Swami Vivekananda - His life and notable works in a nutshell

By Jerin Jacob (Author of Your Epic Year)

This time we have a legend from India who has envisioned a world of peace and global love. “Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu” - Let the world around us live in peace and brotherhood, was his compelling reason to live a life of legends. 

Swami Vivekananda a man who literally helped others to buy India's greatness and a man who made aware about the country's uniqueness to the world. He made us and the world realize the fact that the east has more powerful resources of knowledge which can really transform the entire world.

It was the time everyone was attracted to western concepts and even began to avoid or underestimate India's powerful heritage and culture; Swami Vivekananda stood up for change. 

Once he travelled from Colombo to Almora and spoke his wisest knowledge from Vedanta to the people from different streams of life. During this travel his speech were on to uplift the society, eradication of the caste virus, importance of learning science, industrialization of the country, removal of poverty, the end of the colonial rule. His speech has even influenced Ghandhiji and many other great leaders in India.

Now, when we here about culture, Vedanta and all those things we feel it is not our cup of tea or it is quite a waste of time to gather knowledge on them. But we need to understand that Vedanta and the preachings of Vivekananda can move a man to live a life of abundance, warmth and love. This space won't be obviously enough for to discuss about this great being and his works. I am just trying to enlighten your knowledge about Swami Vivekananda which may help you to learn more about this great man.

In 1893 he was invited to Parliament of the World's Religions at Chicago for an all religious meeting, as the sole representative for India and was represented for the largest religion of the country – Hinduism. 

Many of you might have heard about his famous speech delivered at Chicago by saluting the delegates with the words “My dear brothers and sisters”. He also quoted from Bhagavad Gita -

"As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take, through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!" and "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths that in the end lead to Me." 

This speech made Swami Vivekananda known across the globe. His ideas provided a sense of universality and they were thought provoking.

Swami Vivekananda was instrumental in uplifting India's pride in global arena. For that he travelled across the globe and preached the greatest knowledge ever conceived by man - the Vedanta. 

When he was novice in Vedanta, he was taught by his Guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsar.

As a guru, Ramakrishna taught him Advaita Vedanta  which says that all religions are true, and service to man was the most effective worship of God. With this knowledge and to implement it, Swami Vivekanada founded the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, a philanthropic and spiritual organization in 1897 AD.

I wonder, how many of us are really aware about his works and speeches he delivered unto us which could make us also to live a life of legends. I would love to share some of his great books:

1. Lectures from Colombo to Almora
2. Addresses at The Parliament of Religions
3. Work and its Secret
4. The Powers of the Mind
5. Hints on Practical Spirituality

Lets learn about him and his works, it is sure that his preachings are life transforming. I want to share one of his very popular poem:

“When I asked God for strength

He gave me difficult situations to face

When I asked God for Brain & Brown

He gave me puzzles in life to solve

When I asked God for happiness

He Showed me some unhappy people

When I asked God for wealth

He showed me opportunities to work hard

When I asked God for peace

He showed me how to help others

GOD GAVE ME NOTHING I WANTED

HE GAVE ME EVRYTHING I NEEDED”

Hope this article has helped you. By the way do you know someone who really need this to read? If so, go ahead and share this article with that person. Sharing is caring.

P.S. 2016 can be an epic year for you, download my new eBook - YOUR EPIC YEAR by clicking the orange  button below.

Interestingly, you can pay from Rs. 0/- to any amount you feel worth this eBook. My intention is nothing but you to download it, read it and create another epic year, together.

Can you control your Anger?

Many of you might have read a lot more about anger management, and might have started practicing the process to control this unworthy emotion. But still many of us lose control, when we are challenged by irritating circumstances and nagging co-beings. Why this happens is, our social scripting is that whenever someone challenges you with anger, we should resist back in the same way if we are courageous. If we don't respond against it, people would say he is a coward and of no help. And many who respond with anger are proud to do so and most of the time men may say “we have to fight against odd as a real fighter”.

But the reality is, the people who get angry very often, are the most weakest. They are afraid of the situations and want to resist the undesirable situations some how. Outside they may be ferocious but inside they fumble and are fearful.

Its not the muscles or the physique rather the mental toughness makes a man brave. Jesus Christ, Buddha and Gandhi are the real examples for mental toughness and non-violence. Even though these great men never practiced any anger management techniques; Its Okay to practice different anger management techniques, Like - “Drinking water when anger comes”, “Counting down from 10 to 0 or 100 to 0 as per the intensity of the anger” and so on. In fact many of us still got angry even then we practiced all those things. It happens because, our sub-conscious still believes that anger is of pride or is natural.

So we need to understand, anger may give short term relief as of opium or alcohol, but ultimately it will make our life worst. Now the solution is we need to re-script our conscious and sub-conscious mind and create a new belief system that:

1. Anger is for cowards and
2. Anger only hurts everyone involved
3. Anger disrupts relationships
4. Anger even affects our immune system and health
5. Anger cannot bring anything positive into our life were as love can

To change our belief system needs conscious efforts from our side. We need to constantly expose ourselves with people and situations that exemplifies love is the solution for anger. Shift your focus from agitating against anger to giving love to heal everything. The solution for anger is Love. Here the love is used in a broader sense – the Love is being caring, the Love is listening with empathy, the Love is showing respect and the Love is even a good smile. Lets practice it:)

 "Anger is always a sign of weakness. Just plainly and simply put the whole thing; perhaps the other person may find that you are right and may be thankful to you. Or perhaps the other person may have better reasons than you; then you will be thankful to the other person because he helps to raise your consciousness" -Osho.

Life without Limbs!

By Jerin Jacob.

Around #24 years ago a baby was born for a very kind and loving couple. It was in Australia. You may think, it must have been a great moment for the couple. It wasn't. The new born was an unusual baby. It had no arms and legs. But the couple were not ready to reject what God had gifted them. When the tears flooded were dried out, the couple decided to stand for their baby. They decided never to let their child down. They decided to help the child to embrace the main stream world.

When the child grew to an age for schooling. The parents fought against the educational system in Australia, till they were allowed to enroll their child to a school. It was not a special school but a regular one where students 'with arms and legs' study. His name was Nick Vujicic. You might be thinking that he continued his education there and excelled in life. But it was not that easy for him.

Nick with toys!

Unless and until someone is not self-driven, then no one can 'motivate' him/her to live a life of legends.

When Nick was about at the age of #7, he had to face constant harassment and bulling from his peers. He was teased for no arms and legs. As a child he couldn't stand those behaviors and he grew very depressed. At one point of time, he decided to kill himself.

But God had a different plan, on the verge of committing suicide, Nick had an epiphany moment, he thought about the other side of his life. He had many things he could be grateful for. He had beautiful eyes. He had great parents. When he counted his blessings he could count on and on. That made him realize the value of his existence. That realization made him to chose between life and death. He decided not to quit. He decided not just to live but to live strong. Then the rest is history.

You know what? Now Nick is not just living a normal life, he is living an extra-ordinary one. Even with his physical misfortune, he does all his daily routine without anyone’s help, he can eat his food himself, he can swim and can do number of things which even a normal being cannot do. He does them in amazing style with a  smile.

He has not just succeeded against his physical inabilities but he has made a positive impact in the world. Nick is an entrepreneur and owns a foundation named Life without Limps. As part of the foundation he travels across the globe as a motivational speaker to share his life experience. He focuses on uplifting teenagers. He has authored couple of books - Life without Limits, Unstoppable etc. He is happily married and they are blessed with a cute-little-baby-boy.

I love life and I am happy!

Nick Vujicic says:

“If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart!"

Life is short, don't waste your time by focusing on your short-comings instead focus on your blessings, that is what legends do!

P.S. Do you want to get inspired in God then download the Bible Box app: http://bit.ly/1ib3CYg