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Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863–July 4, 1902), born
Narendranath Dutta[2] is the chief disciple of the 19th century
mystic Ramakrishna and the founder of Ramakrishna Mission.[3] He
is considered a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and
Yoga in Europe and America[3] and is also credited with raising
interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a world
religion during the end of the 19th Century.[4] Vivekananda is
considered to be a major force in the revival of Hinduism in
modern India.[5] He is best known for his inspiring speech
beginning with "sisters and brothers of America",[6][7] through
which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's
Religions at Chicago in 1893.[2]
Swami Vivekananda was born in an aristocratic Katyastha family
of Calcutta in 1863. His parents influenced the Swami's
thinking—the father by his rational mind and the mother by her
religious temperament. From his childhood, he showed inclination
towards spirituality and God realization. While searching for a
man who could directly demonstrate the reality of God, he came
to Ramakrishna and became his disciple. As a guru Ramakrishna
taught him Advaita Vedanta and that all religions are true, and
service to man was the most effective worship of God. After the
death of his Guru, he became a wandering monk touring the Indian
subcontinent and getting a first hand account of India's
condition. He later sailed to Chicago and represented India as a
delegate in the 1893 Parliament of World religions. An eloquent
speaker, Vivekananda was invited to several forums in United
States and spoke at universities and clubs. He conducted several
public and private lectures, disseminating Vedanta, Yoga and
Hinduism in America, England and few other countries in Europe.
He also established Vedanta societies in America and England. He
later sailed back to India and in 1897 he founded the
Ramakrishna Math and Mission, a philanthropic and spiritual
organization. Swami Vivekananda is regarded as one of India's
foremost nation-builders. His teachings influenced the thinking
of other national leaders and philosophers, like Mahatma Gandhi,
Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh,
Radhakrishnan.[2][5][8]
Contents
Biography
Birth and Childhood
Bhuvaneshwari Devi (1841-1911).
"I am indebted to my mother for the efflorescence of my
knowledge."[9]—Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda was born in Shimla Pally, Calcutta at 6:33 a.m
on Monday, 12 January 1863, during the eve of Makra Sankranti
festival[10] and was given the name Narendranath Datta.[11] His
father Vishwanath Datta was an attorney of Calcutta High Court.
He was considered generous, and had a progressive outlook in
social and religious matters. His mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi was
pious and had practiced austerities and prayed to Vireshwar
Shiva of Varanasi to give her a son. She reportedly had a dream
in which Shiva rose from his meditation and said that he would
be born as her son.[10]
His thinking and personality were influenced by his parents—the
father by his rational mind and the mother by her religious
temperament.[8] During his early years he became familiar with
Western philosophy and science, and refused to accept anything
without rational proof and pragmatic test. Another part of his
mind was drawn to the spiritual ideals of meditation and
non-attachment.[8]
Narendranath started his education at home, later he was
admitted to Metropolitan Institution of Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar in 1871 and in 1879 he passed the Entrance
Examination.[12] He had varied interests and a wide range of
scholarship in philosophy, history, the social sciences, arts,
literature, and other subjects.[13] He evinced much interest in
scriptural texts, Vedas, the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita,
Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas. He was also well versed
in classical music, both vocal and instrumental. Since boyhood,
he took an active interest in physical exercise, sports, and
other organizational activities.[13] Even when he was young, he
questioned the validity of superstitious customs and
discrimination based on caste and religion.[14]
Narendranath's mother played a very important role in his
spiritual development. One of the sayings of his mother Narendra
quoted often in his later years was, "Remain pure all your life;
guard your own honor and never transgress the honor of others.
Be very tranquil, but when necessary, harden your heart."[11] He
reportedly was adept in meditation. He reportedly would see a
light while falling asleep and he reportedly had a vision of
Buddha during his meditation.[15]
College and Brahmo Samaj
Narendranath entered the first year Arts class of Presidency
College, Calcutta in January 1880 and the next year he shifted
to Scottish Church College, Calcutta. During the course, he
studied western logic, western philosophy and history of
European nations.[14] In 1881 he passed the Fine Arts
examination and in 1884 he passed the Bachelor of Arts.[16][17]
According to his professors, student Narendranath was a prodigy.
Dr. William Hastie, the principal of Scottish Church College,
where he studied during 1881-84, wrote, "Narendra is really a
genius. I have travelled far and wide but I have never come
across a lad of his talents and possibilities, even in German
universities, among philosophical students."[18] He was regarded
as a srutidhara—a man with prodigious memory.[19][20] After a
discussion with Narendranath, Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar reportedly
said, "I could never have thought that such a young boy had read
so much!"[21]
From his childhood, he showed inclination towards spirituality,
God realisation and realizing the highest spiritual truths. He
studied different religious and philosophical systems of East
and the West; he met different religious leaders. He came under
the influence of the Brahmo Samaj, an important socio-religious
organization of that time. His initial beliefs were shaped by
Brahmo Samaj, which believed in formless God, deprecated the
worship of idols and devoted itself to socio-religious
reforms.[22] He met the leaders of Brahmo Samaj—Devendranath
Tagore and Keshub Chandra Sen, questioning them about the
existence of God, but he could not get convincing
answers.[23][24]
Narendranath is said to have studied the writings of David Hume,
Immanuel Kant, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Baruch Spinoza, Georg W.
F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer,
John Stuart Mill, and Charles Darwin.[18][25] Narendra became
fascinated with the Evolutionism of Herbert Spencer, and
translated Spencer’s book on Education into Bengali for Gurudas
Chattopadhyaya, his publisher. Narendra also had correspondence
with Herbert Spencer for some time.[26][27] Alongside his study
of Western philosophers, he was thoroughly acquainted with
Indian Sanskrit scriptures and many Bengali works.[25]
His first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in a literature
class, when he heard Principal Hastie lecturing on William
Wordsworth's poem The Excursion and the poet's
nature-mysticism.[28] In the course of explaining the word
trance in the poem, Hastie told his students that if they wanted
to know the real meaning of it, they should go to Ramakrishna of
Dakshineswar. This prompted some of his students, including
Narendranath to visit Ramakrishna.[29][30]
With Ramakrishna
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
"The magic touch of the Master that day immediately brought a
wonderful change over my mind. I was astounded to find that
really there was nothing in the universe but God! … everything I
saw appeared to be Brahman. … I realized that I must have had a
glimpse of the Advaita state. Then it struck me that the words
of the scriptures were not false. Thenceforth I could not deny
the conclusions of the Advaita philosophy."[31]
His meeting with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in November 1881 proved
to be a turning point in his life.[32] About this meeting,
Narendranath said, "He [Ramakrishna] looked just like an
ordinary man, with nothing remarkable about him. He used the
most simple language and I thought 'Can this man be a great
teacher?'– I crept near to him and asked him the question which
I had been asking others all my life: 'Do you believe in God,
Sir?' 'Yes,' he replied. 'Can you prove it, Sir?' 'Yes.' 'How?'
'Because I see Him just as I see you here, only in a much
intenser sense.' That impressed me at once. […] I began to go to
that man, day after day, and I actually saw that religion could
be given. One touch, one glance, can change a whole
life."[32][33]
Even though Narendra did not accept Ramakrishna as his guru
initially and revolted against his ideas, he was attracted by
his personality and visited him frequently.[34] He initially
looked upon on Ramakrishna's ecstasies and visions as, "mere
figments of imagination",[8] "mere hallucinations".[35] As a
member of Brahmo samaj, he revolted against idol worship and
polytheism, and Ramakrishna's worship of Kali.[36] He even
rejected the Advaitist Vedantism of identity with absolute as
blasphemy and madness, and often made fun of the concept[35]
Though Narendra could not accept Ramakrishna and his visions, he
could not neglect him either. It had always been in Narendra's
nature to test something thoroughly before he would accept it.
He tested Ramakrishna, who never asked Narendra to abandon
reason, and faced all of Narendra's arguments and examinations
with patience—"Try to see the truth from all angles" was his
reply.[34] During the course of five years of his training under
Ramakrishna, Narendra was transformed from a restless, puzzled,
impatient youth to a mature man who was ready to renounce
everything for the sake of God-realization. In time, Narendra
accepted Ramakrishna as guru, and when he accepted, his
acceptance was whole-hearted and with complete surrendering as
disciple.[34]
In 1885 Ramakrishna suffered from throat cancer and he was
shifted to Calcutta and later to Cossipore. Vivekananda and his
brother disciples took care of Ramakrishna during this final
days. His spiritual education under Ramakrishna continued here.
At Cossipore, Vivekananda reportedly experienced Nirvikalpa
Samadhi.[37] During the last days of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda
and some of the other disciples received the ochre monastic
robes from Ramakrishna, which formed the first monastic order of
Ramakrishna.[38] Vivekananda was taught that service to men was
the most effective worship of God.[8][39] It is reported that
when Vivekananda, doubted Ramakrishna's claim of avatara,
Ramakrishna reportedly said, "He who was Rama, He who was
Krishna, He himself is now Ramakrishna in this body."[40] During
his final days, Ramakrishna asked Vivekananda to take care of
other monastic disciples and in turn asked them to look upon
Vivekananda as their leader.[41] Ramakrishna's condition
worsened gradually and he expired in the early morning hours of
August 16, 1886 at the Cossipore garden house. According to his
disciples, this was Mahasamadhi.[41]
Baranagore Monastery
After the death of their master, the monastic disciples led by
Vivekananda formed a fellowship at a half-ruined house at
Baranagar near the river Ganga, with the financial assistance of
the householder disciples. This became the first Math or
monastery of the disciples who constituted the first Ramakrishna
Order.[32]
The dilapidated house at Baranagore was chosen because of its
low rent and proximity to the Cossipore burning-ghat, where
Ramakrishna was cremated. Narendra and other members of the Math
often spent their time in meditation, discussing about different
philosophies and teachings of spiritual teachers including
Ramakrishna, Shankaracharya, Ramanuja, and Jesus Christ.[42]
Narendra reminisced about the early days in the monastery as
follows, "We underwent a lot of religious practice at Baranagore
Math. We used to get up at 3:00 am and become absorbed in japam
and meditation. What a strong spirit of dispassion we had in
those days! We had no thought even as to whether the world
existed or not"[42] In the early part of 1887, Narendra and
eight other disciples took formal monastic vows. Narendra took
the name of Swami Vividishananda.[43]
Parivr?jaka — Wandering monk
Swami Vivekananda's first photo as a Wandering monk at Jaipur.
In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery as a Parivr?jaka—the
Hindu religious life of a wandering monk, "without fixed abode,
without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go."[45]
His sole possessions were a kamandalu (water pot), staff, and
his two favorite books—Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of
Christ.[46] Narendranath travelled the length and breadth of
India for five years, visiting important centers of learning,
acquainting himself with the diverse religious traditions and
different patterns of social life.[47][48] He developed a
sympathy for the suffering and poverty of the masses and
resolved to uplift the nation.[47][49] Living mainly on Bhiksha
or alms, Narendranath traveled mostly on foot and railway
tickets bought by his admirers whom he met during the travels.
During these travels he gained acquaintance and stayed with
scholars, Dewans, Rajas and people from all walks of
life—Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Pariahs (low caste workers),
Government officials.[49]
Northern India
In 1888, he started his journey from Varanasi. At Varanasi, he
met pandit and Bengali writer, Bhudev Mukhopadhyay and Trailanga
Swami, a famous saint who lived in a Shiva temple. Here, he also
met Babu Pramadadas Mitra, the noted Sanskrit scholar, to whom
the Swami wrote a number of letters asking his advice on the
interpretation of the Hindu scriptures.[50] After Varanasi he
visited Ayodhya, Lucknow, Agra, Vrindaban, Hathras and Rishikesh.
At Hathras he met Sharat Chandra Gupta, the station master who
later became one of his earliest disciples as Sadananda.[51][52]
Between 1888-1890, he visited Vaidyanath, Allahabad. From
Allahabad, he visited Ghazipur where he met Pavhari Baba, a
Advaita Vedanta ascetic who spent most of his time spent in
meditation.[53] Between 1888-1890, he returned to Baranagore
Math few times, because of ill health and to arrange for the
financial funds when Balram Bose and Suresh Chandra Mitra, the
disciples of Ramakrishna who supported the Math had expired.[52]
The Himalayas
In July 1890, accompanied by his brother monk, Swami
Akhandananda, he continued his journey as a wandering monk and
returned to the Math only after his visit to the West.[52][54]
He visited, Nainital, Almora, Srinagar, Dehra Dun, Hrishikesh,
Hardwar and the Himalayas. During this travel, he reportedly had
a vision of macrocosm and microcosm, which seems to be reflected
in the Jnana Yoga lectures he gave later in the West, "The
Cosmos—The Macrocosm and The Microcosm". During these travels,
he met his brother monks —Swami Brahmananda, Saradananda,
Turiyananda, Akhandananda, Advaitananda. They stayed at Meerut
for few days where they passed their time in meditation, prayer
and study of scriptures. In the end of January 1891, the Swami
left his brother monks and journeyed to Delhi alone.
Rajputana
At Delhi, after visiting historical places he journeyed towards
Alwar, in the historic land of Rajputana. Later he journeyed to
Jaipur, where he studied Panini's Ashtadhyayi from a Sanskrit
scholar. He next journeyed to Ajmer, where he visited the palace
of Akbar and the famous Dargah and left for Mount Abu. At Mount
Abu, he met the Maharaja Ajit Singh of Khetri, who became his
ardent devotee and supporter. He was invited to Khetri, where he
delivered discourses to the Raja. At Khetri, he also became
acquainted with Pandit Narayandas, and studied Mahabhashya on
Sutras of Panini. After two and half months at Khetri, towards
end of October 1891, he proceeded towards Rajasthan and
Maharastra.
Western India
Continuing his travels, he visited Ahmedabad, Wadhwan, Limbdi.
At Ahmedabad he completed his studies of Mohammedan and Jain
culture.[49] At Limbdi, he met Thakore Sahed Jaswant Singh who
had himself been to England and America. From the Thakore Saheb,
the Swami got the first idea of going to the West to preach
Vedanta. He later visited Junagadh, Girnar, Kutch, Porbander,
Dwaraka, Palitana, Baroda. At Porbander he stayed three quarters
of a year, in spite of his vow as a wandering monk, to perfect
his philosophical and Sanskrit studies with learned pandits; he
worked with a court pandit who translated the Vedas.[49]
He later traveled to Mahabaleshwar and then to Poona. From Poona
he visited Khandwa and Indore around June 1892. At Kathiawar he
heard of the Parliament of the World's Religions and was urged
by his followers there to attend it. He left Khandwa for Bombay
and reached there on July 1892. In a Poona bound train he met
Bal Gangadhar Tilak.[57] After staying with Tilak for few days
in Poona,[58] the Swami travelled to Belgaum in October 1892. At
Belgaum, he was the guest of Prof. G.S. Bhate and Sub-divisional
Forest officer, Haripada Mitra. From Belgaum, he visited Panjim
and Margao in Goa. He spent three days in the Rachol Seminary,
the oldest convent-college of theology of Goa where rare
religious literature in manuscripts and printed works in Latin
are preserved. He reportedly studied important Christian
theological works here.[59] From Margao the Swami went by train
to Dharwar, and from there directly to Bangalore, in Mysore
State.[60]
Southern India
At Bangalore, the Swami became acquainted with Sir K. Seshadri
Iyer, the Dewan of Mysore state, and later he stayed at the
palace as guest of the Maharaja of Mysore, Shri Chamarajendra
Wadiyar. Regarding Swami's learning, Sir Seshadri reportedly
remarked, "a magnetic personality and a divine force which were
destined to leave their mark on the history of his country." The
Maharaja provided the Swami a letter of introduction to the
Dewan of Cochin and got him a railway ticket.
Vivekananda Temple on Vivekananda rock at Kanyakumari, India
From Bangalore, he visited Trichur, Kodungalloor, Ernakulam. At
Ernakulam, he met Chattampi Swamikal, the guru of Narayana Guru
in early December 1892.[62] From Ernakulam, he journeyed to
Trivandrum, Nagercoil and reached Kanyakumari on foot during the
Christmas Eve of 1892.[63] At Kanyakumari, the Swami reportedly
meditated on the "last bit of Indian rock", famously known later
as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial for three days.[64] At
Kanyakumari, Vivekananda reportedly had the "Vision of one
India". He wrote,
"At Cape Camorin sitting in Mother Kumari's temple, sitting on
the last bit of Indian rock - I hit upon a plan: We are so many
sanyasis wandering about, and teaching the people metaphysics-it
is all madness. Did not our Gurudeva used to say, `An empty
stomach is no good for religion?' We as a nation have lost our
individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We
have to raise the masses."[65]
From Kanyakumari he visited Madurai, where he met Raja of
Ramnad, Bhaskara Setupati, to whom he had a letter of
introduction. The Raja became the Swami's disciple and urged him
to go to the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. From Madurai,
he visited Rameshwaram, Pondicherry and he travelled to Madras
and here he met some his most devoted disciples, like Alasinga
Perumal, G.G. Narasimhachari, who played important roles in
collecting funds for Swami's voyage to America and later in
establishing the Ramakrishna Mission in Madras. From Madras he
travelled to Hyderabad. With the aid of funds collected by his
Madras disciples and Rajas of Mysore, Ramnad, Khetri, Dewans,
and other followers Vivekananda left for Chicago on 31 May, 1893
from Bombay assuming the name Vivekananda—the name suggested by
the Maharaja of Khetri.[66][67]
First visit to the West
His journey to America took him through China, Japan, Canada and
he arrived at Chicago in July 1893.[68] But to his
disappointment he learnt that no one without credentials from a
bona fide organization would be accepted as a delegate. He came
in contact with Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard
University.[69] After inviting him to speak at Harvard and on
learning of his not having credential to speak at the
Parliament, Wright is quoted as having said, "To ask for your
credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine
in the heavens." Wright then addressed a letter to the Chairman
in charge of delegates writing, "Here is a man who is more
learned than all of our learned professors put together." On the
Professor Vivekananda himself writes, "He urged upon me the
necessity of going to the Parliament of Religions, which he
thought would give an introduction to the nation."[70]
Parliament of World's Religions
Swami Vivekananda on the Platform of the Parliament of Religions
The Parliament of Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the
Art Institute of Chicago. On this day Vivekananda gave his first
brief address. He represented India and Hinduism.[71] Though
initially nervous, he bowed to Saraswati, the goddess of
learning and began his speech with, "Sisters and brothers of
America!".[69][72] To these words he got a standing ovation from
a crowd of seven thousand, which lasted for two minutes. When
silence was restored he began his address. He greeted the
youngest of the nations in the name of "the most ancient order
of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sannyasins, a religion
which has taught the world both tolerance and universal
acceptance."[73] And he quoted two illustrative passages in this
relation, from the Bhagavad Gita—"As the different streams
having their sources in different places all mingle their water
in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take,
through different tendencies, various though they appear,
crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!" and "Whosoever comes to
Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling
through paths that in the end lead to Me."[73] Despite being a
short speech, it voiced the spirit of the Parliament and its
sense of universality.[73][74]
Dr. Barrows, the president of the Parliament said, "India, the
Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the
Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his
auditors."[72] He attracted widespread attention in the press,
which dubbed him as the "Cyclonic monk from India". The New York
Critique wrote, "He is an orator by divine right, and his
strong, intelligent face in its picturesque setting of yellow
and orange was hardly less interesting than those earnest words,
and the rich, rhythmical utterance he gave them." The New York
Herald wrote, "Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in
the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how
foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation."[75]
The American newspapers reported Swami Vivekananda as "the
greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most
popular and influential man in the parliament".[76]
He spoke several more times at the Parliament on topics related
to Hinduism and Buddhism. The parliament ended on 27 September
1893. All his speeches at the Parliament had one common
theme—Universality and stressed religious tolerance.[77]
Lecturing tours in America, England
"I do not come", said Swamiji on one occasion in America, "to
convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief;
I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the
Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; the Unitarian a better
Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the
light within your own soul."[78]
After the Parliament of Religions, held in Sept. 1893 at The Art
Institute of Chicago, Vivekananda spent nearly two whole years
lecturing in various parts of eastern and central United States,
appearing chiefly in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and New York. By
the spring of 1895, he was weary and in poor health, because of
his continuous exertion.[79] After suspending his lecture tour,
the Swami started giving free and private classes on Vedanta and
Yoga. In June 1895, for two months he conducted private lectures
to a dozen of his disciples at the Thousand Island Park.
Vivekananda considered this to the happiest part of his first
visit to America. He later founded the "Vedanta Society of New
York".[79]
During his first visit to America, he traveled to England
twice—in 1895 and 1896. His lectures were successful there.
Here he met Miss Margaret Noble an Irish lady, who later became
Sister Nivedita.[79] During his second visit in May 1896, the
Swami met Max M?ller a renowned Indologist at Oxford University
who wrote Ramakrishna's first biography in the West.[74] From
England, he also visited other European countries. In Germany he
met Paul Deussen, another famous Indologist.
He also received two academic offers, the chair of Eastern
Philosophy at Harvard University and a similar position at
Columbia University. He declined both, saying that, as a
wandering monk, he could not settle down to work of this kind.
He attracted several sincere followers. Among his other
followers were, Josephine MacLeod, Miss Muller, Miss Noble, E.T.
Sturdy, Captain and Mrs. Sevier—who played an important role in
the founding of Advaita Ashrama and J.J.Goodwin—who became his
stenographer and recorded his teachings and lectures.[79][81]
The Hale family became one of his warmest hosts in America.[82]
His disciples—Madame Louise, a French woman, became Swami
Abhayananda, and Mr. Leon Landsberg, became Swami Kripananda. He
initiated several other followers into Brahmacharya.
Swami Vivekananda's ideas were admired by several scholars and
famous thinkers—William James, Josiah Royce, C. C. Everett, Dean
of the Harvard School of Divinity, Robert G. Ingersoll, Nikola
Tesla, Lord Kelvin, and Professor Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von
Helmholtz. Other personalities who were attracted by his
talks were Harriet Monroe and Ella Wheeler Wilcox—two famous
American poets, Professor William James of Harvard University;
Dr. Lewis G. Janes, president of Brooklyn Ethical Association;
Sara C. Bull wife of Ole Bull, the Norwegian violinist; Sarah
Bernhardt, the French actress and Madame Emma Calv?, the French
opera singer.
From West, he also set his Indian work in motion. Vivekananda
wrote a stream of letters to India, giving advice and sending
money to his followers and brother monks. His letters from the
West in these days laid down the motive of his campaign for
social service.[85] He constantly tried to inspire his close
disciples in India to do something big. His letters to them
contain some of his strongest words. In one such letter, he
wrote to Swami Akhandananda, "Go from door to door amongst the
poor and lower classes of the town of Khetri and teach them
religion. Also, let them have oral lessons on geography and such
other subjects. No good will come of sitting idle and having
princely dishes, and saying "Ramakrishna, O Lord!"—unless you
can do some good to the poor."[87][88] Eventually in 1895, the
periodical called Brahmavadin was started in Madras, with the
money supplied by Vivekananda, for the purpose of teaching the
Vedanta.[89] Subsequenly, Vivekananda's translation of first six
chapters of The Imitation of Christ was published in Brahmavadin
(1889).
Vivekananda left for India on 16 December 1896 from England with
disciples, Capitan and Mrs. Sevier, and J.J.Goodwin. On the way
they visited France, Italy, seeing Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last
Supper, and set sail for India from the Port of Naples on
December 30, 1896.[91] Later, he was followed to India by Miss
Muller and Sister Nivedita. Sister Nivedita devoted the rest of
her life to the education of Indian women and the cause of
India's independence.[79][92]
Back in India
Swami Vivekananda at Chennai 1897
Colombo to Almora
Vivekananda arrived in Colombo on January 15, 1897 and received
a grand welcome. Here, he gave his first public speech in East,
India, the Holy Land. From there on, his journey to Calcutta was
a triumphal progress. He traveled from Colombo to Pamban,
Rameshwaram, Ramnad, Madurai, Kumbakonam and Madras delivering
lectures. People and Rajas gave him enthusiastic reception. In
the procession at Pamban, the Raja of Ramnad personally drew the
Swami's carriage. On way to Madras, at several places where the
train would not stop, the people squatted on the rails and
allowed the train to pass only after hearing the Swami.[93] From
Madras, he continued his journey to Calcutta and continued his
lectures up to Almora. These lectures have been published as
Lectures from Colombo to Almora. These lectures are considered
to be of nationalistic fervor and spiritual ideology.[94] His
speeches had tremendous influence on the Indian leaders,
including Mahatma Gandhi, Bipin Chandra Pal and Balgangadhar
Tilak.[95][96]
Founding of Ramakrishna Math and Mission
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, a branch of the Ramakrishna Math,
founded on March 19, 1899, later published many of Swami
Vivekanada's work, now publishes Prabuddha Bharata journal
On 1 May 1897 at Calcutta, Vivekananda founded the "Ramakrishna
Math"—the organ for propagating religion and "Ramakrishna
Mission"—the organ for social service.[97] This was the
beginning of an organized socio-religious movement to help the
masses through educational, cultural, medical and relief
work.[74] The ideals of the Ramakrishna Mission are based on
Karma Yoga.[98][99] Two monasteries were founded by him, one at
Belur, near Calcutta, which became the Headquarters of
Ramakrishna Math and Mission and the other at Mayavati on the
Himalayas, near Almora called the Advaita Ashrama and later a
third monastery was established at Madras. Two journals were
started, Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbhodan in
Bengali.[100] The same year, the famine relief work was started
by Swami Akhandananda at Murshidabad district.
Vivekananda had inspired Sir Jamshetji Tata to set up a research
and educational institution when they had travelled together
from Yokohama to Chicago on the Swami’s first visit to the West
in 1893. About this time the Swami received a letter from Tata,
requesting him to head the Research Institute of Science that
Tata had set up. But Vivekananda declined the offer saying that
it conflicted with his spiritual interests.
He later visited Punjab, in Pakistan with the mission of
establishing harmony between the Arya Samaj which stood for
reinterpreted Hinduism and the Sanatanaists who stood for
orthodox Hinduism. At Rawalpindi, he suggested methods for
rooting out antagonism between Arya Samajists and Muslims.[103]
His visit to Lahore is memorable for his famous speeches and his
inspiring association with Tirtha Ram Goswami, then a brilliant
professor of Mathematics, who later graced monasticism as Swami
Rama Tirtha and preached Vedanta in India and America.[97] He
also visited other places, including Delhi and Khetri and
returned to Calcutta in January 1896. He spent the next few
months consolidating the work of the Math and training the
disciples. During this period he composed the famous arati song,
Khandana Bhava Bandhana during the event of consecration of
Ramakrishna's temple at a devotees' house.
Second visit to the West
He once again left for the West in June 1899, amid his declining
health.[105] He was accompanied by Sister Nivedita, Swami
Turiyananda. He spent a short time in England, and went on to
America. During this visit, he founded the Vedanta societies at
San Francisco and New York. He also founded "Shanti Ashrama"
(peace retreat) at California, with the aid of a generous 160
acre gift from an American devotee.[106] Later he attended the
Congress of Religions, in Paris in 1900.[107] The Paris
addresses are memorable for the scholarly penetration evinced by
Vivekananda related to worship of Linga and authenticity of the
Gita. From Paris he paid short visits to Brittany, Vienna,
Constantinople, Athens and Egypt. For the greater part of this
period, he was the guest of Jules Bois, the famous thinker.[106]
He left Paris in October 24, 1900 and arrived at the Belur Math
in December 9, 1900.[106]
Last years
The Swami Vivekananda temple at Belur Math, on the place where
he was cremated.
Vivekananda spent few of his days at Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati
and later at the Belur Math. Henceforth till the end he stayed
at Belur Math, guiding the work of Ramakrishna Mission and Math
and the work in England and America. Thousands of visitors came
to him during these years including The Maharaja of Gwalior and
in December 1901, the stalwarts of Indian National Congress
including Lokamanya Tilak. In December 1901, he was invited to
Japan to participate in the Congress of Religions, however his
failing health made it impossible. He undertook pilgrimages to
Bodhgaya and Varanasi towards his final days.[108]
His tours, hectic lecturing engagements, private discussions and
correspondence had taken their toll on his health. He was
suffering from Asthma, diabetes and other physical
ailments.[109] Few days prior to his demise, he was seen
intently studying the almanac. Three days before his death he
pointed out the spot for this cremation—the one at which a
temple in his memory stands today. He had remarked to several
persons that he would not live to be forty.[109]
On the day of his death, he taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda to some
pupils in the morning at Belur Math.[110] He had a walk with
Swami Premananda, a brother-disciple, and gave him instructions
concerning the future of the Ramakrishna Math. Vivekananda
expired at ten minutes past nine on July 4, 1902 while he was
meditating. According to his disciples, this was
Mahasamadhi.[111] Afterward, his disciples recorded that they
had noticed "a little blood" in the Swami's nostrils, about his
mouth and in his eyes.[112] The doctors remarked that it was due
to the rupture of a blood-vessel in the brain, but they could
not find the real cause of the death. According to his
disciples, Brahmarandhra— the aperture in the crown of the head
must have been pierced when he attained Mahasamadhi. Vivekananda
had fulfilled his own prophecy of not living to be forty-years
old.[110]
Teachings and philosophy
Part of a series on
Hindu philosophy
Samkhya ? Yoga ? Nyaya ? Vaisheshika ? Purva Mimamsa ? Vedanta
(Advaita ? Vishishtadvaita ? Dvaita ? Achintya Bheda Abheda)
Persons
Ancient
Gautama ? Jaimini ? Kanada ? Kapila ? Markandeya ? Pata?jali ?
Valmiki ? Vyasa
Medieval
Adi Shankara ? Dnyaneshwar ? Chaitanya ? Kabir ? Madhusudana ?
Madhva ? Namdeva ? Nimbarka ? Ramanuja ? Vedanta Desika ?
Tukaram ? Tulsidas ? Vallabha
Modern
Aurobindo ? Coomaraswamy ? Gandhi ? Narayana Guru ? Prabhupada ?
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ? Radhakrishnan ? Ramana Maharshi ?
Dayananda Saraswati ? Sivananda ? Vivekananda ? Yogananda
Vivekananda was a renowned thinker in his own right. One of his
most important contributions was to demonstrate how Advaitin
thinking is not merely philosophically far-reaching, but how it
also has social, even political, consequences. According to
Vivekananda, an important lesson he received from Ramakrishna
was that "Jiva is Shiva" (each individual is divinity
itself).[113] This became his Mantra, and he coined the concept
of daridra narayana seva - the service of God in and through
(poor) human beings. If there truly is the unity of Brahman
underlying all phenomena, then on what basis do we regard
ourselves as better or worse, or even as better-off or
worse-off, than others? - This was the question he posed to
himself. Ultimately, he concluded that these distinctions fade
into nothingness in the light of the oneness that the devotee
experiences in Moksha. What arises then is compassion for those
"individuals" who remain unaware of this oneness and a
determination to help them.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial by the night, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
Swami Vivekananda belonged to that branch of Vedanta that held
that no one can be truly free until all of us are. Even the
desire for personal salvation has to be given up, and only
tireless work for the salvation of others is the true mark of
the enlightened person. He founded the Sri Ramakrishna Math and
Mission on the principle of Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-hitaya cha
(आत्मनॊ मोक्षार्थम् जगद्धिताय च) (for one's own salvation and
for the welfare of the World).[citation needed]
However, Vivekananda also pleaded for a strict separation
between religion and government ("church and state") a value
found in Freemasonry which as a Freemason he had been exposed
to.[114] Although social customs had been formed in the past
with religious sanction, it was not now the business of religion
to interfere with matters such as marriage, inheritance and so
on. The ideal society would be a mixture of Brahmin knowledge,
Kshatriya culture, Vaisya efficiency and the egalitarian Shudra
ethos. Domination by any one led to different sorts of lopsided
societies. Vivekananda did not feel that religion, nor, any
force for that matter, should be used forcefully to bring about
an ideal society, since this was something that would evolve
naturally by individualistic change when the conditions were
right.
Vivekananda made a strict demarcation between the two classes of
Hindu scriptures : the Sruti and the Smritis. The Sruti, by
which is meant the Vedas, consist of eternally and universally
valid spiritual truths. The Smritis on the other hand, are the
dos and donts of religions, applicable to society and subject to
revision from time to time. Vivekananda felt that existing Hindu
smritis had to be revised for modern times. But the Srutis of
course are eternal - they may only be re-interpreted.
Vivekananda advised his followers to be holy, unselfish and have
shraddha (faith). He encouraged the practice of Brahmacharya
(Celibacy). In one of the conversations with his childhood
friend Priya Nath Sinha he attributes his physical and mental
strengths, eloquence to the practice of Brahmacharya.[115]
Vivekananda didn't advocate the emerging area of parapsychology,
astrology (one instance can be found in his speech Man the Maker
of his Destiny, Complete-Works, Volume 8, Notes of Class Talks
and Lectures) saying that this form of curiosity doesn't help in
spiritual progress but actually hinders it.
Influence
Several leaders of 20th Century India and philosophers have
acknowledged Vivekananda's influence. The first governor general
of independent India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, once observed
that "Vivekananda saved Hinduism, saved India."[116] According
to Subhas Chandra Bose, Vivekananda "is the maker of modern
India" and for Mohandas Gandhi, Vivekananda's influence
increased his "love for his country a thousandfold." National
Youth Day in India is held on his birthday, January 12, to
commemorate him. This was a most fitting gesture as much of
Swami Vivekananda's writings concerned the Indian youth and how
they should strive to uphold their ancient values whilst fully
participating in the modern world.
Swami Vivekananda is widely considered to have inspired India's
freedom struggle movement. His writings inspired a whole
generation of freedom fighters including Aurobindo Ghose and
Bagha Jatin. Vivekananda was the brother of the extremist
revolutionary, Bhupendranath Dutta. Subhash Chandra Bose one of
the most prominent figures in Indian independence movement said,
I cannot write about Vivekananda without going into raptures.
Few indeed could comprehend or fathom him even among those who
had the privilege of becoming intimate with him. His personality
was rich, profound and complex... Reckless in his sacrifice,
unceasing in his activity, boundless in his love, profound and
versatile in his wisdom, exuberant in his emotions, merciless in
his attacks but yet simple as a child, he was a rare personality
in this world of ours
Aurobindo Ghosh considered Vivekananda as his spiritual mentor.
Vivekananda was a soul of puissance if ever there was one, a
very lion among men, but the definitive work he has left behind
is quite incommensurate with our impression of his creative
might and energy. We perceive his influence still working
gigantically, we know not well how, we know not well where, in
something that is not yet formed, something leonine, grand,
intuitive, upheaving that has entered the soul of India and we
say, "Behold, Vivekananda still lives in the soul of his Mother
and in the souls of her children.
—Sri Aurobindo in Vedic Magazine(1915)
The French Nobel Laureate, Romain Rolland writes, "His words 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!
Vivekananda inspired Jamshedji Tata[117] to set up Indian
Institute of Science, one of India's finest Institutions.
Abroad, he had some interactions with Max Muller. Nikola Tesla
was one of those influenced by the Vedic philosophy teachings of
the Swami Vivekananda.
Above all Swami Vivekananda helped restore a sense of pride
amongst the Hindus, presenting the ancient teachings of India in
its purest form to a Western audience, free from the propaganda
spread by British colonial administrators and Christian
missionaries, of Hinduism being a caste-ridden, misogynistic
idolatrous faith. Indeed his early foray into the West would set
the path for subsequent Indian religious teachers to make their
own marks on the world, as well herald the entry of Hindus and
their religious traditions into the Western world.
Swami Vivekananda's ideas have had a great influence on the
Indian youth. In many institutes, students have come together
and formed organizations meant for promoting discussion of
spiritual ideas and the practice of such high principles. Many
of such organizations have adopted the name Vivekananda Study
Circle. One such group also exists at IIT Madras and is
popularly known as (VSC). Additionally, Swami Vivekananda's
ideas and teachings have carried on globally, being practiced in
institutions all over the world.
Mahatma Gandhi said, "Swami Vivekananda's writings need no
introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible
appeal." At the Belur Math, Gandhi was heard to say that his
whole life was an effort to bring into actions the ideas of
Vivekananda.[118] Many years after Vivekananda's death,
Rabindranath Tagore a Nobel Poet Laureate had said, "If you want
to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive
and nothing negative."
Vivekananda and science
In his book Raja Yoga, Vivekananda explores traditional views on
the supernatural and the belief that the practice of Raja Yoga
can confer psychic powers such as 'reading another's thoughts',
'controlling all the forces of nature[119]', become 'almost
all-knowing', 'live without breathing', 'control the bodies of
others' and levitation. He also explains traditional eastern
spiritual concepts like kundalini and spiritual energy
centres.[120]
However, Vivekananda takes a skeptical approach and in the same
book states:
“ It is not the sign of a candid and scientific mind to throw
overboard anything without proper investigation. Surface
scientists, unable to explain the various extraordinary mental
phenomena, strive to ignore their very existence.[121] ”
He further says in the introduction of the book that one should
take up the practice and verify these things for oneself, and
that there should not be blind belief.
“ What little I know I will tell you. So far as I can reason it
out I will do so, but as to what I do not know I will simply
tell you what the books say. It is wrong to believe blindly. You
must exercise your own reason and judgment; you must practise,
and see whether these things happen or not. Just as you would
take up any other science, exactly in the same manner you should
take up this science for study. [122] ”
Vivekananda (1895) rejected ether theory before Einstein (1905),
stating that it cannot explain the space itself. [123]
In his paper, read at the World Parliament of Religions (1893),
Vivekananda also hinted about the final goal of Physics, what in
these days, is attempted by theories like the String Theory.
“
Science is nothing but the finding of unity. As soon as science
would reach perfect unity, it would stop from further progress,
because it would reach the goal. Thus Chemistry could not
progress farther when it would discover one element out of which
all other could be made. Physics would stop when it would be
able to fulfill its services in discovering one energy of which
all others are but manifestations ...
All science is bound to come to this conclusion in the long run.
Manifestation, and not creation, is the word of science today,
and the Hindu is only glad that what he has been cherishing in
his bosom for ages is going to be taught in more forcible
language, and with further light from the latest conclusions of
science.[124]
”
The great electrical engineer, Nikola Tesla, after listening to
Vivekananda's speech on Sankhya Philosophy, was much interested
in its cosmogony and its rational theories of the Kalpas
(cycles), Prana and Akasha. His notion based on the vedanta led
him to think that matter is a manifestation of energy . After
attending a lecture on vedanta by Vivekananda Tesla also
concluded that, modern science can look for the solution of
cosmological problems in Sankhya philosophy, and he could prove
that mass can be reduced to potential energy
mathematically.[125][126]
Works
Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see
Vivekananda's complete works) which Vedic scholar Frank Parlato
has called, "the greatest comprehensive work in philosophy ever
published." His books (compiled from lectures given around the
world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga,
Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental
texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His
letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also
considered a very good singer and a poet.[127] By He had
composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He
used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His
language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand
testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or
written should be for making things easier to understand rather
than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.
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