Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Dutta in January 1863, was one of the most outstanding personalities coming from India in the nineteenth century. From his very boyhood and up to his death in 1903, he displayed wonderful talent in many fields. Impressed by his extraordinary intelligence and scholarship, William Hastie, his principal, once remarked: ?Narendra is a real genius. I have travelled far and wide, but have not yet come across a lad of his talents and possibilities even among the philosophical students in the German universities. He is bound to make his mark in life.? And he did make his mark in life.

● His search for truth

After studying the Eastern and Western philosophies, he became restless to know God. His quest ultimately led him to the feet of his great guru, Sri Ramakrishna, under whose guidance he experienced God in His different aspects. The Swami treasured these experiences and having realized their importance himself, set out to preach them in and outside India.

● In Chicago

In September 1893, a Parliament of religions was organized in the city of Chicago, USA, the principal objective of which was to acquaint the world population, particularly the Americans, with the noble ideas and principles of all major religions of the world. Swami Vivekananda was requested to go to the Parliament as a representative of Hinduism. Though not equipped with the necessary credentials, he providentially got the opportunity of delivering his message.

Amidst an august assembly, amounting to six to seven thousand people, Swami Vivekananda addressed his audience as: ?Sisters and brothers of America.? Before he had uttered another word, the whole Parliament was caught up in a great wave of enthusiasm. Hundreds of people rose to their feet with shouts of applause. He said: ?Sisters and brothers of America??

? I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true?, he declared. Quoting the Gita, he explained that Lord Krishna had said: ? Whoever comes to me, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me. I am in every religion as a thread through a string of pearls.?

Swami Vivekananda?s impassioned plea at the Parliament of religions was the recognition of religious unity. Among his various utterances, his celebrated paper on Hinduism came as a thunderbolt. He brought home to the consciousness of the Western world at large, the deeper significance of Sanatan Dharma, the Eternal religion. He pointed out the truth of Oneness, of Realisation and of the Divinity of man. He addressed the crowd as ? heirs of Immortal Bliss? and exclaimed, ? the Hindu refuses to call you sinners! Ye are the children of God, the sharers of Immortal Bliss, holy and perfect beings. It is a sin to call a man so??

After the address, the young ? he was hardly 30 years then ? and unknown monk of India was transformed overnight into an outstanding figure of the religious world. The American press recognized him as ? undoubtedly, the greatest figure in the Parliament of religions.?

Tara HOOLASH