Swami Vivekananda, 1963 - FDC

तन्नो हंसः प्रचोदयात्

tanno haṃsaḥ pracodayāt 

"May Haṃsa illumine us."

On 17.1.1963 the P & T Department issued a commemorative stamp, FDC and Brochure to commemorate the centenary of birth of the great Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the direct disciple of Śrī Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The FDC shows the emblem of Śrī Ramakrishna Mutt on which the above motto in Sanskrit, taken from the Haṃsa-Gāyatrī is shown.

Red Cancellation

Swami Vivekananda had sound knowledge of Sanskrit, but has not authored any works in Sanskrit. He has however, translated a few verses of Vairāgyaśatakam of Bhartṛhari during a conversation besides free translations of Yogaūtras with commentary and Nārada Bhakti Sūtras.

Swami Vivekananda had great respect and appreciation for Sanskrit which can be ascertained from his extempore speeches. A few of his remarks are worth noting:

"Even the great Buddha made one false step when he stopped Sanskrit language from being studied by the masses. He wanted rapid and immediate results, and translated and preached the language of the day, Pāli. That was grand; he spoke in the language of the people and the people understood him. That was great; it spread the idea quickly and made them reach far and wide. But along with that Sanskrit ought to have spread. Knowledge came but prestige was not there, culture was not there. It is culture that withstands shocks, not simple mass of knowledge. .... There must come culture into the blood. Knowledge is only skin-deep." 

(Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. III, p.198)

“Sanskrit must be popularised among the people. Education must be given to the people in their own language, and at the same time, Sanskrit education must go with it, because the very sound of Sanskrit words gives a prestige and power and strength to the race." 

(Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. III, p.290)

  "….. and the Word is the Vedas, and Sanskrit is the language of God. God spoke once. He spoke in Sanskrit, and that is the divine language."

(Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. III, p. )

(to be continued)