“Swami Vivekananda Was The Biggest Catalyst For My Entry Into Politics”: When Jayalalithaa Had Her Vivekananda Moment

Against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari for a retreat meditation, it’s noteworthy that the late former AIADMK Chief Minister, J Jayalalitha, was also a staunch follower of Swami Vivekananda. She actively participated in the year-long State-wide celebrations commemorating the 150th year of Swami Vivekananda’s birth. She also expressed how Swami Vivekananda’s teachings had motivated her to enter the politics.

At the inauguration of the year-long State-wide celebrations organized by Sri Ramakrishna Math in 2013, Jayalalitha conveyed her profound respect for Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and his mentor, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. She emphasized the timeless relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s ideology, highlighting his advocacy for the glory of Hinduism worldwide and his call for youth to engage in altruistic service. Jayalalitha attributed her ability to overcome obstacles and challenges to the principles of Swami Vivekananda, underlining her commitment to serving the people of Tamil Nadu selflessly.

She announced the allocation of Vivekananda House on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai, along with the adjacent plot, to Sri Ramakrishna Math on a 99-year lease at a nominal rent. Additionally, she laid the foundation stone for the cultural center of Sri Ramakrishna Mission and pledged a ₹2 crore grants on behalf of the State government. During the event, speeches were delivered by Swami Gautamananda, President of Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, and Swami Asutoshananda, Manager, among others.

Addressing the gathering, Jayalalitha commenced by expressing gratitude to the Ramakrishna Math for providing her with the opportunity to speak. She then proceeded to extol the virtues of Swami Vivekananda, highlighting his profound influence and contributions, stating, “Swami Vivekananda, lived not for himself but for others. I have been greatly influenced by the principles of Swami Vivekananda and his Guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. There is an involvement since childhood. My library at home contains many books by Swami Vivekananda and his teacher Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, which I read often.”

It was Swami Vivekananda who made the world aware of the glory of Hinduism, Swami Vivekananda who made the world realize how everyone should live their lives with self-confidence. Swami Vivekananda says that it is best to live in equality without ups and downs (inequality) among all, Swami Vivekananda who has immense knowledge and mental strength is the epitome of charity and leadership, above all he is a great patriot, Swami Vivekananda preached “Youth, give your shoulders to move the wheel of national progress.

Swami Vivekananda asked his guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa that, “Have you seen God? can I see too?” to which Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa replied that “I have seen the God and I will show you also“. It was Ramakrishna who made Vivekananda, who had been trained for six years, realize that “Service to people was service to God”.

She recalled how after the death of Sri Ramakrishna, it was Swami Vivekananda who urged the kings to be serve the people.

In 1893, his speech at the Interfaith Conference in Chicago, which began with “Sisters and Brothers of America”, attracted the attention of the world. Ramakrishna Mission was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 with the mission of ‘charity and renunciation’ for the good of the world. Swami Vivekananda preached that work by throwing way the self-interest, because where there is no self-interest, there will be sacrificial attitude, only if you have sacrificial attitude you can serve the people, what you need to understand is that self-sacrifice is the basic foundation of asceticism, only if you have self-sacrifice can you help others, you must understand that then only you can serve people. Charity is selfless and working for the welfare of others, all religions teach to help others, this is why many charitable organizations are functioning in our country.“, she said.

Later, Jayalalitha lauded, “It is not an overstatement to declare that every act of charity serves a purpose, yet the Ramakrishna Math exemplifies all three facets of charity: serving the nation, the people, and the divine.” Criticizing the DMK, she remarked, “In this contemporary age, even the largest commercial enterprises, driven by profit, set aside a portion of their earnings for philanthropic endeavors such as education, healthcare, and social welfare. Conversely, those who exploit public charity for personal gain, masquerading it as a business endeavor, are merely maneuvering to sustain their presence in our society.

Then Jayalalitha declared, “As far as I am concerned, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Swami Vivekananda was the biggest catalyst for my entry into politics. In 1982, when I first entered politics, I mentioned Swami Vivekananda in an interviewSwami Vivekananda was being a saint, served the public, and I am following him in politics as a monk and serving people. Selfishness is not a virtue for me, I don’t need anything for myself, I don’t have anyone for me, everything for me is the people of Tamil Nadu. I am because of the people of Tamil Nadu, I am for the people of Tamil Nadu.

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