Swami Vivekanand mainly called upon the youths to rise, but he has been an inspiration to not just the youth, but for everyone. If people just look within, connect with their own spirit first, find their own divinity, they will be blessed with the spirituality and divinity they seek, said Swami Brahmasthananda, the 80-year-old spiritual head of Ramkrishna Math, Nagpur. In conversation with ‘The Hitavada’, Swami ji said, “People suffer because they have become more materialistic, and have lost connect with their spirit. Enjoyment and materialism is not the aim of human life. The purpose in life should be to do good, to be good. One should think what they can do for their family, society, city, nation,” he added. Selfishness creates pain and leads to greed, jealousy and eventually other vices. One should always aim to help others and be kind.

 

This is the only way, youth can help themselves and the nation, he advised. Swami Brahmasthananda joined Ramkrishna Math at Nagpur in 1971 and he was ordained into Sanyas in 1982. He worked in different capacities in Nagpur, Hyderabad and other places. He has been the President of Ramkrishna Math, Nagpur since 1996. Quoting Swami Vivekanand, he said, “An atheist is he who does not believe in himself. The old religions said that an atheist is he who did not believe in God. The new religion says that an atheist is he who does not believe in himself. The history of the world is the history ofafew men who had faith in themselves. That faith calls out the divinity within. You can do anything.” Swami Brahmasthananda said, “Even misguided youths are transformed when they find a spiritual guide who can help them connect with their own divine self. Their thought, behaviour, work, attitude changes, and they are able to uplift themselves and the society. There are several examples of men who have worked for the nation after being inspired by Swami Vivekanand. When Swamiji met Jamsetji Tata on a ship in 1893, he asked him to work for the nation, and it transpired a positive change.” “Today’s youth will be able to understand spirituality if they imbibe these thoughts from their parents, in their school.

 

Today’s youth has forgotten our spiritual leaders, our Sants, and Mahatmas. They spend 25 years of their lives to complete their education and build careers. They don’t have time for spirituality, to seek the Truth. They are more inspired by filmdom and the latest trends on their mobile. They are influenced by fake and hollow things, and have no connect with their own spirit. Only when they are curious, truthful, unselfish will they find their divinity,” he said. “Swami Vivekanand always had faith in the youth. He said, ‘My faith is in the younger generation, the modern generation. They will work out the whole problem, like Lions’. The universal religion is one of humanity, sacrifice. It is not for one community, caste, but it is for all humans. The whole universe is filled with ‘Chaitanya’, the pure consciousness -- We do not realise this. Whatever we see around us are just physical objects, but in every heart, the ‘atma’ (the divine) resides, and this ‘atma’ is part of the ‘parmatma’ (God). We are beautiful beings of light and we are here to help each other,” concluded Swami Brahmasthananda with angelic smile.