Chapter 4
Swami Vivekananda
1. Who was Swami Vivekananda?
Answer:Swami Vivekananda was a great spiritual leader and thinker of India. He inspired people to follow truth, courage, and selfless service. He is remembered for his teachings of fearlessness, love for mankind, and dedication to spiritual goals.
2. When and where was Vivekananda born?
Answer: Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 in Simla, which was then part of Kolkata.
3. Who were Vivekananda’s parents?
Answer: His father was Vishwanath Dutta, a kind and helpful man, and his mother was Bhuvneshwari Devi, a deeply religious woman who taught him values and stories from epics.
4. What qualities did Vivekananda’s parents have?
Answer: His father was kind and helped the poor, and his mother was religious, devoted to epics, and spent time teaching her children moral and spiritual lessons.
5. What was Vivekananda’s birth name?
Answer: Vivekananda’s birth name was Vireshwara. However, it was long, so people started calling him Narendra.
6. How was Narendra as a child?
Answer: Narendra was naughty, lively, and playful. He was intelligent, courageous, and had a strong presence of mind. He loved animals and birds and showed leadership qualities from a young age.
7. What games did Narendra enjoy as a child?
Answer: Narendra’s favorite game was “King and the Court,” where he always played the king, and his friends acted as ministers and courtiers. This game reflected his leadership skills.
8. How did Narendra practice meditation as a child?
Answer: Narendra practiced meditation with his friends and could sit in one posture for a long time. During meditation, he remained calm and focused, showing his spiritual inclination.
9. What incident with a black snake showed Narendra’s courage?
Answer: Once a black snake came near Narendra and his friends while they were meditating. All the children ran in fear, but Narendra remained still with his eyes closed. The snake crawled past without harming him, showing his fearlessness.
10. How was Narendra at school?
Answer: Narendra was an excellent student. He paid attention in class, remembered everything he learned, and excelled both in studies and games.
11. How did Narendra react when punished unjustly by the geography teacher?
Answer: When punished unfairly, Narendra protested that he was correct. Although he was slapped, he calmly explained everything to his mother when he returned home, showing honesty and respect for truth.
12. What lesson did Narendra learn from his mother about truth?
Answer: His mother told him to always follow the truth, no matter what happens. This lesson influenced his moral and spiritual growth.
13. How did Narendra show bravery during a ghost scare?
Answer: When his friends ran away fearing a ghost, Narendra stood fearless and asked the gardener about the ghost. He did not panic and faced the situation with courage.
14. What qualities in Narendra’s childhood reflected his future greatness?
Answer: His courage, fearlessness, intelligence, concentration, and love for mankind were signs of his future role as a great spiritual leader.
15. How did Narendra’s love for animals reflect his character?
Answer: Narendra’s affection for birds and animals showed his kindness, compassion, and respect for all life.
16. How did meditation influence young Narendra?
Answer: Meditation helped Narendra develop concentration, patience, and inner calm, which later became important qualities for his spiritual life.
17. How did Narendra’s parents contribute to his education?
Answer: His parents ensured that he received good education and moral upbringing. His mother also narrated stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, teaching values through them.
18. What role did leadership play in Narendra’s childhood games?
Answer: Playing “King and the Court” helped him practice leadership, decision-making, and responsibility, preparing him for his future role as a guide and leader.
19. How did Narendra handle difficult situations as a child?
Answer: Narendra faced difficult situations calmly, like standing still near a snake or a ghost scare, showing courage and fearlessness.
20. How did Narendra react when the teacher made a mistake?
Answer: Narendra respectfully protested that he was correct. He did not get angry but waited to explain the matter, showing his sense of justice and composure.
21. What lesson does the geography teacher incident teach us?
Answer: It teaches the importance of standing by the truth and being honest, even when someone in authority misunderstands or punishes us.
22. Why was Narendra called “fearless”?
Answer: Narendra was called fearless because he did not show fear in dangerous or unusual situations, like the snake or ghost incidents.
23. How did Narendra’s concentration help him in life?
Answer: His ability to focus deeply, especially during meditation, helped him develop spiritual strength, patience, and wisdom.
24. What inspired Narendra in his later life?
Answer: Narendra was inspired by the teachings of the Gita, which guided him toward truth, courage, and service to mankind.
25. How did Narendra become Swami Vivekananda?
Answer: Narendra’s qualities of fearlessness, concentration, compassion, and love for mankind led him to spiritual life, after which he became Swami Vivekananda.
26. What is the famous quote of Vivekananda mentioned in the text?
Answer: The famous quote is: “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” This reflects his spirit of determination and perseverance.
27. What qualities made Vivekananda an inspiration to mankind?
Answer: His fearlessness, compassion, wisdom, leadership, honesty, and dedication to truth made him a great inspiration.
28. How did his mother influence him spiritually?
Answer: His mother taught him religious stories, moral values, and love for all beings, shaping his spiritual and ethical personality.
29. How did his father influence him morally?
Answer: His father’s kindness and service to the poor taught Narendra the importance of helping others and practicing morality.
30. What does the story of young Narendra tell us about childhood development?
Answer: It shows that early habits of courage, meditation, honesty, and compassion shape a child’s character and future greatness.
31. How did Narendra’s intelligence show in school?
Answer: He could remember lessons easily and answer questions correctly, showing remarkable memory and intelligence.
32. What role did play and games have in Narendra’s life?
Answer: Games like “King and the Court” developed his leadership skills, strategic thinking, and confidence.
33. How did Narendra handle unfair treatment calmly?
Answer: Even when punished unfairly, Narendra stayed calm, trusted truth, and consulted his mother, showing emotional strength.
34. Why is Swami Vivekananda still remembered today?
Answer: He is remembered for his teachings of courage, determination, service, spirituality, and love for mankind.
35. What message does his childhood story give to students?
Answer: The message is to be truthful, fearless, compassionate, disciplined, and focused in life.
36. How does fearlessness help a person according to Vivekananda’s life?
Answer: Fearlessness helps a person face challenges calmly, take right decisions, and maintain confidence in difficult situations.
37. How did meditation help Narendra in childhood incidents?
Answer: Meditation helped him remain calm near the snake and during other frightening situations, showing inner control and courage.
38. What qualities of leadership did Narendra show as a child?
Answer: He showed leadership by taking initiative in games, guiding friends, and demonstrating responsibility and fairness.
39. How did Narendra’s love for nature reflect in his personality?
Answer: His love for birds and animals showed that he was compassionate, sensitive, and respectful towards all life.
40. Summarize the key message of this lesson.
Answer: The lesson teaches that courage, fearlessness, honesty, concentration, love for mankind, and respect for life are essential qualities. Swami Vivekananda’s life inspires people to work hard, follow truth, and serve humanity.
Answer by Mrinmoee
