Vivekananda on Americans - Part I

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The Vedanta Kesari, p. 184-188, May 2005, Ramakrishna Mission

Close students of Swami Vivekananda's work will note that at times he was delighted with Americans and at times he almost despaired of them. This article was written at the anniversary of an extremely emotional event in U.S. history to remind Americans of their highest potential during a period of doubt and confusion. —Author

He came to the United States to sound India's spiritual note at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He also hoped to raise money to help the starving masses back home. But Swami Vivekananda stayed longer than he expected. After making a second trip and spending more than four years in this country, he returned to India not only persuaded of America's spiritual potential, but also more urgently aware that the time had come for a global leap in consciousness.

Was it coincidence or something more profound that Vivekananda gave his first major public address on September 11, 1893? Was it simply chance that he talked about the bitter costs of religious hatred on the very day which 108 years later became a potent symbol of fanaticism and religious intolerance? Perhaps, but it's interesting to note that he warned: "Sectarianism, bigotry and its horrible descendant fanaticism have long possessed this beautiful earth, they have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions, with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal"

That a holy man would condemn religious hatred was nothing new, but in this powerful message Vivekananda voiced his belief that the world would one day wake up from its bloody nightmares. The future is bright with the most marvellous work, he told his audiences. 'What is my plan then? My plan is to follow the ideas of the ancient Masters. They were the great originators of society. They were the great givers of strength, and of purity, and of life.'

Ultimately Vivekananda abandoned his intention to raise money and began looking for the singular American characteristics on which to build spiritual awareness. 'Each nation,' he said, 'like each individual has a theme in this life, which is its centre, the principal note round which every other note comes to form the harmony.' In the United States the principle note was a mixture of enormous practicality and a belief that nothing is impossible. Americans were particularly open to new ideas, Vivekananda said, 'I love the Yankee land. In America is the place, the people, the opportunity for everything … nothing is rejected because it is new. It is examined on its own merits, and stands or falls by these alone.' 'Even the very air in America seemed to bring out an individual's faith in himself or herself to achieve, he said.'

Here was a unique opportunity to work out ancient principles in the modern world, a place to experiment with how his message of 'one spirit' would operate in daily life. 'Where on earth is there a better field than here for propagating all high ideas?' he asked. 'Here, where if one man is against me, a hundred hands are ready to help me.' When a U.S. audience discovered an enthralling idea, immediately they wanted to put it to the test. 'I cannot preach even religion to Americans without showing them its practical effect on social life,' he said. Later on he would confide to his audience back in India, 'Ay, you may be astonished to hear that as practical Vedantists the Americans are better than we are.'