An excerpt from Vivekananda – A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda

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Onkar

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May 22, 2014, 4:07:30 AM5/22/14
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[Following is an excerpt from Vivekananda – A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda.]

Swami Vivekananda enjoyed the sea voyage back to India, relaxing from his strenuous activities in the West. But his mind was full of ideas regarding his future plan of work in his motherland.

There were on the boat, among other passengers, two Christian missionaries who, in the course of a heated discussion with the Swami, lost their tempers and savagely criticized the Hindu religion. The Swami walked to one of them, seized him by the collar, and said menacingly, 'If you abuse my religion again, I will throw you overboard.'

'Let me go, sir,' the frightened missionary apologized; 'I'll never do it again.'

Later, in the course of a conversation with a disciple in Calcutta, he asked, 'What would you do if someone insulted your mother?' The disciple answered, 'I would fall upon him, sir, and teach him a good lesson.'

'Bravo!' said the Swami. 'Now, if you had the same positive feeling for your religion, your true mother, you could never see any Hindu brother converted to Christianity. Yet you see this occurring every day, and you are quite indifferent. Where is your faith? Where is your patriotism? Every day Christian missionaries abuse Hinduism to your face, and yet how many are there amongst you whose blood boils with righteous indignation and who will stand up in its defense?'

Jai Thakur, Jai Ma, Jai Swamiji.

Tirtha Mitra

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May 22, 2014, 10:17:40 AM5/22/14
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We have to be extremely careful about these matter of showing our displeasure. We must follow Sri Sri Thakur's instruction. He gave different teachings to two of his disciples Sw Niranjanananda and Sw Jogananda. By this he taught moderation on every matter. We also know of the incident of one of the direct disciples, who drove away a Christian missionary who was preaching near Puri temple. But later Thakur in a dream asked him to apologize to the missionary. We should not try to follow Thakur or Swamiji's actions. Thakur pushed Rani Rashmoni for thinking worldly matter in front of Mother. Mother beat Harish, Mother showed her acute anger to the man in Bagbazar who was beating his wife, Swamiji beating the missionary etc. They had the divine power of transforming others mind just by a glance and touch. So many people got transformed by mere touch of Thakur and Swamiji. They could transmit spiritual energy to others and also take away bad karma. By this action of Swamiji the missionary might have got changed. He was fortunate to receive Swamiji's Kripa. Swamiji did this without any bad feeling or bad intent but only to establish Hindu Dharma by transforming the mind of the person. We cannot do this. Swamiji heard Mother's voice in Kashmir when he felt bad about the damage caused to Kshir Bhavani temple. So it is better we avoid such passages as many will not understand the spirit behind Swamiji's action and try to imitate this.

Regarding conversion, I must admit that we Hindus are equally responsible. We always neglected lower caste and made differences. Did not allow them equal status in society. I can narrate an incident in my life. I used to visit my village frequently during my school days. It was an incident of 70s. We had a maid in our village home who was from lower caste. Since she was aged, my mom and aunts used to call her didi. She used get food in our house. Once after she had eaten and removed her plate but the floor was not wiped with cow dung water. Since there was no left over no one could know of it. I was standing on that very place. One of my aunt scolded me for standing on the place where a lower caste person has eaten. I was taken aback as I had never hard of such a practice. I retorted back saying how does the place is different for a lower caste. I will narrate the exact sentence in Bengali for my Bengali friends (ore, tui kamar er ento madasni). This was the mentality in Bengal villages even in 70s, after 100 years of Thakur's arrival. Now if these people get converted, who is responsible? We or the Missionaries?

I request some Monks to clarify my understanding of the matter. 

Jai Ma

Best regards


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Sankhadip Das

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May 22, 2014, 11:40:21 AM5/22/14
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Shri Onkarji very rightly posted the fervent love of Swamiji for Hinduism. There is always tendency to interpret Swamiji's word in crooked way whenever Swamiji bolstered Hinduism. I afraid one day complete works of Swamiji could be edited to prove Swamiji's secularism. 

This is a time to call a spade directly a spade. How long ostrichism will going to help? Thakur and Swamiji are one. Secularising Swamiji is a disease called 'all religions are same'.  

Further for conversion, Hinduism can not be made scapegoat. It is well known how missionaries convert through strategy like exploitation of poverty ,applying tricks and badmouthing of all Hindu God and Goddess and gradually destroying faith. Even after conversion casteism does not left them. There are various castes exist within christians and even they partition their grave as per caste. No white will marry a black or Indian or dalit christian. In current scenario christianity is being used as mean to break India by promoting racism. Ulfa of NE India, Maoist, LTTE etc terrorist organisations are christian or heavily sponsored by missionaries. So, in that case we should close our eyes and keep on repeating that this is all due to fault of Hinduism. Hindus are getting their Karma Phala. India is suffering her bad deeds of past and let support 'Breaking India'. 

A book is attached herewith compiled by Shri Eknath Ranade
Rousing Call to Hindu Nation_Eknath Ranade.pdf

Tirtha Mitra

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May 22, 2014, 12:33:46 PM5/22/14
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Hinduism left its Vedantic philosophy of oneness of soul and ignored the deprived lot by indulging in narrow minded approach for the self interest of a few. To revive Hinduism Thakur came to us and brought Swamiji with him to teach us. But are we not dividing our people creating easy hunting ground for missionaries? They lure people with money power while we exploit our own tribe. Why we do not teach our wonderful religion to the masses? Why Gita is not taught in schools? Why we parents do not demand this? Even a well educated modern Muslim engages a religious teacher for the child while s/he attends Eng medium schools. If ppl demand the Govt has to do. In RKM school at Jairambati I witnessed how wonderfully all children are reciting stotras. We can achieve nothing by shouting a few slogan unless we work at the grass root level. We hv mushrooms of EM school with a Saint name run by Hindus. We send our children there but will not send them to a school run by an Ashram. So we are responsible for our plight. Solution lies not in intimidating others but in extending love to other Hindus. This is what I understood from Holy Trio.

Little Prince

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May 22, 2014, 1:09:48 PM5/22/14
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True very true. Let us start with our homes


Sent from Samsung Mobile

Sankhadip Das

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May 22, 2014, 1:34:45 PM5/22/14
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Swamiji roared against this rotten castism, touch me not syndrome and just after 150 years we are seeing that it already looses its noose, atleast in urban and in Gen Next. It will sure go away, however to preserve Hindu Philosophy it needs favourable ground. Advaita, Vedanta, Geeta etc can not be prpopagated in Pakistan, Malaysia etc muslim countries though they were Hindu Nation before few hundred years ago. Hinduism wiped out. So, to preserve the culture, tradition it needs unity among Hindus. This is the only land left for Hindus and their literatures. It is very sad people outside of Bengal do not have opportunity to send their children in RKM School. Hope in future RKM will consider the issue of opening school in other states for benefit of Bharat. 

Ruchira Mitra

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May 22, 2014, 9:26:42 PM5/22/14
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@ Sankhadip Das
Already there are numerous schools outside of West Bengal too. Chennai and Mysore are the best of the best.

The following is the incomplete list of institutions started by / affiliated to Ramakrishna Mission.

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