Lal Bahadur Shashtri On Swami Vivekananda ~ Swami Vivekananda Quotes

Lal Bahadur Shashtri (Hindi: लाल बहादुर शास्त्री, 2 October 1904 – 11 January 1966) was the second Prime Minister of the Independent India. A detailed biography of Shashtri is available at Wikipedia. In this article the topic is Lal Bahadur Shashtri's quotes and comments on Swami Vivekananda.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri told—

I remember that in my student days I have read the speeches of the Swami and was deeply attracted to it. Its impact on my mind was so great that my perceptions were all changed, and I started to have a different idea about life.

When the nation was in a deep slumber, he created the stir. He talked on the Vedanta; nevertheless, this sage-philosopher aroused the people. India was like an open picture before him. He wanted that the people of our country should embark on work and be active. His Advaitism was not a passivity, and he never directed to await luck or fate. He knew that if the people of the country were not ready for toil and sacrifice, India would hardly achieve wealth and prosperity. Subjugation of the country deeply troubled him.

... He called everyone to sacrifice for the attainment of a noble goal. Aspirants of wealth and power were deeply despised by him. In a country where millions of people were living in deprivation, individual enjoyments were considered unjust by him. ...His message was to awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached. He was a seer and a Godcommanded entity.