Indian Sensibility in Indian English Literature
Speech by H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwaranandaji
as Guest of Honour in the Inaugural Function of the 53rd All India English Teachers' Conference, in Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, on 18th December 2008

Most respected Chief Guest, Distinguished Guests on the Dais, Honourable Vice Chancellor, Respected Teachers, Professors and Educationists.
My heartfelt adorations to the Divinity in all of you.

I feel myself honoured to be part of this magnificent event, a topic which is very deep-rooted and the need of the time.

I confess that when the subject came to me, I was searching left and right for a good answer, via computer and so, but I was not satisfied. I consulted writers and highly learned people to get their opinion regarding this Indian Sensibility in the Indian English Literature. Though a lot of different, quite interesting answers I got, I was still not convinced to catch the right point.

But then I realized that I myself was blessed by this great Sensibility in the English Literature, through my great Master, Paramahamsa Shri Swami Omkarananda, who wrote the highest philosophical thoughts in English. He was a great Saint, Sage and Philosopher. His association with and writings about Swami Shivananda earned him even the title 'Shakespeare of Shivananda'. Books of his writings, which have gone all over the world, have even been placed in front of the Indological Department of the famous University in Zurich. Swami Omkarananda's writings, with deep sensibility are pointing out the true spiritual living of man. He himself was living as an example of true Indianness. His literature has affected numerous readers in East and West and his life motivated the hearts of people to a life of the highest moral.

The Indian sensibility has been expressed by so many writers, many of them were educated also in the West.

This sensibility has a deep foundation and is based on the true tradition of the ancient Indian culture. Moreover I feel this sensibility is a treasure in the heart of the Indian people, to be more precise, it is God's gift.

Not only in the literature, but also in the day to day life, people of this wonderful country are very soft spoken and never want to hurt anybody. A typical sign of great sensibility of the Indian - as he lives, so he writes.

The impact of this great attitude and openness of the Indian English literature made many people around the globe moving towards great ideals which we can find in the Indian literature.

Many of the readers who were touched by the great thoughts of Indian English Literature changed even their lives and followed the footsteps of these philosophers, writers, Saints or Sages. Deep sensibility is a product of enormous purity, spiritual advancement, great thinking and a well disciplined living.

The Vedic culture is a culture which is second to none. It portrays people with a divine vision, it concentrates on the origin of the spiritual science.

Dear friends, we have to preserve this great culture and we should improve this wonderful sensibility more and more in favour of others, in favour of the entire mankind and of course in favour of ourselves.

I cannot condemn the Western philosophical thoughts in literature. There are no doubt great and outstanding writers in all respect, highly knowledgeable, but I find the direction of Western philosophy is slightly more materialistic oriented, because the essence of the pure divine life is mainly not visible.

Paramahamsa Shri Swami Omkarananda is very much correct when he says: 'Man is born not for physical experiences alone. Man is born to conquer matter, to conquer time and space. Man is born to realize the infinite, supreme, omniscient and omnipotent Reality.'

The cause of sensibility arises due to the deep mystical relation which the Indian people are having towards the Divinity. The stronger this relation manifests, the more sensitive we are going to become.

Though I believe in the strong eternal Power of the Vedic culture, but still then the modern time has brought much difficulties and dangerous situations. Film, Radio, TV, Internet, and so on, have changed the man to a great extent and it has been proved that a lot of damage has come and is increasing. It pulls the individual into greater ignorance, it takes away and destroys the much needed purity in the heart, it demoralizes, it pushes the man into a dark world.

But it is not TV, Internet and all these, which are bad, but what has been fed into it can be truly poisonous. One can get tears to see how young generations have been separated from that high moral standard, which we had some time before.

I therefore appreciate all of you highly literary personalities and geniuses, who are in front of me in this University and I do know, that you can do great work to strengthen the sensibility in the literature, which will be a highly beneficial contribution in the present situation. Swami Omkarananda beautifully said: 'Think like a Genius, work like a Giant, live like a Saint.'

And the reason for all of you to be here gives me a very good feeling that a wonderful event is going to happen. I appreciate the administration of the University for giving a chance to conduct this noble forum here on the feet of the Himalayas. It is these places, which brought up the greatest Saints and Sages. To all of them and especially to my Master Parama'hamsa Shri Swami Omkarananda, my Adorations again and again.