Analysing Swami Vivekananda’s model of nationalism, OSWALD PEREIRA says the revolutionary yogi propagated the spiritualisaton of nationalism, as he believed that patriotism should be rooted in dharma. His revolutionary vision of nationalism inspired generations of Indian freedom fighters to blend activism with asceticism and courage with compassion
The revolutionary yogi Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy had a profound impact not only on Indian leaders and freedom fighters but also on Western thinkers, scientists and writers.
From Mahatma Gandhi to Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh, Vinoba Bhave to Jawaharlal Nehru as well as Nikola Tesla, the inventor and futurist, William James, the father of American psychology, writers Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, and Christopher Isherwood — Vivekananda’s philosophy and writings had a far-reaching influence on them all.
Gandhi first came across Vivekananda through his writings while in South Africa. Vivekananda’s writings were an encounter that transformed his thinking. Gandhi went into raptures saying, “His words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses.”
Rabindranath Tagore saw in Vivekananda not only a national icon but a “catalyst for a spiritual renaissance that transcended religious and cultural boundaries.”
Subhash Chandra Bose called Vivekananda the ‘maker of modern India.’ He credited the yogi with laying the spiritual groundwork for assertive patriotism.
“He was a full-blooded masculine personality…and this was what appealed to me from the beginning,” Bose said.
Vivekananda travelled across India as a wandering monk, witnessing firsthand the degradation wrought by colonialism and internal social decay. His call to “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached,” became both a spiritual mantra and a nationalistic rallying cry.
Vivekananda’s spiritual message was inseparable from his vision for India’s awakening. He exhorted Indians to overcome fatalism, re-embrace their spiritual heritage, and translate inner strength into outer action.
This message greatly influenced the Indian Independence movement. Apart from Gandhi and Bose, other leaders such as Sri Aurobindo, and Jawaharlal Nehru, also acknowledged Vivekananda’s enduring influence on their thinking.
Spiritualisation of Nationalism
Vivekananda didn’t propagate narrow nationalism. He believed that patriotism should be rooted in dharma, and not dominance. He envisioned an India reborn through inner strength, where spirituality would uplift, not isolate.
“So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who… does not help to remove their suffering,” Vivekananda averred.
His model of nationalism had three pillars:
1. Spiritual awakening: Realising the divine Self
2. Social responsibility: Eradicating casteism, superstition, and poverty
3. Cultural confidence: Not chauvinism, but a rightful pride in India’s spiritual heritage
This vision inspired generations of Indian freedom fighters to blend activism with asceticism, and courage with compassion.
It was Vivekananda who injected a sense of spiritual fearlessness into the Indian psyche — a belief that “India’s soul must awaken before her chains could be broken.”
Influence on Western Thinkers and Writers
Nikola Tesla, the inventor and futurist, met Vivekananda in 1896 and was profoundly impressed by his ideas on energy and consciousness. Tesla even began to think of matter and energy in terms that echoed Vedantic metaphysics.
William James, the father of American psychology, was fascinated by the psychospiritual dimensions Vivekananda brought to the West.
Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, and Christopher Isherwood all acknowledged the influence of Vivekananda and Vedanta on their intellectual and artistic lives.
Swami Vivekananda’s legacy cannot be confined to the monastery, the temple, or the podium. His life was a fusion of yogic realisation and revolutionary mission — a call to awaken both the self and society.
By merging service with sādhanā (spiritual practice), nationalism with universalism, and Vedantic insight with modern reason, he was truly a revolutionary yogi.
His teachings remain a powerful force for those seeking not only to transform themselves but also to uplift the world.
Vivekananda is often remembered for his saffron robes and thunderous speeches. But his truest legacy is more subtle: it is the courage to seek truth, the conviction to serve others, and the vision to transcend limits.
He did not divide, but dared to unify — science and spirit, East and West, monk and householder, self and society.
Oswald Pereira, a senior journalist, has also written ten books, including Beyond Autobiography of a Yogi, The Newsroom Mafia, Chaddi Buddies, The Krishna-Christ Connexion, How to Create Miracles in Our Daily Life and Crime Patrol: The Most Thrilling Stories. Oswald is a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and practises Kriya Yoga.
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