On may 31,1893 swami vivekanand left india to participate in the parliament of religion to be held in chicago.before leaving ,swami vivekanand had travelled all over india as a wandering monk,and was appalled to see the poverty,illiteracy,superstition,exploitation of women,religious bigotism andcaste system.he considered the neglect of masses as a great national sin.his statement that religion cannot be preached on an empty stomach reveals.he was alive to immediate needs of comman man.
He believed that religion is realisation.The realisation is of oneness,the ltimate truth,which is based on universal values like love,faith,compassion and charity.To him religion was a manifestation of the divinity already in man.Religion is one but its application must be various.To him love and charity for the whole human race is the test of religiousness.Religion unites and never divides .He proclaimed "One indefinite religion existed all through eternity and will ever exist and this religion is expressing itself in various countries and in various ways".He believed that no nation can hale others and live.
In a letter addressed to mahammed sarfaraz hussain,vivekanand envisages the junction of Hinduism and islam as a preclude to the future perfect india. He said"The truth is that advaitism is the last word of religion and thought and the only position from which one can look upon all religions and sects with love .We believe it is the religion of future enlightened humanity ....
Our experience is that even the followers of any religion approached to this equality in appreciable degree in the place of practical work in daily life.it is those of islam and islam alone.Therefore We are firmly persuaded that without the help of practical islam,thories of vedantism however fine and beautiful,They may be,are entirely valueless to the vast mass of mankind.I see in my minds eye the future perfect india rising out of this chaos and strife,glorious and invincible with vedanta brain and islam body.
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