RK Mission commemorates Vivekananda's address at World Parliament of Religions

[prasad1]

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Over a century year ago on this very day, Swami Vivekananda received a standing ovation at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago after he had introduced Hinduism and propagated world peace.


At an event on Tuesday to commemorate the 119th year of his address, members of Ramakrishna Mission that the great saint of the 19th century founded, spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and former President A P J Abdul Kalam recounted the "positive spirit" that was present in Vivekananda.


While Kalam quoted extensively from Vivekananda's historic speech at the 1893 conference in Chicago and asked the current leadership of world countries to emulate his positive approach in dealing with issues, the Dalai Lama said the saint's spirit was still alive in the hearts and minds of people.


'Awakening India', part of the celebrations to commemorate 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, brought leaders of various religions on one platform where they urged for peace and harmony among all communities.


Vivekananda, Kalam said, had denounced hatred among communities and sectarianism and noted that the world has progressed a long way in combating the threats that has come along but more needed to be done on this count.

Indian_Express.


I am posting this in TB site.

 

[Anand Manohar]

Dear Prasad Ji

Nice article. Thanks. Saints never 'die' - the 'pass by', as elaborated by Yogananda Paramahamsa
in his 'Autobiography of a Yogi'.

Thanks again
Yay Yem

 

[Anand Manohar]

Dear vgane

Your post # 2.

You need to check the authenticity. This very same thing has been around for a while - about 7/8 years
- only difference, the names swapped. I've read the same thing as having occurred in the life of Albert Einstein
and also later in the life of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam !

Yay Yem

 

[vgane]

The message came in one of my mails...Now I have serious doubts on its authenticity...Hence deleting the same...Thanks for pointing this out

 

[Anand Manohar]

Dear Renu

Your post under this thread just vanished !

Yay Yem

 

[renuka]

Dear Renu

Your post under this thread just vanished !

Yay Yem

Dear Sir,

I deleted it since vgane had deleted his post .. my post serves no purpose now.

 

[vgane]

As I was browsing the net for speeches & life of Swami Vivekanandha this article came to light...The title " Find out the truth for yourself " attracted my attention.

Here is the source for the article: Incidents from Swamiji's Life.....It is not spam (to the best of my knowledge)
Even at an early age Naren evinced impatience with superstition and fear, no matter how hallowed by popular tradition. As he himself expressed it to a disciple in later years, "From my boyhood I have been a dare-devil; otherwise could I have attempted to make a tour round the world, almost without a penny in my pocket?"

An incident that occurred around this time is illustrative of his "dare-devilry", which is to say, courage and independence of thought and action.

To the house of a certain friend he would often have recourse as to a refuge from the monotonous moments that come even to boys. There was in their compound a favourite tree from which he loved to dangle head down. It was a Champaka (Michelia Champaca) tree, the flowers of which are said to be liked by Shiva, and which Hindu boys would go a long way to collect. It was the flowers of this tree that Naren also loved. One day as he was swinging from the tree, the old and nearly-blind grandfather of the house recognized his voice, which he knew and loved so well. The old man was afraid that the boy might fall, and that he himself might lose his Champaka flowers; he called Naren down and told him that he must not climb the tree again. Naren asked the reason. The old man answered, "Because a Brahmadaitya [a ghost of a Brahmin] lives in that tree, and at night he goes about dressed all in white, and he is terrible to look at." This was news to Naren, who wanted to know what else this ghost could do besides wander about. The old man rejoined, "And he breaks the necks of those who climb the tree."

Naren said nothing, and the old man went away smiling to himself in triumph. As soon as he had gone some distance Naren climbed the tree again just to spite the ghost of the Brahmin. His friend remonstrated, "The Brahmadaitya is sure to catch you and break your neck." Naren laughed heartily, and said, "What a silly fellow you are! Don't believe everything just because someone tells you! Why, my neck would have beenbroken long ago, if the old grandfather's story were true."
Only a boyish lark it was, true, but significant when viewed in the light of later developments: a forecast of the time when, as Swami Vivekananda, he was to say to large audiences, "Do not believe a thing because you read it in a book!
Do not believe a thing because another has said it is so! Find out the truth for yourself! That is realization!"