The Glorious debt

The debt,which the world ows to our Motherland is immense.

The very dust of India has become holy to me,the very air is now to me holy;it is now holyland,the place of pilgrimage,The tirtha.

We all hear so much about the degradation of India.There was a time when I also believed in it.But today standing on the vantage ground of experience,with eyes cleared of obstructive predisposition and above all,of the highly coloured pictures of other countries toned down to their proper shade and light by actual contact,I confess,in all humanity,that I was wrong.Thou blessed land of Aryas,thou wsat never degraded.

This national ship,my countrymen,my friends,my children,this national ship has been ferrying millions and millions of souls across the waters of life...But today,perhaps through your own fault,this boat has become a little damaged,has sprung a leak;and would you therefore curse it?Is it fit that you stand up and pronounce malediction upon it,one that has done more wpork than than any other thing in the world?If there are holes in this national ship,this society of ours,we are its children.Let us go and stop the holes.Let us gladly do it with our heart's blood,and if we cannot,than let us die.we will make a plug of our brains and put it into the ship but condemn it never.Say not one harsh word against this society.I love it for its past greatness - I love you all because you are the children of god,and because you are the children of glorios forefathers.How then can I curse you!Never.All blessings be upon you!

N.B.: These are heart touching words of Swami Vivekananda.