B.Sc. 3rd year final year 6th chapter PDF 2025
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B.Sc./B.A./B.Com. final year
English language
Chapter 6
“The Universality of Religion”
by Swami Vivekananda
summary
Paragraph 1 (English)
We see in the world different nations, different races, and
different sects. Each one follows its own path, each one worships in its own
way, and each one believes its own doctrines to be the highest truth. Yet,
behind all these varieties, there is one eternal principle – the search for
God, the realization of the Infinite.
Hindi Translation
हम संसार में विभिन्न राष्ट्रों, विभिन्न जातियों और विभिन्न सम्प्रदायों को देखते
हैं। प्रत्येक अपने-अपने मार्ग का अनुसरण करता है, प्रत्येक अपने ढंग से पूजा करता है और प्रत्येक अपनी मान्यताओं को ही
सर्वोच्च सत्य मानता है। किन्तु इन सब विविधताओं के पीछे एक सनातन सिद्धांत है –
ईश्वर की खोज, अनन्त का साक्षात्कार।
Paragraph 2 (English)
Religion is not in the books, nor in the temples, nor in the
forms. Religion is in realization. The moment a man feels the presence of God
within his own heart, that very moment he becomes truly religious, whatever may
be the name of his faith.
Hindi Translation
धर्म न तो पुस्तकों में है, न ही मंदिरों में, और न ही केवल बाहरी रूपों में। धर्म है – अनुभूति में। जिस क्षण
मनुष्य अपने हृदय में ईश्वर की उपस्थिति का अनुभव करता है, उसी क्षण वह सच्चा धार्मिक बन जाता है, चाहे उसके विश्वास का नाम कुछ भी क्यों न हो।
Paragraph 3 (English)
Just as the rivers, winding in different courses, all flow
towards the ocean, so all religions, with their different methods of worship,
all reach the same God. To quarrel about superiority is foolish. The Christian,
the Hindu, the Mohammedan, the Buddhist – all are travelling towards the same
goal.
Hindi Translation
जैसे नदियाँ विभिन्न मार्गों से बहती हुई अंत में
सागर में मिलती हैं, वैसे ही सभी धर्म, अपनी-अपनी पूजा-पद्धतियों के साथ, उसी एक ईश्वर तक पहुँचते हैं। श्रेष्ठता के विषय
में झगड़ना मूर्खता है। चाहे वह ईसाई हो, हिन्दू
हो, मोहम्मदी हो या बौद्ध – सबका लक्ष्य
एक ही है।
Paragraph 4 (English)
Let us not tolerate each other only. Tolerance is not
enough. We must accept each religion as true. Each is a manifestation of the
Eternal Religion, the Sanatana Dharma. Each has its place, each has its
message, and each is necessary for the progress of mankind.
Hindi Translation
आइए हम केवल एक-दूसरे को सहन ही न करें। सहन करना
ही पर्याप्त नहीं है। हमें प्रत्येक धर्म को सत्य रूप में स्वीकार करना चाहिए।
प्रत्येक धर्म सनातन धर्म का ही एक रूप है। प्रत्येक का अपना स्थान है, प्रत्येक का अपना संदेश है और मानव जाति की
उन्नति के लिए प्रत्येक आवश्यक है।
Paragraph 5 (English)
The world is waiting for this grand truth – that all
religions are one. When we realize this, when we feel that the Lord is in every
faith and in every soul, then shall come peace, then shall come brotherhood,
then shall come the golden age of harmony.
Hindi Translation
संसार इस महान सत्य की प्रतीक्षा कर रहा है – कि
सभी धर्म एक हैं। जब हम इसको समझ लेंगे, जब हम
अनुभव करेंगे कि हर विश्वास और हर आत्मा में वही भगवान है, तब शांति आएगी, तब
भाईचारा आएगा और तब सौहार्द्र का स्वर्णिम युग आएगा।
Important Big Q&A – The Universality of Religion:-
Q1. What does Swami Vivekananda mean by the “Universality
of Religion”?
Answer:
By the term “Universality of Religion,” Swami Vivekananda means that all
religions of the world, though different in practices, rituals, and
philosophies, ultimately lead to the same truth. He believed that behind all
the apparent diversity in faiths, there exists one eternal principle – the
search for God and the realization of the Infinite. According to him, no
religion is complete by itself, but each is a valid path to reach the Divine.
He compares religions to rivers that flow in different directions but finally
merge into the same ocean. Thus, the universality of religion lies in accepting
every religion as true and understanding that the goal of all is the same – the
realization of God.
Q2. How does Vivekananda explain that true religion is
not in books or temples but in realization?
Answer:
Vivekananda strongly emphasized that religion does not consist in reading
scriptures, performing rituals, or worshipping in temples alone. These may
help, but they are not the essence of religion. The real essence of religion
lies in realization – in directly experiencing the presence of God in one’s own
heart. He says that the moment a man feels the Divine within himself, he
becomes truly religious, irrespective of the name of his faith. Religion is not
about dogma, arguments, or external forms, but about transforming one’s life
through inner realization of the spiritual truth. For him, realization is the
practical demonstration of religion in daily life.
Q3. Explain the river and ocean metaphor used by
Vivekananda to describe religious unity.
Answer:
To explain the universality and harmony of all religions, Vivekananda uses the
famous metaphor of rivers and the ocean. He says that just as rivers take
different courses, flowing through different lands, yet all ultimately merge
into the same ocean, similarly all religions, though they differ in forms,
doctrines, and methods of worship, finally lead to the same God. The ocean
represents the Infinite Truth or the Divine, while the rivers represent the
different religions of the world. This metaphor beautifully shows that the
outer differences are temporary, but the ultimate goal is one and the same.
Therefore, fighting about superiority of one religion over another is
meaningless.
Q4. Why does Vivekananda stress acceptance of all
religions rather than mere tolerance?
Answer:
Vivekananda makes a distinction between tolerance and acceptance. Tolerance, he
says, means that one religion only puts up with the existence of another, while
still secretly considering itself superior. But this is not enough. True
universality demands acceptance, which means sincerely believing that all
religions are equally true and valid. According to him, every religion is a
manifestation of the Eternal Religion, the Sanatana Dharma, and each has its
own place, message, and importance for the progress of mankind. By accepting
all religions, humanity can overcome sectarian hatred, stop religious
conflicts, and build a foundation for peace and harmony. Thus, acceptance is
the essence of universality.
Q5. What is Vivekananda’s vision of world peace and
brotherhood through universality of religion?
Answer:
Vivekananda’s vision of world peace rests on the realization of the
universality of religion. He declares that the world is waiting for the great
truth – that all religions are one. The moment mankind understands that God
lives in every faith and in every soul, divisions will disappear. This
realization will bring peace among nations, brotherhood among men, and the end
of hatred and war. He dreams of a golden age of harmony, where people will live
together in love, service, and mutual respect, without quarrels over religion.
His vision is not of tolerance but of genuine acceptance, where diversity is
celebrated as different expressions of the same Eternal Truth.
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