SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

-concept of man making education!!!

LIFE SKETCH
Swami Vivekananda, was born Narendranath in Calcutta, the capital of British India on 12 January 1863, to
Vishwanath Dutta, an attorney of Calcutta High Court and Bhuvaneswari Devi, a pious woman and a
housewife. He belonged to a traditional Bengali Kayastha family and was one of the nine siblings.

Narendra was an average student but a voracious reader. At college he was adept in boxing, riding,
swimming and wrestling. He was an ardent student of languages, philosophy and poetry. He graduated with
honours from Calcutta University.

On the 4th of July 1902, Vivekananda died. His wisdom coupled with universal message of love and tolerance
made him a world teacher. He wanted to strike a balance between the spiritualism of the east on one hand and
materialism of the west on the other. He asserted: “Help and not Fight, Assimilation and not Destruction,
Harmony and Peace and not Dissension”. In India, Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint and his
birthday is celebrated as the National Youth Day.

CONCEPT OF EDUCATION
Swami Vivekananda’s educational philosophy is based on his general philosophy of life. He says,
“education is the manifestation of the divine perfection already within man”. Being a Vedantist, Swamiji
advocates that Atman dwells within everyone. To realize the self, the perfection of God in man is the goal of
true education. He believed in the development of inner powers. He was of the opinion that book learning is
not education. He considered education as the training by which the current and expression of will are
brought under control and become beautiful.

METHODS OF TEACHING
Swamiji laid stress on meditation as a method of attaining knowledge. He advocates that since the
human mind is perfect in itself, there is no necessity for it to receive knowledge from outside. Hence learning
is nothing but a process of discovery of knowledge within the mind. However he has suggested following
methods of teaching to be followed in a teaching learning situation.

Concentration Methods: Swamiji considers concentration as the only method of attaining knowledge.

Methods of Realization: Vivekananda considers realization as the chief aim of life.

Discussion and Contemplation Method: Borrowing the idea from ancient Indian gurukula system of
education Vivekananda also advocated discussion and contemplation to be followed in education.

Imitation Method: Children like to imitate the activities of others.

Individual Guidance and Counseling: Vivekananda advocated the method of individual guidance and
counseling in the teaching learning process to develop divine wisdom.

Lecture Method: Spiritual ideas are abstract ideas.

Activity Method: Swamiji accepted learning through activities as an ideal method of teaching.

AIMS OF EDUCATION ACCORDING TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Swami Vivekananda explained the nature of education as a mean of self actualization and realization of
one’s own capacities and the prior aim of education are to bring out the best that dwells in every individual.
For defining the path of education Swamiji stated following aims of education as-
 To develop faith in one’s own self.
 To prepare individual to fulfill primary needs.
 To promote self-reliance and universal brotherhood.
 To develop the will and enable one to realize the divinity latent in him.
 To make pupil conscious of perfection.

WHAT IS MAN MAKING EDUCATION?

The concept of man making education can be elaborated with the help of above mentioned aims of
education. Vivekananda emphasized on individuals’ innate qualities and ones’ faith on those qualities. He
equally emphasized the development of general but basic qualities among individuals to fulfill their own
primary needs.

CONCLUSION
Swami Vivekananda has explained the nature and aims of education very precisely. His focus is always
on understanding and development of innate, inborn abilities of a learner. Therefore, we can say that Swami
Vivekananda’s philosophy of education give us a principle of learner-centered education. This learner
centered education gives us ignited minds and hearts which definitely do better for the services of our nation
as well as in the service of mankind. These thoughts are definitely contributes Man Making Education which
is the need ofthis global era. Therefore, we should follow the path of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings.