Bartaman Bharat (translated to English as Modern India[1] or Present Day India[2]) is a Bengali language essay written by Indian Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda. The essay was first published in the March 1899 issue of Udbodhan, the only Bengali language magazine of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The essay was published as a book in 1905, and later it was compiled into the fourth volume of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.[1]
In this essay, Vivekananda briefly discussed and analyzed the entire Indian history and predicted a period of mass-awakening when the society will be ruled by the Shudras.[1][3] The essay showed deep concern for India's distressed and poor people. He urged Indians to treat each other as brothers irrespective of their caste.[4]
Swami Vivekananda in Madras in 1897. The same image was published in the 1905 edition of the book.[5]
After returning from the West in 1897, Vivekananda visited many Indian states. In January 1899, he started the Bengali magazine Udbodhan, a publication of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.[6] He wrote Bengali essays Bhabbar Kotha, Bartaman Bharat, Parvrajak and Prachya o Paschatya for Udbodhan. The Bengali essay Bartaman Bharat was first published in the Udbodhan in March 1899.[4]
Synopsisedit
In this essay Vivekananda briefly recounted and analyzed the entire history of India, from the time when Vedic priests used to be rulers of the society to the occupation of the country by the British. But, his main focus was on his contemporary India.[7]
He tried to describe how the society was first ruled by Vedic priests (Brahmin), who were followed by the mighty rulers, who had powers in their hands for thousands of years and were finally succeeded by Vaishya power. Then the author predicted that following this cyclical rule, the Vaishya's too will lose their glory one day and the lowermost class of the Indian society Shudras will rise to power and the whole society will be ruled by them.[7][1][3]
He urged Indians to treat and honour each other as brothers despite their caste or financial condition.[4] He suggested not to forget that Sita, Savitri, Damayanti are the ideals of Indian womanhood. He asked to consider the soil of India as one's heaven and the good of India as one's own good.[7] He also suggested not to foolishly imitate the West. He wrote—[7]
O India, this is your terrible danger. The spell of imitating the West is getting such a strong hold upon you that what is good or what is bad is no longer decided by reason, judgment, discrimination, or reference to the Shastras. Whatever ideas, whatever manners the white men praise or like are good; whatever things they dislike or censure are bad. Alas! what can be a more tangible proof of foolishness than this?
The conclusion of his essay has now become a "standard college or high school text".[8]
Publicationedit
The essay was first published in the March 1899 issue of Udbodhan. In 1905 the essay was re-printed and published as a book from the same publication. The preface of the book was written by Swami Saradananda.[9]
Significanceedit
According to Swami
Murlidharananda, in this essay, Vivekananda expressed his desire to see the regeneration of India.[10] Srivastava, the writer of Teacher in Emerging Indian Society wrote in this essay Vivekananda felt that a purpose of our education should be providing service to the humanity too.[11]
Parmar, Himanshu (2008). Across the Gaping Chasm: Portrayal of Social Oppression in Select Indian Novels. Anamika Publishers & Distributors. ISBN978-81-7975-225-8.
Srivastava (2006). Teacher in Emerging Indian Society. APH Publishing. ISBN978-81-313-0008-4.
External linksedit
Media related to Bartaman Bharat at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
bartaman, bharat, translated, english, modern, india, present, india, bengali, language, essay, written, indian, hindu, monk, swami, vivekananda, essay, first, published, march, 1899, issue, udbodhan, only, bengali, language, magazine, ramakrishna, math, ramak. Bartaman Bharat translated to English as Modern India 1 or Present Day India 2 is a Bengali language essay written by Indian Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda The essay was first published in the March 1899 issue of Udbodhan the only Bengali language magazine of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission The essay was published as a book in 1905 and later it was compiled into the fourth volume of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda 1 Bartaman BharatTitle page of 1905 book editionAuthorSwami VivekanandaCountryIndiaLanguageBengaliSubjectPhilosophyPublisherUdbodhanPublication date18991905 published as a book In this essay Vivekananda briefly discussed and analyzed the entire Indian history and predicted a period of mass awakening when the society will be ruled by the Shudras 1 3 The essay showed deep concern for India s distressed and poor people He urged Indians to treat each other as brothers irrespective of their caste 4 Contents 1 Background 2 Synopsis 3 Publication 4 Significance 5 References 5 1 Bibliography 6 External linksBackground edit nbsp Swami Vivekananda in Madras in 1897 The same image was published in the 1905 edition of the book 5 After returning from the West in 1897 Vivekananda visited many Indian states In January 1899 he started the Bengali magazine Udbodhan a publication of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission 6 He wrote Bengali essays Bhabbar Kotha Bartaman Bharat Parvrajak and Prachya o Paschatya for Udbodhan The Bengali essay Bartaman Bharat was first published in the Udbodhan in March 1899 4 Synopsis editIn this essay Vivekananda briefly recounted and analyzed the entire history of India from the time when Vedic priests used to be rulers of the society to the occupation of the country by the British But his main focus was on his contemporary India 7 He tried to describe how the society was first ruled by Vedic priests Brahmin who were followed by the mighty rulers who had powers in their hands for thousands of years and were finally succeeded by Vaishya power Then the author predicted that following this cyclical rule the Vaishya s too will lose their glory one day and the lowermost class of the Indian society Shudras will rise to power and the whole society will be ruled by them 7 1 3 He urged Indians to treat and honour each other as brothers despite their caste or financial condition 4 He suggested not to forget that Sita Savitri Damayanti are the ideals of Indian womanhood He asked to consider the soil of India as one s heaven and the good of India as one s own good 7 He also suggested not to foolishly imitate the West He wrote 7 O India this is your terrible danger The spell of imitating the West is getting such a strong hold upon you that what is good or what is bad is no longer decided by reason judgment discrimination or reference to the Shastras Whatever ideas whatever manners the white men praise or like are good whatever things they dislike or censure are bad Alas what can be a more tangible proof of foolishness than this The conclusion of his essay has now become a standard college or high school text 8 Publication editThe essay was first published in the March 1899 issue of Udbodhan In 1905 the essay was re printed and published as a book from the same publication The preface of the book was written by Swami Saradananda 9 Significance editAccording to SwamiMurlidharananda in this essay Vivekananda expressed his desire to see the regeneration of India 10 Srivastava the writer of Teacher in Emerging Indian Society wrote in this essay Vivekananda felt that a purpose of our education should be providing service to the humanity too 11 References edit a b c d Chattopadhyaya 1999 p 118 Mittra 2001 p 88 a b Parmar 2008 p 93 a b c Dalal 2011 p 465 Bartaman Bharat 1905 edition title page PDF Archived from the original PDF on July 16 2014 Retrieved September 9 2013 Jackson 1994 p 31 a b c d Wikisource The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 4 Translation Prose Modern India Economic and Political Weekly Sameeksha Trust July 1992 p 1561 Retrieved September 8 2013 Bartaman Bharat 1905 preface PDF Archived from the original PDF on July 16 2014 Retrieved September 9 2013 Jitatmananda 1986 p 25 Srivastava 2006 p 207 Bibliography edit nbsp India portal Chattopadhyaya Rajagopal January 1 1999 Swami Vivekananda in India A Corrective Biography Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 978 81 208 1586 5 Dalal Roshen October 2011 Hinduism An Alphabetical Guide Penguin Books India ISBN 978 0 14 341421 6 Jackson Carl T May 22 1994 Vedanta for the West The Ramakrishna Movement in the United States Indiana University Press ISBN 978 0 253 11388 7 Jitatmananda Swami 1986 The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math Retrieved September 11 2013 Mittra Sitansu Sekhar 2001 Bengal s Renaissance Academic Publishers ISBN 978 81 87504 18 4 Parmar Himanshu 2008 Across the Gaping Chasm Portrayal of Social Oppression in Select Indian Novels Anamika Publishers amp Distributors ISBN 978 81 7975 225 8 Srivastava 2006 Teacher in Emerging Indian Society APH Publishing ISBN 978 81 313 0008 4 External links edit nbsp Media related to Bartaman Bharat at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bartaman Bharat amp oldid 1196796619, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
