##08 (Vivekananda) Narendra's Early Life (Iv) Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

The British rule in India brought
A change in the curriculum taught,
For the education of Indians
On aggressive western patterns.

Masses were exploited well
In all fields, like social, political
Economical, educational,
Also in the name of rituals.

Brahmo Samaj fought this,
And brought many reforms
To stop human rights violation
And give women liberation.

It was against mad rituals,
Worship of God’s idols,
Crude religious dogmas,
Low, high Castes and creeds.

It stood for widows’ remarriage,
But opposed child marriage,
And oppression to women force,
Held as secondary citizens.

Narendra, under its influence,
Welcomed these changes,
Yet he was after the spiritual
Purpose behind his Soul.

Incidentally, proposals many,
Suggesting him to marry,
Were received with offers
For his higher foreign studies.

He refused them all
As there was a call
For his divine services
On a full time basis.

The Bramho Samaj leader
Couldn’t directly answer
To his query, “Did you see
God, if so, how is He?

His thirst to see God,
Day by day, increased,
And the same question,
He asked everyone.

No satisfactory answers
Came from those sources.
The burning fire in him
Here and there, drove him.

His Professor gave a hint
That there was one saint,
Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar
Who was in trance there.

By then he was just eighteen.
To meet this saint, he was keen.
One day, that moment came
At an opportune time.

He was asked to sing
In a devotee’s dwelling
Where the great saint
Was unusually present.

His melodious performance
And his amiable face
Did attract the Saint,
At that crucial moment.

The Holy Saint invited him
To visit Dakshineswar anytime,
Thus, he had the next chance
To go to the Saint’s place.