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Swami Vivekananda Books | A List of 28 Best Books

Are you looking for Swami Vivekananda Books? In this article, I list 28 books which are must-reads to understand the thoughts, ideals and philosophies of Swamiji.

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, public speaker , Vedanta philosopher and Yoga practitioner. He was the chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

He is best remembered as the founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and the Ramakrishna Math .

His speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893 brought him International fame. It introduced the concept and philosophy to the Western World.

Named Narendra Nath Datta at birth by his aristocratic Bengali parents in Calcutta, he is considered a patriotic saint for propagating the message of Vedanta in the west through hundreds of speeches and lectures.

His works are still read by millions of followers even today. Some of his other books are Sangeet Kalpataru, Karma Yoga, and Lectures from Colombo to Almora, Raja Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy: An address before the Graduate Philosophical Society.

Table of Contents

1. complete works of swami vivekananda (9 vols.), 2. raja-yoga (1896), 3. karma yoga: the yoga of action (1896), 4. meditation and its methods, 5. jnana-yoga (1899), 6. teachings of swami vivekananda, 7. swami vivekananda on himself, 8. vedanta: voice of freedom, 9. lectures from colombo to almora, 10. lectures on bhagavad gita, 11. inspired talks by swami vivekananda, 12. letters of swami vivekananda, 13. my india: the india eternal, 14. powers of the mind, 15. chicago addresses, 16. my master, 17. essentials of hinduism, 18. living at the source, 19. my idea of education, 20. work and its secret, 21. steps to realisation, 22. to the youth of india, 23. pearls of wisdom, 24. women of india, 25. life after death, 26. the east and the west, 27. religion of love, 28. pathways to joy: the master vivekananda on the four yoga paths to god.

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 vols.) is an exhaustive collection of Swami Vivekananda’s speeches and works.

It brings together his thoughts on Vedanta, philosophy, and human consciousness. His teachings in these volumes convey the core meaning of Vedanta philosophy in an easy-to-understand way.

This book, as the title suggests, is a book by Swami Vivekananda on Raja Yoga . It contains, for the most part, his interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

This book was written keeping his Western audience and reader in mind.

The book begins with a brief introduction to Yoga. It explains various techniques for practising basic Yoga exercises like Prânâyâma, Pratyâhâra, Dhyâna, Samâdhi etc.

The book also provides insights into developing concentration and the powers of practising Yoga.

Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda, as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin.

The main subject of the book is Karma (Work) and Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action). Vivekananda uses the concept of Karma as described in the Bhagavad Gita to explain his philosophy.

The final message is that work is worship and a path to enlightenment.

Meditation and Its Methods is divided into two sections:

• Meditation according to Yoga and
• Meditation according to Vedanta.

Vivekananda’s views on meditation are sprinkled throughout his “Complete Works”. These various views, thoughts, opinions, and lectures are compiled to make this book.

Jnana Yoga or The Yoga of Knowledge is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin. These lectures were delivered mostly in New York.

In this book, Vivekananda explains the knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita in a scientific manner.

According to him, knowledge is the ultimate goal. It is only knowledge which can give us freedom from Maya or illusion.

The book also touches upon other important Hindu philosophies like the atman , cosmos, immortality etc.

Jnana-Yoga , along with Karma-Yoga , Bhakti-Yoga , and Raja-Yoga , is a classic book on Hindu philosophy.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda comprises a choice collection of his speeches, quotes, and teachings. These are categorised into 44 suitable sections.

This is a perfect book for a beginner reader looking to start Vivekananda’s books.

It is suitable for those who cannot make the time to go through his voluminous writings.

This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda written in an autobiographical manner. It was first published in 1963.

The publishers have picked up excerpts from his various books and written them in the first-person voice.

The life and different incidents of Swami Vivekananda’s life have been documented in this book.

Vedanta: Voice of Freedom presents the spiritual wisdom of India as it has evolved over five thousand years. It does so in a clear, easy and concise form.

The book is a compilation of Vivekananda’s ideas on the subject of Vedanta. The ideas have been sourced from his various speeches and books.

After visiting the West, Vivekananda reached Colombo on 15 January 1897.

From there he proceeded to India and was received as a hero. He went around the country making speeches to thousands of people who were eager to hear him.

Lectures from Colombo to Almora is a collection of many of those speeches.

This book would be useful to people who are trying to understand the Gita.

“Lectures on the Bhagavad Gita” is an anthology of Vivekananda’s writings, opinions and comments on the sacred Hindu text.

The Bhagavad Gita was a lifelong companion of Swami Vivekananda and he used to carry one wherever he went.

All these lectures were delivered in 1900 and were recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand.

In 1895, Vivekananda conducted a series of private lectures to groups of selected disciples. These lectures were recorded by one of the disciples, Sara Ellen Waldo (who was later known as Haridasi ).

Inspired Talks by Swami Vivekananda was first published in 1909 by The Ramakrishna Mission .

Letters of Swami Vivekananda is a close look at the personality and spirit of Swami Vivekananda as seen through his letters.

In this book, the reader gets a picture of Vivekananda that is untouched by any biographer.

The letters have been arranged in chronological order for the benefit of the reader. The letters show the plan of his work and the means he wanted to adopt for the fulfilment of his mission.

In the end, the book also has notes on the persons who are mentioned in these letters.

My India: The India Eternal talks about India’s past, its present and Vivekananda’s vision for its future.

Swami Vivekananda talks about the duties of India’s youth and the path they must follow to make India a great nation.

The book also includes his comments on education and religion.

This is a booklet but packs more information than other volumes written on the subject of mind.

It is a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles on January 8 th , 1900.

Powers of The Mind talks about the infinite possibilities and powers hidden within the human mind. It also explains how the powers of the mind can be unlocked using Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda attained global fame because of his speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Chicago Addresses contains those lectures delivered by him.

Through these speeches, Swamiji wished to impart the teachings of Vedanta to the world. The core theme of his lecture was – brotherhood and universal acceptance.

While in the West, Swami Vivekananda mostly talked about and preached the beauties of Vedanta. But on two occasions – in New York and England – he talked about his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

My Master contains both those lectures in which Swamiji discusses his Master’s life right from his birth in 1836 to his evolution from Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (Pre-monastic name of Ramakrishna) to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

This book is a detailed account of Hinduism.

It begins by describing the word ‘Hindu’ and goes on to discuss the various schools of thought in Hinduism.

It stresses upon the Vedanta Philosophy and the Advaita system. The book also talks about the various Hindu scriptures, Smritis and sects in Hinduism.

Swami Vivekananda discusses other deeper topics like the theory of creation, law of karma, aatma, mukti , idol worship, guru , divine incarnations and much more.

This book has many inspirational messages which have been selected from the various writings, speeches and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

The book is ideal for people seeking to live a spiritual life but are busy with their everyday material life.

Swami Vivekananda had many insightful and deep thoughts on education – a subject very close to his heart.

In My Idea of Education, he writes about the philosophy of education, the relationship between society and education, and The Teacher.

Swamiji presents some brilliant ideas on educating the masses and women – concepts which were far ahead of their times in India.

Swamiji also writes about the importance of practical experience, mother tongue and concentration.

The book ends with one of the main goals of a good education – Character Building.

Work and Its Secret is based on the speech by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles, California on January 4th, 1900.

In it, Swamiji talks about giving equal importance to both the means and the end while doing work.

He emphasises that the major reason for failure is a lack of attention while doing work.

Swamiji draws upon the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita to emphasise this point.

Steps to Realisation explains the secrets of self-realisation.

The book begins by explaining the concept of organs – the external organs i.e., eyes, nose, and mouth are mentioned as instruments and internal organs i.e., brain, and heart are considered as organs.

Swami Vivekananda explains the importance of shutting down the instruments to activate the organs –

“So in order to control the mind, we must first be able to control these organs. To restrain the mind from wandering outward or inward, and keep the organs in their respective centres” .

Other important concepts like Shama, Dama, Uparati, Titikshâ, Shraddhâ, Samâdhâna , and Mumukshutva which lead to self-realisation are also explained.

To the Youth of India is a collection of some of the rousing and inspiring lectures that Swami Vivekananda delivered to vast audiences in India and Sri Lanka after his rise to fame.

It has some of the best messages that can be given to the youth of India.

This book is recommended for all young minds and should be definitely read by girls and boys alike.

The content of this book is derived from “Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” .

Pearls of Wisdom is a collection of all the quotes and thoughts by Swamiji, grouped into different themes like love, knowledge, leader etc.

These quotes have inspired many people over the years and will surely inspire many others in the future.

Women of India is based on the lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda at the Shakespeare Club House, in Pasadena, California, on January 18, 1900.

The content is focused on the position of women in Indian society.

Swamiji touches upon the glory and stature of Indian women and tries to clear some of the misunderstandings that Westerners might have about Indian women –

“Now, the ideal woman in India is the mother, the mother first, and the mother last.”

Swamiji also narrates the difference between the concept of women in the East and the West.

Perhaps no other subject has haunted the human mind, right from the hoary past, with such unerring consistency as the one regarding life and death.

Is man mortal or immortal? What is reincarnation? What happens when a man dies?

Every man is forced to ask these questions at some juncture in his life.

Life after Death by Swami Vivekananda provides brief but clear answers to these fundamental questions.

In The East and the West , Swami Vivekananda makes a comparative study of Eastern and Western cultures.

The book is divided into six chapters – Customs, Food and Cooking, Civilisation in Dress, Etiquette and Manners, France — Paris and Progress in Civilisation.

Religion of Love is based on a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in London on November 16, 1895.

Swamiji classifies love into 5 types –

• Shânta , a common, peaceful love, with such thoughts as those of fatherhood and help
• Dâsya , the ideal of service
• Vâtsalya , God as mother or child.
• Sakhya , God as a friend.
• Madhura , sweetest love, the love of husband and wife.

Pathways to Joy is a collection of 108 of the best teachings of Swami Vivekananda on Vedanta Philosophy.

Swamiji illustrates the four classical yoga paths – Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana .

The messages focus on the oneness of existence; the divinity of the soul; the truth in all religions; and unifying with the Divine within.

Invaluable and inspiring, the selections also explore karma, maya, rebirth, and other great revelations of Hinduism.

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Home » Books To Read » 12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime

12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime

• By Subodh Sharma

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk who stands as one of the most inspiring personalities of all time in India as well as abroad. He traveled to many parts of the world and gave lectures on philosophy, religion, yoga, spirituality and more.

Most of his books are based on these lectures that were first recorded and later transcribed into books.

Books by Swami Vivekananda

There are many life-changing books by different authors but there are very few authors whose all books have the potential to change and mold your thoughts to live a peaceful and contented life. And Swami Vivekananda is unarguably among one of those few brilliant authors.

Swami Vivekananda’s books have touched and bettered the lives and souls of many people and will keep doing so for ages to come!

Here is a list of 12 Swami Vivekananda books that everyone should read at least once in a lifetime:

1. Karma Yoga

In this book, Swami Vivekananda discusses the concept of Karma Yoga in Bhagavad Gita. The book also shows a righteous path towards knowledge and wisdom. Swami Vivekananda described Karma Yoga as the discipline of mind that allows a person to carry out his/her duties as a service to the entire world, as a path to enlightenment.

This book is easy to understand and can act as a very powerful tool in spiritual development.

2. Raja Yoga

This book is valuable for both knowledgeable as well as for those who are new to Raja-Yoga.

It starts with an introduction and the eight steps of Raja-yoga. In the progressive chapters, more complex concepts such as Dhyana and Samadhi are explained. All these concepts are explained in a concise and in a manner that is easy to understand for everyone.

This book also covers an introduction to the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali where the concept of Concentration is explained along with its practical uses and techniques. There are also explanations of the Powers of the Mind, Reincarnation, and Discipleship.

The readers can even feel the connection with the book and have a lot of positive vibes while reading it. It is truly a brilliant book and a must-read for everyone!

3. Jnana Yoga

Jnana Yoga is also based on lectures by Swami Vivekananda as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin. These lectures were delivered mainly in New York City and London.

This book is among the first to explain some basic concepts that underpin Yoga. It starts with the importance of religion and its relationship with men. Swami talks about the nature of man and makes a sincere and complete effort to help people understand that the Vedanta is a complete source of all knowledge of the Absolute. The book also tells ways to reach it.

This book explains many other important concepts such as Realization and God through an abridged version of the Katha Upanishad, nature of the Soul, The Cosmos, micro and macrocosm, and immortality in a simple and easy to understand manner.

This book is definitely a classic in the field of yoga. However, one thing should be kept in mind that this book was initially a lecture, not a book. So ideally it was meant to be heard and not read. So sometimes it can be a little tedious and difficult to understand. But this is nothing compared to the vast knowledge that this book is home to.

4. Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti yoga is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on the cultivation of love and devotion to God. It is the simplest and most direct path to God.

In this book, Swami Vivekananda writes with insight and profound knowledge and provides the reader with a simple path to the Divine. This book contains everything you need to know about the practice of Bhakti Yoga. It is concise and yet highly rich in contents and knowledge.

Swami Vivekananda through this book brilliantly brings before the reader the full range of the teachings of the path of the devotion of Hinduism. From simple dualistic beliefs to the highest Advaitic principles, this book covers every important concept of Bhakti Yoga. Through these practices and our interpretation of Bhakti, it is possible to reach the final spiritual goal of Samadhi even in the modern age!

This is a complete book filled with profound and deep wisdom. It is a must-read book for everyone. Even if you are among those who weigh science and reasons more, you can still read it without having to give up your own beliefs!

5. Lectures from Colombo to Almora

Lectures from Colombo to Almora is a book based on lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda after his return from the west in 1897. His visit to the west proved to be a great success and his achievements were highly celebrated in India.

Swami Vivekananda then traveled extensively and visited many Indian states. During the period of January to June 1897, he gave lectures in many places starting from Colombo and up to Almora. These lectures were later published as a book.

It is a brilliant book that gives insights on many basic and complex concepts like religion and advaitism. It enlightens us and inspires us to do great things in life. Here is an inspiring quote from the book.

“All power is within you; you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak; do not believe that you are half-crazy lunatics, as most of us do nowadays. You can do anything and everything, without even the guidance of anyone. Stand up and express the divinity within you.”

6. My Master

As one can understand from the title, this book is about the Master or the Guru of Swami Vivekananda – Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This book is based on two lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda in New York and England in 1901.

It is a short book that beautifully lays out the relationship between a Guru and his disciple. After reading this book, one could clearly see from where Swami Vivekananda found his passion and grit towards the things he did in his short yet complete life.

Here is a humble quote by Swami Vivekananda about his spiritual teacher that sums up the great value of wisdom that Shri Ramakrishna had imparted into his life.

“If there has ever been a word of truth, a word of spirituality, that I have spoken anywhere in the world, I owe it to my Master; only the mistakes are mine.”

7. Swami Vivekananda on Himself

Although ‘ Swami Vivekananda on Himself ’ is a biographical book, it is written in an autobiographical manner (first person narrative). This book was first published in 1963 by Swami Sambudhdhananda, general secretary of Swami Vivekananda’s birth centenary committee.

In this book, the life incidents of Swami Vivekananda have been written in his own words. The book is actually based on selected notes, letters, and utterances of Swami Vivekananda about himself and his works collected from different books.

The book covers different aspects of his life and Gives a glimpse of the world through the eyes of Swami Vivekananda himself.

8. Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

This book contains many of the Swami Vivekananda’s ideas, philosophies, and teachings. It shows how Swami’s teachings stressed on different aspects of religion, education, character-building as well as social issues pertaining to India.

If you haven’t read about Swami’s writings, speeches, or teachings previously, this book can really give you a good refresher. It will surely inspire you and help raise your spirits and awaken a new sense of hope.

9. Meditation and its Methods

A concise book that brings out the most important talks of Swami Vivekananda on meditation. The language is simple and very easy to read and understand. Though the book is a short read, each page of it is filled with thoughtful insights and beamed with wisdom.

‘ Meditation and its methods ’ not only states the practical ways of meditation, but it also explains the power and philosophy behind it and its ultimate goal. It also talks about mind restraint, patience and dealing with people and misery on a daily basis. And above all, it guides you to a peaceful and happy life.

If you really want to motivate yourself toward meditation, yoga, and spirituality, this book is definitely for you. Give it a read and it will change your perception of life for the better!

10. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (Set of 9 Volumes)

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda , as the title suggests, are a set of nine books that covers all works and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. All his works, lectures, philosophies and ideologies are made into these 9 volumes that act as an encyclopedia to everything related to Swami’s life.

It covers everything from Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana yoga to all other lectures and teachings on Gita, Upanishad, Vedanta and so on.

All the books that are mentioned above are actually the subsets of these complete volumes. If you are willing to get full-fledged information and knowledge on Swami’s life and want to get inspired, you should definitely get these books. If you read these books, you don’t even have to get any other books by Swami Vivekananda, because everything is covered here.

Books on Swami Vivekananda by Other Authors

There are many books on Swami Vivekananda, written by many other authors. But most of those books have similar or repetitive contents. That’s why not all such books are mentioned in this list.

Here are a few books about Swami Vivekananda that you should read at least once:

1. The Master As I Saw Him by Sister Nivedita

Sister Nivedita was an Irish social worker, author, teacher, and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She met Vivekananda in 1895 in London and traveled to Calcutta in 1898. The name Nivedita (meaning “Dedicated to God”) was given to her by Swami Vivekananda himself when he initiated her into the vow of Brahmacharya.

‘ The master as I saw him ‘ is an incredibly humble and brilliant description of Swami Vivekananda’s life from the viewpoint of Sister Nivedita. This book is one of the top books on Swami Vivekananda that gives an account of Swami’s life through the eyes of a close disciple.

It is probably one of the best narratives of a relationship between a disciple and a teacher.

2. Vivekananda: A Biography By Swami Nikhilananda

This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda written by another spiritual leader, Swami Nihilananda.

The book presents his vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture, deep spiritual insight, broad human sympathy, and colorful personality.

It is a concise book and if you want to get an overview of Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings, you should surely read this one.

Vivekananda: A Biography in Pictures by Swami Smaranananda

Well, this is Swami’s biography with few words and more pictures. It is actually a collection of all the known photographs of Swami Vivekananda together with pictures of where he lived and also of the people whom he knew.

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So, these were the list of some books on Swami Vivekananda’s life. There are many other books about Swami Vivekananda, but almost all concept, ideas, philosophies and references are covered in the books mentioned above.

If you read these books, your perspectives on life will definitely transform in a positive way!

Keep Reading, Keep Growing!

8 thoughts on “12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime”

I have read one of the books written by Swami ji ” bhakti yoga ” the answers i want to know from my God is already here is this book !

Thank you. This was really very helpful. The world should know about this great man!

thanx fo your blog it was really helpfull

Swami Vivekananda’ my master

It Very helps full bro. for me to choose a good book and get knowledge about Swami Vivekananda Thanks Again

Thanks for the summary. Will help me in deciding which ones to start with

All the Best Aparna.

Thank you for the blog

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Swami Vivekananda

Date of Birth: January12, 1863 

Place of Birth: Calcutta, Bengal Presidency (Now Kolkata in West Bengal)

Parents: Vishwanath Dutta (Father) and Bhuvaneshwari Devi (Mother)

Education: Calcutta Metropolitan School; Presidency College, Calcutta

Institutions: Ramakrishna Math; Ramakrishna Mission; Vedanta Society of New York

Religious Views: Hinduism

Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta

Publications: Karma Yoga (1896); Raja Yoga (1896); Lectures from Colombo to Almora (1897); My Master (1901)

Death: July 4, 1902

Place of Death: Belur Math, Belur, Bengal

Memorial: Belur Math, Belur, West Bengal

Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk and one of the most celebrated spiritual leaders of India. He was more than just a spiritual mind; he was a prolific thinker, great orator and passionate patriot. He carried on the free-thinking philosophy of his guru, Ramakrishna Paramhansa forward into a new paradigm. He worked tirelessly towards betterment of the society, in servitude of the poor and needy, dedicating his all for his country. He was responsible for the revival of Hindu spiritualism and established Hinduism as a revered religion on world stage. His message of universal brotherhood and self-awakening remains relevant especially in the current backdrop of widespread political turmoil around the world. The young monk and his teachings have been an inspiration to many, and his words have become goals of self-improvement especially for the youth of the country. For this very reason, his birthday, January 12, is celebrated as the National Youth Day in India.

Early Life and Education

Born Narendranath Dutta, into an affluent Bengali family in Calcutta, Vivekananda was one of the eight children of Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. He was born on January 12, 1863, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Father Vishwanath was a successful attorney with considerable influence in society. Narendranath’s mother Bhuvaneshwari was a woman endowed with a strong, God-fearing mind who had a great impact on her son. 

As a young boy, Narendranath displayed sharp intellect. His mischievous nature belied his interest in music, both instrumental as well as vocal. He excelled in his studies as well, first at the Metropolitan institution, and later at the Presidency College in Calcutta. By the time he graduated from the college, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different subjects. He was active in sports, gymnastics, wrestling and body building. He was an avid reader and read up on almost everything under the sun. He perused the Hindu scriptures like the Bhagvad Gita and the Upanishads on one hand, while on the other hand he studied western philosophy, history and spirituality by David Hume, Johann Gottlieb Fichte and Herbert Spencer.

Spiritual Crisis and Relationship with Ramkrishna Paramhansa

Although Narendranath’s mother was a devout woman and he had grown up in a religious atmosphere at home, he underwent a deep spiritual crisis at the start of his youth. His well-studied knowledge led him to question the existence of God and for some time he believed in Agnosticism. Yet he could not completely ignore the existence of a Supreme Being. He became associated with Brahmo Movement led by Keshab Chandra Sen, for some time. The Bramho Samaj recognised one God unlike the idol-worshipping, superstition-ridden Hinduism. The host of philosophical questions regarding the existence of God roiling through his mind remained unanswered. During this spiritual crisis, Vivekananda first heard about Sri Ramakrishna from William Hastie, the Principal of the Scottish Church College.

Earlier, to satisfy his intellectual quest for God, Narendranath visited prominent spiritual leaders from all religions, asking them a single question, “Have you seen God?” Each time he came away without a satisfying answer. He put forward the same question to Sri Ramkrishna at his residence in Dakshinewar Kali Temple compounds. Without a moment's hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna replied: "Yes, I have. I see God as clearly as I see you, only in a much deeper sense." Vivekananda, initially unimpressed by the simplicity of Ramkrishna, was astonished with Ramakrishna's reply. Ramakrishna gradually won over this argumentative young man with his patience and love. The more Narendranath visited Dakshineshwar, the more his questions were answered.

Spiritual Awakening

In 1884, Naredranath underwent a considerable financial distress due to the death of his father as he had to support his mother and younger siblings. He asked Ramakrishna to pray to the Goddess for the financial welfare of his family. On Ramakrishna’s suggestion he himself went to the temple to pray. But once he faced the Goddess he could not ask for money and wealth, instead he asked for ‘Vivek’ (conscience) and ‘Bairagya’ (reclusion). That day marked the complete spiritual awakening of Narendranath and he found himself drawn to an ascetic way of life.

Life of a Monk

During the middle of 1885, Ramakrishna, who had been suffering from throat cancer, fell seriously ill. In September 1885, Sri Ramakrishna was moved to Shyampukur in Culcutta, and a few months later Narendranath took a rented villa at Cossipore. Here, he formed a group of young people who were ardent followers of Sri Ramakrishna and together they nursed their Guru with devoted care. On 16 August 1886, Sri Ramakrishna gave up his mortal body.

After the demise of Sri Ramakrishna, around fifteen of his disciples including Narendranath began to live together in a dilapidated building at Baranagar in North Calcutta, which was named Ramakrishna Math, the monastic order of Ramakrishna. Here, in 1887, they formally renounced all ties to the world and took vows of monkhood. The brotherhood rechristened themselves and Narendranath emerged as Vivekananda meaning "the bliss of discerning wisdom". 

The brotherhood lived off on alms donated voluntarily by patrons during holy begging or ‘madhukari’, performed yoga and meditation. Vivekananda left the Math in 1886 and went on a tour of India on foot as a ‘Parivrajak’. He travelled the breadth of the country, absorbing much of the social, cultural and religious aspects of the people he came in contact with. He witnessed the adversities of life that the common people faced, their ailments, and vowed to dedicate his life to bring relief to these suffering.

Lecture at the World Parliament of Religions

During the course of his wanderings, he came to know about the World Parliament of Religions being held in Chicago, America in 1893. He was keen to attend the meeting, to represent India, Hinduism and his Guru Sri Ramakrishna’s philosophies. He found assertion of his wishes while he was meditating on the rocks of Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India. Money was raised by his disciples in Madras (now Chennai) and Ajit Singh, Raja of Khetri, and Vivekananda left for Chicago on May 31, 1893 from Bombay.

He faced insurmountable hardships on his way to Chicago, but his spirits remained as indomitable as ever. On 11 September 1893, when the time came, he took the stage and stunned everyone with his opening line “My brothers and sisters of America”. He received a standing ovation from the audience for the opening phrase. He went on to describe the principles of Vedanta and their spiritual significance, putting Hinduism on the map of World Religions.

He spent the next two and a half years in America and founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894. He also travelled to the United Kingdom to preach the tenets of the Vedanta and Hindu Spiritualism to the western world.

Teachings and Ramakrishna Mission

Vivekananda returned to India in 1897 amidst warm reception from the common and royal alike. He reached Calcutta after a series of lectures across the country and founded the Ramakrishna Mission on May 1, 1897 at Belur Math near Calcutta. The goals of the Ramakrishna Mission were based on the ideals of Karma Yoga and its primary objective was to serve the poor and distressed population of the country. The Ramakrishna Mission undertook various forms of social service like establishing and running school, collages and hospitals, propagation of practical tenets of Vedanta through conference, seminars and workshops, initiating relief and rehabilitation work across the country.

His religious conscience was an amalgamation of Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual teachings of Divine manifestation and his personal internalization of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. He directed to achieve the divinity of the soul by undertaking selfless work, worship and mental discipline. According to Vivekananda, the ultimate goal is to achieve freedom of the soul and that encompasses the entirety of one’s religion.

Swami Vivekananda was a prominent nationalist, and had the overall welfare of his countrymen topmost in his mind. He urged his fellow countrymen to “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached”.

Swami Vivekananda had predicted that he will not live till the age of forty. On July 4, 1902, he went about his days’ work at the Belur Math, teaching Sanskrit grammar to the pupils. He retired to his room in the evening and died during meditation at around 9. He is said to have attained ‘Mahasamadhi’ and the great saint was cremated on the Banks of river Ganga. 

Swami Vivekananda revealed to the world the true foundations of India's unity as a nation. He taught how a nation with such a vast diversity can be bound together by a feeling of humanity and brother-hood. Vivekananda emphasized the points of drawbacks of western culture and the contribution of India to overcome those. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose once said: "Swamiji harmonized the East and the West, religion and science, past and present. And that is why he is great. Our countrymen have gained unprecedented self-respect, self-reliance and self-assertion from his teachings." Vivekananda was successful in constructing a virtual bridge between the culture of East and the West. He interpreted the Hindu scriptures, philosophy and the way of life to the Western people. He made them realize that in spite of poverty and backwardness, India had a great contribution to make to world culture. He played a key role in ending India's cultural isolation from the rest of the world.

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Vivekananda

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Vivekananda (born January 12, 1863, Calcutta [now Kolkata]—died July 4, 1902, near Calcutta) was a Hindu spiritual leader and reformer in India who attempted to combine Indian spirituality with Western material progress, maintaining that the two supplemented and complemented one another. His Absolute was a person’s own higher self; to labour for the benefit of humanity was the noblest endeavour.

Born into an upper-middle-class family of the Kayastha (scribes) caste in Bengal , he was educated at a Western-style university where he was exposed to Western philosophy , Christianity , and science . Social reform became a prominent element of Vivekananda’s thought, and he joined the Brahmo Samaj (Society of Brahma), dedicated to eliminating child marriage and illiteracy and determined to spread education among women and the lower castes. He later became the most-notable disciple of Ramakrishna , who demonstrated the essential unity of all religions .

Always stressing the universal and humanistic side of the Vedas , the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism , as well as belief in service rather than dogma , Vivekananda attempted to infuse vigour into Hindu thought, placing less emphasis on the prevailing pacifism and presenting Hindu spirituality to the West. He was an activating force in the movement to promote Vedanta philosophy (one of the six schools of Indian philosophy ) in the United States and England . In 1893 he appeared in Chicago as a spokesman for Hinduism at the World’s Parliament of Religions and so captivated the assembly that a newspaper account described him as “an orator by divine right and undoubtedly the greatest figure at the Parliament.” Thereafter he lectured throughout the United States and England, making converts to the Vedanta movement.

On his return to India with a small group of Western disciples in 1897, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission at the monastery of Belur Math on the Ganges (Ganga) River near Calcutta (now Kolkata ). Self-perfection and service were his ideals, and the order continued to stress them. He adapted and made relevant to the 20th century the very highest ideals of the Vedantic religion , and, although he lived only two years into that century, he left the mark of his personality on East and West alike.

The Indian Guru Who Brought Eastern Spirituality to the West

A new biography explores the life of Vivekananda, a Hindu ascetic who promoted a more inclusive vision of religion

Jennie Rothenberg Gritz

Senior Editor

One morning in September 1893, a 30-year-old Indian man sat on a curb on Chicago’s Dearborn Street wearing an orange turban and a rumpled scarlet robe. He had come to the United States to speak at the Parliament of the World’s Religions , part of the famous World Columbian Exposition . The trouble was, he hadn’t actually been invited. Now he was spending nights in a boxcar and days wandering around a foreign city. Unknown in America, the young Hindu man, named Vivekananda , was a revered spiritual teacher back home. By the time he left Chicago, he had accomplished his mission: to present Indian culture as broader, deeper and more sophisticated than anyone in the U.S. realized.

Every American and European who dabbles in meditation or yoga today owes something to Vivekananda. Before his arrival in Chicago, no Indian guru had enjoyed a global platform quite like a world’s fair . Americans largely saw India as an exotic corner of the British Empire, filled with tigers and idol worshippers. The Parliament of the World’s Religions was meant to be a showcase for Protestantism, particularly mainline groups like Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and Episcopalians.

So the audience was astonished when Vivekananda, a representative of the world’s oldest religion, seemed anything but primitive—the highly educated son of an attorney in Calcutta’s high court who spoke elegant English. He presented a paternal, all-inclusive vision of India that made America seem young and provincial.

“I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance,” he declared on September 11, 1893. “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 Israelites, 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 the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.”

Vivekananda was well-equipped to bridge cultural divides. As a young man named Narendranath Datta, he’d attended Christian schools where he’d been steeped in the Bible and European philosophy. According to one story, his introduction to Indian spirituality came by way of a lecture on English romantic literature. A professor, a Scottish clergyman, mentioned the ecstasies of a nearby guru called Ramakrishna during a discussion of transcendental experiences in William Wordsworth’s poem “ The Excursion .” The students ended up paying Ramakrishna a visit, and Datta went on to embrace Ramakrishna as his guru and adopt a renunciate’s name, Vivekananda, which meant “the bliss of gaining wisdom.”

Now, in Chicago, Vivekananda’s words were warm and inviting, but they were also the words of an activist. That same year, Mohandas Gandhi had arrived in South Africa, where he upended the social order by walking on whites-only paths and refusing to leave first-class railroad cars. Vivekananda likewise wanted to show the world that Indians would no longer be demeaned and defined by European occupiers. He found sympathetic audiences in America, a country that liked to think of itself as anti-colonialist (even as it was on the verge of annexing Hawaii and the Philippines).

Guru to the World: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda

From the Wolfson History Prize–winning author of The Man on Devil’s Island , the definitive biography of Vivekananda, the Indian monk who shaped the intellectual and spiritual history of both East and West.

After speaking to the crowd in Chicago, Vivekananda traveled to Detroit, Boston and New York; he met people who’d been exploring new belief systems, including Christian Science . Many of his listeners were women who applauded his message that the divine was present in every human being, transcending gender and social status. Sarah Ellen Waldo, a relative of Ralph Waldo Emerson, later recalled the experience of strolling through Manhattan with Vivekananda by her side: “It required no little courage to walk up Broadway beside that flaming coat. As the Swami strode along in lordly indifference, with me just behind, half out of breath, every eye was turned on us.” Another female enthusiast was invigorated by “the air of freedom that blew through the room” when Vivekananda debated the president of Smith College. The woman’s father disapproved of her interest in the Indian guru, but when a new calf was born to her family, she defiantly named it “Veda” (after the Hindu scriptures of the same name).

Vivekananda spent many of his remaining years traveling around the U.S. and Europe. He died of mysterious causes in 1902, at the age of 39. But generations of Indian gurus who traveled to the West went on to follow his highly successful approach, whether visiting British spiritualist societies or lecturing to middle-aged audiences in Los Angeles living rooms. In the 1960s, the Beatles launched a more youthful wave of interest when they visited India . But the underlying message of teachers from the East has changed little since Vivekananda’s first visit: The individual is cosmic, and meditation and yoga are universal tools for experiencing that underlying reality, compatible with any culture or religion.

Such stories and insights about Vivekananda’s life come alive in Guru to the World , a rich and insightful new biography by Ruth Harris , a historian at the University of Oxford’s All Souls College. Smithsonian spoke to Harris about Vivekananda’s travels through the West and how they gave rise to a kind of Eastern spirituality that most Westerners would recognize today.

Reading your book made me think about my own upbringing. I was raised Jewish and had a bat mitzvah and all, but my parents learned Transcendental Meditation when they were in their 20s, and I grew up in a community where everyone meditated.

That is so Vivekananda. You meditated, but you went to synagogue and you were still Jewish. Vivekananda knew he couldn’t compete with the conventional churches, and at the same time, he also understood that you cannot coerce people to experience God in a way that is not their own.

What was the goal of the Columbian Exposition’s Parliament of the World’s Religions?

The organizers are really thinking that they’re going to export what they call Protestant modernism to the rest of the world. Even though there are tons of Americans evangelizing all over the world, the Protestant organizers want to convey the idea that their version of religion is anti-colonial, that they’ve been doing comparative religion at the University of Chicago and Protestant Christianity just happens to be at the top of the hierarchy. Then this Indian newcomer comes along—this extraordinary Bengali, speaking beautiful English, with an incredible intellect—and he says, “No, that‘s not the case.”

It’s interesting that Vivekananda was much worldlier and more educated than a lot of the people he met in America.

There are moments when he’s in New England when he thinks, “Oh my God, I’m in a very provincial world.” Because he’s used to Calcutta, which is the capital of the Raj, and it’s multicultural, and there are people from all over. He’s used to real diversity. There are Sikhs and Muslims and this and that. But what I think is so remarkable about him is that he doesn’t disdain these provincial Americans. He watches all this stuff they’re doing—mind control, hypnosis—and in his letters he does make fun of them, but in a very kind way. He’s also stunned by them because they are so honest, so open, so interested in learning. He’s never seen anything like it. It’s also the first time in his life he’s in mixed-sex company outside his family.

How did his arrival fit into the explosion of religions and philosophies that was happening in America around that time?

By the time he arrives, many of the Americans already have a tradition of transcendentalism that they get from [Henry David] Thoreau and all these people. There’s something about what he says that’s kind of familiar. He’s very good. He knows the Bible pretty much by heart. He’s gone to a Scottish missionary school. And they’re stunned by him because he’s so culturally ambidextrous. Whereas they don’t know anything about India, and they think he’s a heathen. He comes back and he says, “I’m no heathen. I have a much more complicated and rarified metaphysical system than you. And also I can argue on your terms.”

So he does. From the beginning, he goes to different churches and he says, “I’m going to throw in another element into this bubbling world of American religion.” Mostly it’s in the Protestant sphere. Every single one of his major devotees has experimented with Christian Science, which is the major new religion founded by Mary Baker Eddy . It’s a woman’s religion; it says we’re going to have healing right now. And mind control and healing become a bridge into yoga.

Did Vivekananda know much about Emerson and Thoreau when he came to Massachusetts?

He certainly knew about Emerson. He knew about Emerson’s idea of the Over-Soul [an immortal, interconnected level of the self]. He’d read all about this in Calcutta. He also knew [Baruch] Spinoza , and he read a lot of Scottish philosophy. It’s not clear how deeply he knew all of this, but it enabled him to say things like, “We have been Spinozists for 2,000 years. You think you started everything; no, we started everything.”

There’s an element of truth in it, but it’s also very defensive. It’s a wounded commentary. Because after all, he’s a colonial subject, and he has to keep on asserting the value of India and Indians against this barrage of Western views of Indians as slothful—perhaps metaphysical, but nihilistic, inactive. He has to produce an image and a persona that counteracts those negative stereotypes.

Vivekananda’s guru, Ramakrishna, came from a poorer, more traditionally religious background, right?

Yes, even though [philosopher] William James and others later quoted Ramakrishna’s sayings, we don’t really know what Ramakrishna actually said, because his ideas were collected by his literate disciples. We get some sense of Ramakrishna as an incredibly charismatic, illiterate man who refuses education for many reasons, mostly because he thinks that books get in the way of true spirituality. But in Vivekananda, he picks a disciple who is the ultimate opposite.

Did Vivekananda see himself as promoting the Hindu religion?

If you go through what he talks about during the world parliament in 1893, he never talks about Hindu gods because he’s so afraid of being accused of idolatry. What he says is that even in India, people who bow down to statues have a vision of the ultimate [level of existence] behind it, and that you should stop making fun of them and being contemptuous. He emphasizes this idea that there is an ultimate cosmic unity, and you reach that through a series of disciplines and relationships and learning.

He saw Indian spirituality as an anti-colonial weapon—the goal was to make Westerners milder and more thoughtful and less brutal and less rigid. It was a gift that he wanted to bring, what he saw as a superior spirituality, because Westerners were materialistic. They didn’t know how to reach higher states of consciousness.

It doesn’t sound like God was the main thing he cared about.

That’s right. He says, “I’m not here to convert.” They find that astonishing. Though what’s interesting is when he goes to Rome, he loves the saints’ cults and the glitter and the baroque and everything. So the women ask him, “But how can you like this?” He just does his Vivekananda thing. He looks at them and says, “If you’re going to have a personal God, give it your all.” What he’s trying to say is, "I’m here in Rome."

When in Rome …

Exactly. And also he’s trying to say, “West, come and do that with us.” When he first comes to New England, he says, “I know you think that you don’t have any images, but when you pray, don’t you envisage the cross?” And they’d never thought of that. Also, he believes that Jesus is an avatar , a god-man.

But above that is advaita , the unity which is formless. The reason he prioritizes the formless is because the rest of it is all symbolic. Whereas the formless—the reason why he thinks that’s so great is, you don’t fight over whether you take the Eucharist. So you’re quite right, he doesn’t talk about the Hindu gods. But when he has close devotees, he starts to talk about them.

You write about how a lot of his followers were women.

Yes, and when the women are alone with him, he chants and he cooks for them, and he has a kind of warmth and femininity and maternal qualities that they find really entrancing. They’ve never had a man cook for them before.

There’s a passage where you describe Vivekananda talking about the tradition of suttee , where a widow was expected to throw herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. He said, essentially, that if it was really their choice, they should be allowed to do it.

Vivekananda was not in favor of suttee, though his mentioning of “consent” by these women suggests that he was defensive about Western criticism of what was considered Hindu “barbarism.” I have to say, his disciple Margaret Noble, who was known as Nivedita , was much more into it than he was. She romanticized the idea of the sacrifice, especially for love and union—but I don’t think she would have liked the reality. The notion of sacrifice became very important to militant nationalism, hence her emphasis on it. This is an aspect of Hinduism that is just very hard for us to understand.

How is it different from the way we talk about sacrifice in Western religions?

In the monotheistic religions, we understand the sacrificial, too—the Abrahamic possible sacrifice of Isaac and of course Jesus’ sacrifice. But that’s not quite the same thing as the Indian idea. For instance, people think Gandhi was just like a Quaker. He was not. He believed that you should lay down your life. Your life was the only thing you had to give. The rest of what you possessed was nothing. That’s a very radical idea.

What Vivekananda really didn’t like about Christianity was the notion of duty, because he thought it meant that you were constantly berating yourself. There’s a notion of Hindu dharma that is sometimes translated as “duty,” but it really has no equivalent in English. Dharma is different for different castes. It’s different for different groups. Duty is something you do for God, or to earn a place in heaven. Whereas dharma isn’t something you do to please God. It’s for yourself. The whole ethical system is altered by that.

The caste system is a topic where, even now, a lot of spiritually minded Westerners will come across a mention of it in the Bhagavad-Gita [a 700-verse dialogue about the nature of reality that is one of the core Hindu texts] and think, “I’ll pretend I didn’t see that.”

For the Indians, there was the difficulty of trying to translate. But on the other side, there’s the postmodernist American Western view that we can pick and choose, and the integrity of all these religious systems goes out the window. Then spirituality becomes a form of consumerism.

Integrity is a good word for it, but where did Vivekananda draw the line? Does integrity mean you have to accept the notion that some people are born into a lower caste and that’s just where they have to stay?

That’s what’s so moving about him. He’s constantly grappling with that himself. He hates child marriage. He doesn’t want suttee anymore; he thinks it’s terrible. He doesn’t reject caste, but he thinks you can become a caste—that people can move and recreate themselves. Yet at the same time, he fights and fights and fights with his own conscience, and with the pace of change, and what can be done in India, and what can be done in the West.

That’s what’s so hard. If you’re a guru, you’re meant to be spiritual all the time. So what do you do with all these things that are embarrassing, fear-creating, disturbing? And how do you actually examine your own culture? Are you locked into an essentialist notion, that you’re spiritual and the West is material, or you’re intuitive and the West is rational? The “East” is a geographical imaginary anyway, isn’t it? But for many of us in Europe and America, the spirituality of our grandparents’ generation no longer feels suitable for us. So we like this idea of “going to the East,” in a way where we can pick and choose.

The way you talk about Vivekananda makes me think of other teachers from very old traditions who want to make their messages universal. The Dalai Lama can talk in such a relatable way but, at the same time, he’s the head of an actual religious group with its own rituals and beliefs.

One of the things I argue in the book is that Vivekananda was constantly ill, and we don’t know why he was so ill. You don’t want to have retrospective diagnoses and do any of that. But there is something about the strain of constantly operating on other people’s terms. He did it, but it was exhausting and very depleting—constantly being on your toes to convince people of what might be useful to them, and at the same time trying to gauge what they might be able to accept and what they might not be able to accept.

But on some level—I mean I’m joking, but honestly, we’re all Hindus now. You’re an example of how successful that was. I was at a seminar in Oxford where they were doing all this “ JewBu ” stuff, with Buddhism in synagogues. This is why the issue of appropriation is so complex. Because Vivekananda was really glad that Westerners were appropriating his teachings. He didn’t like the cherry-picking, but he liked different kinds of synthesis. So it’s very tricky, isn’t it?

You write about how today’s Hindu nationalists embrace Vivekananda even though his ideology was actually really different from theirs.

It’s not that you won’t find statements from Vivekananda that seem to assert Hindu superiority. But what I find amazing, when you see the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his nationalistic embrace of Vivekananda, is that you also have so many Indians who were communists, socialists—and they get it from Vivekananda.

Vivekananda died so young, but you could see his views changing with time. We are all provisional.

How did your views change during the decade you were working on this book?

I spent three or four years in turmoil because I couldn’t understand Vivekananda’s world. That’s when I started to listen to the Bhagavad-Gita, and I found Indian friends who were willing to talk to me. Now I still don’t know much, but at least I feel I’ve scratched the surface.

Above all, I realized I wasn’t afraid to actually put my cards on the table and say that what’s important in this history is spiritual love affairs. This is a book about love—the love between Vivekananda and Ramakrishna, and the love between Vivekananda and his followers in the West. Vivekananda would constantly say that devotion to the guru should not be personal. It expresses itself in personal ways, but the guru is a channel to the divine. But you just have to accept that without the love that goes on between these people, none of it is comprehensible.

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Jennie Rothenberg Gritz is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine. She was previously a senior editor at the Atlantic .

Biography Online

Biography Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk and direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Vivekananda played a key role in the introduction of Indian yoga and Vedanta philosophy in the West. He made a strong impression at the inaugural World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, 1893 – giving a powerful speech on the underlying unity of world religions. He taught a philosophy of traditional meditation and also selfless service (karma yoga). He advocated emancipation for Indian women and an end to the worst excess of the caste system. He is considered an important figurehead of India’s growing self-confidence and later nationalist leaders often said they were inspired by his teachings and personality.

“To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean”, says the persevering soul; “at my will mountains will crumble up”. Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal.”

– Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was born Narendra Nath Datta on 12th January 1863 in Calcutta, Bengal, India.

As a child, the young Narendra had boundless energy, and he was fascinated with many aspects of life – especially wandering ascetics. He received a Western education at the Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Metropolitan Institution. He became well versed in Western and Eastern philosophy. His teachers remarked he had a prodigious memory and tremendous intellectual capacity.

Shaped by his father’s rationality, Narendra joined the Brahmo Samaj – a modern Hindu organisation, led by Keshab Chandra Sen, which rejected idol worship.

In 1881, Narendra went to Dakshineswar with a friend to meet Sri Ramakrishna – who was widely considered a great saint and spiritual Master.

Narendra felt attracted to the magnetic personality of Sri Ramakrishna and became a regular visitor. At first, his mind could not accept the ways and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna followed a simple ‘bhakti’ (devotional) path and he was particularly devoted to Mother Kali (the Divine Mother). But, over time, Narendra’s spiritual experiences in the presence of Ramakrishna caused him to wholeheartedly accept Ramakrishna as his Guru, and he gave up the Brahmo Samaj.

In 1884, Narendra’s father died, leaving the family bankrupt. Narendra became responsible for trying to feed his family, with limited means. He later said he would often go hungry as he could not afford enough food. To the annoyance of his mother, Narendra was often too absorbed in his spiritual disciplines to make earning money a priority.

In 1886, Sri Ramakrishna passed away – just five years after meeting Narendra. Ramakrishna had chosen Narendra to be the leader of the monastic disciples. Vivekananda decided to found a math (monastery) in Belur Math

Swami Vivekananda then threw himself into intense spiritual practices. He would spend many hours in meditation and japa. In 1888, he left the monastery to become a wandering sannyasin, visiting various holy places around India. Vivekananda lived from day to day, begging for food, being immersed in his own spiritual quest. In his Completed Works , he writes of his experience

“Many times I have been in the jaws of death, starving, footsore, and weary; for days and days I had no food, and often could walk no further; I would sink down under a tree, and life would seem to be ebbing away. I could not speak, I could scarcely think, but at last the mind reverted to the idea: “I have no fear nor death; never was I born, never did I die; I never hunger or thirst. I am It! I am It!

He began accepting disciples, and in 1893, accepted an invitation to speak at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He set sail from Bombay in May, sailing first to Japan and then on to the United States. He set sail with little money and few contacts. But, helped by Professor John Wright of Harvard University and others, Vivekananda arrived in Chicago as a representative of the Hindu religion.

World Parliament of Religions

On September 11th, 1893, Vivekananda gave a short speech on the opening day of the conference. After getting up on the stage, Vivekananda bowed to Saraswati (the goddess of learning), then Vivekananda began with the greeting “Sisters and Brothers of America!” – Something in Vivekananda’s address and persona, caused the crowd of seven thousand to stand in ovation for two minutes before he continued his speech.

“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 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.”

(see: speech at World Parliament of Religions)

A dominant theme of Vivekananda’s speeches was the universality and harmony of the world religions. The press covering the event frequently stated that Vivekananda was the star performer – captivating the audience with his personality and powerful speeches.

Vivekananda spent two years giving speeches in American and accepting disciples to follow his Vedanta philosophy. In 1894, he founded the Vedanta Society of New York.

In 1895, he travelled to England, where he met Professor Max Muller of Oxford University, and also Margaret Noble (later Sister Nivedita) who would become one of Vivekananda’s closest disciples.

From the US, Vivekananda began an increasing correspondence with his brother disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He exhorted his fellow sannyasins to throw themselves into social service, helping the poorest to gain an education. This dynamism was a new strand to Indian spirituality – and a break from the older tradition of retreating from the world. Vivekananda wanted his mission to help the world both materially and spiritually.

In 1897, he returned to India to a rapturous welcome. News of his success in the West was greeted with joy and pride in India. Vivekananda was now a well-known figure. Vivekananda spoke passionately about India’s immense spiritual heritage, and also, at the same time, criticised the degeneration of India’s status, due to the caste system, lack of education, subjugation of women and old failed traditions. Vivekananda was a clarion call for India to make progress.

“Come, be men! Kick out the priests who are always against progress, because they would never mend, their hearts would never become big. They are the offspring of centuries of superstition and tyranny. Root out priest-craft first. Come, be men! Come out of your narrow holes and have a look abroad. See how nations are on the march! Do you love man? Do you love your country? Then come, let us struggle for higher and better things; look not back, no, not even if you see the dearest and nearest cry. Look not back, but forward!” –  Volume 5, Epistles – First Series, “III Alasinga” (15 May 2010)

Vivekananda created an emerging sense of national pride and national fervour; he was an influential figure in the Indian Renaissance of the late Nineteenth Century. Later Indian leaders, like Netaji, Gandhi, Pal and Tilak would all pay tribute to the inspiration of Vivekananda.

In 1899, Vivekananda returned for another visit to America to continue spreading Vedanta societies. Vivekananda then returned to India and, after failing health, passed away on 4 July 1902.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “ Biography of Swami Vivekananda ”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net . Last updated 12th Nov 2017.

Vivekananda – a biography

Vivekananda – a biography by Swami  Nikhilananda   at Amazon

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Swami Vivekananda on Himself

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Related pages

• Spiritual figures
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External pages

• Swami Vivekananda Biography
• Swami Vivekananda at Vivekananda.org
• Speech at World Parliament of Religions

 External links

• Swami Vivekananda smokes with an untouchable at Sri Chinmoy Library
• The Sannyasin in America at Sri Chinmoy Library
• February 05, 2019 2:33 AM
• By Itu Mukherjee

In recent times in India, it was Swami Vivekananda alone who preached a great message which is not tied to any do’s and dont’s. Addressing one and all in the nation, he said: In every one of you there is the power of Brahmn (God); the God in the poor desires you to serve Him. This message has roused the heart of the youths in a pervasive way. That is why his message has borne fruit in the service of the nation in diverse ways and in diverse forms of renunciation. His message has, at one end at the same time, imparted dignity and respect to man along with energy and power.

• January 11, 2019 11:12 PM
• By Chakravarthy

Igniting article

• January 07, 2019 3:09 AM
• By Dr. P.K. Yagnik.

This is really an inspiring biography

• December 30, 2018 2:58 PM
• By Sneha jaiswal

Very nice article

• December 21, 2018 11:53 AM

great article sir thanks for sharing this beautyfull article.

• November 16, 2018 12:32 AM
• By simpa singh

Spiritual torch of Humankind. Vivekananda’s teachings had awesome mix of philosophy & Science. Nice post.

• October 18, 2018 7:52 AM

Very inspirational biography of Vivekanand

• October 05, 2018 5:10 AM
• By Rakesh Gupta

a very inspirational man of india would never seen again

• June 29, 2018 10:23 AM
• By dr. y. trilochana

Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York

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Universal Teachings

(1863-1902)

Swami Vivekananda's inspiring personality was well known both in India and in America during the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth. The unknown monk of India suddenly leapt into fame at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, at which he represented Hinduism. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colourful personality, and handsome figure made an irresistible appeal to the many types of Americans who came in contact with him. People who saw or heard Vivekananda even once still cherish his memory after a lapse of more than half a century.

In America Vivekananda's mission was the interpretation of India's spiritual culture, especially in its Vedantic setting. He also tried to enrich the religious consciousness of the Americans through the rational and humanistic teachings of the Vedanta philosophy. In America he became India's spiritual ambassador and pleaded eloquently for better understanding between India and the New World in order to create a healthy synthesis of East and West, of religion and science.

In his own motherland Vivekananda is regarded as the patriot saint of modern India and an inspirer of her dormant national consciousness, To the Hindus he preached the ideal of a strength-giving and man-making religion. Service to man as the visible manifestation of the Godhead was the special form of worship he advocated for the Indians, devoted as they were to the rituals and myths of their ancient faith. Many political leaders of India have publicly acknowledged their indebtedness to Swami Vivekananda.

The Swami's mission was both national and international. A lover of mankind, he strove to promote peace and human brotherhood on the spiritual foundation of the Vedantic Oneness of existence. A mystic of the highest order, Vivekananda had a direct and intuitive experience of Reality. He derived his ideas from that unfailing source of wisdom and often presented them in the soulstirring language of poetry.

The natural tendency of Vivekananda's mind, like that of his Master, Ramakrishna, was to soar above the world and forget itself in contemplation of the Absolute. But another part of his personality bled at the sight of human suffering in East and West alike. It might appear that his mind seldom found a point of rest in its oscillation between contemplation of God and service to man. Be that as it may, he chose, in obedience to a higher call, service to man as his mission on earth; and this choice has endeared him to people in the West, Americans in particular.

In the course of a short life of thirty-nine years (1863-1902), of which only ten were devoted to public activities-and those, too, in the midst of acute physical suffering-he left for posterity his four classics: Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, all of which are outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy. In addition, he delivered innumerable lectures, wrote inspired letters in his own hand to his many friends and disciples, composed numerous poems, and acted as spiritual guide to the many seekers, who came to him for instruction. He also organized the Ramakrishna Order of monks, which is the most outstanding religious organization of modern India. It is devoted to the propagation of the Hindu spiritual culture not only in the Swami's native land, but also in America and in other parts of the world.

Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a "condensed India." His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the "paragon of Vedantists." Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection. "His words," writes Romain Rolland, "are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!''

Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, New York

January 5, 1953, back to top.

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Guru to the World

The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda

Ruth Harris

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ISBN 9780674247475

Publication date: 10/18/2022

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From the Wolfson History Prize–winning author of The Man on Devil’s Island, the definitive biography of Vivekananda, the Indian monk who shaped the intellectual and spiritual history of both East and West.

Few thinkers have had so enduring an impact on both Eastern and Western life as Swami Vivekananda, the Indian monk who inspired the likes of Freud, Gandhi, and Tagore. Blending science, religion, and politics, Vivekananda introduced Westerners to yoga and the universalist school of Hinduism called Vedanta. His teachings fostered a more tolerant form of mainstream spirituality in Europe and North America and forever changed the Western relationship to meditation and spirituality.

Guru to the World traces Vivekananda’s transformation from son of a Calcutta-based attorney into saffron-robed ascetic. At the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, he fascinated audiences with teachings from Hinduism, Western esoteric spirituality, physics, and the sciences of the mind, in the process advocating a more inclusive conception of religion and expounding the evils of colonialism. Vivekananda won many disciples, most prominently the Irish activist Margaret Noble, who disseminated his ideas in the face of much disdain for the wisdom of a “subject race.” At home, he challenged the notion that religion was antithetical to nationalist goals, arguing that Hinduism was intimately connected with Indian identity.

Ruth Harris offers an arresting biography, showing how Vivekananda’s thought spawned a global anticolonial movement and became a touchstone of Hindu nationalist politics a century after his death. The iconic monk emerges as a counterargument to Orientalist critiques, which interpret East-West interactions as primarily instances of Western borrowing. As Vivekananda demonstrates, we must not underestimate Eastern agency in the global circulation of ideas.

This is a deeply researched and compellingly argued biography of Swami Vivekananda, one of the first Indian religious thinkers to become known in the west, and one of the makers of modern India. —Rana Mitter, BBC History Magazine

Guru to the World is a triumph of research and ambition, drawing connections between a dazzling array of philosophies, figures, languages, geographies and religions. —Abhimanyu Arni, Literary Review

This will be the standard biography of [Vivekananda] for years to come…Admirable. —Jon M. Sweeney, Spirituality & Practice

Vivekananda’s life was an embarrassment of epiphanies and contradictions, and Harris exhaustively uncovers all of them. —Pratinav Anil, History Today

The definitive book on [Swami Vivekananda] that seeks to present his complexity as a person and in his teachings…useful and perhaps even fascinating. —John Jaeger, Library Journal

Vivekananda was many things to many people: the first global religious celebrity, an apostle of Indian nationalism, a man whose message was heard, and heard differently, in salons as well as slums. It’s not just any biographer who can do justice to such a complex life. He’s fortunate to have found a perfect interpreter in Ruth Harris. —Benjamin Moser, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Sontag: Her Life and Work

In Ruth Harris’s vivid portrait of India’s Vivekananda, we discover a compelling story of interconnected lives—the guru, his disciple, the international followers, his own teacher—that sheds new light on religion, race, gender, colonialism, and nationalism. This impressive book introduces us to some important but half-forgotten cultural currents in the life of India, Europe, and America at the end of the nineteenth century. To understand contemporary India, we need to pay more attention to these currents, and Harris is a sure-footed guide. —Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

In Guru to the World , Ruth Harris gives us riveting accounts of both the Indian and the international sides of Swami Vivekananda, one of the most provocative personalities of the nineteenth century. The connections between tradition and modernity forged by him over a century ago continue to influence culture, politics, and religion worldwide. A brilliant read. —Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, author of An Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization

An inspired blend of religion, politics, and biography, Guru to the World takes a novel approach to the history of empire and cross-cultural encounters that foregrounds the workings of love, friendship, and faith. In the lives of Vivekananda and his associates, Ruth Harris delivers insight into topics ranging from yoga to anticolonial nationalism that should interest any readers curious to understand the workings of what might be called globalized culture. —Maya Jasanoff, author of The Dawn Watch

• Ruth Harris is the author of Lourdes and The Man on Devil’s Island , which won the Wolfson Prize and the National Jewish Book Award. She is Senior Research Fellow at All Soul’s College, University of Oxford, Fellow of the British Academy, and Professor of European History at the University of Oxford.

Book Details

• 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 inches
• Belknap Press

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Swami Vivekananda

A short biography.

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was the foremost disciple of  Sri Ramakrishna  and a world spokesperson for Vedanta. His lectures, letters and poems are published as  The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda . Swamiji, as Vivekananda is affectionately known, believed it was best to teach  universal principles rather than personalities. Therefore, his teaching and writing focus on Vedanta philosophy and not Sri Ramakrishna.

Vivekananda represented Hinduism at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions convened during the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. With his opening words, “Sisters and brothers of America”, Swamiji brought the crowd to its feet. Subsequently he was invited to speak all over America and Europe. In fact, most Vedanta Societies which were founded in America and Europe up through the 1930s can trace their origins directly to Vivekananda or the people who heard him speak from 1893 through 1900.

After his first visit to the West, Swami Vivekananda went back to India and founded the  Ramakrishna Order  at Belur outside of Kolkata in 1898. When he returned to the United States a few years later, he was accompanied by his brother monk Swami Turiyananda. Other brother disciples of Sri Ramrakrishna, Swamis Saradananda and Abhedananda,  followed Swamiji and taught widely.

Vivekananda was a man with a great spiritual presence and tremendous intellect who was a tireless teacher and writer. He wrote poems and hymns in Bengali, English and Sanskrit, some of which are sung daily in Vedanta centers worldwide. He was ahead of his time in encouraging women and Westerners to not only practice Vedanta, but to be leaders. Two examples are Sara Ellen Waldo who recorded and collected Swamiji’s talks at Thousand Island Park and Margaret Noble, later known as Sister Nivedita, who devoted her life not only to Vedanta but also to the education of Indian girls. The Master as I Saw Him is her account of the years she knew Swamiji.  Vivekananda initiated both women as a sannyasini and brahmacharini respectively, a radical act for the time.

Vivekananda’s main teaching in the West, and in India for that matter, is Practical Vedanta. By this the Swami stressed that religion needs to be intensely practical and carried into all areas of our lives. The primary message of Vedanta is one of oneness and that our human purpose is to realize our divine nature. Through his teachings on the four yogas, the harmony of religions, divinity of the soul, and serving humanity as God, Vivekananda gave spiritual aspirants paths to that realization. The Swami also made major contributions  to both world culture and Indian culture.

Comprehensive biographies of Swamiji include Vivekananda: a Biography by Swami Nikhilananda and The Life of Swami Vivekananda by his Eastern and Western disciples, and the 6 volume Swami Vivekananda in the West: New Discoveries by Marie Louise Burke.

Power and Repose—

A reminiscence of swami vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda’s

Southern california visit.

Key Works Of Swami Vivekananda

• The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
• Swami Vivekananda’s Speeches at the Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893
• Letters of Swami Vivekananda
• Jnana Yoga: The Yoga of Knowledge
• Bhakti Yoga: The Yoga of Love and Devotion
• Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action
• Raja Yoga: The Yoga of Meditation

Key Works On Swami Vivekananda

• Vivekananda A Biography, by Swami Nikhilananda
• Swami Vivekananda by Eastern and Western Disciples
• The Master As I Saw Him, by Sister Nivedita
• Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda
• The Life of Vivekananda, by Romain Rolland

Quotes From Swami Vivekananda

“Religion is not in books, nor in theories, nor in dogmas, nor in talking, not even in reasoning. It is being and becoming.”

“Infinite power and existence and blessedness are ours, and we have not to acquire them; they are our own, and we have only to manifest them.”

“Be an atheist if you want, but do not believe in anything unquestioningly.”

“You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

“I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot wipe the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan’s mouth.”

“This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.”

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”

“In judging others we always judge them by our own ideals. That is not as it should be. Everyone must be judged according to his own ideal, and not by that of anyone else.”

“He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.”

“The first sign that you are becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful. When a man is gloomy, that may be dyspepsia, but it is not religion.”

“The living God is within you.”

“Manifest the divinity within you and everything will be harmoniously arranged around it.”

“After so much austerity I have known that the highest truth is this: He is present in every being! These are all in manifold forms of him. There is no other God to seek for! He alone is worshipping God, who serves all beings!”

What Others Said About Him

“I have gone through Swami Vivekananda’s works very thoroughly, and after having gone through them, the love that I had for my country became a thousand-fold. …His writings need no introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible appeal.” —Mahatma Gandhi

“Where can you find a man like him? Study what he wrote, and learn from his teachings, for if you do, you will gain immense strength. Take advantage of the fountain of wisdom, of Spirit, and of fire that flowed through Vivekananda.” —Jawaharlal Nehru

“I had the special privilege of being introduced to the writings, sayings, and life of Swami Vivekananda and the Ramakrishna Mission. That was when I was very small. In fact both my parents and specially my mother had very close connections with the Mission. And I can truly say that the words of Swami Vivekananda inspired the whole of my family, in our political work as well as in our daily lives.” —Indira Gandhi

“The book by Vivekananda is more than a pleasure, it is a broadening of the soul.” —Leo Tolstoy

“The paragon of all Unity systems is the Vedanta philosophy of India, and the paragon of Vedanta missionaries was the late Swami Vivekananda. The man is simply a wonder for oratorical power. …The swami is an honor to humanity.” —William James

“The qualities I most admire in Vivekananda are his activity, manliness and courage. …He spoke up and acted. For this, all must honor him, who, whatever be their won religious beliefs, value sincerity, truth and courage, which are the badges of every noble character.” —Sir John Woodroffe

“It is very difficult to evaluated his [Swami Vivekananda’s] importance in the scale of world history. It is certainly far greater than any Western historian or most Indian historians would have suggested at the time of his death. The passing of the years and the many stupendous and unexpected events which have occurred since then suggest that in centuries toi come he will be remembered as one of the main molders of the modern world, especially as far as Asia is concerned, and as one of the most significant figures in the whole history of Indian religion.” —A.L. Basham

“One of the very greatest historical figures that India has ever produced.” —Christopher Isherwood

Also read about:

Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Sarada Devi

Home -> Our Teachers -> Swami Vivekananda

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Vivekananda: A Biography Paperback – January 1, 1989

• Print length 216 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Ramakrishna Vivekanada Center
• Publication date January 1, 1989
• Dimensions 6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 0911206256
• ISBN-13 978-0911206258
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

From the publisher.

The Centers of the Order in America, often referred to by such names as Ramakrishna or Vivekananda Centers, or Vedanta Societies, were first organized by Swami Vivekananda for the propagation of the Swami's teachings. Today there are Centers in many of America's major cities, including New York, Boston, Providence, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Hollywood. Because of their belief in the underlying truth of all religions, the Centers of the Ramakrishna Order are at the forefront of the Interfaith Movement. (Publisher's comments written by Swami Adiswarananda, Spiritual Leader, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York).

From the Back Cover

Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902), a well-known figure in intellectual and religious circles in America during the first decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth, is cherished by an ever increasing number of readers of his books. His genius was revealed to the world at large in the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, where he indicated India's rightful place in the spiritual map of the world. The first cultural ambassador of his motherland to the West, and the builder of the spiritual bridge connecting the two hemispheres, Vivekananda dreamt of One World based upon a synthesis of religion and science and a knowledge of the solidarity of mankind. In his utterances the souls of East and West, the one oppressed by the tyranny of society and the other by the dead weight of secularism, found the way to freedom. As Ramakrishna, the teacher, reinterpreted and relived for the modern world the spiritual heritage of India, so Vivekananda, the disciple, anticipates and inspires her potential contribution.

About the Author

But the Swami's monumental work, for which he will ever be remembered, is The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna . This complete translation into English from the original Bengali of the Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, as recorded by "M," has made the immortal words of this great prophet of the nineteenth century available to countless readers throughout the world. Aldous Huxley was pleased to write a foreword to The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna , and high praise was given to the book by such notable persons as Thomas Mann and Henry Miller. Time Magazine referred to The Gospel as "One of the world's most extraordinary religious documents."

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a "condensed India." His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the "paragon of Vedantists." Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection. "His words," writes Romain Rolland, "are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!''

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ramakrishna Vivekanada Center (January 1, 1989)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 216 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0911206256
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0911206258
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• #852 in Philosopher Biographies
• #5,623 in Religious Leader Biographies

About the author

Swami nikhilananda.

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• Hindu Gurus and Saints
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• M.A., English Literature, University of North Bengal

Sankar's book The Monk as Man: The Unknown Life of Swami Vivekananda  (Penguin) brings to light many hidden facets of one of Hinduism's most celebrated gurus. Among other things, he made 15 laws of life . Here we share 14 things that you may not have known about Swami Vivekananda and his life.

• The great figure who toured America and England and was known for his brilliant eloquence scored only a 47% at the university entrance level examination, a 46% in the FA (later this exam became Intermediate Arts or IA), and a 56% in his BA exam.
• After his father’s death, the family was reduced to poverty. On many mornings, Vivekananda would tell his mother that he had lunch invitations and leave so that others would get a larger share. He writes, “On such days, I had very little to eat, sometimes nothing at all. I was too proud to tell anyone...”
• Taking advantage of his penury, many well-to-do ladies who were enamored of him tried to woo him. He preferred to starve rather than fall for such temptations. To one such lady, he said, “Shun these worthless desires and call upon God .”
• In spite of his BA degree, Narendranath (Vivekananda's real name) had to go from door to door in search of employment. He would loudly proclaim, “I am unemployed” to those who asked him. His faith in God wavered, and he began to tell people rather aggressively that God does not exist. One neighbor complained, “There is a young fellow living in that house. I have never seen such a conceited fellow! He is too big for his boots—and all because he has a BA degree! When he sings, he even strikes the table arrogantly and struts around smoking cheroot before all the elders...”
• After the death of his paternal uncle Taraknath, his wife, Gyanadasundari, ousted Vivekananda’s family from their ancestral house and filed a suit in the court. Vivekananda fought the various litigation suits for 14 years, and on the last Saturday of his life on 28 June 1902, he put an end to the court case after paying some financial compensation.
• When his sister Jogendrabala committed suicide, Vivekananda told Yogen Maharaj, “Do you know why we Duttas are so talented in our thinking? Ours is a family with a history of suicides. There have been many in our family who have taken their own lives. We are eccentric. We do not think before we act. We simply do what we like and do not worry about the consequences."
• The Maharaja of Khetri, Ajit Singh, used to send 100 rupees to Swamiji’s mother on a regular basis to help her tide over her financial problems. This arrangement was a closely guarded secret.
• Vivekananda genuinely worshiped his mother. After his Chicago fame, when Pratap Mazoomdar viciously condemned him, saying “He is nothing but a cheat and a fraud. He comes here to tell you that he is a fakir,” Vivekananda responded in a letter to Isabelle McKindley—“Now, I do not care what they even my own people say about me—except for one thing. I have an old mother. She has suffered much in her life and in the midst of all she could bear to give me up for the service of God and man; but to have given up the most beloved of her children—her hope—to live a beastly immoral life in a far-distant country, as Mazoomdar was telling in Calcutta, would have simply killed her.”
• No women, not even his mother, were allowed inside the monastery. Once, when he was delirious with fever, his disciples fetched his mother. Seeing her, Vivekananda shouted, “Why did you allow a woman to come in? I was the one who made the rule and it is for me that the rule is being broken!”
• Vivekananda was a connoisseur of tea. In those days, when the Hindu pandits were opposed to drinking tea, he introduced tea into his monastery. When the Bally municipality increased taxes on Belur because it was a ‘private garden house’ where tea was served, Vivekananda sued the municipality in Chinsurah Zilla District Court. The British magistrate came on horseback to investigate; the charges were dismissed.
• Vivekananda once convinced Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the great freedom fighter, to make tea at Belur Math. Tilak brought nutmeg, mace, cardamom, cloves, and saffron with him and prepared Mughlai tea for all.
• Vivekananda’s tireless service to man and God took a toll on his physical body. Throughout his 39 years, he suffered from an enormous number of ailments—migraines, tonsillitis, diphtheria, asthma, typhoid, malaria, other persistent fevers, liver problems, indigestion, gastroenteritis, bloating, dysentery and diarrhea, dyspepsia and abdominal pain, gallstone, lumbago, neck pain, Bright’s disease (acute nephritis), kidney problem, dropsy, albuminuria, bloodshot eyes, loss of vision in his right eye, chronic insomnia, prematurely grey hair, neurasthenia, excessive fatigue, seasickness, sunstroke, diabetes and heart problems. His motto, “One has to die...it is better to wear out than to rust out.”
• Towards the end of his brief life, Vivekananda advised his disciples, “Learn from my experiences. Don’t be so hard on your body and ruin your health. I have harmed mine. I have tortured it severely, and what has been the result? My body has become ruined during the best years of my life! And I am still paying for it.” When one of his disciples asked him why he ignored his health, he replied he had no sense of having a body when he was in America.
• Vivekananda hated cowards. He wrote to John P. Fox, “I like boldness and adventure and my race stands in need of that spirit very much...my health is failing and I do not expect to live long.”
• In 1900, two years before his death when he arrived in India from the West for the last time, Vivekananda hurried to Belur to be with his disciples or  gurubhais . He heard the dinner gong but found the gate locked. He climbed over it and quickly made his way to the dining area to eat his favorite dish, khichuri . No one suspected his rapidly failing health.
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Top 10+ Swami Vivekananda Best Books to Read

If you searching for the Best books by Swami Vivekananda , Then you are at the correct place, We made a huge list of the Top 10+ Swami Vivekananda best books to read .

Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk, He also played a role in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the West.

Hundred of Books written on Swami Vivekananda, her great philosophies and works are written in many languages, but today we share the 12 best Swamiji books.

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About The Books By Swami Vivekananda

1. meditation and its methods.

Meditation And Its Methods Through the title this book touches upon many factors beyond it.

Every individual section in itself was filled with amazing life lessons . Excellent book on ways to meditate,

It doesn’t merely state practical ways of meditation but explains the philosophy behind it and the ultimate goal of meditation.

The book describes two ways to meditate; One through Raj-yoga (through control of mind) and the other through understanding Vedanta – the non-duality (soul and Brahma).

This is more of a philosophical book than a guide.

This book helps you to understand what is real meditation, what is the power of meditation and how meditation can bring enlightenment , happiness , and peace to the life of every human being.

2. Karma yoga: The Yoga of Action

Karma yoga reinforces ”The Bhagavad Gita” that good and evil, happiness and misery, restlessness and peace are dependent upon the perception and deeds of the individual.

This book draws from the philosophy of Gita and Vedanta to illustrate the universal message that the only way to happiness and freedom is to work with the motive of bringing joy and happiness to others.

The Karma yoga books by Swami Vivekananda explain how Karma plays an important role in shaping every dimension of our lives.

3. BHAKTI YOGA: The Yoga Of Love And Devotion

This book is a must for all who are looking for a fresh and strong interpretation of Bhakti that does not require us to give up science and reason.

Bhakti Yoga explains the true nature of the divine love that all men and women should have for God.

This book has powerful language to express Bhakti , which itself is beyond any human expression, this book very succinctly presents the theory and practice of the yoga of devotion.

4. RĀJA YOGA: Conquering the Internal Nature

The Swami Vivekananda book Raja Yoga is a masterpiece, and using science to logically explain the practice of Yoga and religion makes this book phenomenal.

Raja-Yoga also includes Swami Vivekananda’s translation and commentary of the “Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali” .

You can also buy this book through the link below.

5. JNĀNA YOGA: The Yoga of Knowledge and Discrimination

“ Jnana Yoga” this Swami Vivekananda book is the path of attaining the Absolute through the use of the right knowledge , that is through constant discrimination between the true and the false.

The path of Jnana Yoga books by Swami Vivekananda through this book becomes a path of spirituality that is accessible to those who would not like to abandon science and reason for religion.

This book gives a clear way to understand the Vedas and Upanishads.

6. The Complete Book of Yoga: KARMA YOGA | BHAKTI YOGA | RĀJA YOGA | JNĀNA YOGA

“The Complete Book of Yoga” This book is a combination of Four books by Swami Vivekananda and also Swami Vivekananda’s best books to read.

This book describes all the four yoga KARMA YOGA, BHAKTI YOGA, RĀJA YOGA, JNĀNA YOGA of Vivekananda books so, you can also go with this one book instead of all four.

7. Be one with God: The Manual of Liberation

“ Be one with God” This book contains 1863 quotes from Swami Vivekananda which have been divided into 12 chapters.

The selection of the quotes has been made in such a way that it can be thought about and incorporated into our daily lives .

Swami Vivekananda Books are really amazing this is one of them, you can buy this book from the link below.

8. Thoughts on the Gita

“ Thoughts on the Gita” is another of Swami Vivekananda best books to read. The Bhagavad Gita is an important scripture of the Hindus.

The very fact that this scripture has been commented upon by innumerable saints only highlights its great importance.

This being the case, readers would find it deeply interesting to know what Swami Vivekananda had to say regarding this.

9 . What Religion Is: In the Words of Swami Vivekananda

“ What Religion Is: In the Words of Swami Vivekananda” This Swami Vivekananda book is one of the most wonderful books of Swami Vivekananda, This book gives amazing clarity of thought on complicated issues like religion.

Swami Vivekananda books make it really easy to understand the Hindu religion and its various standards.

This is one of the best Swamiji books about spirituality. It transmits the truth through Vedanta .

10. Swami Vivekananda on Himself

“ Swami Vivekananda on Himself ” This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda, written by himself, gathered through the letters he wrote and lectures he gave as he travelled throughout the world.

This is the story of Vivekananda who clearly realized and validated the truths himself just as the ancient seers had done.

The book reveals the many facets , thoughts , and moods of Swami Vivekananda and it shows what a universal thinker he was who was well ahead of his time.

His travels around the world are described with so much simplicity making it more interesting with depth. In his own words , the book will touch everyone’s heart who reads it.

11. My Master

My Master This Book by Swami Vivekananda is about her master Shri Ramakrishna , The way Vivekanand books to describes his master shows how much respect he has for him.

This book shows the life of Brahmins and shows how hard life was for Brahmins.

At the end of this book, Swami Vivekananda gave all the credit to his dear master Shri Ramakrishna .

12. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

“ The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” is also one of the Swami Vivekananda best books to read , This book is divided into 9 volumes, You can get all his teachings in these 9 books themselves, No need for any other books.

Swami Vivekananda’s book teachings are more practical than any other, as many renowned people have said.

This book gives you answers to some of the basic and important questions of life like- Marriage is necessary for all. How to work consistently without losing any motivation? What is the real practical goal of our lives? and many others.

The Books by Swami Vivekananda give priceless lessons to the readers, this book is edited carefully by editors who are none other than saints of Vivekananda’s student Lineage .

This book gives spiritual knowledge from one of the greatest spiritual masters of all time Swami Vivekananda . These are must-read books for all readers.

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7 Stories from Swami Vivekananda's Life | Master's Words

Sadhguru looks at a few Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa stories that can serve as an inspiration and guiding light to spiritual seekers.

Swami Vivekananda was born Narendra Nath Datta to Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi, in Kolkata on 12th January, 1863. By the time he passed on at the Belur Mutt, on July 4, 1902, he had launched a revolution that still resonates around the world today. As a vehicle for his Guru’s message, he has been an inspiration for youth around the world for over a century.

In this article, Sadhguru looks at a few incidents from Swami Vivekananda’s life, that illustrate his relationship with his Guru and the message he carried.

1.Swami Vivekananda And Kali

Ramakrishna had a very different kind of attachment towards Vivekananda because he saw him as a means to take his message to the world. By himself, Ramakrishna could not do it and so he saw Vivekananda as a vehicle.

People around Ramakrishna did not understand why he was so mad about Vivekananda. If Vivekananda did not come to see him even for a day, Ramakrishna would go looking for him because he knew that this boy had the necessary perception to transmit. Vivekananda was equally mad about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He did not look for any employment, he did not do anything that people of his age are normally supposed to do. He just followed Ramakrishna all the time.

There is a very wonderful incident which occurred in Vivekananda’s life. One day, his mother was very ill and on her deathbed. Now it suddenly struck Vivekananda that there was no money in his hands and he was unable to provide her with the necessary medicine or food. It made him very angry that he was unable to take care of his mother when she was really sick. When a man like Vivekananda gets angry, he gets really angry. He went to Ramakrishna – there was nowhere else to go, even if he got angry, that was where he went.

He told Ramakrishna “All this nonsense, this spirituality, where is it getting me? If I was employed and had done the things that I was supposed to do, today I could have taken care of my mother. I could have given her food, I could have given her medicine, I could have given her comfort. Where has this spirituality taken me?”

Ramakrishna being a worshiper of Kali, had a Kali shrine in his house. He said “Does your mother need medicine and food? Why don’t you go and ask the Mother for what you want?” It sounded like a good idea to Vivekananda and he went into the shrine.

After about an hour, he came out and Ramakrishna asked, “Did you ask the Mother for food, money and whatever else your mother needs?”

Vivekananda replied, “No, I forgot.”

Ramakrishna said, “Go back inside again and ask.”

Vivekananda went into the shrine again and came back after four hours. Ramakrishna questioned him, “Did you ask the Mother?”

Vivekananda said “No, I forgot.”

Ramakrishna again said. “Go inside again and this time, don’t forget to ask.”

Vivekananda went inside and after almost eight hours, he came out. Ramakrishna again asked him, “Did you ask the Mother?”

Vivekananda said “No, I will not ask. I have no need to ask.”

Ramakrishna replied “That’s good. If you had asked for anything in the shrine today, this would have been the last day between you and me. I would not have seen your face ever again, because an asking fool does not know what life is about. An asking fool has not understood the very fundamentals of life.”

Prayerfulness is a certain quality. If you become prayerful, if you become worshipful, it is a fantastic way to be. But if you are praying with an expectation that you will get something, then it is not going to work for you.

2.The Proof Of God

When he was just 19 years of age, Vivekananda was a very logical, intellectual boy, and was full of fire. He wanted proper answers for everything. He came to Ramakrishna and asked, “You are talking God, God all the time. Where is the proof? Show me the proof!” Ramakrishna was so simple. He was not an educated man. He was a mystic, not a scholar. So he said, “I am the proof.”

Vivekananda did not know what to say because this was just utterly crazy. He was expecting some great intellectual explanation – “The proof of God is the seed sprouting and the planet spinning.” But Ramakrishna said, “I am the proof God exists.” “The way I am is the proof” – that is what Ramakrishna was saying. Vivekananda did not know what to say and he left.

Three days later, he came back and asked, “Okay, can you show me God?” Ramakrishna asked, “Do you have the courage to see?” The brave boy said, “Yes” because this was tormenting him. So Ramakrishna just placed his foot on Vivekananda’s chest and Vivekananda went into a certain period of samadhi where he was beyond the limitations of the mind. He did not come out of it for almost 12 hours and when he did, he was never the same boy again. He never asked another question in his life after that.

3.Vivekananda Gets Sharada’s Blessings

Unless you are a devotee, life should not open for you, because if it opens for you, you will only cause damage to yourself and everyone else. Knowledge in India was never ever handed over to a person who lacked devotion.

There is a beautiful incident in Vivekananda’s life. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had passed on and Vivekananda gathered a band of young people, travelling throughout India, trying to build the nation and change the face of the country. Then someone told him that the Parliament of Religions was happening in Chicago, United States. They suggested he go there because no one was listening to him here. Nobody was! One young man running from place to place, trying to talk about big things which are not written in the scripture – who is willing to listen? They said, “You go and shake them there. If you shake them there, everyone here will take note of you.”

When he was about to leave for the West – the first time he was going to the United States to take the message of Ramakrishna – he went to Sharada, Ramakrishna’s wife, to seek her blessings.

She was cooking when he came. Sharada was humming a tune. It was very common for Indian women, particularly when they were cooking, to sing. Not anymore because many people play the iPad now, but earlier, one of the greatest things you could do was to cook well with utmost love and serve it to people. It was the greatest satisfaction for them to see someone eating well. Cooking was such a joyful, elaborate process. For a 20-30 minute meal, they would spend a minimum of three to four hours on it and they would always be singing. At least my mother was singing all the time.

When he came and said, “I want to go to the United States to take my master’s message to the whole world,” she did not respond. Then suddenly she said, “Naren, give me that knife.” Vivekananda handed over the knife to her and gave it to her in a particular way. Then Sharada said, “You may go, you have all my blessings.” Then he asked, “Why did you wait so long and first of all, why did you ask for the knife? You have finished cutting the vegetables.” She said, “I just wanted to see what you are after the master is gone. Now, the way you gave me the knife showed you are fit to go, you are fit to carry the master’s message.”

4.Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna’s Message

You can always see that most masters are not capable of becoming famous by themselves. They need one good disciple to carry the message because the master himself may not be very good with the ways of the world. Today, everyone is talking about Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Ramakrishna was a very crystallized consciousness. A phenomenon. But at the same time, on the worldly level, he was totally uneducated. By himself, he would have been a lost, forgotten flower if Vivekananda had not come. So many flowers bloom, but how many of them get recognized?

5.Swami Vivekananda On Prayer

Swami Vivekananda once said, “Kicking a football will take you closer to the Divine than any amount of prayer.” It is true, because you cannot play football unless you are absolutely involved . There is no personal intention in this, just involvement. What you can do and what you cannot do is already set and you have been trained for many years. Now it is just a question of involvement , no intention.

With prayer, after sometime you might be doing the prayer while you do so many other things – you could be doing whatever you want. In India, they made the prayers very complex – not just verbal, so that you have to involve yourself because they have seen all this “telling the prayer” business for thousands of years. They know what people will do so they made the prayer so complex, a whole procedure that you have to remember and act out properly, otherwise it is sacrilege. When that level of complexity is there, you cannot be doing something else during the prayer. So in that way a football game gets you into that level of involvement where you cannot be doing something else at all. Doing something else is totally absent and gone in you because you cannot do anything else, there is so much involvement in this.

In a soccer game, you have to learn to use your feet like a surgeon’s scalpel. This is a game which particularly demands a certain level of involvement because the limbs with which you handle the ball and the limbs with which you transport yourself at full speed are the same, and you have to avoid the ten other people who are trying to do everything that they can do with you. You have to dodge people, you have to take the ball, you have to be running at full speed; your feet must be as efficient as a surgeon’s scalpel because at that speed, at that activity, to direct the ball takes a phenomenal amount of skill. It takes a certain level of involvement where you are almost mindless.  

If you do something with total involvement, you will see, there is just action – the mind is somewhere else. So in a soccer game, the players reach that kind of a state very often because it is all in one thing. That is the reason why it grabs half the world when things are being played intensely. There is a certain kind of transcendence – it is not really a spiritual transcendence, but there is a certain going beyond one’s limitations which sets fire to everybody else.  

6.Swami Vivekananda On Women

Once, a certain social reformer went to Vivekananda and asked, “It is great that you also support women, what shall I do? I want to reform them. I want to support this.” Then Vivekananda said, “Hands off. You do not have to do anything about them; just leave them alone. They will do what they have to do.” This is all that is needed. It is not that a man has to reform a woman. If he just gives room, she will do what is necessary.  

7.Swami Vivekananda’s Vision

When I was twelve or thirteen years of age, I happened to come across some literature in which Swami Vivekananda said, “Give me hundred truly dedicated people and I will change the face of this country.” At that time it seems there were two hundred and thirty million people in this country, but he could not find a hundred truly dedicated people. I thought, “What a tragedy! A man like Vivekananda is a phenomenon. He does not happen every day. When he comes, we could not even give him a hundred people in this vast country.” To me, it seemed like a great tragedy for this culture and this country.

One person had tremendous vision and because of one person's vision, so many things have happened. Even today, in his name, so much is happening for human wellbeing. A lot has happened because of his vision. All the others who lived at that time, where are they? But his vision is still working in some way. Much wellbeing has come because of it.

If thousands of people had carried the same vision , much better things would have happened. One Gautama Buddha or one Vivekananda having vision is not sufficient. Only when a large section of the population has vision, really beautiful things will happen in society.

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Swami Vivekananda: Saluting the Best Spiritual Leader of India

There’s a part of India that applauds the people who never let the threads of its land let loose. Among the same crowd of people were the great personalities of India out of which outshines the name of Swami Vivekananda, a great spiritual leader who spread the word of brotherhood in not just India but also across the globe and with every passing day gave in more efforts in the service of his country. From the very beginning of his life, he was deeply indulged into studies and later became the guiding light for the whole nation. Swami Vivekananda isn’t just any name in the history of monks; he is one of those people who taught India how becoming selfless in life and inclining towards spirituality makes one attain a successful life. Remembering his tireless efforts for India, this blog takes one on a journey on the path followed by the one and only Swami Vivekananda.

When is the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda celebrated?

Vivekananda Jayanti which is also known as National Youth Day was first celebrated on 12 January 1985. This celebration takes place on every 12 th of January to applaud the great Hindu monk.

Why is Vivekananda Jayanti also known as National Youth Day?

In the year 1984, the government of India declared that the birthday of Swami Vivekananda that is 12 January will be celebrated as the National Youth Day. It was decided so because the country realised that the ideology and vision of Swamiji for which he lived and worked can be a great way to inspire the coming generation that is the Indian Youth.

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A Closer Look into the Life of Swami Vivekananda

Born on the prosperous day of Makar Sankranti, 12 January 1863 in a Bengali family, he was given the name Narendranath Datta. His parents, Vishwanath Datta, an attorney and Bhuvaneshwari Devi, a strong headed and devout woman were spending their life in Calcutta along with their 8 children when Narendra upon his birth. Sharing a close bond with his mother, Narendra gave all the credit to her for bestowing upon him the great lessons and for the right upbringing. From a very young age, the monk started showing great interest in studies and was an all-rounder during his preliminary education at Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Metropolitan Institution. Not only did he focus on setting his mind to different studies that of history, philosophy, spirituality but also in sports, wrestling, bodybuilding, and gymnastics.

By the time it was 1884, Narendra completed his graduation in arts from Presidency College, Calcutta and started being pulled towards spirituality. However, during his studies, his mind started running in circles around the question of the existence of God as his spiritual thoughts conflicted with the knowledge he had been gained leading him to believe in Agnosticism. During the same time, he became a part of the Brahmo Movement which was led by Keshab Chandra Sen. The Brahmo Samaj believed in one formless god which was not characterised by idol worshipping. Narendra spent some time engaging people with his musical voice but the search for his answers still didn’t come to an end. As things take time, it was when Narendra met Ramakrishna that his question “Have you seen God?” was finally answered. Ramakrishna answered “Yes, I have. I see God as clearly as I see you, only in a much deeper sense.”

When did Narendra(Swami Vivekananda) become a monk?

It was after the death of his beloved teacher, Ramakrishna Paramahansa that Narendra and his fellow monks were invited to Antpur village by the mother of Baburam. As soon as the Christmas Eve came close, Narendra took the name of Swami Vivekananda and decided to take monastic vows along with his monk fellows and spend the rest of their lives as their master, Ramakrishna.

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Do we really look up to Swami Vivekananda now?

Swami Vivekananda wasn’t just a mentor for most of the generation centuries back, but also a friend and a father who guided them towards the light at the end of the cave. Not only did he put meaning into the head of many about Hinduism and gave it the stature it deserved but also spread awareness about interfaith. Preaching the words “man-making is my mission”, Swami Vivekananda always said one thing aloud that the future of the country depends on its people. And hence aspired to root out the social issues and change thinking towards education, women, faith and more aspects. The monk and his teachings fit perfectly with the current scenario of India more than ever. And if we start to think about the qualities that one can look up Swami Vivekananda for, then the discussion can go on and on. But here are some of the qualities that made the monk famous and loved in both his own country and across the globe. Moreover, if the population of India would become even some percent like Swami Vivekanand especially the youth, in whom his faith resided, the country would soon be as developed as other countries.

Believe in yourself

One of the most important things Swami Vivekananda always preached about was to always believe in oneself. The monk said it’s hard to grow in life if one doesn’t believe in his/her own capabilities. Putting trust in oneself and pushing discomforts behind, and move forward with confidence as that’s the only way to have faith in oneself and believe in God as well.

Pursue your dreams

Believing in oneself and dreaming go hand in hand often. If one has adequate trust upon his/her capabilities to strive forward then only they can pursue their dreams. According to Swamiji, in order to make our dreams come true, we should dream and work towards making it come true. Our whole body should not stop until and unless we get what we want in life.

Wise thinking

According to Swamiji, we become what we think and our actions are a representation of the same. We should always understand the situation and then start putting our thoughts to it as that’s what makes us rational and wise. Besides, a positive attitude is what makes us even wiser according to Swamiji.

In almost everything that we do, we have to put all our focus into it in order to achieve the results. Swamiji believed that no matter what happens, we should always put all our energy and focus on one idea in order to come close to the desired goal of life.

Throughout his life, Swami Vivekananda believed in the value of honesty and how it led to a successful life. What we can learn from him is that no matter how hard or difficult is it speak the truth, we should always stick to it and face the consequences bravely.

Serving mankind

Spreading interfaith awareness all his life and uniting everyone, Swamiji always preached that the mankind should be served irrespective of their economic status, caste or religion. One of the most important lessons in life is to never discriminate and always promote human welfare.

Swamiji not only loved but served his country as his mother. He was of this thinking that even though he has given up his material things after adopting a monk life, the need to satisfy the material world doesn’t end there. He took the duty of bringing together his nation as one and always protecting the country.

As Swamiji believed and adhered in his life that running away from problems isn’t the best of the solutions, he also conveyed the same to everyone through his words. Being a coward when a problem surfaces is not what we should do, rather we should gather all our courage and face it no matter what the repercussion might be.

Swami Vivekananda’s impact on India

Swami Vivekananda brought with him a new air of change in the second half of the 19th century. During that time the country was under the rule of British and had only a little control over its own land. The British wanted to revamp India by adding a touch of westernization while setting aside culture and traditions of India. And this is where Swami Vivekananda came into the picture who wanted a practical way out for his nation amidst all that was happening. Swamiji’s speech brought in a new sort of confidence in the heart of Indians and made them feel proud of their uniqueness and heritage. Working upon the same, Swamiji suggested that the west learns from the east and vice versa.

Moreover, as Swami Vivekananda from his graduation days believed in agnosticism and later became a part of the Brahmo Movement, continued to think that Vedanta is practical rather than theoretical. And hence, he brought about a change in the age-old rituals and turned into a faith. He started looking for God in the people of his nation. Furthermore, he vested all his time and energy in the betterment of the mankind. With his constant efforts, Swami Vivekananda managed to loosen the grip of religion from the pandits and priests and brought to the nation the actual Vedanta philosophy. All of which brought a new side of Hinduism. The whole country, especially the youth instantly got attracted to the ideals of Hinduism and the revival of religions took place.

Moving a step closer to bring the nation together, Swami Vivekananda followed these aspects to turn India into a stronger nation:

• Bringing together the masses
• Unity and love for the nation
• Looking back at what we left behind
• Practicality in terms of religion
• Importance of physical strength
• Political independence
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Swami Vivekananda’s impact on the post-independence India

It took India over 40 years after Swami Vivekananda departed to gain the independence it deserved from the British. While the nation gave credit to its great leaders who never lost their hope, India didn’t forget the one leader who started it all, Swami Vivekananda. The Hindu popular monk helped the country realise its value and what standing together as a united nation means. Along with spreading the message of togetherness, loving the nation as their mother, carry forwarding the essence of the past, Swami Vivekananda also raised his concern about education, discrimination and women empowerment. Not only did he wish to see the country being together but also strong enough in terms of knowledge which included both men and women.

Famous quotes of Swami Vivekananda to learn from and bestow upon the coming generation

• “You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.”
• “Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.”
• “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”
• “In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart.”
• “They alone live, who live for others.”
• “Neither seek nor avoid, take what comes.”
• “Comfort is no test of truth. Truth is often far from being comfortable.”
• “Do one thing at a Time, and while doing it put your whole Soul into it to the exclusion of all else.”
• “Ask nothing; want nothing in return. Give what you have to give; it will come back to you, but do not think of that now.”
• “God is to be worshipped as the one beloved, dearer than everything in this and next life.”
• “Take risks in your life, If you win, you can lead! If you lose, you can guide!”
• “Take up one idea, make that one idea your life. Think of it, dream of it, Live on that idea let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”
• “Meditation can turn fools into sages but unfortunately fools never meditate.”
• “That man has reached immortality who is disturbed by nothing material.”
• “If I love myself despite my infinite faults, how can I hate anyone at the glimpse of a few faults”..!

Vivekananda’s Neverending Hope from the Youth

Giving his everything in the service of the nation from a very young age, Swami Vivekananda set his faith in the coming generation to carry forward the legacy. He wanted the youth to work tirelessly for the welfare of the country and not run after the material world. From the time of his graduation, Swami Vivekananda started paving the path to a better India, which doesn’t believe in idol-worshipping rather it diverts its passion in praising one formless god. With each passing day, he started realising that serving the people of his nation is as good as serving the Lord. And that’s the message he left behind for the youth. His expectations from the youth weren’t material, instead, he wanted and still wants them to uplift the poor, spread the message of education for all, an equal treatment for women, no discrimination and more such aspects. According to him, it’s when we start believing in ourselves that we get to introspect what we want in life, which helps in pursuing our dreams, Swami Vivekananda’s dreams. No matter what one does, at the end of the day, it’s all about spreading a social message and indulging in activities that bring everyone at the same pedestal where everyone is equal.

Top personalities Swami Vivekananda had his influence on:

• Subhas Chandra Bose
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Barack Obama
• Jayalalitha
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak
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Ramakrishna’s influence on Swami Vivekananda’s life

Shuffling through the articles that are written about Swami Vivekananda, it is said that he came to know about Ramakrishna during a lecture by Principal of the Scottish Church College, Calcutta, Dr. William Hastie. In order to explain the meaning of ‘trance’ from the poem ‘The Excursion’ by William Wordsworth, the Professor mentioned that to understand it in the right sense one should visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar. This started an inner struggle within Swami Vivekananda and in the year 1881 or 1882, he visited Ramakrishna with his two friends. In the first place, Swamiji didn’t agree with the ideology and reasons of Ramakrishna but still, he visited him often. Having his faith in agnosticism and later being a part of the Brahmo Samaj, Swamiji considered the thinking of Ramakrishna as “hallucinations” and “mere figments of imagination” as despised his belief in Goddess Kali and was often questioned.

However, with the beginning of the year 1884, Swamiji lost his father and the family was doomed by debt. To seek help from this sudden problem, he approached Ramakrishna and asked him to pray for his family’s financial well-being to Goddess Kali. To which Ramakrishna said that he should pray on his own to attain the blessings. When Swami Vivekananda went to the abode of Goddess Kali he found himself unable to ask for such material blessings and in turn prayed for devotion and knowledge. With time, Swami Vivekananda became one of the most influenced followers of Ramakrishna who spread a modernised way of traditions followed in India.

Ramakrishna Mission

Working on the vision of the 19th-century monk, Ramakrishna, this mission is a Hindu religious and spiritual organisation which gives spiritual training with its headquarter in Belur Math. It is an essential part of the Ramakrishna Movement which was started by the monk and hence the mission also passes on the movement’s teachings. The mission was started by one of the most influenced disciples of Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda on 1 May 1987 giving out lessons on yogic ideals like jnana, bhakti, karma, and Raja Yoga and also Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. As the organisation works on the guidelines of Karma yoga which means selfless work which is done with perseverance to God, also spreads knowledge across India which it does so by large-scale educational work.

Ramakrishna Math

Ramakrishna Math is a core part of the Ramakrishna Movement which was started by Swami Vivekananda. The math is known as a monastic order which finds its place in Baranagar and was founded in the year 1886. Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are a twin organisation which works with the same purpose and has its headquarter at Belur Math in West Bengal. Moreover, Ramakrishna Math not only has its presence in India but in Russia, Argentina, Ireland, Germany, France, USA, Bangladesh and more such destinations across the globe.

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Places that Swami Vivekananda visited in India

• Uttarakhand
• Kodungalloor
• Kanyakumari
• Pondicherry

And the international border that he spread his positivity across

Books written by Swami Vivekananda:

• Bartaman Bharat
• The East and West
• Vedanta Philosophy
• Bhakti Yoga
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Vivekananda Rock Memorial: Built in the memory of the great Indian leader

Kanyakumari, the holy city of Tamil Nadu, welcomes all the travellers who wish to take a sightseeing tour to Vivekananda Rock Memorial a monument built in the loving memory of Swami Vivekananda. The memorial is a must visit tourist place when in the city as it is believed that Swamiji attained enlightenment sitting on the rock here. The memorial shares its pristine beauty with the Laccadive sea which surrounds the rock. Legend has it that Goddess Kumari performed austerity on the same rock. The memorial is blessed with different styles of architecture and is divided into two halls that is Vivekananda Mandapam and Shripada Mandapam. The Vivekananda Mandapam houses a Dhyana Mandapam where travellers can come and meditate.

Interesting facts about Swami Vivekananda you should know

• Before Swami Vivekananda became a monk he was known by the name Narendranath Datta. From a very young age, his temperament was that of a yogi and he used to meditate as well.
• Swamiji was born in a financially sound family. His father, Vishwanath Datta was an attorney and mother Bhuvaneswari Devi was a strong headed woman with great religious beliefs.
• Swamiji was born on 12 January 1863 in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
• Swami Vivekananda died on 4 July, 1902 in Kolkata.
• During his graduation in the year 1884, his father died which brought a lot of financial problems to the family.
• He approached Ramakrishna who was a devotee of Goddess Kali to pray for him and the financial stability of his family. Ramakrishna asked him to pray himself. Swamiji went to the temple of Kali but couldn’t ask for material prosperity and hence asked for just true knowledge.
• After attaining the gift of true knowledge from Goddess Kali, Swami Vivekananda became a divine follower of Ramakrishna.
• During the time his family was suffering from poverty, Swami Vivekananda used to go door to door looking for jobs but couldn’t get any. All of this made him an atheist.
• Even when his mother was a true believer of God and taught him many a thing, Swami Vivekananda underwent a spiritual crisis.
• He joined the Brahmo Movement during his college who worshipped one formless God and didn’t believe in idol-worshipping. Another reason for joining the movement was his love for music both vocal and instrumental.
• Ajit Singh’s mother used to secretly send 100 rupees to Swamiji’s mother to help them during their downfall.
• After the death of Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago to attend and represent India at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. The meeting was first held from 11 September to 27 September 1893.
• Swami Vivekananda received 2 minutes long standing ovation for his opening speech ‘Sisters and Brothers of America’.
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Would India be what it is today without Swami Vivekananda?

Often this question is asked about what the mother nation would be like if there were no leaders to guide it through the freedom struggle. A simple answer to this can be that India would still have fought it with all its might but without the support of spiritual Hindu leader like Swami Vivekananda, the nation would have been different. There might be a case that the country would have been ruled for a long run by the British if not then by the people belonging to the upper class. I hold this opinion because if we look back in time then we can clearly see that such issues like discrimination towards different religions, men and women, education, employment had started to spring up. With people like Swami Vivekananda who burnt the midnight oil for the well-being and upliftment of his own nation who he treated and loved like his mother. And that’s not all, he gave a new meaning to religion, Hinduism and many such essential aspects of India and always maintained a great balance between the Western and eastern part of the world. In the words of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Swamiji was a “full-blooded masculine personality – and a fighter to the core of being” to which we agree on cent-percent.

With this, we come to the end of this blog which gave you insights about the life of Swami Vivekananda, one of the most revered spiritual leaders of India. I hope this blog covered everything you wanted to know about Swamiji and the humongous efforts he had put in to join all the missing blocks of India and make it one. If you loved this guide, then do like and share it among your friends.

About Tanisha Sharma

Tanisha Sharma, born and brought up in Delhi is a travel writer who longs to travel the entire world someday, exploring all the heritage sites. She also tirelessly volunteers at various animal NGOs and is quite keen about working for wildlife conservation. She loves reading romantic and fictional novels and also devotes her time listening to music. Also she likes to visit places where she can savour her favourite junk foods like momos and pizza.

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Swami Vivekananda Biography : Early Life, Education, Contributions and more

Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk and highly revered spiritual leader in India, surpassed the traditional role of a spiritual thinker. His intellect, eloquence, and unwavering patriotism set him apart. He carried forward the open-minded philosophy of his mentor, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, into a new era. Devoting himself tirelessly to societal improvement and the service of the impoverished, he dedicated his entire being to the betterment of his country. Swami Vivekananda played a pivotal role in rejuvenating Hindu spiritualism, elevating Hinduism to a respected position on the global stage.

His message of universal brotherhood and self-awakening remains pertinent, particularly in the face of prevalent political unrest worldwide. The young monk's teachings have inspired many, becoming aspirations for self-improvement, particularly for the youth of the nation. Hence, January 12th is celebrated as National Youth Day in India in honor of his birthday.

Early Life of Swami Vivekananda

Born into a prosperous Bengali family in Calcutta, Swami Vivekananda, originally named Narendranath Dutta, was one of the eight children of Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. His birth occurred on January 12, 1863, coinciding with the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti. Vishwanath Dutta, Swami Vivekananda's father, held a prominent position in society as a successful lawyer. Meanwhile, his mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, possessed a strong and spiritual mindset, exerting a significant influence on her son Narendranath.

Swami Vivekananda's spiritual journey was captivating. A brilliant student, he delved into the study of various subjects such as philosophy, science, history, religion, and literature. His voracious reading included religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Upanishads, and the Vedas.

At the age of 10, upon returning to his birthplace after two years in Raipur, he took an entrance exam for Presidency College. He stood out as the only student securing first division marks. Beyond academics, he was a versatile individual, excelling in Indian classical music, actively participating in sports, and organizing events. His intelligence wasn't confined to books; it manifested in real-life situations, especially during his travels abroad. Rather than dismissing the Western way of life, he integrated his knowledge of the Western world into traditional teachings.

Swami Vivekananda, influenced by Western philosophy, rebelled against deeply ingrained caste differences in Asian culture. In 1884, he joined Brahmo Samaj, a society founded in 1828 with Christian practices, enabling him to venture into social reform. He aimed to challenge societal norms by promoting education among women and lower castes, advocating against illiteracy and child marriage. From 1881 to 1884, he actively collaborated with Band Of Hope, aiding youth in avoiding harmful habits like smoking and drinking.

In his early twenties, he encountered Ramakrishna, initially disapproving of his practices but gradually understanding his belief system that emphasized unity in all religions. When faced with the harsh realities of his father's sudden death in 1884, Swami Vivekananda's visits to Ramakrishna became more frequent. At the age of 25, he renounced all worldly possessions to realize God truly and assumed a leadership role after his Guru's death in 1886.

Swami Vivekananda's Educational Journey

At the tender age of eight, Swami Vivekananda enrolled in the Metropolitan Institution of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, where he pursued his education until his family moved to Raipur in 1877. Upon the relocation of his family to Calcutta, Swami Vivekananda distinguished himself as the only student to attain first-division marks in the admission exam for Presidency College in 1879. At the General Assembly's Institution (now recognized as the Scottish Church College), Swami Vivekananda immersed himself in the study of Western logic, Western philosophy, and European history. In 1881, Swami Vivekananda successfully passed the Fine Arts test, and by 1884, he had earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. His extensive reading list included works by notable figures such as David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Baruch Spinoza, Georg W. F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Auguste Comte, John Stuart Mill, and Charles Darwin.

Legacy and Contributions of Swami Vivekananda

• Swami Vivekananda's impact on Indian spirituality and philosophy is profound and far-reaching.
• He championed Vedanta, a Hindu philosophy emphasizing the interconnectedness of the universe and the divinity inherent in the self.
• Swami Vivekananda also endorsed the practice of Raja Yoga, focusing on the development of mental discipline and concentration.
• In addition to his philosophical teachings, he established the Ramakrishna Mission, a spiritual organization dedicated to promoting selfless service, spiritual knowledge, and social welfare.
• The Ramakrishna Mission has played a significant role in Indian society by establishing numerous hospitals, schools, and charitable institutions, contributing substantially to various aspects of community well-being.

Swami Vivekananda's Death

Swami Vivekananda foresaw that he would not live beyond the age of forty. On July 4, 1902, while engaged in his daily responsibilities at Belur Math, where he taught Sanskrit grammar to students, he continued his work until the evening. Retiring to his room, he passed away around nine o'clock while in meditation. The revered saint was cremated on the banks of the Ganges after reportedly attaining "Mahasamadhi."

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