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| Swami Vivekananda |
Paragraph QuestionsAnswer the following in 10 – 15 lines each :
1. How can the miseries of the world be cured, according to Swami Vivekananda ?
Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. According to Vivekananda the secret of work in this world is non-attachment. Because of ignorance, many problems have been growing. Continuous work helps us to get good results. All the miseries of the world will be cured, if there is purity in the minds of people. Good nature of the mind should come out and the bad nature has to be destroyed. Thus character is the result of good work. A person with character can change the miseries of the world. This is the secret of work.
2. What does Vivekananda say about a man of character ?
Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. ‘He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. In this world, according to Vivekananda, ignorance is seen every where. It is the cause for all the miseries. In the Gita, the importance of continuous work, is explained. In every work there is good and evil. If an individual does good deeds, his character is great. He will never allow the bad in his deeds to come out, Good thoughts and good deeds will establish his character. He continues following good action only. The secret of work lies in non-attachment. It can be called Samskara. Thus good character is needed for a good citizen.
3. What is meant by working like a master and not as a slave ?
Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. He explained that a work has got both good and bad intentions. The secret of work according to the author is that we have to work unattached. One should work like a master but not as a slave. When we think of a slave, he works but he expects something in return. He should work with love only. Selflessness is happiness. Existence, knowledge and bliss are the three aspects one should possess. God works but his work is a master’s work. There is love in it. Therefore master’s work will help the society. The secret of work lies in this service.
4. Explain the things that guide the conduct of human beings.
Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. In this world, the society has to co-operate in the process of bringing a prosperous living. Vivekananda says that conduct of men helps a lot in social living. Might and mercy are the two things that control the conduct. Selfishness is the evil in one’s character. Work should be respected and it should be the work of a master but not of a slave. We should not expect anything in return. Sin cannot touch us eventhough the society is filled with miseries. Water cannot touch the lotus leaf. Similarly an individual with conduct shall never fall into the world and he maintains non-attachment only.
Annotations
1. The only solution of the problem is to make mankind pure.Context : This line is taken from the lesson “The Secret of Work” written by the great thinker Swami Vivekananda. In this sentence, he tells about the problems in the world and leads us to a solution.
Explanation : Vivekananda takes up the solution for the problem of the miseries in this world. Ignorance is the cause for this problem. Purity of behaviour, incessant work and understanding of the problem will solve the problem. We have to pick up good and follow it. The impressions of goodness should come out from the heart. The secret of work lies in self denial.
General Relevance : It is a known thing that continuous work yields good results. Work with love, work without selfishness shall bring a change in the society. Vivekananda hopes “Work is Worship”.
2. Every work must necessarily be a mixture of good and evil; yet we are commanded to work incessantly.
Context: This passage is taken from the essay “The Secret of Work” written by the great thinker Swami Vivekananda. In this sentence he writes about the need of regular work. The secret of work is discussed here.
Explanation : Vivekananda gives prominence to work. Every work has got the two faces, the good and the bad. We have to pick up good and work without any stop. Through good work, good effect will come into ‘being. The good things coming out of one’s character belong to our Samskara. The senses are controlled and there is no attachment with the evil. The secret of work is doing the things without any delay.
General Relevance : According to Vivekananda, the secret of work, is doing it without any stop. Love drives the man into action and the secret of work lies in continuity.
3. Work with freedom, inspired by love! There is no true love possible in the slave.
Context: This passage is written by Swami Vivekananda. It is taken from the book “The Composite works of Swami Vivekananda”. It is about working with understanding.
Explanation : While suggesting that work is worship, Swami Vivekananda, asks the readers to work like a master. God works and shows love. A slave cannot work with freedom. Real knowledge and real love are connected and it is a bliss to have true love. Work without attachment shall have good results. The author wants everyone to understand and continue the work.
General Relevance : Swami Vivekananda is confident of real love, in working like a . master. Freedom to work without any obligations or selfish ends shall yield the fruit.
4.The idea of mercy and selfless charity can be put into practice; that is, by looking upon work as worship.
Context : This sentence is taken from the essay “The Secret of Work” written by Swami Vivekananda. It is about the secret of work, which according to Vivekananda is to work like a máster, He said “Work is Worship”.
Explanation : In the concluding lines, Vivekananda stresses the need of taking work as worship. When you work without any selfish ends, it becomes merciful. Real love is shown by the individual. Every effort is taken up and the result will be fruitful. This work is like a worship. Attachment does not exist any where. If work is worship, charity and love shall be the fruit.
General Relevance : Swami Vivekananda, aims at real service to the society. Selflessness and love are the things we get from real work. It is possible to those who believe that work is worship.
The Secret of Work Summary in English
Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker, writer and an orator. ‘The Secret of Work’ is taken from the book entitled. “The complete works of Swami Vivekananda”. In this essay, he stresses the need of work.According to Vivekananda, everybody should work hard. Every action is a blend of good and evil. Man’s character is determined based on his actions. It is irresistibles, to bring out good from the depths of heart, for a good person. Evil is subdued and the good makes the individual, free from evil. One must become unattached to the impressions of the mind.
According to Vivekananda, a man is like a traveller, waiting on this land for a little period. The great orator cites an example from the Bhagavad-Gita and suggests that incessant work is the nature of God. He asks us to work like a master but not as a slave. Work is to be with love. The three aspects, the existence, knowledge and Bliss are interrelated.
The secret of work is that we should not expect anything in return. Selfless work will lead us to perfection. Work is worship, is the motto of a gentleman. Water cannot touch the lotus leaf even though it lives in the water. Similarly people should live in this world of miserable conditions, without any attachment. The idea of mercy and selflessness lead us to become men with character.
