Nov 22, 2010

Chair at the University of Chicago to spread the ideals of Swami Vivekananda

Chicago honour for Swami
New Delhi, Nov. 20: The Indian government hopes to set up a Chair at the University of Chicago to spread the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, 117 years after the monk delivered his landmark address in the US city.
The consulate-general of India in Chicago is in touch with the university to set up the Chair, which would focus on inter-faith dialogues.
Vivekananda had delivered his speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893, where he introduced Hinduism as a faith that had taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.
“Sisters and Brothers of America, it fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us,” Vivekananda had begun his speech. “I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.”
A senior official in the ministry of culture told The Telegraph: “Our consul-general is in dialogue with the University of Chicago on how to set up the Chair…. India may give funds through endowment for an annual Vivekananda lecture at the university also.”
The proposed Chair is part of the government’s plan to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Vivekananda.
Ministry sources said value education programmes across the country had been planned apart from a special film on the saint who was born in 1863 and died young in 1902 at the age of 39.
A national committee chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and an implementation panel headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will guide the execution of the programmes that would culminate in 2013-14.
The programmes, set to start within a few months, will be held across the country and abroad. Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission on the banks of the Hooghly, will organise the value education programmes across the country, like seminars and youth conventions, the ministry official said.

Sourse:
The Telegraph, Kolkata,  India, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010
http://www.telegraphindia.com//1101121/jsp/nation/story_13202229.jsp#

Aug 28, 2010

Journey Continues......

The final examination for the June to August session is over yesterday.  We could complete the session without holidays.  The result will be declared on 31 August by 4.00 p.m.  Admission for continuing students will take place on September 1.   The new session will commence from 13 September.   Almost 7,000 students took admission in the session.  When we went through the feedback we were satisfied that we were able to do justice to this large number of students. 

T. Sita Rama Raju of advanced level told us that he could not speak in English.  Then he joined the VIOL.  With in a year he is able to communicate in English confidently.  Apart from language he inculcated self discipline which helped him a lot.

Pavan Mani Kumar said “I was not good at studies up to graduation.  I improved my language and communication skills with the support of VIOL.  In Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence I attended different courses which helped me to improve my confidence.  When I applied for GEPACT, they selected 5 candidates out of 5000 application.  I was one of them.  I was selected because of my “ATTITUDE” which I developed in Ramakrishna Math.”

G. Sai Ram, who completed his diploma in German and attended classes for two years, said “I liked everything here.  VIOL taught me language, communication skills, self discipline.  Swami Vivekananda’s message has instilled confidence in me.  I meditated in the temple, participated in the Bhajans conducted by Revered President Maharaj.  Now I am in a position to motivate and guide others also. 

D. Shravan Kumar, a German language student completed his diploma with 100% attendance in all the six levels.  Earlier he had completed the spoken English course with 100% attendance.  He attended all the classes for 3 years without missing a single one.  Tremendous commitment!!

Jul 19, 2010

Never give up!!!

“Be not afraid of anything. You will do marvellous work. The moment you fear, you are nobody. It is fear that is the great cause of misery in the world. It is fear that is the greatest of all superstitions. It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is fearlessness that brings heaven even in a moment. Therefore, 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached'” says Swami Vivekananda. 
There is a story. One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, hat the well needed to be covered anyway and that it just wasn't worth retrieving the donkey. So he invited all his neighbors to come over and help him.
They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he became quiet.  A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
            This life is full of problems and challenges.  If we think that we are week and helpless we, we remain so.  When we search for an opportunity to come out of the situation, new doors open up for us and we will have a chance to come out of the situation.  That instills confidence in us and makes us stronger.  That is why we should not give up.  The end of the road that we see could be a bend to give a new turn to our life.

Jul 14, 2010

Swami Vivekananda’s Message on Service

A rich man had a garden and two gardeners. One of these gardeners was very lazy and did not work; but when the owner came to the garden, the lazy man would get up and fold his arms and say, "How beautiful is the face of my master", and dance before him. The other gardener would not talk much, but would work hard, and produce all sorts of fruits and vegetables which he would carry on his head to his master who lived a long way off. Of these two gardeners, which would be the more beloved of his master? Shiva is that master, and this world is His garden, and there are two sorts of gardeners here; the one who is lazy, hypocritical, and does nothing, only talking about Shiva's beautiful eyes and nose and other features; and the other, who is taking care of Shiva's children, all those that are poor and weak, all animals, and all His creation. Which of these would be the more beloved of Shiva? Certainly he that serves His children. He who wants to serve the father must serve the children first. He who wants to serve Shiva must serve His children — must serve all creatures in this world first. It is said in the Shâstra that those who serve the servants of God are His greatest servants. So you will bear this in mind.

Let me tell you again that you must be pure and help any one who comes to you, as much as lies in your power. And this is good Karma. By the power of this, the heart becomes pure (Chitta-shuddhi), and then Shiva who is residing in every one will become manifest. He is always in the heart of every one. If there is dirt and dust on a mirror, we cannot see our image. So ignorance and wickedness are the dirt and dust that are on the mirror of our hearts. Selfishness is the chief sin, thinking of ourselves first. He who thinks, "I will eat first, I will have more money than others, and I will possess everything", he who thinks, "I will get to heaven before others I will get Mukti before others" is the selfish man. The unselfish man says, "I will be last, I do not care to go to heaven, I will even go to hell if by doing so I can help my brothers." This unselfishness is the test of religion. He who has more of this unselfishness is more spiritual and nearer to Shiva. Whether he is learned or ignorant, he is nearer to Shiva than anybody else, whether he knows it or not. And if a man is selfish, even though he has visited all the temples, seen all the places of pilgrimage, and painted himself like a leopard, he is still further off from Shiva.

Ref: Lectures from Colombo to Almora - Address at Rameswaram - January 1897


Read Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda online

Jun 24, 2010

Swami Vivekananda - A Role Model to Youth


Swami Vivekananda is widely considered to have inspired India's freedom struggle movement. His writings inspired a whole generation of freedom fighters including Subhash Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh and Bagha Jatin. Aurobindo Ghosh considered Vivekananda as his spiritual mentor.  He said, “Vivekananda was a soul of puissance if ever there was one, a very lion among men, but the definitive work he has left behind is quite incommensurate with our impression of his creative might and energy. We perceive his influence still working gigantically, we know not well how, we know not well where, in something that is not yet formed, something leonine, grand, intuitive, upheaving that has entered the soul of India and we say, "Behold, Vivekananda still lives in the soul of his Mother and in the souls of her children”.  Vivekananda inspired Jamshedji Tata to set up Indian Institute of Science, one of India's finest Institutions.
Several leaders of 20th Century India and philosophers have acknowledged Vivekananda's influence. The first governor general of independent India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, once observed that "Vivekananda saved Hinduism, saved India." According to Subhas Chandra Bose, Vivekananda "is the maker of modern India" and for Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda's influence increased his "love for his country a thousand fold."  This was a most fitting gesture as much of Swami Vivekananda's writings concerned the Indian youth and how they should strive to uphold their ancient values whilst fully participating in the modern world.
Abroad, he had some interactions with Max Müller. Scientist Nikola Tesla was one of those influenced by the Vedic philosophy teachings of the Swami Vivekananda.   The French Nobel Laureate, Romain Rolland writes, "His words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!"
In 1984, the Government of India declared and decided to observe the Birthday of Swami Vivekananda (12 January, according to English calendar) as National Youth Day every year from 1985 onwards. To quote from the Government of India’s Communication, ‘it was felt that the philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked could be a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth.’


Listen to talk on Swami Vivekananda


Read the life of Swami Vivekananda

Jun 16, 2010

Six Steps to a Stronger Mind

By Swami Sunirmalananda


Our minds are all we've got. They are the source of who we, both personally and professionally, are. They determine our success or failure. They are our strength and our weakness.

With the quality of our entire lives resting on our minds, it's unbelievable that we choose to fill them with so much garbage. The amount of negativity from television, newspapers, tabloids and other media that bombards us on a daily basis is amazing. We would never think to fill our bodies with only junk food, right? Heck no! We know that if we ate nothing but French fries and ice cream we would experience negative consequences like skin blemishes, weight gain and rotting teeth.

But with mental junk food we don't see the physical consequences right away. When our minds are constantly filled with negativity and bad news, our minds begin to decay. That's why we need to develop a strong, herculean-esque mind.

Developing your mental muscles will give you the power to accomplish anything you want in life. Sure, it takes some discipline on your part, but look at the world's greatest bodybuilders. They don't show up at the gym every once in a while. They create a workout schedule and they are at the gym every day, no matter what.

Hire yourself as your mental manager. Figure out how much you're going to pay yourself and make up a job list. Here are six jobs to assign to yourself to create a stronger mind.

1. Read Right - How much good news do you see in the newspapers? Editors usually say, "If it bleeds, it leads." Not much chance of positivity there. So, read something else. Read books, good books, books that motivate you, books that inspire you. Look up some of the great inspirational authors in your local bookstore. Read them every morning and/or night, before you go to sleep.

2. Share Your Mind - Find someone, or a group of people who have the same desire to share positivity. This is called masterminding. Great successes are created when great minds come together and think about the same things.

3. Find A Mentor - I learnt a lot more from my mentor about life, than I ever hoped to. Who are the people you admire most, whether you know them or not? Figure out whom you'd like to emulate and study them. If they offer seminars, attend them. If they've written books, read them.

4. Listen to Motivational/Inspirational CDs and Tapes - This is one of the most important habits you can create for yourself. Find inspirational audio messages and listen to them over and over. Earl Nightingale, one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time, had this to say on the subject: "Tape listening is the most important advance in technology since the invention of the printing press." With audio tapes and CDs, speakers can reach 10 times as many people as the printed word ever could.

5. Sign Up and Attend Seminars - The motivational messages you hear at seminars, and the inspirational people you meet, reinforce your self-esteem and positive thinking. You can search out seminars via the internet, newspapers or local colleges and universities.

6. Turn Off the Television - On an average, the television set in a home is on for over 4 hours a day. Just like any bad habit, it needs to be broken. I'm not saying that all television is bad. No. I'm simply recommending that you cut back on your television viewing. Decide how long you're going to watch television and then turn it off when your time is up. Try cutting back your television viewing one hour every day at first. You can use that time to read a book, listen to a motivational tape, walk your dog or spend time with your family.
After reading these six steps maybe you're saying, "But, I can't do it. I just don't know if I can be this dedicated to bettering myself!" Who else are you going to be dedicated to if not to yourself? Because when it comes right down to it, folks, you are all that you've got. Jobs and relationships come and go. Children grow up, leave the nest and get lives of their own. Then there you are, alone with yourself. Why not create a "you" you can be proud of!

Source:

Jun 12, 2010

Swami Vivekananda's 150th Birth Anniversary Committee - PM's remarks

150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda 

Government of India has decided to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and a National Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. 

The first meeting of the National Committee was held on 20 May 2010 in New Delhi, and presided over by the Prime Minister. In his opening remarks Dr. Manmohan Singh said, Swami Vivekananda did a lot to inculcate a national consciousness among the people. His message was universal and based on rationality and righteousness. It was a message that appealed to people of all classes, castes and creeds. His message of unity and brotherhood has far-reaching appeal and relevance even today. 

Some portion of PM's opening remark: 

“I am grateful to the distinguished members for joining us today for the first meeting of the National Committee for the Commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda which falls in 2013. Swami Vivekananda was one of our greatest spiritual leaders and will always be a revered figure in India's history and culture. We should work sincerely to celebrate the commemorative year in a befitting manner. 

Swami Vivekananda did a lot to inculcate a national consciousness among the people. His message was universal and based on rationality and righteousness. It was a message that appealed to people of all classes, castes and creeds. His message of unity and brotherhood has far-reaching appeal and relevance even today. 

We hope to use the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary to promote interest, particularly among our youth in his values, thoughts and ideals. In fact, we celebrate Swami Vivekanand's birthday on 12th January as National Youth Day every year. We recall on this day his memorable call to "Work, work, work ". 

Swami Vivekananda thought deeply about education and what it meant for Indian society. He conceived of education as the primary means of rebuilding Indian society. For him, education meant secular learning that built character and instilled human values in students.

I am happy that among the proposals we have received is one from the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission in Belur that is based on this theme. It seeks to promote and implement Vivekananda's ideas on value based education. Our education system today is information based and does not give adequate emphasis on building core values. I think that thought should be given to how we can mainstream some of Swami Vivekananda's ideas on education into our school and college curricula. 

Source and full text of PM's speach:
http://pibmumbai.gov.in/scripts/detail.asp?releaseId=E2010PR900

Jun 4, 2010

Orientation Ceremony

The June 2010 session began on 2 June.  The Orientation Ceremony was held on 2 and 3 June in six batches.

Rev. Swami Jnanadanandaji Maharaj, Adhyaksha of Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad urged the students to utilize the opportunity properly by not only learning languages but also utilizing the temple for meditation and library for reading good books. Swami Bodhamayanandaji, Director, Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence, inspired the students by Swami vivekananda’s message and urged them to inculcate patriotism, self discipline, self confidence etc. Swami Anupamanandaji, Director, Vivekananda Institute of Languages, apprised the students about the course and programmes of Ramakrishna Math.

Mr. Subba Rao GVSM, Mr. John SMP, Mr. Sumyog S., Mrs. Sachi Hari K., Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Krishnan and Mr. Ram Mohan Rao J. conducted the programme. The students who excelled in the previous session received certificates. The advanced level students shared their wonderful experiences of learning languages at VIOL.

Altogether 6,815 students have taken admission for the current session for Sanskrit, Hindi, Spoken English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese languages.

May 28, 2010

Admission for June 2010 session

Today we had the last phase of the admission for June 2010 session. The turnout was good.



With today's spot admission the admission process is complete.

Classes will commence from Wednesday, 2 June 10. So time for hard work now onwards.

Best wishes.

Feb 24, 2010

Opening Message

Dear friends,

Swami Vivekananda says, "Have faith in yourself". Our aim is to instill this confidence in the younger generation so that they will be in a position stand on their own feet. For that we need Swami Vivekananda's message. Let us study his life and message which are source of great inspiration.

This blog spot is meant to give information about the job opportunities which will be useful to you.

More in the next blog. Have a nice day!!