The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 9/Letters - Fifth Series/LXXX Sir
LXXX
To the Editor of Light of the East
1896.
DEAR SIR,[6]*
Many thanks for your kindly sending me several copies of the Light of the
East. I wish the paper all success.
As you have asked for my suggestion [that] I can make towards improving the
paper — I must frankly state that in my life-long experience in the work, I
have always found "Occultism" injurious and weakening to humanity. What we
want is strength. We Indians, more than any other race, want strong and
vigorous thought. We have enough of the superfine in all concerns. For
centuries we have been stuffed with the mysterious; the result is that our
intellectual and spiritual digestion is almost hopelessly impaired, and the
race has been dragged down to the depths of hopeless imbecility — never
before or since experienced by any other civilised community. There must be
freshness and vigour of thought behind to make a virile race. More than
enough to strengthen the whole world exists in the Upanishads. The Advaita
is the eternal mine of strength. But it requires to be applied. It must
first be cleared of the incrustation of scholasticism, and then in all its
simplicity, beauty and sublimity be taught over the length and breadth of
the land, as applied even to the minutest detail of daily life. "This is a
very large order"; but we must work towards it, nevertheless, as if it would
be accomplished to-morrow. Of one thing I am sure — that whoever wants to
help his fellow beings through genuine love and unselfishness will work
wonders.
Yours truly,
VIVEKANANDA