Swami Vivekananda: A Sportsman Par Excellence

In various books and articles, Swami Vivekananda has been called a spiritual leader, a prophet, a patriot, a social reformer, a philosopher, a yogi, a writer, an orator, an educationist, a musician, and so on.

- ASIM CHAUDHURY

 But nobody has ever addressed him as a sportsman, although one chapter in the Bengali book Sahasya Vivekananda (Smiling Vivekananda) has been devoted by its author, Dr. Sankariprasad Basu, to Swamiji's sports, fitness, and recreational activities in land, air, and water. In that chapter, the author portrayed Swamiji as "A man of the open fields" and described most of his miscellaneous sporting or entertainment-related outdoor, or indoor, activities from the perspectives of enjoyment, amusement, or light-hearted pleasure, as the name of the book suggests.¹

This article, based on various references, including Sankariprasad Basu's book and Mahendranath Datta's reminiscences, focuses directly on Swamiji's all-round athletic persona since his childhood, accepting the body as a temple, thus giving importance to strength and physical fitness, which, in turn helps in developing one's mind. Following this train of thought Swamiji advised his audience, which might sound sacrilegious at first, but he made the hidden meaning clear: "First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. I know where the shoe pinches. I have gained a little experience. You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger. You will understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little of strong blood in you. You will understand the Upanishads better and the glory of the Atman when your body stands firm upon your feet, and you feel yourselves as men.”2