July 4 is Swami Vivekananda’s Maha Nirvana day. It is also America’s Independence day. I was reluctant to post anything this year, for I am coming to the regretful conclusion that Hindus do not deserve to have such a great man born amongst them who selflessly boiled away his life energy to awaken their spineless carcasses. Yes, that is bitter and unfair. It is also an unfortunate truth.

In the past decade, there has grown up such a hateful slanderous initiative to disparage and denigrate the Swami that it beggars belief. The enemies know full well that if Hindus start losing faith in their great men they are done for. And Swami Vivekananda is a foundation stone of modern Hinduism. Dislodge that and the whole edifice comes crashing down. Instead of resisting this nonsense Hindus participate in it.

Once the Swami had said that it was very significant that one of the names for God in the Sanathana Dharma was Abhih – The Fearless. He preached only Strength and Fearlessness. Judging by the average contemporary Hindu, he should have spent that time better in meditation. Still, the spirit of Vivekananda is a that of a Titan, a shaker of worlds, and I have some small hope we might yet prove worthy of him. To quote the Swami’s favorite saying from the Katha Upanishad…”Uttisthata Jagrata Prapya Varannibodhata”

Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached.

Swamiji’s own translation.

Interestingly the news has just come that Swami Mahamedha, founder of the Trika Yoga Art Ashram in Thiruvannamalai, who was born Ukrainian but lived in India as a yogi for over 50 years, has passed away on the wee hours of the same day. So deep is the imprint left by Vivekananda that many yogis choose the auspicious muhuratham close to the day to consciously cross over…

Sarvam Shivamayam!