Yuva Bharati / March 2018 / 15of creating the environment in which
Brotherhood is realized, higher forms of
Brotherhood, be it national, international
or universal, will remain a chimera. The
greatest challenge that the modern
consumerist civilization poses is to the very
concept of family. If families break on
the sheer rock of self-interest, then there
is no way for the concept of Brotherhood
to be sustained. Universal Brotherhood,
as a charity, should begin at home and
gradually evolve itself into wider forms
until it becomes possible.”
For the rank and file, cautious steps are
needed to see that in their zeal for emulating
the ideal, the probable pitfalls are steered
clear of. To emphasize this, Parameswaranji
says: “One has to be idealistic and realistic
at the same time. There is a beautiful story
about Rishi Gautama, the exponent of
the Nyaya school of Darshana. He was
so immersed in his contemplation that
he had become totally oblivious of the
world around him. As he was going about
in that frame of mind, he fell into a well
and was badly bruised. God came to his
rescue and lifted him out. It is said that
God plucked His eyes and fixed them to
Gautama’s feet so that even as he walked
with his head in the clouds, his feet would
guide him. Thus he came to be known by
the synonym Akshapada -- one who has
eyes on his feet. As a nation we need our
feet to be firmly planted on the solid earth
as we pursue the highest ideal of Universal
Brotherhood.”
The well-known Vivekananda Rock
Memorial was inaugurated on 2nd
September 1970. The Kendra is firmly
committed to the task of translating
Swamiji’s vision of a glorious Bharat into
reality. “Man-making and Nation-building
are the twin ideals which Vivekananda
Kendra has taken as its objective. Thyaga
and Seva are the key to achieve this grand
consummation. Thyaga implies true man-
making, and Seva, nation-building. They
are inseparable.” (Editorial: Man-making
and Nation-bulding). The aspiration of
the Kendra has been to send out an ever-
increasing band of workers throughout
India for social raising-up and re-building
Bharat in accordance with Swamiji’s vision.
This was the aspiration that moved
Man. Eknath Ranade. Eknathji was known
for his dynamism and organizational
abilities. He was a visionary. He did not
want the monument to Swami Vivekananda
an idle, lifeless entity. He wanted to
make it a ‘living’ memorial by translating
Vivekananda’s message into action. He put
in place an action plan. And Vivekananda
Kendra is the materialization of this vision
of Man. Eknathji. In his Editorial written
for Vivekananda Kendra Patrika on Sri
Guruji Golwalkar, Shri Parameswaranji
has quoted what Sri Guruji has written
in the Visitor’s Book at the Memorial. He
says: “The memorable words which Sri
Guruji wrote in the visitor’s book when he
visited the Vivekananda Rock Memorial,
is a compressed, yet eloquent testimony
to his comprehensive understanding
and appreciation of the Vivekananda
Memorial. Sri Guruji wrote in the visitor’s
book: ‘Certainly, the elevating life of the