“Blessed is the country in which he was born; blessed are those who were born on this earth at the same time; blessed, thrice blessed are the few who sat at his feet.” These are the words of a German-American woman, Christina Greenstidel, who was an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda. She later became known as Sister Christine. She also described herself as similarly “blessed” for being one among those from abroad “who have been given to bear his legacy”. She was deeply impressed by his spiritual message of oneness of man and his teaching of service to man as God. She accepted his discipleship and did as he expected her to do.

To give shoulders to his work, people thus voluntarily gathered around him, cutting across nations and faiths. One can well imagine the tremendous impact created by his words when one reads the comment of an eyewitness, Mrs Annie Besant. She famously said about the urgency of his audience to hear him: “Enraptured, the huge multitude hung upon his words, not a syllable must be lost, not a cadence missed.”

Advertisement

Swamiji’s mission was to build a worldwide organisation impeccably cast in his Master’s plan and precept, on which country and community would have no bearing. Hence, he spread his ideas meticulously, rising above all parochialisms, and, in its wake, he chose to start a centre first at New York in November 1894, just a year after the Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893.

Equipped with an unassailable purity of purpose and strength of character, he performed this arduous task with aplomb. He emerged victorious inevitably because of his overflowing spiritual energy, with the help of which he overcame all predicaments and hurdles. Consequently, Ramakrishna Mission came into existence as an unstoppable phenomenon with its perennial power of embracing all without discrimination.

Uniquely bold and clear in vision, he declared: “I stand at nobody’s dictation. I know my mission in life; and no chauvinism about me. I belong as much to India as to the world.” He proved this to the hilt by dint of his endeavour and behaviour everywhere. Many like Christina, outside as well as inside the country, therefore, found in him a true pathfinder who could lead mankind to the newer heights of moral and spiritual excellence for human progress.

But it was indeed his unqualified love and devotion to Sri Ramakrishna that made him exceptionally successful. He said with remarkable candour: “You see my devotion is dog’s devotion. I have been wrong often, and he (Sri Ramakrishna) has always been right, and now I trust his judgement blindly.” Sri Ramakrishna opened the impossible gate for him and he entered it to go ahead. It was then obvious for him that he need not look back and stood “at nobody’s dictation” since he now knew “the mission” of his life for good was to build an organisation like that.

It was, however, a rigorous journey for him to come to that stage, for he fought with Sri Ramakrishna stubbornly on every crucial question of religion and realization, until he was vanquished and won over by a sublime perception granted by his Master. He gained accordingly the knowledge that “Religion is realization.” He learnt from him Religion is beginningless (anadi) and infinite (ananta). Indians discovered this truth first. Ancient Rishis put its principle in the Vedas and gave shape to India’s civilization on its basis. He made it the cardinal aspect of his mission as he saw Sri Ramakrishna also demonstrate and preach it for the welfare of the world.

Sri Ramakrishna was so happy that he was being questioned and tested thoroughly before Naren (Swamiji) accepted anything he said. His joy was boundless that he could bring him to heel and use his verve and talent dexterously. He wanted his dear Naren to take up his work of making the Religion dynamic through service to man as his unfailling instrument.

To Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna was his kapalmochan or re-maker of destiny who built his future anew after kneading his inner tendencies like a lump of clay. Which is why, he said he was no more himself but Sri Ramakrishna.

Fully conscious of the benefits of such a tutelage for his own sake as well as for the sake of the world at large, Swamiji said pointedly with the determination of translating it into action: “I fought my Master for six years with the result that I know every inch of the way, every inch of the way!” The fact that he was confidently shaping Ramakrishna Mission inch by inch intricately, keeping Sri Ramakrishna in mind, is evident in his effort from the outset.

As he was holding his brother disciples together within, so he was drawing others to his fold from without, infusing the spirit of inclusiveness which is the tenor of Sri Ramakrishna’s message. The turning point in his life arrived when he got convincing answers to his doubts regarding the reality of God and religion. He said: “For the first time I have found a man who dared to say that he saw God, that religion was a reality to be felt.” Not only that, he “actually saw that religion could be given.

One touch, one glance can change a whole life.” He was referring to his personal experience with Sri Ramakrishna during his initial visits to him. Further, he alluded to a lesson he learnt from him which was supremely important in terms of his mission. He said: “The second idea I learnt from my Master, and which is perhaps the most vital, is the wonderful truth that religions of the world are not contradictory or antagonistic. They are but various phases of one eternal religion.” He knew that they were not words only. For, they were visibly embedded in Sri Ramakrishna’s demeanour.

Therefore, the implications of this truth were also so tangible and deep to him that he never thought twice while translating it into action in his mission.

At this juncture of his life, he could correctly conceptualise religion in its right perspective. He knew for sure that religion is a science, and its practice evolves one from man to God. Its practical example is available in Sri Ramakrishna. He understood the fact from him that religion is God-realization.

Religion and God are one, that is, to be religious is to rise to godhood with universal love. That Sri Ramakrishna had a consummate liberal mind and allembracing heart was, therefore, no wonder to him. He saw in him that “one eternal religion” cleanly manifest. He knew: “Evils exist not with, but against religion. Religion is therefore not to blame, but men.”

Seeds of such truths were sown by Sri Ramakrishna in Swamiji’s fertile brain which was a stickler for truth. They were gradually germinating to take concrete forms.

For instance, when he heard from him that seva is spiritually more efficacious for man than daya as a means for spiritual growth, he immediately absorbed it and decided to make its idea the pivot of Ramakrishna Mission.

More importantly, he was categorical that this organisation veritably embodied Sri Ramakrishna’s life and work, in every aspect of which he noted matters for human development in the real sense. So, he resolved that the Ramakrishna Mission would “preach those truths which Sri Ramakrishna has, for the good of humanity, preached and demonstrated by practical application in his own life”.

As Sri Ramakrishna respected all faiths genuinely, taking them all as true so he said it would also genuinely respect all faiths as true.

It may be incidentally remembered that he said in the Parliament of Religions likewise, “We not only believe in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.”

Since religion is eternal and Sri Ramakrishna entertained no caste discrimination, caste being temporal he said would have no place in its religious belief and activities.

In line with this thought, he set the duty of Ramakrishna Mission primarily on generating religious fellow feeling. He resolved on its account: “The duty of the Mission is to conduct in the right spirit the activities of the movement inaugurated by Sri Ramakrishna for the establishment of fellowship among the followers of different religions, knowing them all to be so many forms only of one undying Eternal Religion.”

In both aim and duty, he is particularly focused on religion because Sri Ramakrishna reestablished religion with a view to removing confusions regarding its real nature.

Doing so, Sri Ramakrishna interpreted religion most scientifically by virtue of his findings and in-depth study of all faiths. His conclusion that faiths are “so many forms only” of one Eternal Religion is ingeniously logical as he has shown this by practicing them in broad daylight. Religious strife and communal conflicts will extinguish once it settles in the minds and hearts of people as an immutable truth.

Ramakrishna Mission is Swami Vivekananda’s wonder ~ he has illustriously knitted and fortified it with amazing intellectual, spiritual and administrative qualities. It is the most trustworthy work which upholds the emancipating contributions of Sri Ramakrishna. He has stuffed it comprehensibly with Sri Ramakrishna’s personality, principles and precepts in order to make him living in its movement. With its lure and flourish it is now dear to countless across the continents.

Such global acceptance signifies its indispensability in modern times. Sri Ramakrishna relied on Swami Vivekananda for its accomplishment because none was there to equal him.