auto biography of swami vivekananda

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.

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

Highly recommended.

Swami Vivekananda on Himself

Swami Vivekananda on Himself at Amazon

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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

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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.

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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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

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Vivekananda: A Biography

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Biography of Swami Vivekananda

To tell the tale of a great leader, Vedantu is bestowing students with Swami Vivekananda Biography - About, Background, History, and Death article. The biography could be found on Vedantu's website. It is totally free of cost and doesn’t require any prior signups and registration fee. Furthermore, the content could be downloaded in PDF format. The PDF is accessible on all types of digital devices like phone, laptop or tablet.  The students should not miss the opportunity and actively use the opportunity to learn about Swami Vivekananda and his life for free. Download and read now!

Vivekananda

Vivekananda who was also referred to as Swami Vivekananda was originally named Narendranath Datta. He was influenced by both Indian and western culture. His exposure to Hindus deity form of worship and Christian religion often conflicted with his beliefs. This was until he accepted Ramakrishna as his guru and became a monk. His vast knowledge of culture also earned him the respect and recognition of raising interfaith awareness. He believed through his learnings from his guru that service to God can be displayed by service to humankind.

About Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda born as Narendranath Datta to father Vishwanath Datta and mother Bhubaneswari Devi on 12 January 1863, in Calcutta presently known as Kolkata, India. When he was later regarded as a patriotic saint, Swami Vivekananda Birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day. His grandfather was a Sanskrit and Persian Scholar, his father was an attorney in the high court and his mother was a homemaker and had a religious temperament. Swami Vivekananda grew up in an upper-middle-class-family. His personality and attitude were shaped by both his parents progressive, rational as well as religious approaches in life. Since his childhood, he was always interested in spirituality and meditated and prayed before the Hindu Deities.

Swami Vivekananda Background

Swami Vivekananda had a fascinating journey with his foray into spirituality. He was an excellent student. He studied anything that interests him, be it philosophy, science, history, religion or literature. He also was an avid reader of all kinds of religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Upanishads, and the Vedas.

 At 10 when his family moved back to his birthplace after living in Raipur for 2 years he gave an entrance exam for Presidency College. He was the only student who secured 1st division marks. He was an allrounder, who was also trained in Indian classical music, and very actively participated in sports and organized events as we. His intelligence was not just in books but applied in real life and this showed when he traveled abroad. He never dismissed the western way of materialistic life rather infused his knowledge of the western world into traditional teachings. 

Due to his belief in western philosophy, he rebelled against the caste differences practiced and ingrained deeply in the Asian culture. Swami Vivekananda also joined Brahmo Samaj in 1884 which is a society founded in 1828 that adopted Christian practices and this allowed him to venture into social reform. He was determined to challenge the ideas of society by spreading the importance of education among women and the lower caste and eliminating illiteracy and child marriage. He was also actively working from 1881-1884 with Band Of Hope that helped youth step into the light and stay away from harmful habits like smoking and drinking. 

During this period in his early 20’s, he first met Ramakrishna in He detested the practices of Ramakrishna who prayed before the deity of a Hindu Goddess, Kaali.  He always questioned the forms of God and due to his western influence argued God to be a formless being. It was in 1884 when his father suddenly died and he suddenly faced the harsh realities when he learnt he had to repay many debts his father had. During this time his visits to Ramakrishna became more frequent and he actually understood his belief system that demonstrated unity in all religions. At 25 Swami Vivekananda renounced all worldly possessions to truly realize God. He became the leader after the death of his Guru in 1886.

Swami Vivekananda History 

After the death of his guru, the trustees withdrew funding and many disciples gave up the practice and went on to live the homely life whereas Swami Vivekananda was determined to build the place into a monastery and there they sat in meditation for several hours and went on with such religious practices. 2 years later from 1888-1893 he traveled extensively in India carrying only a pot, and 2 books namely the Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ. He lived off alms that he could get and got acquainted with the people by living with many scholars, and kings of all religions. 

He witnessed extreme poverty and suffering of the people and felt deep sympathy for his fellow beings. He later traveled to the West starting on 1st May 1893. Visiting Japan, China, Canada and reaching Chicago on 30th July 1893. In the Parliament Of Religions that took place in September of 1893 with the help of a Harvard Professor, John Henry Wright spoke about Hinduism and his practices in the monastery in India. He went abroad as Vivekananda and not Narendranath as suggested by Ajit Singh of Khetri, who first met him when he was teaching in the monastery and was blown away by his knowledge. Vivekananda is derived from the Sanskrit word Vivek meaning imparting wisdom and ananda means bliss. 

He was an open-minded person whose sublime message in all his teachings was nationalism. He spread the knowledge of Yoga and all the forms mentioned in the Patanjali Sutras. He also accompanied Jamsetji Tata in his travels and inspired him to set up an educational institute focused on research.

He visited the UK and the US again and during his second visit set up the Vedanta Societies, meant to be a peace retreat in San Francisco and many ashrams. He always incorporated the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita in his speeches and tried to enlighten people with the meaning of Karma Yoga which is the path of life to follow. He believed in the philosophy of doing good to others and that divinity is supreme and divinity resides in each soul. His incredible legacy is still remembered and followed. 

Swami Vivekananda Death

On 4 July 1902, Swami Vivekananda died while in a state of meditation after living his day like any other and teaching his followers and discussing the teachings with Vedic Scholars. Went to his room in the Ramakrishna Math, the monastery he built in honor of his Guru to meditate and breathe his last. His followers believed the cause of death to be the rupture of a blood vessel in his brain that happens when one attains nirvana, the highest form of spiritual enlightenment when the 7th chakra that is the crown chakra which is located on the head opens and then gains maha samadhi while meditating. The time of his death was 9:20 pm. He was cremated on a sandalwood funeral pyre on the banks of the Ganga opposite his guru.  

Benefits of the Article on Vivekananda by Vedantu

Students will come to know about Vivekananda and get inspired

Positively reform the lives of the student

Strong willpower

The speech is prepared by the expert teachers of Vedantu who have taken care of all the needs of the student.

Could be used for English essay question

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Biographies are recurrent questions in the English e essay that usually carries a significant bit of the total. Examiner demands the essay to have the right usage of grammar, consistent phrases, precise and right spellings.  It would help one to have good quality and knowledgeable content to mold the format as per the need of the question. The students can either use the same content or write their essay molding the original one.

Morning Assembly and Speech

Morning assembly is an important part of the school routine. The students are required to give speeches on various topics and especially the teachings of great thinkers. The above article is a perfect source for the same. The students can learn the bits from the article on Swami Vivekananda and choose to deliver the speech from the same. The student can choose to mold the article as per the target audience since The target audience will decide the entire format of the speech. Make sure the tone and the theme of the speech are consistent with the context of school assemblies.

Tips to study  in a Peaceful environment

The environment of the place where a person sits to study matters a lot. The pace should be quiet and be very consistent with students’ requirements of developing focus.  Following are some expert suggestions for the students;

The lighting of the room also plays a role sometimes when it comes to developing a healthy mood. Students are suggested to have not too bright and not too dim lighting.  Have soft lighting that doesn’t keep you distracted and also ensures a comfortable reading experience for the students.

The room should smell good, this could be ensured by using room freshener. Fragrances like lavender are really good. Students can also choose to have posters IN their room that keeps their mood healthy and mood high in spirit.

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FAQs on Swami Vivekananda Biography

1. Who is Swami Vivekananda?

Swami Vivekananda was a monk, Hindu spiritual leader, social reformer and a youth leader who believed in equality among every being and his teachings and philosophies reflect the same. Despite being born into a wealthy family he gave it all up to realize God and teaches the world the way to render services to God is by helping humankind. The leader who didn’t pick a side and his teachings always spoke about the act of helping and doing good to each and every one.

2. When did Swami Vivekananda die?

Swami Vivekananda died on 4th July 1902 at 9:20 pm while meditating and was cremated on the banks of Ganga. The cause of death is believed to be the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. The rupture according to his disciples was caused due to the attainment of nirvana which basically means the highest form of spiritual enlightenment that occurs in the crown chakra located in the head, also referred to as brahmarandhra.

3. When was Swami Vivekananda born?

Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863, in Calcutta presently known as Kolkata, India, in an upper-middle-class Bengali family. Since his childhood, he had multiple cultural and religious influences due to different temperaments of his parents and grandfather and later was also intrigued by the western culture and philosophies.

4. What is the real name of Swami Vivekananda?

The real name of Swami Vivekananda is Narendranath Datta. Datta is a very common surname in Kolkata. He was given the name of Vivekananda by Ajit Singh of Khetri before he left for Chicago in 1893 to speak at the Parliament of Religion. And Vivek in Sanskrit means the one who imparts wisdom and ananda means bliss. The name Vivekananda was the name chosen and Swami is usually associated with a guru or philosopher who teaches the principles of life.

Swami Vivekananda Biography, Early Life, Education, Legacy and Death

On July 4, we commemorate the death anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Read all about Swami Vivekananda Biography, Early Life, Education, Legacy and Death.

Table of Contents

Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda is regarded as one of India’s most illustrious spiritual figures. He was not merely a spiritual thinker; he was also a prolific writer, an effective orator, and a fervent nationalist. Swami Vivekananda advanced Ramakrishna Paramhansa’s free-thinking philosophy into a brand-new paradigm. He gave his all to his country, working relentlessly to improve society, serve the needy, and the underprivileged. Read all about Swami Vivekananda in this article for UPSC.

Swami Vivekananda Death Anniversary

On July 4, we commemorate the death anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a towering figure in the history of Indian spirituality and nationalism. His death anniversary is observed annually to honor his contributions to spirituality, philosophy, and Indian nationalism. Swami Vivekananda’s teachings continue to inspire millions worldwide, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, strength, and the unity of all religions.

National Youth Day 2024

On January 12th, National Youth Day 2024 commemorates the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, a revered spiritual and social leader in India. This day serves as a tribute to his legacy and is dedicated to motivating young minds, fostering education, and promoting community service. The theme for National Youth Day 2024 is “Arise, Awake, and Realise the Power You Hold.” This celebration offers a platform to enlighten the youth about social consciousness, leadership, and responsibility through a diverse array of talks, events, and cultural activities. It aims to inspire and empower the younger generation to recognize and harness their potential for positive change in society.

Swami Vivekananda’s Early Life

Swami Vivekanand was one of the eight children of Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi and was born in Calcutta as Narendranath Dutta into a wealthy Bengali family. On January 12, 1863, the day of Makar Sankranti, he was born. Father Vishwanath was a prominent member of society and a successful lawyer. Mother Bhuvaneshwari, who had a powerful, godly mind, had a significant influence on her son Narendranath.

Swami Vivekananda Education

Narendranath was a bright little boy who showed intelligence. His playful demeanour belied his love of vocal and instrumental music. His academic performance was outstanding both at the Metropolitan institution and the Presidency College in Calcutta. By the time he received his college degree, he had broadened his knowledge of several subjects.

He participated in athletics, wrestling, gymnastics, and bodybuilding. He read voraciously and learned practically everything there was to know. He studied western philosophy, history, and spirituality by David Hume, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, and Herbert Spencer in addition to Hindu scriptures like the Bhagvad Gita and the Upanishads.

Swami Vivekananda Biography

Despite growing up in a religious environment at home and having a pious mother, Narendranath experienced a severe spiritual crisis in his early years. His in-depth understanding caused him to begin to doubt the existence of God, and for a while, he held an agnostic belief. However, he was unable to deny the presence of a Supreme Being.

For a while, he was involved with the Keshab Chandra Sen-led Brahmo Movement. Unlike the idol-worshipping, superstitious Hinduism, the Bramho Samaj recognized only one God. He was left with a plethora of unsolved philosophical issues about whether God existed. Vivekananda first learned of Sri Ramakrishna during this period of spiritual difficulty through William Hastie, the Principal of the Scottish Church College.

Swami Vivekananda Lecture at World Parliament

He learned about the World Parliament of Religions, which took place in Chicago, America, in 1893, while he was travelling. In order to represent India, Hinduism, and his Guru Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings, he was eager to attend the gathering. While contemplating on the rocks of Kanyakumari, India’s southernmost tip, he experienced the affirmation of his wishes. On May 31, 1893, Vivekananda, Raja of Khetri, and Ajit Singh departed from Bombay for Chicago after money was donated by his followers in Madras (now Chennai).

On his journey to Chicago, he endured unfathomable challenges, yet his enthusiasm never wavered. When it was time, on September 11, 1893, he entered the platform and startled everyone with the words “My brothers and sisters of America.” The audience applauded him standing ovation for the opening sentence. He continued by elaborating on Vedanta’s philosophical foundations and their spiritual relevance, putting Hinduism on the map of major world religions.

He stayed in America for the following 2.5 years, starting the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894. He also went to the UK to spread the teachings of Hindu Spiritualism and Vedanta to the western world.

Swami Vivekananda Legacy

The actual pillars of India’s national unity were unveiled to the world by Swami Vivekananda. He demonstrated how a country with such a wide range of cultures can be brought together by a sense of brotherhood and humanity. Vivekananda addressed the shortcomings of western civilization as well as India’s role in overcoming them. Swamiji brought together the East and the West, religion and science, the past and the present, as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose famously said. He is great because of this.

His lessons have helped our countrymen develop unparalleled levels of self-respect, self-reliance, and self-assertion. Vivekananda was effective in creating a fictitious link between Eastern and Western cultures. He provided Westerners with interpretations of Hindu scriptures, philosophy, and way of life. He helped them understand that, despite its underdevelopment and poverty, India had a significant cultural contribution to contribute. He was instrumental in breaking India’s cultural barrier to the rest of the globe.

Swami Vivekananda Death

It was predicted by Swami Vivekananda that he would not live past the age of forty. He continued his day’s work at the Belur Math, instructing the students in Sanskrit grammar, on July 4, 1902. In the evening, he retired to his room, and about nine, he passed away while meditating. The renowned saint was burned on the banks of the Ganges after allegedly achieving “Mahasamadhi.”

Swami Vivekananda UPSC

• Swami Vivekananda was born in Calcutta in January 1863 as Narendranath Dutta.
• Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who later served as Swami Vivekananda’s Guru, had an influence on him.
• As a monk, Swami Vivekananda traversed all of India and the West.
• Especially Advaita Vedanta and Yoga philosophies, his works and lectures significantly contributed to the propagation of Hindu philosophy in the West..
• He formally took monastic vows in 1886.
• Swami Vivekananda founded numerous Mathas in India, with the Belur Math in Belur, Howrah district, being the most significant.
• The Ramakrishna Mission was established by Swami Vivekananda in May 1897.
• Swami Vivekananda passed away in West Bengal’s Belur Math in 1902.

Swami Vivekananda FAQs

Q) What was Swami Vivekananda famous for?

Ans. The most famous speech given by Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) during the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions, in which he introduced Hinduism to America and appealed for religious tolerance and an end to extremism, is what makes him famous in the United States.

Q) What is Swami Vivekananda story?

Ans. In the midst of the Makar Sankranti festival on January 12, 1863, in his ancestral house at 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Calcutta, the capital of British India, Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta. He was one of nine siblings in a conventional family.

Q) Was Vivekananda a freedom fighter?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda served as one of the most inspiring intellectual fervor behind the Indian freedom struggle.

Q) What is the slogan of Vivekananda?

Ans. A slogan by Swami Vivekananda is ‘arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.

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What was Swami Vivekananda famous for?

The most famous speech given by Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) during the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions, in which he introduced Hinduism to America and appealed for religious tolerance and an end to extremism, is what makes him famous in the United States.

What is Swami Vivekananda story?

In the midst of the Makar Sankranti festival on January 12, 1863, in his ancestral house at 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Calcutta, the capital of British India, Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta. He was one of nine siblings in a conventional family.

Was Vivekananda a freedom fighter?

Swami Vivekananda served as one of the most inspiring intellectual fervor behind the Indian freedom struggle.

What is the slogan of Vivekananda?

A slogan by Swami Vivekananda is 'arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached

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Swami Vivekananda Biography: Early Life, Education, Works, Teachings and Famous Quotes

National youth day 2024: it is celebrated on 12 january to commemorate the birth anniversary of swami vivekananda. he was a great thinker, a great orator, and a passionate patriot. on national youth day, read more about swami vivekananda's early life, education, works, teachings, philosophy books, etc.      .

National Youth Day 2024: It is celebrated on 12 January to honor the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda is a name that does not require any sort of introduction. He is an influential personality who is credited with enlightening the western world about Hinduism. He represented Hinduism in the Parliament of Religions in 1893 in Chicago and due to this an unknown monk of India suddenly leaped into fame. National Youth Day is observed on 12 January to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Mission on 1 May 1897 for one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world. Do you know his lectures, writings, letters, and poems are published as The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda? He always focuses on teaching universal principles rather than personalities. He had tremendous intellect. His unique contributions always enlighten and awaken us. He was a spiritual leader and social reformer. 

"All the powers in the universe are already our. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark."- Swami Vivekananda

If anyone wants to study the origin of the Vedanta movement in America then study Swami Vivekananda travels across the US. He was a great thinker, great orator, and passionate patriot. It is not wrong to say that he was more than just a spiritual mind.

READ| National Youth Day 2024: Date, Theme, History, Significance, Celebrations on Rashtriya Yuva Diwas

Born: 12 January, 1863

Place of Birth: Kolkata, India

Childhood Name: Narendranath Dutta

Father: Vishwanath Dutta

Mother: Bhuvaneshwari Devi

Education: Calcutta Metropolitan School; Presidency College, Calcutta

Religion: Hinduism

Guru: Ramakrishna

Founder of : Ramakrishna Mission (1897), Ramakrishna Math, Vedanta Society of New York

Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta

Literary works: Raja Yoga (1896), Karma Yoga (1896), Bhakti Yoga (1896), Jnana Yoga, My Master (1901), Lectures from Colombo to Almora (1897)

Death: 4 July, 1902

Place of Death: Belur Math, Belur, Bengal

Memorial: Belur Math. Belur, West Bengal

Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863, in Kolkata (earlier Calcutta). He was a spiritual leader and social reformer. His lectures, writings, letters, poems, and ideas motivated not only the youth of India but also the whole world. He is the founder of Ramakrishna Mission and Belur Math in Calcutta, which are still working towards helping the needy. He was a man of wisdom and a very simple human being. 

"Arise, awake and stop not until the goal is achieved" - Swami Vivekananda

READ|  Top 51+ Swami Vivekananda Quotes for Inspiration and Motivation

Swami Vivekananda: Life History and Education

Source: www. medium.com

Vivekananda's childhood name was Narendranath Dutta, belonged to an affluent Bengali family in Calcutta. He was one of the eight children of Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvneshwari Devi. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, he was born on 12 January 1863 . His father was an attorney and an influential personality in society. Vivekananda's mother was a woman who has faith in God and has a great impact on his son.

At the age of eight in 1871, Vivekananda was enrolled at Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's Institution and later at the Presidency College in Calcutta. He was exposed to Western philosophy, Christianity, and science. He had an interest in music both instrumental as well as vocal. He was active in sports, gymnastics, wrestling, and bodybuilding. He was also fond of reading and by the time he had completed his graduation from college, he had acquired a vast knowledge of various subjects. Do you know on the one hand he read Hindu scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads and on the other hand western philosophies and spirituality by David Hume, Herbert Spencer, etc?

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

READ|  Why is Swami Vivekananda's birthday celebrated as National Youth Day?

Spiritual Crisis and met with Ramakrishna Paramhansa

Source: www. swamishivapadananda.typepad.com

He had grown up in a religious family but studied several religious books and his knowledge led him to question the existence of God and sometimes he believed in Agnosticism. But he could not completely deny the fact about the supremacy of God. In 1880 , he joined Keshab Chandra Sen's Nava Vidhan and also became a member of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj led by Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore.

Brahmo Samaj recognized one God, unlike idol worship. Several questions were running through the mind of Vivekananda and during his spiritual crisis, he first heard about Shri Ramakrishna from William Hastie, the Principal of the Scottish Church College. He finally met Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa at Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and Vivekananda asked him a question, "Have you seen God?" which he had asked so many spiritual leaders but was not satisfied. But when he asked Ramakrishna, he gave such a simple answer that "Yes, I have. I see God as clearly as I see you, only in a much deeper sense". After this Vivekananda started visiting Dakshineshwar and got several answers to the questions that were in his mind.

When Vivekananda's father died, the whole family faced a financial crisis. He went to Ramakrishna and asked him to pray for his family but Ramakrishna refused and told Vivekananda to pray himself in front of Goddess Kali. He could not ask for wealth, or money but instead of it, he asked for conscience and reclusion. That day he was marked with a spiritual awakening and a way of ascetic life was started. This was the turning point in his life and accepted Ramakrishna as his Guru.

“Take risks in your life. If you win, you can lead, if you lose, you can guide.” Swami Vivekananda

In 1885 , Ramakrishna developed throat cancer and was transferred to Calcutta and then later to a garden house in Cossipore. Vivekananda and other disciples of Ramakrishna took care of him. On 16 August 1886 , Shri Ramakrishna gave up his mortal body. Narendra was taught that the service to men was the most effective worship of God. After the demise of Ramakrishna, fifteen of his disciples including Narendranath began to live together at Baranagar in North Calcutta, which was named Ramakrishna Math . In 1887 , all the disciples took vows of monkhood and Narendranath emerged as Vivekananda which is "the bliss of discerning wisdom." All of them performed yoga and meditation. Further, Vivekananda left the math and decided to tour the whole of India on foot which came to be known as 'Parivrajak'. He saw several social, cultural, and religious aspects of the people and also saw what common people faced in their daily life, their sufferings, etc.

Swami Vivekananda attended the World Parliament of Religions

When he came to know about the World Parliament that was organised in Chicago, America. He was keen to attend the meeting, to represent India and his Guru's philosophies. After various troubles, he attended the Religious meeting. On 11 September, 1893 , he came upon the stage and stunned everyone while saying "My brothers and sisters of America". For this, he received a standing ovation from the audience. He described the principles of Vedanta, their spiritual significance, etc. He stayed around two and a half years in America itself and founded the Vedanta Society of New York. He also travelled to the United Kingdom to preach the philosophies, spiritualism, and principles of Vedanta.

“Learn everything that is good from others but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it; do not become others.” Swami Vivekananda

READ|  Ramakrishna Mission and Vivekananda: Contribution to Social Reform

He founded Ramakrishna Mission

Around 1897 , he returned to India and reached Calcutta where he founded Ramakrishna Mission on 1 May 1897 at Belur Math. The goals of the mission were based on Karma Yoga and its main objective was to serve the poor and suffering or disturbed population of the country. Several social services are also performed under this mission like establishing schools, colleges, and hospitals. Teachings of Vedanta were also provided through conferences, seminars, and workshops, rehabilitation work across the country.

Let us tell you that Vivekananda's teachings were mostly based on Ramakrishna's spiritual teachings of Divine manifestations and his personal internalization of the Advaita Vedanta Philosophy. According to him, the ultimate goal of life is to achieve the freedom of the soul and that encompasses the entirety of one's religion.

He predicted that he will not live till the age of 40. Therefore, on 4 July 1902, he died while doing meditation. He is said to have attained 'Mahasamadhi' and was cremated on the Banks of the river Ganga.

“A man is not poor without a rupee but a man is really poor without a dream and ambition.” Swami Vivekananda

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

- Yoga: The Yoga of Love and Devotion

- 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

No doubt Swami Vivekananda's teachings not only motivated the youth but also the whole world. He laid the true foundations of India's unity as a nation. He taught us how to live together with so many diversities. He was successful in constructing a virtual bridge between the culture of the East and the West. He played a key role in isolating India's culture from the rest of the World.

“Take up one idea, make that one idea your life, think of it, dream of it, 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.” Swami Vivekananda

Get here current GK and GK quiz questions in English and Hindi for India , World, Sports and Competitive exam preparation. Download the Jagran Josh Current Affairs App .

• What are the key works of Swami Vivekananda? + Swami Vivekananda's key works are - 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 - Yoga: The Yoga of Love and Devotion, etc.
• What is the childhood name of Swami Vivekananda? + Swami Vivekananda was an inspiring personality and was famous in the whole world. He was born on 12 January 1863, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). His childhood name was Narendranath Dutta, belonged to an affluent Bengali family in Calcutta (now Kolkata). He was one of the eight children of Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvneshwari Devi.
• What is Swami Vivekananda known for? + Swami Vivekananda is best known for his groundbreaking speech to the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in which he introduced Hinduism to America and called for religious tolerance.
• When is National Youth Day celebrated and why? + National Youth Day is celebrated on 12 January to honour the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
• Who founded the Ramakrishna Mission? + Ramakrishna Mission was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 with two-fold purpose namely to spread the teachings of Vedanta as embodied in the life of the Hindu saint Ramakrishna and to improve the social conditions of the Indian people.
• When was Swami Vivekananda born? + Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863 in Kolkata, India.
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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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Swami Vivekananda: Biography, Early Life and National Youth Day

Context: Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author and religious teacher.

Swami Vivekananda : Journey of Enlightenment and Literary Legacy

• Born on January 12, 1863, in Calcutta to a Bengali family.
• His original name was Narendranath Datta .
• His birthday was declared National Youth Day by the Government of India in 1984.
• Showed an early interest in Western philosophy, history, religion, and spirituality.
• Well-read in various subjects and meditated in front of Hindu deities’ images.
• Met Ramakrishna Paramhansa , who became his Guru, and remained devoted to him until Ramakrishna’s death in 1886.
• Adopted the name ‘Vivekananda’ in 1893 at the request of Maharaja Ajit Singh of the Khetri State, changing from his previous name ‘Sachidananda.’
• Wrote books like Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Karma Yoga .
• Passed away on July 4, 1902.

Swami Vivekananda: Pillars of Enlightenment and Social Transformation

• Swami Vivekananda introduced a novel ethical theory and moral principle rooted in the intrinsic purity and unity of the Atman , distinct from the conventional morality driven by fear of societal judgment.
• He regarded ethics as a set of guidelines for being a responsible citizen, with purity reflecting our true divine nature and inter-connectedness promoting love and service to others.
• Swami Vivekananda’s most influential contribution was his interpretation of religion as a universal experience of transcendent Reality shared by all humanity.
• This universal approach liberated religion from superstitions, dogmas, priestly authority, and intolerance.
• Swami Vivekananda believed that every religion offered a path to the eternal supreme , be it freedom, knowledge, or happiness, attainable by recognizing one’s Atman as part of the Paramatma.
• Swami Vivekananda stressed the utmost i mportance of education in revitalizing the nation.
• He supported mass education , emphasizing the need for an educational system that helps students manifest their innate knowledge and abilities.
• His vision of education aimed at character development, self-reliance, and life preparation while admonishing the educated elite to serve the underprivileged.
• Swami Vivekananda’s ideology embraced both modern science and reason , not sidelining them in favor of faith.
• He acknowledged insight as a higher faculty than reason but insisted that truths derived from intuition must be rationalized and systematized.
• Swami Vivekananda’s nationalism stemmed from Indian spirituality and morality, grounded in humanism and universalism.
• Unlike Western secular nationalism, his was deeply rooted in religious and spiritual principles, reflecting the spiritual essence of India.
• His nationalism was characterized by a deep concern for the masses, freedom, equality, spiritual unity, and the concept of “KarmaYoga” for attaining both political and spiritual freedom.
• Swamiji believed that the determined youth had the potential to achieve the impossible.
• He encouraged the youth to dedicate themselves to their goals and pursue challenges with solid commitment.
• Vivekananda advocated that youth should develop not only mental but also physical strength, emphasizing the need for both “muscles of iron” and “nerves of steel.”
• His birthday, January 12, is celebrated as National Youth Day in India, with the week following it known as National Youth Week.  
• As part of National Youth Week celebrations, the Indian government hosts the National Youth Festival, promoting national integration, communal harmony, brotherhood, courage, and adventure among the youth through cultural events and activities.

Swami Vivekananda’s Legacy: Bridging Philosophy, Social Reform, and National Unity”

• Introduction to Indian Philosophies: Swami Vivekananda introduced Western audiences to Indian philosophies like Vedanta and Yoga.
• Supported Social Services and Reform: He was actively engaged in social service and advocated for social reforms.
• Caste System Eradication and Science Promotion: Vivekananda encouraged people in India to eradicate the caste system and promote science and industrialization.
• Inspiration for Freedom Struggle and National Independence: His inspirational speeches motivated many individuals to participate in the freedom struggle and contribute to the national independence movement.
• Youth Unity to resist colonialism: H e urged the youth to unite, fight colonial oppression, and engage in social service.
• Fostering Interfaith Dialogue and Awareness: Vivekananda’s teachings fostered interfaith discussions and interfaith awareness.
• Opposition to Superstitions and Empowerment of Women: He actively opposed superstitions and promoted the empowerment of women in society.
• Emphasis on Equality and Free-Thinking: He emphasized the values of equality and free-thinking.
• Neo-Vedanta and Understanding of Hinduism: Swami Vivekananda’s interpretation of Vedanta is known as neo-Vedanta.
• Role in the Nationalist Movement: He worked towards a better understanding of Hinduism and played a role in the nationalist movement.
• Worship through Serving the People: According to him, the most meaningful form of worship was serving the people.
• Importance of Physical and Moral Strength: He stressed the importance of physical and moral strength , even suggesting that playing football could bring one closer to heaven than studying the Gita.
• recognizing India’s ancient glory, 
• developing moral and physical strength, 
• awakening the masses, and 
• establishing unity based on shared spiritual principles.

Swami Vivekananda’s Global Vision: From Chicago to India, Uniting Spiritualism and Materialism

• Balancing Spiritualism and Materialism: The main theme of his opening address was the need for a healthy harmony between spiritualism and materialism.
• Blending Eastern Spiritualism and Western Materialism: Envisioning a new culture for the whole world, he called for a mix of the materialism of the West and the spiritualism of the East into a new proportion to produce happiness for mankind.
• Swami Vivekananda gave various lectures on Vedanta in the USA and in London before coming back to India in 1897. 
• Introducing Pride in India’s Heritage: to introduce into the new generation a sense of pride in India’s past, a new faith in India’s culture, and a unique sense of confidence in India’s future;
• Merging Hinduism’s Diverse Sects: to bring about a unification of Hinduism by pointing out the common foundation of its sects; 
• Implementing Practical Vedanta for Upliftment: to make the educated people see the suffering of the downtrodden and work for their uplift by the application of practical Vedanta principles.
• He underlined not only on personal salvation but also on social good and reforms.

Vedanta: Exploring Brahman and the Path to Liberation

• Rooted in the Upanishads, this philosophy sought to investigate the concept of ‘Brahman,’ the ultimate reality central to the Upanishads.
• It regarded the Vedas as the unquestionable source of knowledge and authority.
• Emphasizing the path of knowledge (Jnana) over sacrifice (Karma), it aimed for ‘Moksha,’ which signifies liberation from the cycle of ‘Sansara.’

Conclusion:

Swami Vivekananda was a great leader and teacher who had a big influence on India and the world. He told people about Indian ideas, the importance of education, and working together no matter what religion you are. He started the Ramakrishna Mission and wrote many books. Even now, his ideas inspire people to live meaningful lives, be spiritual, and make the world better. Swami Vivekananda still has a big impact on India, and people look up to him as a guide for the future.

Swami Vivekananda FAQs

Who was swami vivekananda, and why is he significant in indian history, what were swami vivekananda's core values and contributions, what is the significance of swami vivekananda's birthday on january 12, how did swami vivekananda contribute to the nationalist movement and social service, what is the importance of swami vivekananda's chicago address in 1893.

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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

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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
• #665 in Philosopher Biographies
• #4,395 in Religious Leader Biographies

About the author

Swami nikhilananda.

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Customers find the book inspiring, great, and a must-read for spiritual seekers. They also appreciate the biography, saying it gives many details they did not know about Swami Vivekananda's life and spiritual quest. Readers describe the book as a classic.

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Customers find the book inspiring, a must-read for spiritual seekers, and great. They say it has the potential to change lives and help a sincere aspirant in their search for the Truth.

"...I have learned a lot about this very humble, spiritually advanced human being . The Vedas and Hindu Scriptures explained in a way easy to grasp...." Read more

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"A must read book for the spiritual seeker . Some of the original letters from Vivekananda are shared in the book verbatim. Inspiring read." Read more

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Customers find the biography great and classic. They say it provides many details about Swami Vivekananda's life and spiritual quest.

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