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Swami Prabuddhananda
Vedant Society of Northern California, San Francisco

"Respected Swamis and friends,

I came here a few years ago and have seen the Vidyapith’s activities. At that time almost a similar function was arranged. I am again seeing it now. Since then, I think, some of the students have become teachers and some of the students and teachers have grown older. It is very impressive. Yesterday, in New York, we saw the cultural program of the Vidyapith’s students, and the chanting was especially impressive. Students were reciting the Vedic Chanting without looking at a book! After coming here, I see the bright, eager faces of the students, very transparent and clear.

Swami Vivekananda wanted this. Swamiji saw that America and India need each other. He wanted the best of America and India to combine together to make a whole, a complete personality. Swamiji wanted everyone to have this complete personality through man-making education and man-making religion. There should be a total growth. To accomplish this, both excellences are necessary; excellence from the United States and excellence from India. Here, at Vivekananda Vidyapith, we find that a grand experiment is being done to combine these two Excellences, and that experiment is very successful. Students are joyfully partaking both what the Indian culture and religion offers and also what the United States has to offer. A big experiment is being done to combine the best of both the cultures to create a whole or a complete personality successfully. I wish and pray that you grow from strength to strength and continue to proceed like this.

It may appear that this is a small beginning with only 300 students. Compared to thousands of Indian students in the United States, this group of 300 students is a small portion. However, Swamiji’s ideas and ideals being practiced here are very powerful and they will spread. Swami Vivekananda said that just as disease is contagious, health is also contagious. This dynamism, this combination of the East and the West generated here is a very powerful element. I wish and pray that you spread this wonderful combination in the West, and that it will be Swami Vivekananda’s Vedanta. The United States is a prosperous country. This is a land of opportunities. We take advantage of these opportunities, but what do we give in return? We boast about our Indian culture and religion. Are we giving something in return? This is a big question. This effort of giving in return is being made here. This is what we give in return – living lives based on great Indian spiritual values. Living such a life is itself a great giving in return from our side. Let us consider this and grow better and better. Swami Vivekananda used to give a formula: 'You have done well, but you can do better.' So, you have done very well, but there is a scope for doing better. Thank you."