As the country celebrates national youth day on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, ignorant liberals and agenda-driven leftists are seen appropriating Swami Vivekananda to push their anti-Hindu agendas ahead. Swami Vivekananda had said that ‘before you read Geeta, make sure you are strong and to become strong you must play football.’ This message to the youth by Swami Vivekananda is being peddled as a tool to establish ‘how Swami Vivekananda himself has asked the youth to leave Geeta aside and play football.’
Alongside this silly logic, even a few facts or incidents from the life of Swami Vivekananda himself are being used to strengthen this argument. Here is a brief account of what exactly Swami Vivekananda had said and how it is being distorted to push anti-Hindu propaganda.
It has been the old habit of liberals to use Hindu icons and their quotes selectively against Hinduism itself and the current appropriation of Swami Vivekanand is no different either. It is now becoming an annual ritual to appropriate Hindutva icons on their birth or death anniversary using their very quotes and statements with prompt knavery to establish how they were against the popular idea, belief, and founding principles of Hinduism.
When it comes to appropriate Swami Vivekananda, there are very few quotes by him that are taken by the liberals for such a heinously dauby experiment with truth, because the youth icon was very clear in his expression and articulation. But if you are an Indian leftist liberal secularist, you will easily find a quote or two to prove your point. One such quote by the monk who inspired generations of Indians is ‘better you play football than reading Gita.’ To put it more exactly, the sentence is – “You will be nearer to heaven playing football than studying the Bhagavad Gita.”
Quoting Swami Vivekananda either as fashion or to prove one’s own point
On his birth anniversary, when the whole nation celebrates national youth day, some Twitter users have used this quote to appropriate Swami Vivekananda and imply that he was against reading Bhagavad Gita. Author and the president of Football Delhi, Shaji Prabhakaran has tweeted – “My tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti. His famous quote, You will be nearer to heaven playing football than studying the Bhagavad-Gita.”
My tribute to #SwamiVivekanandaJayanti
— Shaji Prabhakaran (@Shaji4Football) January 12, 2022
His famous quote,
“You will be nearer to heaven playing football than studying the Bhagavad-Gita”#SwamiVivekanand
Football ambassador Ananya Kamboj has tweeted – “You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of Bhagavad Gita.” – Swami Vivekananda, 1897 One of the most intriguing quotes whether you’re a football fan or not.
“You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of Bhagavad Gita.” – Swami Vivekananda, 1897
— Ananya Kamboj 🇮🇳 (@KambojAnanya) January 12, 2022
One of the most intriguing quotes whether you’re a #football fan or not.#NationalYouthDay #SwamiVivekanandaJayanti pic.twitter.com/GVQq1DgFdr
Even last year, on the same occasion, Joy Bhattacharjya had tweeted something very similar. He went on to use this statement by Swamiji to couple it with a liberal testimony that named Mohammad Shami – an Indian cricket player who happens to be Muslim. His tweet said – “You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.” Swami Vivekananda, born on this day in 1863. He also once took 7 wickets representing Town Club in the 1880s. Incidentally, the most recent Town Club player to make it big is Mohammed Shami.
“You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.”
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 12, 2021
Swami Vivekananda, born on this day in 1863. He also once took 7 wickets representing Town Club in the 1880s. Incidentally, the most recent Town Club player to make it big is Mohammed Shami pic.twitter.com/D2lOr4HDKM
Of course, Joy Bhattacharjya’s purpose here was not to glorify the Geeta or to remember Swami Vivekananda. His gesture was to slyly prove Swami Vivekananda’s statement that reading the Geeta is a useless task and football is a better option. If he had indicated anything other than this, he would have mentioned some football player rather than mentioning Indian cricket player Shami – who is a Muslim. No doubt Shami is a great player, but such expression also unmasks someone like Joy Bhattacharjya.
Original context of Swamiji’s saying
This advice to the youth of India by Swami Vivekanand has often been in discussion. Even his followers are sometimes confused as to what exactly Swami Vivekananda wanted to say through this. Does Swami Vivekananda’s statement of ‘Football instead of Geeta’ mean the same thing as some try to prove through their deviousness? For this, it is very important to understand the story from where Swami Vivekananda’s statement about the Geeta started.
It was Acharya Satyendra Banerjee, the poetic adaptation of the lyrical verses of the Geeta in Bengali, who expressed his desire to read the Geeta from Swami Vivekananda as a child. On this Swamiji told him that he would have to play football for the first 6 months, help the poor and helpless, only then he would be able to talk to him about the Geeta.
On this, when the child asked Swami Vivekananda that the Geeta is a dharmik book, then why is it necessary to play football for its knowledge? To this Swamiji said in his reply, “Geeta is the great book of brave people and renounced persons. Therefore one who is full of valour and service, only he will be able to understand the secret of the esoteric verses of the Geeta.”
After following the methods of Swamiji for six months, when the child returned to Swami Vivekananda, Swamiji gave him the knowledge of Geeta. The real meaning of Vivekananda’s playing of football must have been that the sluggish and slothful body cannot be home to intense thoughts. Look at our daily routine. Seldom do we go to the playground and play until we sweat. Then how can a youth lacking basic awareness and attention towards his physical existence be able to look to a knowledge that takes him beyond physical realms?
Explanation of the quote in Swamiji’s own words
Let’s see what Swamiji has exactly said. He says that “First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. I know where the shoe pinches. I have gained a little experience. You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger. You will understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little strong blood in you. You will understand the Upanishads better and the glory of the Atman when your body stands firm upon your feet, and you feel like men. Thus we have to apply these to our needs.”
Swamiji is not asking anyone to throw Geeta and just play football. He is saying that a healthy body is necessary for the fulfilment of the same ‘Karma Yoga’ as described by Lord Krishna in the Geeta. There are hundreds of people like Joy Bhattacharya, who seem to object to all the ideals of Swami Vivekananda. Also, there are a few others like Ananya Kamboj and Shaji Prabhakaran who conveniently use Swamiji’s quote without mentioning the original context or implying his original directions. No wonder, leftists, and liberals support the mentality of tampering with the statue of Swami Vivekananda in JNU and they do not see any element of violence and hatred in it.
Let’s know Swami Vivekananda as he was
Before misusing or appropriating Swamiji against Hindutva or Hinduism (both terms put in whatever sense anyone wishes to understand them), any liberal leftist must remember that Swamiji is one of the makers of modern India who proudly carried a saffron turban on his head. It is true that in many of his addresses in Europe and America, Swamiji has quoted sayings by seers from various countries, religions, and civilizations. He has also comprehended their teachings and incidents from their life to clarify his point to his audiences in the most relevant way possible. But this does not necessarily shake the foundation on which he had built an invincible fortress of philosophy. He essentially was and remains an Indian youth icon who inspired millions through his call that embeds the nectar of Hindu scriptures and philosophy in itself.
