Foreword
The meaning of the word 'history' is elusive Derived from the Greek word 'historia implying enquiry or study (as in natural history) 'history' has come to mean a special type of enquiry, that is to say, a study or enquiry about the past. The Sanskrit synonym, 'itihasa', connotes a similar idea, 'iti ha asa', 'Thus was it. Yet historians have given the word special meanings which veer between two extremes. We have, on the one hand, Toynbee's characterisation of 'history' as 'a vision-dim and partial (he believed) true to reality as far as it went-of God, revealing himself in action to souls that were sincerely seeking Him' (Study of History, Vol. 10, p. 1) and, on the other hand, Gibbon's castigation of 'history' as 'little more than the register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes oi man-kind. This confusion arises because of the fact that the nature of the past like the beauty of a woman depends on the eyes of the viewer. The so-called 'objective study of history is coloured by the vision of the historian, by his own ideas, pre- judices and predilections. Kalhana, the historian of ancient Kashmir, set a special norm for an historian as an impartial judge: Slaghyahsaevagunavanragadvesa-bahiskritah/Bhutarthakathaneyasyastheyasyevasaraswati (Rajatarangini, 1, 7). R. S. Pandit translates the verse thus: That man alone deserves praise whose language, like that of a judge, in recounting the events of the past has discarded bias as well as prejudice. And this absolute standard is reached by few historians, as Toynbee, the doyen of modern historical studies, confesses, 'It is difficult for any one brought up in the Christian tradition to shake himself free from the official Christian ideology... I am conscious that my own outlook has been affected in this way...... If I had been brought up in the Moslem tradition instead of the Christian one, no doubt my outlook would have been affected correspondingly. (ibid, Vol. 12, p 478) Swami Vivekananda, whose attitude towards history this novel book discusses, was basically a Hindu with the veneer of Western education and experience. He delved deep into the Hindu sastras but did not neglect the study of the Western thinkers such as Darwin, Mill, Hume and Herbert Spencer (vide My Brother Vivekananda, p. 12). His approach towards history was prompted by the best of the East and the West, which this book seeks to point out. Like the nineteenth century positivists, Swami Vivekananda would rely most upon historical truth. He stated, 'Then what is the use of so much historical research, you may ask. It has its use, because we have to get at the truth; it will not do for us to remain bound by wrong ideas due to ignorance... You have to keep your eye always fixed on truth only, and shun all superstitions completely." (Collected Works, 4th Edn. Vol. IV. 1932, pp. 101-2). But as Holborn stated, 'History is the re-enactment of the past in the mind of the historian, and even 'facts' (should we say *truth?) exist only there. (A Study of History, Vol. 12, p. 230) In Chapter I of this book the author, a young intellectual belonging to the Ramakrishna order, sets out the essence of Swami Vivekananda's thought on History, 'The history of civilization is the progressive reading of spirit into matter progress according to him meant 'the controlling this nature' (both internal and external). As a Hindu monk he believed, "The life of this nation is religious, its its language riligion idea religion.... Yet many Brahmanical philosophers in Ancient India believed in the well-known threefold objective of life, namely, spiritual (dharma), economic (artha) and sensual (kama) and an appropiate co-ordination (anubandha) among them. That the Indians excelled in religion is admitted by all; that they were also advanced, as far as the ancient world had gone, in economic and sensual matters has also been established.
About The Author
Swami Someswarananda (1944-2021) an erudite scholar and orator, an icon of free thinking on spirituality and Vivekananda's teaching has authored more than 50 books, some being best seller. Afer his demise, his whats Ap dialogue and question-answer published viz recently acclaimed, Mukhomukhi Prashna-Uttar.
About The Book
In compiling Vivekananda's observations on history. integrating them author Swami Someswarananda has accomplished a remarkable job. The Special strength of this book lies in testing relevance of Swami Vivekananda's ideas educidation, of modern problems."- Prabudha Bharat. In "The author has compared the views of Karl Marx with those of Vivekananda and shown how 'the author has proved right" - Vedanta Keshar. "The core element in Vivekananda's concept of history, that 'Dharma' is our nation's life spring, has been proved. Swami Someswarananda has analysed the characteristics of Indian society... this book will remain a document on Vivekananda's sense of history".
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