Speech of Swami Vivekananda In World Parliament Religion in Chicago

As He was born in an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta, Vivekananda was very much tendency towards spirituality. He was influenced by his guru, Ramakrishna, from whom he learnt that all living beings were representation of Divine; therefore, service to God could be rendered if we do service to mankind. After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda roamed the Indian subcontinent extensively and acquired first-hand knowledge of the conditions prevailing in British India. He later traveled to the United States, representing India at the 1893 Parliament of the World Religions. Vivekananda conducted hundreds of public and private lectures and classes, which became a platform to widely spread tenets of Hindu philosophy in the United States,

England and Europe. In India, Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint and his birthday is celebrated there as National Youth Day. Vivekananda's speech in World Parliament of religious has been started in this way.

" Sisters and Brothers of America, "

Listening to these greetings he received a great round of applause. So he started speaking about the Indian culture in the following way. Actually because of his attire and other  reason he was given only 15 mins of time in order to speak about Hinduism and in that !5 mins he spoke about the Mother of religions Hinduism and the integrity we follow in accepting all the other religions as true . So this was the content of his speech that day.

"It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelite s, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.  I  am  proud  to  belong to the  religion  which  has  sheltered  and  is still  fostering remnant Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: "As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."

After he closed the session and he just moved back.The anchor requested him to be on the stage and explain few more points on the Hinduism and the speech was continued to 1 1/2 hour. He told the world About Hinduism in such a way that it explored the greatness of the country like flying kites. Parliament President John Henry Barrows said, "India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors".Vivekananda attracted a great attention in the press, which called him the "cyclonic monk from India". The New York Critique wrote that, He is not interesting by his attire or by his looks but he had attracted every one by his speech, the rhythmic words. 

The New York Herald noted that "Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation”. American newspapers reported Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions and most popular and influential man in  parliament". The Boston Evening Transcript reported that Vivekananda was "a great favorite at the parliament if he merely crosses the platform, he is applauded". He spoke several more times "at receptions, the scientific section, and private homes on topics related to Hinduism, Buddhism and harmony among religions until the parliament ended on 27 September 1893. Vivekananda's speeches at the Parliament had the common theme of universality, emphasizing religious tolerance. He soon became known as a "handsome oriental" and made a huge impression as an orator.