Every year on January 12, National Youth Day is observed to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a significant figure in contemporary Indian nationalism. Designated by the Indian government in 1985, this day is celebrated in order to urge today's youth to live up to the values, principles and beliefs that Vivekananda embraced.
National Youth Day 2024: History
Going back to the pages of history, on this day in 1863, Narendranath Datta was born into a Bengali family. Choosing the path of monkhood under the guidance of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, he emerged as Swami Vivekananda. After his guru's passing, Vivekananda embarked on a journey across the Indian subcontinent, disseminating the teachings of Vedanta and Yoga. His role as a spiritual leader and philosopher left an indelible mark on the cultural and religious landscape.
National Youth Day 2024: Significance
National Youth Day holds profound importance as it symbolizes the embodiment of Swami Vivekananda's faith to empower the youths to transform the society for good. This day encourages the adoption of ideals such as fearlessness, selflessness, and a thirst for knowledge. Vivekananda's faith in the youth's potential to create positive societal change resonates, making National Youth Day a celebration of empowerment and inspiration.
National Youth Day 2024: Quotes
Swami vivekanand became a popular figure after his speech at Chicago, where he introduced Hinduism by saying, "Sisters and brothers of America..".
Some of his famous quotes are:
"Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is achieved."
- "Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success."
- "The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!"
- "All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark."
- "Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny."
- "In a day, when you don’t come across any problems – you can be sure that you are traveling in a wrong path."
- "The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong."
- "We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far."
- "The only way to come up, is to come up fighting."
- "Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle."