Acharya Prashant (AP): (reading the question) Swami Vivekananda has said, "First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. These are my bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. You'll understand Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger. You'll understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little strong blood in you."
And then, Ilmari says, "I've observed that doing physical exercise certainly has an energizing effect on both the body and mind. On the other hand, fitness brings in the danger of becoming even more body centric. So, my question is, to what extent is physical strength useful on the spiritual path? Thanks for the guidance.”
It is peripheral, Ilmari. Do you really find Liverpool and Chelsea players really spiritually inclined if football were such a liberating force? Does that happen? Really? Then, let's have the Messis and Ronaldos and Ronaldinhos as the ideal figures for the next MAG (referring to the Month of Awakening program) session.
Let's take the case of Swami Vivekananda himself. When he went to Ramakrishna Paramahansa, did he offer him a football? I understand it's a thing with the Bengalis, football, but I have not heard that Ramakrishna was particularly fond of soccer. Or was he? It is not the central thing. It is one of those things that enable you further, that stoke the fire. But to stoke the fire, first of all, you need a fire. Football cannot bring about that spark. Football cannot raise that fire. Once the fire is there, once a man's consciousness says, "I want to be liberated. I want freedom. I want to know. I want to understand. I want to actualize this birth," then he says, "What is it that I need to reach the destination? I know the goal is far away, and I very strongly feel I must reach there. What is it that I need?" And there would be many things, many resources that he would find himself lacking in. He would say, “I need knowledge." He would say, "I need some money." He would say, "I need guidance." And he might also say, "I need physical strength. I need health. I need vitality. I need long years." One of those things that you need as resources to reach the destination. But just because you have those things, it does not mean you will reach the destination.
