Asian Research Consortium

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1 Asian Research Consortium Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2015, pp ISSN Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities Thought of Swami Vivekananda on Mass Education Md. Farukuddin Mallik*; Dibyendu Bhattacharyya** Abstract *Assistant Teacher; Metyal Sahar High School, Purulia. **Professor, Department of Education, University of Kalyani. DOI NUMBER / Swami Vivekananda, a monk, philosopher, spiritual leader, a great leader and social reformer. Vivekananda had dedicated his life for the cause of common masses reflected in this paper. This paper tries to analyze Swami Vivekananda s views on mass Education. It deals with concepts and ideas of eradication of poverty, removal of illiteracy, unemployment and ignorance. He stressed upon the need of technical education, industrial training, and education through vernacular languages as the solution to these social evils. He strongly believed that a nation progresses on the basis of education and intelligence spread among the masses. Thus though his scheme he tired bring about material progress of the country as well as to maintain India s spiritual heritage. Vivekananda advocated for a positive system of education in which he synthesized spiritual and material values. Keywords: Swami Vivekananda and Mass Education. Introduction The great educator Swami Vivekananda in his short duration of life views on education will not be completed without touching upon his thoughts on mass education. At time when social leaders were busy with others social reforms mainly confined to the upper strata of the society, he felt that the neglect of masses was the main cause of India s downfall. Swami Vivekananda strongly believes that a nation is advanced in proportion as education and intelligence spread among the masses. As a true patriot Swami Vivekananda was too emotional about the condition of poor and down trodden mass of contemporary India. Vivekananda however, was a genuine of the poor and the weak, 132

2 particularly the helpless mass of India, and he was the first Indian leader who sought a solution to their problems through education. Objectives: 1. To study Vivekananda s Contribution on Mass Education. 2. To identify the thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Mass Education. 3. To discuss the methods of Mass Education. Methodology of the Study The method of Historical Research is used in the present studies: Sources Used 1. Primary Sources Compositions of Swami Vivekananda. 2. Secondary Sources Educational philosophies and profiles of Swami Vivekananda, Written by several authors. Newspaper reports and articles published by different authors in books, journal and websites regarding The Mass Education of Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda s Consideration about Mass Education Swami Vivekananda belonged to that branch of Vedanta that held that no one can be truly free unless social stratification became merging together to a singular social entity. Even the desire for self development has to be given up, and only tireless work for the salvation of others is the true mark of the enlightened persons. Vivekananda invites every man and every woman to work out their own salvation. According to him Give them ideas that are the only help they require and then the rest must follow as effect. Our is to put the chemicals together, the crystallization comes in it is the law of nature. Swamiji s most unique contribution for the creation of new India was to open the minds of India s to their duty towards the downtrodden masses. To him true education was the powerful tool for asserting people s sufferings, discriminations, prejudices, human indignity. He tried to integrate between eastern and western culture. According to Swamiji, Every successful man must have behind him somewhere tremendous integrity, tremendous sincerity and that is the cause of his signal success in life. He may not have been perfectly unselfish; yet he was tending towards it. If he had been perfectly unselfish, he would have been as great success as that of the Buddha or of the Christ. The degree of unselfishness marks the degree of success everywhere. What is Education? According to him, The Education which does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not bring out strength of character, 133

3 a spirit of philanthropy and the courage of a lion-is it work the name? Real Education is that which enables one to stand on one s own legs. Contributions on Mass Education The one thing that is at the root of all evils in India is the condition of the poor. Suppose you provide a free school in every village, reach everywhere still it would do no good to eradicate poverty in India as such that the poor boys would rather go to help their fathers in the fields or otherwise try to make a living than come to the school. Now if the mountain does not come to Mohammed, according to Vivekananda Mohammed must go to the mountain. If the poor boy cannot come to the Education, Education must go to him. According to him a real Education is one which makes a person self-dependent through life struggle. An ideal society, according to Vivekananda should provide the resources as well as the opportunity for each of its members to develop his or her. Vivekananda says about masses feel my children feel; feel the poor the ignorant, the down trodden; feel till the heart stops and the brain feels and you think you will go mad- then poor, the soul out at the feet indomitable energy. Swamiji says about masses Struggle till say, I. When it was all dark, I used to say struggle; when light is breaking in, I still say struggle. Be not afraid my children. He also influenced the masses by saying this- Have fire and spread all over. Work, work. Be the servant while leading. Go on, work on every one is looking on you; the future of India depends on you, work on. Vivekananda suggests the importance and usage of ancient scripture for the upliftment of down trodden masses of India. His vision of education, science and culture as the essential instrument of human development. Therefore the ideas must be taught in the language of the people. Role of Mass Education According to Vivekananda Education is a lifelong process which develops physicals, intellectual, social, aesthetic virtue of human being not only for individuals but for developments of masses. According to him three things are necessary to make every man great, every nation great: 1. Conviction of the powers of goodness. 2. Absence of jealousy and suspicion. 3. Helping all who are trying to be and do well. He suggests that one of the greatest lessons is to pay as much attention to the means of work as to its end, so all the secret of success is there to pay as much attention to the means as to the end. Swamiji wanted to give the responsibility of Mass Education on young generations. He advocated non-formal education for them. He wanted to give three types of education like: Life centered, Activity centered, Self-reliance 134

4 Some points regarding mass Education of Swami Vivekananda are specially mentionable: 1) National development and mass education are indispensable to Vivekananda. 2) The socio-economic condition of masses should be upgraded for their proper education and health. 3) Swamiji do not believe in temporary solution about anything, similarly by wandering through out in India he supposed to believe that there is only solution through which masses of our country can be uphold and that is only through education is possible in a permanent way. Cultural Traditions & Mass Education An ideal society, according to Vivekananda, should provide the resources as well as the opportunity for each of its members to develop his or her. He argued that a nation was advanced to the extent the education and culture reached the masses. Unless there is uniform circulation of national blood all over the body, the nation could not rise. There have been many changes in the field of education since Swami Vivekananda, which is now engaged in preparing human beings for a new type of society and Swamiji also proposed a new type of education for reaching that kind of destination for have had its own cultural traditions. According to him, the only service to be done for our lower classes is to give them education, to develop their lost individuality. Give them ideas that is the only help they require and then rest must follow as the effect. Ours is to put the chemicals together, the crystallization comes in the law of nature. Vivekananda said you must not depend on any foreign help. Nations, like individuals must help themselves, this is real patriotism. If a nation cannot do that its time has not yet come. It must wait and also said it is better for better to die on the field of duty, preaching the truth, than to die like a worldly worm. Swamiji had understood the cultural tradition among masses and proposed that we need Technology and science from west and cultural heritage from east. Findings & Conclusion 1) Swamiji wanted to build up a superstation free society through education. He wanted to give equal opportunity of education to all kinds of masses. He was the first person who helped us to dream for a modern India with the help of common masses. 2) There have been many changes in the field of education since Vivekananda passed away hundred years ago, but not as many changes as in other areas of society. One such noticeable change in education is that it is now engaged in preparing human being for it and makes the power of education through different policies and programmes by involving common people popularly termed as Universalisation of Education. 3) Interestingly Vivekananda had envisioned a society with a new type of human being with whom knowledge, action, work and concentration were harmoniously blended, and he proposed a new type of education for achieving this through masses. 135

5 Vivekananda said our duty to others means helping others; doing good to the world, apparently to help the world, but really to help ourselves. He devoted his life to the awakening of national consciousness and many of his eloquent appeals would stir the national sentiments of India. Vivekananda advocated for a positive system of education in which he synthesized spiritual and material values leading to modernization. References S.V Bharathi (2010). Educational Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, Discovery publishing House. Sengupta, S.C Swami Vivekananda and Indian Nationalism. Calcutta: Sishu Sahitya Samsad. Das Gupta. R.K, 1996, Swami Vivekananda on Indian Philosophy and Literature, the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark. Kol- 29. Aggarwal, J.C.(2004). Philosophical and Sociological Bases of Education, Vikas Publishing House (Pvt.) Ltd., New Delhi. Swami Sarvabhutananda.(2011): Amar Bharat, R.K. Mission Institute of Calcutta, Kolkata