Steer Clear of Politics
Friends am referring to this in brief only.
I told you that 2-3 things were uppermost in my mind while I discussed the second phase with eminent people. I referred to one thing that any constructive work we want to do in this country must be on non-political lines. “You just imagine, if this memorial had become a political issue, if somebody had said that the Government of India & Madras were not agreeable and now let us agitate and mobilize public opinion & I would go to the Rock and fast unto death”. Some political leaders asked me to start a political movement. From the very beginning I had to take meticulous care that this did not become a political issue. Had it become one, people would have taken stands not because they were against for Vivekananda but purely for political reasons.
If there had been an agitation, there would not have been any grace. Now it is a National Memorial. Does it not add to the grace – grace of Swami Vivekananda and the grace of this country? Perhaps, by agitation, the Govt would have been forced to allow the Memorial. But it would not have been of value. But now it has become a rallying point of the entire country, a nucleus round which we can build something. Now you see another unique point. All those who opposed it as first, have become friendly. A person as adamant, about not having the Rock Memorial, as Shri Bhaktavatsalam ultimately became the patron of the Tamil Nadu committee. The Tamil Nadu govt spent Rs 4,25,000/ on the construction of jetties as its contribution. The CM was not against Vivekananda, it was politics plain & simple.
Divisions in the name of Spirituality Also – Unfortunate! - Just as there are divisions in politics there are divisions among people who are tuned to spirituality. People swear by the sampradayas or sects that came into existence. But strangely enough, every institution – group that wanted to unite all people, became one more addition to the list of sects for e.g. Arya Samaj. Swami Dayananda said, “We will accept the authority of the Vedas only”. And he made a great attempt but the modus operandi he or his followers used was such that they followed his teachings & ultimately Arya Samaj became another sect. The book gives more examples too.
No faction or group in the name of Vivekananda - He said a number of times that all the spiritual forces scattered in the country should be united. There are a few letters in which he describes his plan of work. He said: “In a particular town, it does not matter if one calls himself a Sikh, Arya Samajist, a Jain or Buddhist – but they are all Vaidikas. All authority flows from the Vedas. Let us have a temple where there is no deity, but just the symbol of Om so that all people may come together”. Let us unite all people, underlining the basic unity, that the basic thing which prompts action, which appeals to them.
Swamiji said: “Worship of God is service to humanity”. In order to worship God you must have fellow feeling with all the people He has created. If you look back in history, you will find that, perhaps among the sannyasis, and the monks he was the foremost in making this teaching the main object of his life. Actually when he founded the Ramakrishna Mission, Swamiji himself had to fight with his colleagues on this said. When he said: “We shall have a band of sannyasins who will meditate, who will spread the message of Upanishads to the whole people and at the same time, they also will work for the prosperity of the people, for their economic well being, for their education, for giving them medical relief, undertake all activities of service”. They did not accept this saying Ramakrishna did not tell us this. Swamiji had to exert much pressure in persuading his Gurubhais to accept his point of view.
The Choice of Pose - Everything that has a place on the Rock, the designing, the construction, has come significance. Nothing is done without prior thought. What sort of statue must we have? What should it convey? A lot of thinking has gone into it. When it was announced that the statue will be in a standing posture, some monks did not like it. They wrote to me that Swamiji should be in a meditation pose since it was the place where he meditated. I said: “Swamiji meditated no doubt. But that was the place from where Swamiji rose up from meditation with a mission – that was the place where he discovered his mission of life – where all things had become clear. He got up here and set on his mission. I said to the portrait makers. You must be able to convey the movement in the standing pose as if he is setting on a mission, with a confidence – that he has something on his hand and he is out to give a message to the world”. After years we found the right man. At second attempt he came out with a marvelous portrait. The portrait was given to nearly eight sculptors in the country.
Two statues were caste in bronze and brought here. One of them was chosen. In the entire memorial, the focal point is the Sripadam. The whole structure is designed according to the situation of Sripadam and as soon as the main door is opened Swamiji’s eyes fall on the Sripadam. Also by choosing a statue with a standing posture, we ensured that Swamiji on the Rock will inspire people not only to meditate but also to work. So to inspire people to act, the second phase was mooted.
Is it not ironical that before I joined the Rock Memorial Committee I was to compile a book on Swamiji for which I read Swamiji from A to Z, all the volumes. So, I wonder whether that was not designed by some superior power that I should read bout Swamiji in 1962. Because next year I was to do something about his message.
Friends I have learnt a lot by reading the book, hope you have enjoyed it too. Have ignored subsequent chapters since they talk more about Vivekananda Kendra than the Memorial.
Together let us serve the poor & needy. In a spiritual sense we are all one because the divinity present in each one of us is the same.