BIOGRAPHY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

88 SWAMI VIVEKANANDAHe was never tired of showing to his countrymenthe value and significance of the culturethey had inherited from their ancestors—a culturein comparison with which any other civilization,past or present, paled into insignificance—till theirhearts throbbed at the very name of India. He clearlypointed out that Indian nationalism was to be basedon the greatness of the past though various newideas also had to be assimilated in the process ofgrowth. If we have to be true to the genius of therace, if we have to appeal to the soul of the nation,we have to drink deep of the fountain of the pastand then proceed to build the future. This heritagefrom the past, he pointed out, was essentially areligious heritage. The fundamental problem inIndia, therefore, was to organize the whole countryround the spiritual ideal. By religion he meant theeternal life-giving principles as taught by theShrutis and not the mass of superstitions and localcustoms, which are mere accretions requiring aweeding out with a strong hand. Above all, heshowed that the nation depended upon thecharacter and qualities of its individual members.On the strength of the individuals lay the strengthof the whole nation. So each individual, he urged,if he desired the good of the country as a whole,should try, whatever might be his walk of life, tobuild character and acquire such virtues as courage,