Swami
Vivekananda’s Views on the Subaltern
Gnaneswara T.N., Assistant
Professor of English, GFGC, Jalahalli-584116,
Raichur Dist., Karnataka,
India
Abstract
_____________________________________________________________
The concept of
subaltern contains the groups that are marginalized, oppressed and exploited on
the basis of social, cultural, religious and political grounds. Swami
Vivekananda was one of the prominent spiritual and social reformers of modern
India. In his fiery speeches the condition of the subaltern would come up
repeatedly. The subject of the lowest caste – the Shudras – has been a frequent
discussion for him. The Shudras, who belong to the last Varna, are the
subalterns of Hindu society. Swami Vivekananda clearly identified the causes
for our downfall, one of which was the neglect of the masses which he labeled
as the great national sin. He said that millions were oppressed in the name of
religion and one of the chief causes of India’s ruin was the monopoly of
education by a few belonging to the privileged classes. He lamented that for
centuries people had been taught theories of degradation and have been told
that they were nothing. Women are also considered as subaltern in a male-dominated
society like India. According to Swami Vivekananda, another major reason for
India’s degradation was the trampling of the women. He said that uplift of
women deserves utmost priority and only after that can there be hope for any
real good for the nation.
_____________________________________________________________
Key words:
Hindu society,
shudras, masses, women, subaltern
Meaning of ‘Subaltern’
The term
‘subaltern’ was first used by Antonio Gramschi, an Italian Marxist, in the 20th
century. A subaltern is a person degraded by the social hierarchy in the
hegemony. When a person is subordinated in the socio-cultural structure he is
the subaltern. It can also mean someone who has been marginalized or oppressed.
The concept of subaltern contains the groups that are marginalized, oppressed
and exploited on the basis of social, cultural, religious and political
grounds.
Swami Vivekananda
Swami
Vivekananda was one of the prominent spiritual and social reformers of modern
India. He was born on 12th January 1863 at Calcutta in Bengal province. He met
Ramakrisna Paramahamsa and became his disciple. After the demise of his master
he travelled all over India as a Parivrajak
on foot. He met people from every
segment of the society, from the richest to the poorest, from the most learned
to the most ignorant, from high caste priests to those condemned as the low
caste, from Maharajas to penniless beggars. The firsthand knowledge which he
gained through his explorations gave him a complete understanding of our
country including the causes for its downfall. Being a visionary and endowed
with an extraordinary intellect and even a more feeling heart, he could find
out the cure for India’s maladies and for restoring her to her former glory. He
felt deeply concerned and pained by the degradation of our country. During his
meditation at Kanyakumari, he contemplated on this.
Swami Vivekananda’s views on
the subaltern
Swami
Vivekananda was a keen student of history and that helped him understand the
then condition of our country. In his fiery speeches the condition of the
subaltern would come up repeatedly. In Hindu society the upper castes enjoyed
all the privileges and the lowest castes had to bear all the societal
obligations. The subject of the lowest caste – the Shudras – has been a
frequent discussion for him. The Shudras, who belong to the last Varna, are the
subalterns of Hindu society. In his book, Modern
India, Vivekananda refers to the status of a Shudra in the Hindu society. The
Shudras produce the wealth for the society by their labour. Swami Vivekananda
asks:
"And where
are they through whose physical labour only are possible the influence of the
Brahmin, the prowess of the Kshatriya, and the fortune of the Vaishya? What is
their history, who, being the real body of society, are designated at all times
in all countries as “baseborn”?"[1]
Swamiji explains
the condition of the poor in this country:
"A country
where millions of people live on flowers of the Mohua plant, and a million or
two of Sadhus and a hundred million or so of Brahmins suck the blood out of
these poor people, without even the least effort for their amelioration – is
that a country or hell? Is that a religion, or the devil’s dance?"[2]
The Shudras were
the most tortured class of the Hindu society. Swami Vivekananda said,
"My
brother, what experiences I have had in the South, of the upper classes
torturing the lower!"[3]
"…. for
whom kind India prescribed the mild punishments, “Cut out his tongue, chop off
his flesh”, and others of like nature, for such a grave offence as any attempt
on their part to gain a share of the knowledge and wisdom monopolized by her
higher classes – those “moving corpses” of India…."[4]
"In the
first place, scarcely any opportunity was given to the Shudra for the
accumulation of wealth or the earning of proper knowledge and education; to add
to this disadvantage, if ever a man of extraordinary parts and genius were born
of the Shudra class, the influential higher sections of the society forthwith
showered titular honours on him and lifted him up to their own circle. His
wealth and the power of his wisdom were employed for the benefit of an alien
caste – and his own caste-people reaped no benefits of his attainments;"[5]
Swami
Vivekananda clearly identified the causes for our downfall, one of which was
the neglect of the masses which he labeled as the great national sin. He said,
"They (the
poor) have no chance, no escape, no way to climb up. The poor, the low, the
sinner in India have no friends, no help – they cannot rise,… They sink lower
and lower everyday, they feel the blows showered upon them by a cruel society,
and they do not know whence the blow comes. They have forgotten that they too
are men. And the result is slavery."[6]
He criticizes
Hinduism for exploiting the poor:
"Is it a
religion that fails to remove the misery of the poor and turn men into gods! Do
you think our religion is worth the name? Ours is only Don’t touchism, only
“Touch me not”, “Touch me not.” Good heavens!"[7]
"No
religion on earth preaches the dignity of humanity in such a lofty strain as
Hinduism, and no religion on earth treads upon the necks of the poor and the
low in such a fashion as Hinduism."[8]
See his concern
for the poor:
"Do you
feel that millions are starving today, and millions have been starving for
ages? Do you feel that ignorance has come over the land as a dark cloud? Does
it make you restless? Does it make you sleepless?"[9]
At last
Vivekananda opines that under the rule of British, “only the Shudra-ness –
the-beast-of-burdenness – is now left with the Indians themselves.”[10]
His opinion is that under the rule of British irrespective of the Varnas, the
whole Indian society has become Shudra.
"What to
speak separately of the distinct Shudra class of such a land, where the whole
population has virtually come down to the level of the Shudra?"[11]
But Swami Vivekananda
is optimistic. He said,
"But there
is hope. In the mighty course of time, the Brahmin and other higher castes,
too, are being brought down to the lower status of the Shudras, and the Shudras
are being raised to higher ranks. ….Yet, a time will come when there
will be the rising of the Shudra class, with their Shudra-hood;….Socialism,
Anarchism, Nihilism, and other like sects are the vanguard of the social
revolution that is to follow."[12]
He compares the
king to the lion, the king of beasts, who tears the heart of innocent animals
into pieces:
"….the
king is like the lion; in him are present both the good and evil propensities
of the lord of beasts. Never for a moment his fierce nails are held back from
tearing to pieces the heart of innocent animals, living on herbs and grass, to
allay his thirst for blood when occasion arises;…."[13]
"Attributing
all Godship to himself, in his pride, like the king Vena he looks upon other
people as wretched specimens of humanity who should grovel before him; any
opposition to his will, whether good or bad, is a great sin on the part of his
subjects. Hence the oppression steps into the place of protection – sucking
their blood in place of preservation."[14]
He says to the
upper class people:
"….forget
not that the lower classes, the ignorant, the poor, the illiterate, the
cobbler, the sweeper are thy flesh and blood, thy brothers."[15]
"Our
mission is for the destitute, the poor, and the illiterate peasantry and
laboring classes, and if, after everything has been done for them first, there
is spare time, then only for the gentry."[16]
"Bread!
Bread! I do not believe in a God, who cannot give me bread here, giving me
eternal bliss in heaven! Pooh! India is to be raised, the poor are to be fed,
education is to be spread…."[17]
Swami
Vivekananda was highly critical of the so-called educated who do not care for
the poor and downtrodden. He said,
"So long
as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who,
having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them!"[18]
He said that
millions were oppressed in the name of religion and one of the chief causes of
India’s ruin was the monopoly of education by a few belonging to the privileged
classes. He lamented that for centuries people had been taught theories of
degradation and have been told that they were nothing. Laziness, lack of
energy, want of sympathy and appreciation for others were at the root of all
miseries and that they should be given up. What is the way to regeneration? The
first step in this regard is uplifting the masses by restoring their lost
individuality and faith in themselves. Swami Vivekananda said that we should
remember that the nation lives in the cottages and that no amount of politics
will be of any avail until the masses of India are once more well educated,
well fed and well cared for. Swami Vivekananda stresses the importance of
education of the masses. He calls to the Sannyasins to teach the poor where
they are to better their condition. He said,
"….Suppose
some disinterested Sannyasins, bent on doing good to others, go from village to
village, disseminating education and seeking in various ways to better the
condition of all down to the Chandala, through oral teaching, and by means of
maps, cameras, globes, and such other accessories – can’t that bring forth good
in time? …if the mountain does not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the
mountain. The poor are too poor to come to schools and Pathashalas…."[19]
"Education,
education, education alone! Travelling through many cities of Europe and
observing in them the comforts and education of even the poor people, these
brought to my mind the state of our own poor people, and I used to shed tears.
What made the difference? Education was the answer I got."[20]
According to him, a nation is advanced in proportion as education is spread among the masses.
Women are also
considered as subaltern in a male-dominated society like India. According to
Swami Vivekananda, another major reason for India’s degradation was the
trampling of the women. He said that uplift of women deserves utmost priority
and only after that can there be hope for any real good for the nation. He said
that our country is one of the weakest in the world because Shakti was held in dishonor here. He
said,
"There is
no chance for welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved."[21]
"You always
criticize the women, but say what have you done for their uplift?? Writing down
Smritis etc., and binding them by hard rules, the men have turned the women
into manufacturing machines!.... In the period of degeneration, when the
priests made the other castes incompetent for the study of the Vedas, they
deprived the women also of all their rights."[22]
"All
nations have attained greatness by paying proper respect to women. That country
and that nation which does not respect women has never become great, nor will
ever be in future."[23]
Swamiji’s most
ardent Western followers were female e.g., Sister Nivedita, a.k.a. Margaret
Noble. One of Swami Vivekananda’s great missions was setting up a Math for
women with Sri Sarada Devi as the nucleus. He brought Sister Nivedita to India
for the education of women because illiteracy chained them to ignorance and
misery.
Conclusion
Swami
Vivekananda felt deeply concerned and pained by the degradation of our country.
In his fiery speeches the condition of the subaltern would come up repeatedly. The
subject of the lowest caste – the Shudras – has been a frequent discussion for
him. Swami Vivekananda clearly identified the causes for our downfall, one of
which was the neglect of the masses which he labeled as the great national sin.
He said that millions were oppressed in the name of religion and one of the
chief causes of India’s ruin was the monopoly of education by a few belonging
to the privileged classes. According to Swami Vivekananda, another major reason
for India’s degradation was the trampling of the women.
[1] Swami Vivekananda, Modern
India, Vol. 4 of The Complete Works
of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 464
[2] Swami Vivekananda, 41, Epistles-Second Series, Vol. 6
of The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p.266
[3] Ibid, p.265
[4] Swami Vivekananda, Modern
India, Vol. 4 of The Complete Works
of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 464
[5] Ibid, p. 466
[6] Swami Vivekananda, 4, Epistles-First Series, Vol. 5 of
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 15
[7] Swami Vivekananda, 41, Epistles-Second Series, Vol. 6
of The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 265
[8] Swami Vivekananda, 4, Epistles-First Series, Vol. 5 of
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 16
[9] Swami Vivekananda, My
Plan of Campaign, Vol. 3 of The
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition,
2016, p. 240
[10] Swami Vivekananda, Modern
India, Vol. 4 of The Complete Works
of Swami Vivekananda Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 464
[11] Ibid, p.465
[12] Ibid, Pp. 465-6
[13] Ibid, p. 456
[14] Ibid, Pp. 461-2
[15] Ibid, p. 477
[16] Swami Vivekananda, 154, Epistles-Second Series, Vol. 6
of The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 429
[17] Swami Vivekananda, To
my Brave Boys, Vol. 4 of The Complete
Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016,
p. 359
[18] Swami
Vivekananda, 25, Epistles-First Series, Vol. 5 of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 57
[19] Swami Vivekananda, 41, Epistles-Second Series, Vol. 6
of The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, Pp. 266-7
[20] Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 4 of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata,
12th Edition, 2016, p. 480
[21] Swami Vivekananda, 75, Epistles-Second Series, Vol. 6
of The Complete Works of Swami
Vivekananda Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 12th Edition, 2016, p. 336
[22] Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 7 of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata,
12th Edition, 2016, p. 205
[23] Ibid, p. 205
No comments:
Post a Comment