter-seller. Let her emanate from
the factory, from the marts and the markets. Let her emerge from the groves and forests,
from the hills and mountains”

The courage and determination implanted in the speeches and writings of the Swami
Vivekananda prompted the minds and hearts of the agitating Indians to face all
eventualities against all opposition which was further nurtured by Sri Aurobindo
Ghosh. This high-minded Indian ideology provided a platform for the success of the
Liberation Movement of Mahatma Gandhi based on "ahimsa" and "satyagraha."

Swami Vivekananda saw spirituality as a point of contact for all the various religious
forces in India that we're able to unite the world. Like Vivekananda, Aurbindo Ghosh
and Mahatma Gandhi also realized that Religion and Spirituality formed the basis of
the Indian subcontinent and contributed heavily to the unity of India by awakening
religious and spiritual power.

His speech in Chicago in 1893 established him as the towering and most motivating
person in the Parliament of the World Religions and India as the Mother of all
Religions. A small international greeting in the name of "the world's oldest monastic
order, the Vedic order of the sannyasin, a religion that has taught the world tolerance
and universal acceptance". Swami Vivekananda quoted two illustrative passages from
the "shiva mahimna stotram": "as the different streams having their sources in different
places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O’ Lord, the different paths which men take,
through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead
to thee!" and "whosoever comes to me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men
are struggling through paths that in the end lead to me.”

49
 Despite the brevity of his speech, he expressed the spirit and sense of the universality
of the parliament and cooperation. Some of his speeches in Parliament also had the
same theme of Globalization, emphasizing religious tolerance

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the earth has been in turmoil and is passing
through a period of transformation of some kind. In this hour of human history, the
message of the Swami Vivekananda promotes the spiritual integration of the nation
preparing the ground for the world based on international brotherhood and goodwill. It
has the power to prevent wars and to ensure the peaceful coexistence of peoples and
nations.

Life in Vivekananda is a meeting place of East and West and is a personification of the
harmony of all human forces.

4.4.1 Enlightened Citizenship and Internationalism

The happy, positive and creative interaction of people when imprisoned in one nation
is called the enlightened citizenry. It is found that such Nationalism is not the most
important factor in human development, even in the political and social spheres. It only
becomes higher when it breaks down all the barriers of the world in human
relationships and becomes universal and human. By opening windows and doors to
raise awareness of people around the world, Nationalism is slowly gaining the benefit
of citizenship. That is why there is nothing wrong with our concept of citizenship or
patriotism.

But it needs to be understood that a cheap Cosmopolitanism is not true

Internationalism. Such Cosmopolitans are happy wherever they get advantages,
monetary or other; and they claim to be international in outlook, and rate low all
national patriotisms. That is a very bad concept and a poor attitude. Unless you are
strongly focused on your national consciousness or nationality and discharge your
citizenship responsibilities, you cannot cultivate a robust internationalism.
Internationalism is made of materials stronger than Cosmopolitanism. The road of
growth is through Nationalism to Internationalism - National Humanism flowering
into International humanism. This is known as the Indian version of enlightened
citizenship.
Both his Vedanta philosophy and his scientific understanding revealed to him that
Nations are no different from the Universe. He had a strong view that all Peoples and
Nations are different in the Universe. He had a strong view that all peoples and nations
were part of the universal life - brahman.

He hoped that the Nations by recognizing their status would also recognize the kind of
unity of the universe. He strongly argued that Vedanta or Science did not contradict the
existence of various Races. Thus, he affirmed

50
International Unity and Brotherhood through the diversity of Nationalities and
Religions.

4.5 SUMMARY

According to Vivekananda, Religion is a necessity for life. Physical and physical needs
alone do not fully satisfy a person, even amid luxury one longs for something higher.
This desire is his religious need. Without a sense of satisfaction, he will not survive.

Religion

 One of the most important contributions of Swami Vivekananda to the modern

world is his description of religion as a global phenomenon of supernatural
truth, common to all people.
 This universal concept frees religion from the clutches of superstition,
dogmatism, priestcraft, theology, and intolerance.
 He believed that all religions lead the way to the eternal supreme - supreme
freedom, supreme knowledge, and supreme happiness.
 This can be done by recognizing the human atma as part of the Paramatma

Vivekananda sees and desires the Interfaith Harmony. This is evident in his words to
the Religious Parliament in Chicago. He said, “Much has been said about the unifying
basis of Religious unity. I'm not just going now to make my theory. But if anyone here
hopes that this unity will come through the conquest of any other Religion and the
destruction of another, I say to him, "Brother, your hope is impossible."

Vivekananda's views on Race and Nationality can be summarized as follows: -

(i) The powers of the Nations are in the Spirituality.

(ii) Each Nation represents one essence in life.

(iii) Hatred or ordinary love unites a Nation.

(iv) The ability of the Nations depends on the goodness of the Individual.

(v) Nations must adhere to their National Institutions.

4.6 EXERCISES

1. Examine the Philosophy of Religion as envisaged by Vivekananda.

2. Discuss the concept of Universal Religion.

3. Analyze the Views of Vivekananda on Internationalism.

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4.7 REFERENCES

1. Political Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, A.V. Reddy,

2. Political Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, A.V. Reddy,

3. Complete Works of Vivekananda, Published by Swami Mumkshananda, Advaita

Ashram, 1963. Vol. II,

4. D.R. Bali, Modem Indian Thought,

5. B.K. Lai, Contemporary Indian Philosophy

6. S. Radhakrishnan, Religion and Society,

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