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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

Related pages

• Spiritual figures
• Religious tolerance
• Famous speeches

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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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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Short Bio » Religious Leader » Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu Monk , Hindu revivalist, Vedanta philosopher. He is also the founder of Ramakrishna Vedanta Math. He is mainly famous for his great address at the Parliament of the World’s Religion in Chicago in 1893. Indian people often give him the credit for raising Hinduism as a world heritage. The government of India celebrates his birthday as National Youth Day.

Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863 in Calcutta. His family name was Narendranath Datta. His father Vishwanath Datta was an attorney in Calcutta High Court, and his mother Bhubaneshwari Devi was a housewife. From his childhood days, he was aware of the religious environment around him. He often used to meditate in front of different deities.

Narendranath began his school in 1871 at Metropolitan Institute of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He also passed entrance examination with the first-class from presidency college. He often read various kinds of text including literature, philosophy, history, religion, sociology and art. Swami Vivekananda was also attracted to the Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, The Mahabharata etc. Additionally, he studied contemporary western philosophy and practiced classical music.

His religious thinking began when he came into the influence of the Brahmo Samaj. He liked the reformist approach and anti-superstition movements led by the Samaj. But the kind of puritanism of the Samaj did not attract him. The event of meeting with Ramakrishna Paramhansa, a prominent sage changed his life forever.

Narendranath’s father died suddenly in 1884. This incident left his family into huge crisis. He tried to serve his bankrupt family. And then he began to meet Ramakrishna. His views towards religion and spiritualism changed forever.  Ramakrishna died in 1886. Then Narendra and his fellow youths formed the ‘Ramkrishna Math’. Narendra took a new name ‘Viveknanda’. After that, he started to travel as a monk in different places of India. After that, he went to the USA in 1893 and delivered the address at the ‘Parliaments of Religions’ in Chicago. In his address, his graceful calling ‘Sisters and Brothers of America’ attracted all the audiences. He then delivered many lectures in UK and USA.

Vivekananda returned to India in 1897 and founded ‘Ramkrishna Mission’ at Calcutta. He Started to work to reduce poverty, eliminate caste system, promoting industrialization, raise nationalism to end colonialism. Additionally, Swami Vivekananda achieved a great honor as a saint of modern day Hinduism all over India. He died on 4 July in 1902 in Belur, West Bengal.

• Born: January 12, 1863, Kolkata, India
• Died: July 4, 1902, Belur, India
• Guru: Ramakrishna
• Education: Scottish Church College (1884)

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Swami Vivekananda Biography

Where was vivekananda born.

Swami Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta on 12th January, 1863, to an aristrocratic Bengali family of Calcutta. His father, Vishwanath Datta was an attorney at the Calcutta High Court, and his mother, Bhubaneshwari Devi was a devout housewife. The progressive and rational thinking of his parents mixed with a deep rooted spirituality shaped young Narendranath’s mind.

As a young boy, Swami Vivekananda excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. He went on in life to become one of the greatest Indians to introduce the philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the Western world. He is also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the 19th Century.

Early Years

Swami Vivekananda was one of nine siblings. He was spiritually inclined at an early age, fascinated by wandering ascetics and monks.

His education was both a mix of Western and Indian worlds. He studied Western philosophies, religion, history, social science, art and literature along with the Puranas, the Ramayana , the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the Vedas. Around this time, he was also briefly introduced to the Brahmo Samaj.

In 1881, he passed the Fine Arts examination and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884, from General Assembly’s Institution, where the principal described him to be a genius, with an amazing sense and understanding of philosophies.

Over the course of several years, Swami Vivekananda studied various schools of esoteric philosophies. He first met Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who was to later become his Guru, in 1881. His meeting with Ramakrishna again in 1884, after his father’s death, was a life changing event.

He turned toward a monastic life and after Ramakrishna’s death from throat cancer, Swami Vivekananda and the other disciples were left without shelter. He decided to convert a dilapidated house to establish the first Ramakrishna Math at Baranagar and start the monastic order of Ramakrishna.

Monastic Vows and Life After

Swami Vivekanada took his formal monastic vows along with the other disciples, in 1886. He assumed the name Swami Vivekananda much later.

In 1888, Swami Vivekanada left the monastery after receiving the blessings of Sarada Devi, Ramakrishna’s wife and embarked on a journey around India.

The Ramakrishna Mission

The more he travelled, he understood, how poor and backward the masses were. And how important it was to uplift the poor, educate both men and women, and this sowed the seed for the Ramakrishna Mission.

After he had travelled for five years around India, he travelled to the United States of America, after spending a few months in Japan, China and Canada. He attended the Parliament of World’s Religions on 11th September, 1893, at Chicago, where he spoke on Vedanta, Advaita and Hinduism and its philosophies.

He spent three years, lecturing, touring, travelling around the various cities of United States of America.

Back to India – 1897 – 1899 and Death

Swami Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission on 1st May, 1897, in Calcutta. Its ideals were based on Karma Yoga. He further established two other ashrams, one in Mayavati, near Almora and one in Madras (Chennai), and founded two journals. After another tour of the United States and France, Swami Vivekananda settled down at the Belur Math. On July 4th, 1902, he left his earthly body and attained samadhi.

Swami Vivekananda – Legacy

He inspired the freedom fighters of India like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Gandhiji. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore is also deeply influenced by his writings and teachings. His influence to this day extends into Hinduism, the way we look at Neo -Vedanta and Advaita philosophies.

Swami Vivekananda – Teachings

• New Understanding of Religion and the explanation that reality is common to all humanity and that science and religion are not contradictory but complementary.
• New View of Man
• New Principle of Morality and Ethics
• Bridge between East and West

His birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day.

Swami Vivekananda – Quotes

• All that man has to do is to take care of three things; good thought, good word, good deed.
• Self-sacrifice, indeed, is the basis of all civilisations.
• Please everyone without becoming a hypocrite or a coward.
• The real individuality is that which never changes and will never change; and that is the God within us.
• Strength is the property of everyone in spite of all apparent weakness.
• Through education comes faith in one’s own Self.
•   1 Share

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• Swami Vivekananda Biography

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.  

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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

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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Essay on Swami Vivekananda for Students and Children

500+ words essay on swami vivekananda.

Born as Narendranath Dutta on 12 th January 1863 in the holy and divine place of Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda was a great Indian saint. He was a figure with “high thinking and simple living”. He was a great pious leader, a philosopher, and also a devout personality with great principles.  His eminent philosophical works comprise of “Modern Vedanta” and “Raj Yoga”. He was a principal disciple of “Ramkrishna Paramhansa” and was an initiator of Ramkrishna Math and Ramkrishna Mission . He thus spent his whole life in the dispersion of the values embedded in the great Indian culture.

Childhood Days

Swami Vivekananda , the son of Shri Vishwanath and mother Bhuvneshwari Devi was called by the name “Narendranath Dutta” in the early days. Narendra was a child of unquestioned expertise and intellectual capability who used to take grasp of all his school teachings at first sight.

This excellence was recognized by his Gurus and thus was named “Shrutidhar” by them. He possessed manifold talents and skills comprising of swimming, wrestling which were a part of his schedule. Influenced by the teachings of Ramayana and Mahabharata, he had bottomless respect for religion. “Pavan Putra Hanuman” was his ideal for life.

Narendra was a lover of heroism and mystical by nature. Despite his upbringing in a spiritual family, he owned an argumentative personality in his infancy. His entire beliefs were assisted by an apt rationale and judgment behind them. Such a quality made him even put a question on the existence of the Almighty. He thus visited several saints and asked each one “have you seen God?”His spiritual quest left unanswered until he met “Ramkrishna Paramhansa”.

Meeting with Ramkrishna Paramhansa and Harmonization of Indian Culture

Swami Vivekananda met Ramkrishna Paramhansa for the first time when the latter visited his friend’s residence in Kolkata. Conscious of the supernatural powers of Swami Vivekananda called him to Dakshineshwar. He had a deep insight that Swamiji’s birth was a boon to mankind for the upliftment of the universe. Fulfillment of his spiritual inquisitiveness made he finally acknowledge Ramkrishna Paramhansa in the figure of his “Guru”. He was moved from darkness to illumination by his “Guru”. As his deep gratitude and reverence for his Guru made him travel all the four directions for the diffusion of his Guru’s teachings.

Swamiji won the hearts of everyone by his incredible speech at Chicago by addressing the audience as “Sisters and Brothers of America”

Vivekananda quoted these words” I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal tolerance but we accept all religions as true.” Thus, he set forward the worth of Indian religion exhibiting the values of universal acceptance, oneness, and harmony despite multiplicity in cultures.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose once said,” Swamiji harmonized the East and the West, religion, and science, past and the present and that is why he is great.” He played a prominent role in ending India’s cultural remoteness from the rest of the world.

A figure of highest ideals and great thoughts, Swamiji was an inspiration for the Youth of India.  Through his teachings he wanted to fill the young brains with the powers of self-realization, character formation, to recognize inner strengths, service to others, an optimistic outlook, tireless efforts and a lot more.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Other Great Works by Swami Vivekananda

His famous quotations include, “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.” He also added that anything making a child physically, intellectually and spiritually weak must be rejected as a poison. He also emphasized on an education that leads to character formation.

His establishment of “Ramkrishna Math” and “Ramkrishna Mission” was a sign of “Guru Bhakti”, his sacrifice, austerity, and service of the poor and the downtrodden people of India. He was also a founder of Belur Math.

He spread the message of divinity and the true aims of scriptures. This great patriotic monk of the Mother Earth took his last breath on 4 th July 1902 at Belur Math.

Swamiji carried the messages of the rich and varied heritage of Indian culture and Hinduism, non-duality, selfless love, and service towards the nation. His mesmerizing personality with the highest virtues illuminated the young minds. His teachings aroused the realization of the power of the soul in them.

Thus, we celebrate his “Avtaran Divas” 12 th January, as the National Youth Day with great zeal and enthusiasm.

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

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

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

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

1.Swami Vivekananda And Kali

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vivekananda replied, “No, I forgot.”

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

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

Vivekananda said “No, I forgot.”

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

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

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

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

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

2.The Proof Of God

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

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

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

3.Vivekananda Gets Sharada’s Blessings

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

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

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

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

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

4.Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna’s Message

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

5.Swami Vivekananda On Prayer

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

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

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

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

6.Swami Vivekananda On Women

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

7.Swami Vivekananda’s Vision

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

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

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

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Swami Vivekananda

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.

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

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Short Paragraph on Swami Vivekananda

Category: Essays and Paragraphs , Famous and Great Personalities of India On April 20, 2015 By Team Work

Introduction.

Swami Vivekananda was a great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. He is popular because of his rational thinking and great leadership qualities.

He worked hard for the upliftment of humanity. He developed a massive fan following after he delivered an inspiring speech at a religious conference organised in Chicago.

He supported Hinduism and bravely put forward his spiritual thoughts on both eastern and western culture. Even today, people tend to get inspired by his thoughts and speeches.

Swami Vivekananda – Short Paragraph 1.

Swami Vivekananda was a great Hindu saint and religious leader. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math.

Birth and Early Life:  He was born in Kolkata on January 12, 1863. His original name was Narendranath Datta. His parents were Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneswari Devi.

He was an extraordinary child. He had deep interest in spiritual thoughts. He cleared the entrance exam from Metropolitan School. He completed Bachelor of Arts from Scotish Church College in Kolkata.

At a young age, he got the opportunity to meet Ramakrishna. This was an important event of his life. He started visiting Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar. Later on, he became a disciple of Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna was a priest of Kali Temple at Dakshineswar.

Vedanta Movement: The famous Vedanta movement was led by Swami Vivekananda. He introduced the Indian philosophy of Hinduism in the western countries.

Chicago Speech: On 11th September, 1893, he represented India and gave a brief speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religion held in Chicago. His brief speech is considered one of the greatest speeches of all time. It earned fame not only to him but to the entire nation.

Contribution of Swami Vivekananda – Short Paragraph 2.

Contribution:  In a short span of time, he established Hinduism as an important world religion.   He had in-depth knowledge of Hindu scriptures such as the four Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Bhagawata Gita, etc. He defended Hinduism before the world audience and successfully revived the ancient wisdom these scriptures. The major works of Vivekananda includes Karma Yoga, Raj Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda – Short Paragraph 3.

Teachings: He asked young men and women to come forward and help the society. He asked them to selflessly discharge their duties.

He taught people to become fearless. He told that there are unlimited powers within every human-being.

People still recalls his famous quote,”Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached”. His thoughts inspired the youth

Conclusion: His message influenced many of India’s leaders in the national awakening in the 20th century. He asked his countrymen to cultivate faith in themselves. He died on July 4, 1902, at the age of 39.

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Speeches and writings of Swami Vivekananda; a comprehensive collection

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