Importance of Peace and Harmony

Let's learn: Give peace A Chance

First person Account

Swami Vivekananda is one of the most eminent personalities of our Country. He was born in Kolkata on 12, January 1863. His father was Visvanatha Datta and his mother as Bhubaneshwari. His original name ar Narendranath Datta. He was given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri.

He studied Sanskrit, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas etc. He learnt things very quickly. He had an aptitude for music. He had a good Voice.  He joined the school of Sri Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and completed primary education. He completed his secondary education, course of three years, in one year, and passed with distinction. He joined the college in bis 16th year and studied logic and philosophy.  He was handsome and bold. He gained mastery over English language and proved to be an eloquent orator. 

He was however, not interested in worldly affairs. He was drawn towards spiritualism. He made his mind known to his parents and went to see Ramakrishna Paramahamsa at Dakshineswar. On the request of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Narendranath sang some devotional songs. Swami Paramahamsa went into trance listening to his songs. 

Later  he informed Narendranath that he would be able to see God in his trance. He added that if one prayed to God in all perfection, one could see God, Narendranath became a disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Later Narendranath's father died and Narendranath was forced to take up a teacher's job for some time to meet his family's needs. 

Ramakrishna endowed Narendranath with all his spiritual powers and made him his heir. With this, Narendranath assumed the name of Swami Vivekananda and a Sanyasi in true sense. After the demise of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda started a mutt named after his Guru, at Belur. Swami Vivekananda implored the youth to develop the spirit of adventure. He travelled all over India and reached Kanyakumari. There be swam the ocean, reached the rock nearby and meditated there. During his travel he found poverty all over India and was moved by the sufferings of the poor. He felt that serving mankind is serving God. He felt there was need for a tremendous effort in this direction. He loved the motherland and was a great patriot.

Swami Vivekananda said that the youth of the day were moving without any aim. There was no correct spiritual guidance. He felt that religion can lead a man on the moral and righteous path. He believed and propagated that all men of the world are one. Colour, caste and creed had no meaning. He felt that there is a lot to be achieved. He advised the youth to move forward. His words were: Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached". Swami Vivekananda started many institutions under the Ramakrishna Mission to carry on bis message of service. He passed away at the age of 39 on 4th of July, 1902.

What did you learned from the life story of Swami Vivekananda? 

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What is peace? 

Peace is a sign of harmony characterized by the lack of violence, conflict behaviours and the freedom from fear of violence Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the establishment of equality, and a working political order that serves the true interests of all.

Historical Importance of Peace 

Satyagraha: Satyagraha is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). He deployed satyagraha techniques in campaigns for Indian independence and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa.

The word satyagraha itself was coined through a public contest that Gandhi sponsored through the newspaper he published in South Africa, Indian Opinion when he realized that neither the common, contemporary Hindu language nor the English language contained a word which fully expressed his own meanings and intentions when he talked about his nonviolent approaches to conflict. According to Gandhi's autobiography the contest winner was Maganlal Gandhi (presumably no relation), who submitted the entry sadagraha', which Gandhi then modified to 'satyagraha'. 

The Satyagraha theory also intluenced Martin Luther King, Jr. during the campaigns he led during the civil rights movement in the United States. The theory of satyagraha sees means and ends as inseparable. Therefore, it is contradictory to try to use violence to obtain peace

 Nobel Peace Prize: The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes created by the Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry. Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. Since 1901, it has been awarded annually (with some exceptions) to those who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. "

As per Alfred Nobel's will, the recipient is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a 5-member committee appointed by the parliament of Norway. Since 1990,the prize is awarded on December 10 in Oslo City Hall each year. 

The peace symbol: A number of peace symbols have been used in various cultures and contexts. The dove and  olive branch are found together in the account of Noah's ark in the Bible, and were used symbolically by Jews and early Christians, and eventually were used as a secular peace Symbol. This was popularized by Pablo Picasso in 1949 and became widely used in the post-World war II peace movement. In the 20th century, the "peace girl sign",  as it is commonly known today, was originally designed in the late 1950s as the logo for the British campaign for Neculear  Disarament; later it was adopted more widely by anti-war activiets in the United States and elsewhere. The V sign hand signal and the peace flag also Became International peace Symbols. 

How to develop a peaceful outlook? 

It is an important skill to know how to resolve contlicts among friends or with other people you know. Imagine how much better life could be for you and them.

• Make room for peace at home. Outer peace begins with inner peace. We all need special places that give us a sense of privacy and peace, and that can serve as a quiet refuge for times when hurt or angry feelings might lead to violent words or actions. It could be a room or just a corner, where any family member can go for quiet reflection or to work through turbulent feelings. 

Find peace in nature. Turn off the television and the computer and go outside Go tor a walk or explore nature in your own way The beauty of nature is a great talm to the soul. 

•  Make time for creative play. We all need plenty of time for unstructured, creative play Research indicates that make-believe social play in particular reduces aggression and increases empathy. 
• Support peace education at school Urge your school to establish or strengthen peace education and conflict resolution programs
• Face local needs. Help children become comfortable with the people in your community who need help the elderly, the disabled, the poor. Peace is not a philosophy, Peace is something that has to be experienced Unless a person experiences it everything is empty. No matter what you have done in your life, if you have not experienced peace, then everything feels empty and incomplete. 

Some different ways to have peace in life 

• A child gets peace in the arms of his/her mother.
• A partner gets peace of life when his/her hand is held by his/her who works along all the difficulties of life with him/her.
• A homeless gets peace under a shelter
• A beggar gets peace with the piece of bread.

• The fire of hunger gets peace with food.

  • Love gets peace in the heart of someone.

• An old aged gets peace in the words of respect.

• A relation gets peace with the pillars of trust and understanding.

• And at last, a soul gets peace when meets in the eternity.