Love India

वीरेश्वराय विद्महे विवेकानन्दाय धीमहि । तन्नो वीर: प्रचोदयात् ।
Whenever Swami Vivekananda's admirers asked him in what way they can serve him, he simply told them 'Love India'. Loving India assured, in Swamiji's mind, a sure transformation of the personality of the such a person. The best gift we can give to Swamiji on his 150 Birthday is learning to 'Love India' and through the process transform ourselves into better human beings and thus fulfill the destiny of our great Motherland.

"I too believe that India will awake again, if anyone could love with all his heart the people of the country–bereft of the grace of affluence, of blasted fortune, their discretion totally lost, down–trodden, ever–starved, quarrelsome, and envious. Then only will India awake, when hundreds of large-hearted men and women, giving up all desires of enjoying the luxuries of life, will long and exert themselves to their utmost for the well-being of the millions of their countrymen who are gradually sinking lower and lower in the vortex of destitution and ignorance." (V. 125-26).

Swamiji was enchanted more by the spiritual power that was hidden in India than in her soul-absorbing physical attributes. The latter was a manifestation and exemplification of the inner spirit of oneness and universality that the 'Mother' has harboured from time immemorial. It is this Inner Spirit that had to be rejuvenated and revitalized for the regeneration of the present. That rejuvenation of spirit can be achieved only in one way – that is through her own children, destined to be born in this Punya bhumi, imbibing those values and reliving them in their own lives. What the world needs are manifestations of 'Be and Make', of Satya and Dharma, not just prattle about values. Indian society is truly the only gymnasium where this exercise can be undertaken. 

That it is possible to transform Truth into life principles (Dharma) which can help man in his self unfoldment has been demonstrated by countless sages and saints from all parts of the country from time immemorial. To press upon the people this great idea of the magnificence of human life and its possibilities was the crux of the message of Swamiji.

Swamiji loved India because She was the cradle of civilization, the birthplace of the realization of the Ultimate Truth and it was from here that the light of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotency of Truth radiated to other parts of the world. Swamiji loved India because She was Dharmabhumi. It was here that Truth lent itself to be translated into human thoughts, words and interactions establishing the interconnectedness, interrelatedness and interdependence of the whole Universe.

Swamiji loved India because She was Karmabhumi, where karma or work has been so   intensively analysed leading to the discovery that work could indeed be a means to manifest the Divinity within man. Swamiji loved India because She was Yanjabhumi. It was here that the immense potential of the spiritual energy hidden in the Nishkama Karma was discovered and brought out for the common good of the people.

Swamiji loved India because here was a Tapobhumi where the rishis formulated the superfine technique of stopping the wastage of spiritual energy through controlling the senses from their outgoing habit and directing it towards realization of the Truth. Thus, Loving India for him was to imbibe her philosophy which was as deep as the ocean, as high as the Himalayas and as vast as the Indian plans. Karma - Bhakti - Jnana Yogas illustrate the wide scope and opportunities available to man to experiment with his own life. This understanding made Swamiji carefully scrutinize and practise the four yogas and update them, so as to explain them in modern times, to the modern man, in modern language and idioms. That is what made Swami Vivekananda's teachings so very unique, practical