4. National Youth Day!

 



Today is January 12, the day India celebrates the National Youth Day, in memory of the greatest youth icon ever born in India- Narendra Nath Datta, popularly known as Swami Vivekananda. 

"Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us."

This was the opening line of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago speech and this one line has had such profound impact in my life.

I learnt that we should embrace everyone around us joyfully as our own brothers and sisters even if they are strangers and there should be no room for jealousy, hatred and anger. We should never hesitate to express our gratitude towards anyone or anything that has helped us even in the subtlest of ways. I learnt from him that praising is such a divine quality. It doesn't belittle you to praise someone who deserves it, in fact the very quality of appreciating the goodness in others is a sign of your own values.

For the youth of the 21st century which is full of enthusiasm, inquisitiveness and dreams, National youth day is celebrated to learn about the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, who emphasized on the quest for a meaningful life that inspires the heart, liberates the mind and ignites the soul. His message to the youth was about the quest for knowledge which is at 4 dimensions- the physical quest for taking care of the body and keeping it healthy and fit, the social quest to help the society and uplift the oppressed classes, the intellectual quest to keep learning new things and expand your horizons and most importantly, the spiritual quest of knowing who you truly are and realizing the meaning of your existence.

Swami Vivekananda believed that education is the tool to change the world. He quoted that the youth should get the education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.

For me, the main objective behind the celebration is to ensure a better future for the country by motivating the youths and spreading the ideas of the Swami Vivekananda. Drawing inspiration from him, I meditate everyday so as to be awakened to the path of spiritual consciousness that brings about a revolution in the world.

This day becomes a reason for us to embark on the journey towards focusing our collective energies towards Swami Vivekananda's vision of rashtra nirman, or, nation building, while keeping spirituality at the core of development. On this auspicious day, the youth should learn about freedom from social evils and equality of opportunities for all genders and all religions. We should learn to embrace everyone with an open heart.

उतिष्ठत। जाग्रत। प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत।

Arise. Awake. And stop not till the goal is reached. Such is the learning that we get from Swami Vivekananda.

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