"Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity."

"They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive."

The above statements were made by one of the greatest souls whose words when digested strengthened the mind and body of innumerable human beings all over the world. The words poured out of his love for the human race. Swami Vivekananda. 

The month of September is a remarkable month in Indian calendar as it is this month where Swami Vivekananda started making mother India proud through his series of enlightening speeches. It was on 11th September 1893 through his beginning words (Sisters and Brothers) he made it clear that he comes from the very corner of our hearts - as if it is the language of the heart. And it took no time for ladies and gentlemen over the world to gather round him to listen to him.

In our gathering on 13th September, we tried to contribute our feelings, our salutations to this great soul of Mother India. We began with a devotional song written on Swami Vivekananda. 


Swami Vivekananda Vandana (meaning prayer) (Murta Maheshwara)  

                Link to the song:: Murta Maheshwara  

               The lyrics of the devotional song and an english translation of the song can be obtained here

Then we went through the opening address of Swami Vivekananda and two other speeches delivered on 17th (why we disagree; Link) and 23rd (concluding speech) of September. Two simple examples from the two speeches were enough to carry out the discussion for the remaining time of the day. 


But why Vivekananda? What do we get in recalling his words??  
          Had there been a youth icon that can represent India better? Any doubt can only be clarified by reading and following his words very closely.