The Lion Roars!

ll ॐ नमो भगवते रामकृष्णाय ll नमो विवेकानन्द सद्गुरवे ll

रामकृष्णप्रियं नित्यमुक्तं ऋषिं,  युवतापसोत्तमं सद्यस्कमेव l

वेदान्त-केसरीं तं ब्रह्मचारिणं,  शक्तिरूपं विवेकानन्दमाश्रये ll

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नूतनं शङ्करं मायाssशु-नाशकं,  दीन-नारायणस्यार्चकं सेवया l

भारतोद्धारकं  विरजं नरेन्द्रं,  चिदानन्द-रूपं  यतीन्द्रं  नमामि ll

The roar that woke us up, the echoes of it that continue to prop our staggering selves, still emanate in the immortal words that instill hope and power for us Indians steeped in Tamas, and for humanity at large!

Such unshakable faith had he in the future of India, and in even the hapless Indian of then, and 'free' Indian of today, that none else but the vision of a Rsi could have beheld it!

Did anyone in the recent past love us so 'fiercely'? Had anyone concerned Himself so intensely about us? He did, for He was a condensed Bhaarata himself. He is the voice of India, nay the roar of India, that the world unmistakably heard! 

Does our bosom swell in 'legitimate' pride when today the West 'celebrates' India and Indians; haven't we shared those golden moments when for the first time the world stood up to applaud our Prime Minister and now does it every often.... a sense of National Identity fills us and the Indian diaspora all over. Can we then not imagine the scene where the lone Indian Lion roared about a Century and a quarter ago? 

All alone, in an absolutely unfamiliar land... He thundered enough to be called a 'Cyclonic' Monk! That roar shook the 'civilized' part of the world like an earthquake, and subsequently our sleeping selves... like a Tsunami that follows!!

The maker of Modern India, the embodiment of Ancient India, our beloved benefactor - Swamiji.

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Is it without reason that He was 'Ramakrishna-priya'? His very bones worked out His Guru's will!

Who but He could say this, "My life's allegiance is to this my motherland; and if I had a thousand lives, every moment of the whole series would be consecrated to your service, my countrymen, my friends."

Bhaaratoddhaaraka indeed. How may my little self salute you, O Hero of Heroes! You have no parallel.

The words of fire that emanated from your lips, "Strength is life, weakness is death," infused in us the strength to throw off the oppressive foreign yoke, and hold our heads high.... they still do, and we need them more than ever before. 

We are also able to see the plight of the Country today, that instead tread for over seven long  decades in pursuing 'education for employability and money.'

May the Lord let Bharata see that the only panacea lies in what you have taught us..."Man-making, Character-building Education";

नान्यः पन्था विद्यते भारताय ! There is no other way, no other way... for it is character energy that we have lost in our selfish material pursuits!

-- 

Swami Sheshadri