Lensing Education in the Perspective of Swami Vivekanda

Abstract

Swami Vivekananda was the most persuasive and prominent educationist, theorist and reformer in India. His perspectives and philosophy of education are the efflorescence of moral and spiritual culture. Swami Vivekananda explored nearly the entire world but his educational philosophy was deeply rooted in antediluvian Indian astuteness where education is attained from spiritual life. For him, education is enlightenment. The teacher is the person who disperses darkness of iniquities and makes available exemplary leadership through his conduct. He formulated the idea that true education aims atman-making, life-building and character-developing. His philosophy of education exhibited that education can be expended as an instrument to attain social justice and for resolution of all religious, ethnic, social, racial conflicts by transmitting the notion of Common Origin of Soul and Oneness of Soul Education system needs to take charge of comprehensive health, i.e., mental, physical, spiritual, and social well-being with a core of morality and ethics. Swami Vivekananda had anticipated the advent of numerous social evils due to flawed education system in India. According to Swami Vivekananda man is a compound of humanity, animalism and divinity. The aim of education needs to be to help man grow from the animal to the divine state via self-realization, self-effort and appropriate training. The present thematic paper endeavours to draw attention towards Swami Vivekananda?s educational perspectives, ideas and philosophy. It attempts to consider the significance and necessity of his educational perspectives and philosophy in the light of the21stcentury education system in India. To end with it endeavours to enlighten education as a proficient apparatus for promoting everlasting advancement of the nation.