Man Making Education in the light of Swami Vivekananda by Santosh Kumar Behera

Man-Making Education

1. MAN-MAKING EDUCATION IN THE
LIGHT OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
Presented By:Presented By:
Dr. Santosh Kumar BeheraDr. Santosh Kumar Behera
Department of Education,Department of Education,
Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West
BengalBengal
Email:Email: [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected]@gmail.com

2. Swami Vivekananda was a man of versatile genius. The world
found in him a patriot saint, a lover of art and architecture, a
classical singer, a commanding orator of great charm, a
visionary, a philosopher, an educationist, and above all a
worshipper of humanity. Swami Vivekananda is a pioneering
figure in the cultural and spiritual history of the Indian people.
His far-reaching vision of education is influencing an increasing
number of thoughtful people all over the world in the course of
time. He propagated the essence of truth, Vedanta, brotherhood
of men, unity of humanity, harmony of religions and supremacy
of spiritualism over materialism.

3. He could be able to bring a happy blending between spiritualism of the East
and materialism of the West. Education, he said, must provide “Life-building,
Man-making and Character-making assimilation of ideas”. His educational
ideas based on love, peace and equity which combined the whole world. He
shines like a luminous star in the galaxy of intellectuals. He was the torch-
bearer of new light, new path and humanism. His contribution to India’s
thought and culture is second to none. His contribution to the awakening of
modern India is critique in its kind and quality. If education is viewed as the
most powerful instrument of social change, his contribution to educational
thought is of paramount importance. He defines education as ‘the
manifestation of divine perfection that is already in man. Swamiji’s Man-
Making education is based on the Vedantic philosophy of his life. Man-
Making education meant for Vivekananda rousing man to an awareness of his
essential divine nature, making him rely always on his innate spiritual
strength.

4. CONCEPT OF MANCONCEPT OF MAN
Vivekananda’s guru, Sri Ramakrishna, used to
say that manush needs to become man-hush –
that is, a man needs to become a true man. ‘He
alone is a man, whose spiritual consciousness
has been awakened’.

5. Following his Master, Vivekananda emphasized that ‘the
ideal of all education, all training, should be this man-
making’.
MAN is the combination of three letters, i.e.,
M = Morality
A = Ability
N =Nobility

6. ttttttt NEW VIEW OF MAN
Vivekananda’s concept of ‘potential divinity of the soul’
gives a new, ennobling concept of man ; which prevents
degradation, divinizes human relationships, and makes life
meaningful and worth living.
The present age is the age of humanism which holds
that man should be the chief concern and centre of all
activities and thinking.
 Swamiji has laid the foundation for ‘spiritual humanism’,
which is manifesting itself through several neo-humanistic
movements and the current interest in meditation all over
the world.

7. Swami Vivekananda realized that three things are
necessary to make every man great, every Nation great.
Conviction of the powers of goodness.
Absence of jealousy and suspicion.
Helping all who are trying to be and do well.

8. CONCEPT OF EDUCATION
“Education is the
manifestation of divine
perfection that is
already in man”.

9. Three important messages popped out from this statement –
Manifestation, The Perfection, Already in Man
Manifestation – It is not assimilation, but Manifestation Swamiji
is talking about. The learning has to be manifested.
Something is said to be manifested only when it finds an
expression. Mere intellectualization of concepts and ideas do
not suffice. True education is to see that the learning has
manifested in us and our works.

10. Perfection - 
Whatever we learn should be manifested. But the question 
arises… what should we learn? What should be manifested? 
Swamiji talks of manifestation of perfection. As it is the case 
with most of Ancient Indian Scriptural Concepts – Perfection, 
as used by Swami Vivekananda needs to be viewed from two 
levels/perspectives.
At the practical, worldly or empirical level, perfection denotes 
the ability to address various problems human beings encounter 
in society.

11. At the spiritual level, it denotes the divinity or
completeness of an individual. The perfection or
divinity in man should find expression as a
result of education.
Already in Man - This is the key principle in the above
quote. The perfection which has to be manifested,
Swamiji declares – is already in man. When we already
have it, what is the role of education? What are we
learning?

12. The process of education is actually a process of 
purification.  A  process  by  which  we  realize  the 
perfectness within. A process which brings out the 
strength within and makes us courageous like a lion 
and help us stand on our own legs in this society.

13. ENLIGHTENMENT
DEDICATION
UNDERSTANDING
  CHARACTER
ACCEPTABILITY
TENACITY 
INSPIRATION
OPTIMISM
NON- CHALLENGEABLE A i t y a = b N
EDUCATION

14. “Education is not the amount of information that is put into
your brain and runs riot there undigested all your life. We
must have life-building, man-making, character making
assimilation of ideas. We want education by which character
is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is
expanded, by which one can stand on one’s feet. What we
want is Western science coupled with Vedanta,
Brahmacharya as the guiding motto and also Shraddha and
faith in one’s own life”.

15.           SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S
MAN-MAKING EDUCATION MAN-MAKING EDUCATION
Man  making  education  is  a  very  comprehensive Man  making  education  is  a  very  comprehensive 
concept. Swami Vivekananda saw the ‘Divine’ in the concept. Swami Vivekananda saw the ‘Divine’ in the 
form of the poor whom he called ‘Daridra Narayan’. form of the poor whom he called ‘Daridra Narayan’. 
This  denotes  the  direction  of  Man-making This  denotes  the  direction  of  Man-making 
education. It implies that education should develop education. It implies that education should develop 
a spirit of service and the poor and the needy must a spirit of service and the poor and the needy must 
be helped to raise themselves.be helped to raise themselves.

16. Man-making  education  also  brings  out  the Man-making  education  also  brings  out  the 
significance  of  the  famous  words  said  by significance  of  the  famous  words  said  by 
Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions held in Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions held in 
1893 at Chicago. These were: 1893 at Chicago. These were: 
HELP, ASSIMILATION,HELP, ASSIMILATION, HARMONY and PEACEHARMONY and PEACE
Accordingly  education  should  develop  these Accordingly  education  should  develop  these 
qualities in man.qualities in man.
Man-making  education  is  inherent  in  character Man-making  education  is  inherent  in  character 
development as well as vocational development. development as well as vocational development. 

17. Swami Vivekananda said: “Man-Making is my
mission of life. I am not a politician, nor am I a
Social Reformer. It is my job to fashion man
……… I care only for the spirit: When that is right,
everything will be righted by itself”.
Man-Making meant for Vivekananda rousing man to an
awareness of his essential divine nature, making him
rely always on his innate spiritual strength.

18. Man-Making: this really means rousing the purblind race
to an awareness of its innate spiritual strength and
essential divine nature. Human beings are by no mean
inheritor of any original ‘Sin’, but, truly, ‘amrtasya putrah’,
children of immortality. Such is Vedanta’s Magna Carta for
humanity.
Man-Making was his main pre-occupation, for he believed
in such a free, fearless man of character, enlightenment
and love lay the hope of the world. Transformation of man
is the only solution for all the ill that are found in the
society.

19. ELEMENTS OF MAN-MAKING EDUCATION
The chief elements of Swami Vivekananda’s Man-
Making Education are based on the Vedantic philosophy
of his life.
1.Every individual should understand that the ultimate
goal of Human Life is to attain ‘Unity with Creator’.
2.Service to man is equated with devotion to God
because God resides in every human heart. Hence,
man should foster the spirit of service to his fellow
beings. Worship of man is the real worship of God.
Individual happiness lies with universal happiness.

20. 3. Man should develop an attitude of respect for all
religions. He should understand that the essential
elements of all religions are the same, and no religion is
superior or inferior to other.
4. Man should imbibe love for all and hatred for none,
because love is the highest good of all religions. Then,
how can we inculcate love? If you control / watch your
character then love value will come.

21. =ora WATCH lity
YOUR =robi
ACTIONoaitao THOUGHTra=y=roy CHARACTERa=yo HEART WORD
TRUTH RIGHT PEACE LOVE NON-
CONDUCT VIOLENCE

22. 5. Man should attain the knowledge of science and
spirituality.

6. Man must develop a rational attitude in life.

23. AIMS OF MAN-MAKING
EDUCATION
Character Development: Man-Making Education
implies that education should build character.
Character is the foundation for self development.
Education is an instrument for human betterment. The
basis of all systems social or political rest upon the
goodness of man. No nation is greater or good
because if parliament enacts this or that, but because,
its men are great and good. That is why, Swami
Vivekananda stresses on character formation in Man-
Making process.

24. Further he wants to strengthen the mind and expand the
intellect of the child through education. This is because
he believes that character, strong mind and sharp intellect
prepare the child for better life.
He further says, “if you really want to judge the character
of man, look not at his great performances watch a man
do his most common actions. Those are indeed the
things which will tell you about the real character of other
great men”. Therefore, character development is the first
aim of Man-Making.

25. Following things are required for Character Formation: MAN N=or a
li tNoyib
Character
Formation N ai
Hard Worki NaNba
y yoNaNr
Moral and
Spiritual Values Naort
Gurukula Systemyaair
Will PowerrN bybaoA iAa
tyoNr
Learning through
mistakesli tNoyibaiaiia
N yo
Formation of Good
Habits

26. Develop the Spirit of Social Service in Man:
Man-making education is providing education for the
development of the spirit of social service in man.
Swami Vivekananda’ wide travels in India have given
him first-hand knowledge of the socio-economic
conditions of the people of our country. He is deeply
distressed by the utter poverty and backwardness of
the people.

27. He remarks, “So long as the million live in hunger and
ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been
educated at their expense, pay not the least heed to
them….. I call him a ‘mahatma’ who feels for the poor. Let
these people be your God- think of them, work for them”.
Selflessness is the essence of Indian Philosophy and its
main concern is “Sarvajana Sukhino Bhavantu”
(Happiness for all) and education’s function is to serve
this end. Thus, the most important aim of man-making
education is inculcating the spirit of selfless service in
man.

28. Mental Development: Man-making education is a
strong mind. Mental development is very essential to
enable the child to stand on his own leg.
Rational Development: The rational development of
man enables him to believe in the unity of all religions.
Such rational attitude in man is very important to develop
a noble character in him, which is the purpose of man-
making education.

29. ROLE OF TEACHER IN MAN MAKING EDUCATION
For man-Making education, the teacher should come
down to the level of the students and transfer his soul to
the student’s soul. rioANANtAl Al !"tybArNl rl Al iNAl bNAbl rl
il iAbi#l $%yyarAAA&l iil ytl il Nl
itybArNl ryl il iNAl ril l Al iAbil 'l rl il
iNArl l =ANl Al iAl r=iil yl ANtl Nl
=iil rltliltlANtlyalbNryil Nl
Nil (rtl ANtl il iNArl rl rtl rNl il =AorNal
liAl=ANl
Vivekananda says, “Education is a personal contact with
the teacher” (Gurugrihavasa). There would be no
education without the personal life of a teacher. It is the
personality of man that really impresses us and not
merely his words. The words and thoughts contribute only
one –third and the personality is two-thirds in the making
of real man.

30. A teacher must be dedicated to teaching profession with a
view to rendering selfless service like an ancient Guru.

31. He should be sympathetic to his students.
A teacher must have a missionary zeal and angelic
motive behind the act of teaching.
The teacher should be a Friend, Philosopher, Guide
and a Tyagi for creating a real man.
Swami Vivekananda wants the teacher to provide the
proper environment for the child to grow naturally.

32. CONCLUSION:
Swami Vivekananda is a pioneering figure in India
who has played in integral part towards shaping of
modern India. So far as education concern his Man
Making Education is very much relevant in our day to
day society. Man Making Education solves so many
problems which are raised in recent time. His famous
words; "Awake, arise, and stop not till the goal is
reached" - still resonated among the youth of the
nation, rousing their social consciousness and kindling
their damp spirits.

33. I sum up with words of Swami Vivekananda: ―The only
service to be given to our lower classes is to give them
education; to develop their lost individuality. Give them
ideas-that is the only help they require and then the rest
will follow as the effect. Ours is to put the chemicals
together, crystallization comes in the law of nature……..
Now if the mountain cannot come to Mohammed,
Mohammed must go to the mountain. If the poor boy
cannot come to education, education must go to him. This
is true and has its relevance in our country till today. which
may be followed strictly in order to achieve long cherished
goal of our nation.

34. REFERENCES:
1.Avinashilingam, T.S. (1957), Education Complied from the
Speeches and Writings of Swami Vivekananda, Sri
Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai.
2.Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashram,
Kolkata, 1962, (hereafter CW) 3.190; 3.224; 3.302; 5.342; 4.24.
3.Dash, B.N. (1994), Foundation of Educational Thought and
Practice, New Delhi, India, Kalyani Publishers.
4. Gupta, S. (2009), Education in Emerging India, New Delhi,
Shipra Publications.
5.Lakshmi Kumari, M., Role of Teachers in imparting Man-
Making and Nation-building Education.
6. Nayak, B. K. (2006), Foundation of Education, Cuttack,
Kitab Mahal.

35. 7. Pahuja, N.P. (2007), Theory and Principles of Education, New
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8.Saxena, N.R. Swaroop (2006), Philosophical and Sociological
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10.www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/complete_wo
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11.www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachings_and_philosophy_of_S
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