Swami Vivekananda's pre-monestic name is Narendranath Dutta. He was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, India on 12th January 1863 as the son of a famous lawyer Viswanath Dutta and and a pure hearted housewife Bhuvaneswari Devi. In the young age only, he hinted the people about his brilliant and influential personality as he showed a precocious mind, keen memory and boundless courage and self confidence. He practiced meditation from a very early age. Fearless but truthful attitude was his identity in his group. While at school, he was brilliant at studies, as well as games of various kinds. He organised an amateur theatrical company and a gymnasium and took lessons in fencing, wrestling, rowing and other sports. He also studied instrumental and vocal music. He was the owner of a very sweet voice. He was a leader among his group of friends. Even when he was young, he questioned the validity of superstitious customs and discrimination based on caste and religion.
In 1879, Narendra entered the Presidency College, Kolkata for higher studies in Arts. After one year, he joined the Scottish Church College, Kolkata and studied philosophy. During the course, he came to know about western logic, western philosophy and history of European nations.
There started to arise questions about God and the presence of God in young Narendra's mind. This made him associate with the Brahmo Samaj, an important religious movement of the time, led by Keshab Chandra Sen a well known socialist and Donner. But the Samaj's congregational prayers and devotional songs could not satisfy Narendra's zeal to realize God. He would ask leaders of Brahma Samaj and other socialists, leaders and religious gurus like Keshab Chandra sen, Devendranath Thakur (Father of Rabindranath Thakur) whether they have seen God. He never got a satisfying answer. It was during this time that Professor Hastie of Scottish Church College told him about Sri Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Actually he was teaching students about the trans a situation in which the person goes deep within himself and unites with the supreme power. That was the Samadhi Actually. He introduced Ramkrishna Paramhansa as the only person he ever seen realizing trans. Young Narendra found a way to clear his doubts.
Years with Ramakrishna Paramhans
Ramkrishna Paramhans is said the "Awataar" of God and realized the all form of God during his life. Narendra met Ramakrishna for the first time in November 1881. He asked Ramakrishna the same old question, whether he had seen God. The instantaneous answer from Ramakrishna was, "Yes, I have seen God, just as I see you here, only in a more clear sense." Narendra was astounded and puzzled. He could feel the man's words were honest and uttered from depths of experience. He started visiting Ramakrishna frequently.
Though Narendra could not accept Ramakrishna and his visions, he could not neglect him. Narendra felt his behavior abnormal and problematic also sometimes. It had always been in Narendra's nature to test something thoroughly before he could accept it. Later he told in his speech once "Its not the truth that others told you, its true when you only feel it. It is called the "Shakshatkaar" ". He tested Ramakrishna to the maximum, but the master was patient, forgiving, humorous and full of love. He never asked Narendra to abandon reason, and he faced all of Narendra's arguments and examinations with infinite patience. In time, Narendra accepted Ramakrishna, and while he accepted, his acceptance was whole-hearted. While Ramakrishna predominantly taught duality and Bhakti to his other disciples, he taught Narendra the Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of non-dualism He used to give the example that a river is flowing and every person and animal is drinking the water from it. some says it water, some Pani, other say Jal or some other says aqua. But it does't mean the the water is different, its we who calls it with different names. He also said about equality of every men, and even men and God.
During this transformation period of five years, 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. Soon, Ramakrishna's end came in the form of throat cancer in August 1886. After this Narendra and a core group of Ramakrishna's disciples took vows to become monks and renounce everything, and started living in a supposedly haunted house in Varahnagar. They took alms to satisfy their hunger and their other needs were taken care of by Ramakrishna's richer householder disciples.
Wanderings in India as a Monk
Soon, the young monks wanted to live the life of a wandering monk with rags and a begging bowl and no other possessions. On July 1890, Vivekananda set out for a long journey, without knowing where the journey would take him. The journey that followed took him to the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent. During this, he was given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri for his discrimination of things, good and bad meaning of Vivekananda is "Vivek + Anadad" that is "a person with quality of identifying good and bad and with jolly nature".
During these wandering days, Vivekananda stayed on king's palaces, as well as the huts of the poor. He passed days and nights sometimes in dens forests and sometime on railway platforms. But due to his highly influential personality and pure heart he one disciples every where. He came in close contact with the culture of different regions of India and various classes of people in India. Vivekananda observed the imbalance in Indian society and tyranny in the name of caste. He reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent in 24 December 1892. Here was a lone rock for which it said mother Parvati Penanced here to get lord Shiva as husband. There, he swam across the sea, reached the rock and started meditating. He thus meditated for three days and night and Analise the past, present and future of India. He reviewed what he seen and learnt during his wandering. He also prepared his Plan of Campaign to re-shine the India on Global map. There is a huge memorial with a great peace of architecture on this rock now.
In the World Parliament of Religions, USA and Europe
Though initially faced many troubles, but finally Vivekananda "stole the show" at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He earned wild applause for beginning his address with the famous words, "Sisters and brothers of America. Vivekananda's arrival in the USA has been identified by many to mark the beginning of western interest in Hinduism. Though the Parliament was planed to show the world about the principals of Christianity, People accepted Hinduism as a vital religious and philosophical tradition that might actually have something important to teach the Western culture. After the Chicago address it was virtually an endless series of lectures on topics like Hinduism, Vedas, Vendant, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Upnishads and Others. He had started Vedantic centres in New York City, New York and London. His success was not without controversy, much of it from Christian missionaries of whom he was fiercely critical. After four years of constant touring, lecturing and retreats in the West, he came back to India in the year 1897.
Back in India
He was overwhelmed by the reception he received on his return. In India, he delivered a series of lectures, and this set of lectures known as "Lectures from Colombo to Almora" is considered to have uplifted the morale of the then downtrodden Indian society specially the youth. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission. This institution is now one of the largest organization with monastic orders of Hindu society in India. He once again toured the west from January 1899 to December 1900.
Death
On July 4, 1902 at Belur Math near Kolkata, he taught Vedanta philosophy to some pupils in the morning. Then called his chief disciple Sister Nivedita and fed her. In the evening he went for meditation in his room facing Ganga and passed away in Mahasamadhi. Due to the practice of Dhyan and Yoga for long, he fixed his date of death in advance. before few days he even marked this date in the calender also.
Principles and Philosophy
Vivekananda was a renowned thinker in his own right. One of his most important contributions was to demonstrate Advaitin thinking. He founded Advaitashram. One important lesson he received from Ramakrishna was that "Jiva is Shiva" (Divinity is there in every individual). This became his Mantra for life, and he coined the concept of "daridra narayana" - the service of God in and through (poor) human beings. He also delivered the concept of equality. uplifting the society as a whole regardless of cast and community is the only solutions of many problems of India. He believed that 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. Ultimately, he concluded that the life to a human being is to transform from Common Man to a Devine Personality. This can happen through tremendous hardwork in one's field, enough faith in self and the God. Vivekananda didn't advocate the astrology, Tantra and other studies. 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 neither help in spiritual progress nor in personal but actually hinders it. In this lecture he proved this with some really nice examples.
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 Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission on the principle of Atmano Mokshartham Jagad-hitaya cha (आत्मनॊ मोक्षार्थम् जगद्धिताय च) (for one's own salvation and for the welfare of the World). Ramkrishna Mission is now headquarters at the Bank of Ganga in Kolkata.
Vivekanda advised to be holy, unselfish and have shraddha (faith) in self first and than in god. In one of his lecture he just invoked in the mind of public by saying "The Religion says that he who do not have faith in god is Atheist, But I say he who does not have the faith in himself is Atheist". He encouraged the practise of Brahmacharya. In one of the conversations with his childhood friend Sri Priya Nath Sinha he attributes his physical and mental strengths, eloquence to the practice of brahmacharya.
However, Vivekananda also pleaded for a strict separation between religion and government ("temple and state"). 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. 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.
Swami Vivekananda inspired India's (whom he loved so dearly) freedom struggle movement. His writings inspired a whole generation of freedom fighters in whole India at large. Subhas Chandra Bose, Aurobindo, Bhagath Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Jawaharlal Nehru and countless others were enlightened reading his literature.
Works and literature
His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Gyaana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu methodology of Peace. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also a very good singer and a poet. 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 whether in English, Hindi or in Bengali. 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.
All his work including lectures, poems, letters, essays, and others are concluded in 12 thick books of "Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda" which is available in all major languages of the world.
Though many publishers publishes biographies and books of swami vivekanada, Ramkrishna Mission of is the most reliable and authorised institution which publishes books. Millions of dollars of books are being distributed freely around the world by the mission every year. Thousands of titles are available of different subjects described by swami vivekanand. Ramkrishana Mission branches of all states publishes the books in related languages. Considering huge popularity and need of this literature amongst children, youth, and others prices of the books are as low as even 1 Rs/- only.
Interaction with contemporary giants
Many years after his death, the Nobel Price Winner Poet Rabindranath Tagore had said: If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative. Swamiji was a very good singer and used to sing lots of Bhajans, including about twelve written and composed by Tagore.
Another contemporary Sri Aurobindo, actually considered Swamiji as his mentor. While in Alipore Jail, Sri Aurobindo used to be visited by Swami Vivekananda in his meditation. Swamiji guided Sri Aurobindo's yoga.
Mahatma Gandhi who strived for a lot of reform in Hinduism himself, said: Swami Vivekananda's writings need no introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible appeal.
Abroad, he has had some interactions with Max Mueller and Romain Rolland. The latter also wrote a book in 1930 entitled Vie de Vivekananda (Life of Vivekananda).
Quotes
Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy - by one, or more, or all of these - and be free."
"Look upon every man, woman, and everyone as God. You cannot help anyone, you can only serve: serve the children of the Lord, serve the Lord Himself, if you have the privilege."
"No need of looking behind. Forward! We want infinite energy, infinite zeal, infinite courage and infinite patience, then only will great things be achieved."
"He is any atheist who does not believe in himself."
"Mother has been born to revive that wonderful sakti in India and making her the nucleus, once more Gargis and Maitreyis will be born in the world. Without the grace of Shakti nothing can be accomplished."
"Know that talking ill of others in private is a sin, you must wholly avoide it. Many things may occur to the mind, but it gradually makes a mountain of mole-hill, if you try to express them. Everything ends, if you forgive and forget."
"It may be that I shall find it good to get outside of my body -- to cast it off like a disused garment. But I shall not cease to work! I shall inspire men everywhere, until the world shall know that it is one with God."
"Mankind ought to be taught that religions are but the varied expressions of THE RELIGION, which is Oneness, so that each may choose the path that suits him best."
"What I want is muscles of iron and nerves of steel, inside which dwells a mind of the same material as that of thunderbolt is made. And Believe me, You can do everything."
Trivia
- Swami Vivekananda was the first Indian to be invited to accept the chair of Oriental Philosophy at Harvard
- The Place of Jamshedpur the great Indian Iron Ore mine of TATA was indicated by Swami Vivekananda to Jamshedji Tata. Tata also set up the Tata Institute or the Indian Institute of Science at Bengaluru on the Swamiji's advice and vision to provide quality higher technology and scientific education to indian students.
- World celebrates "World Brotherhood Day" on the 11th September every year, the date Swami Vivekananda delivered his famous speech in Chicago.
- India celebrates National Youth Day on his birthday 12th January every year.
- in 1963 on centurion birth calibration of Vivekananda, country got a huge Rock memorial at kanyakumari. every year millions of people around world visits the place. Mr. Eknath Ranade was the dedicated person behind this memorial. He also found Vivekanand Kendra, an organization of non-monastic volunteers working the fulfill the dreams of Vivekananda.
Vedanta Society
Vedanta Society was founded in 1930 in Los Angeles, California with mission to spread Swami Vivekananda's message. Ramakrishna Mission is the spiritual leader of Vedanta society.
Vedanta society maintains the house where Swamiji lived near Caltech, Pasadena. Society has multiple ashrams in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco, Sydney, Zushi and many other places of the world. There is a very beautiful retreat at Trabuco, north of Los Angeles, which is also home to a very nice sculpture of Swamiji.
This society attracts students from all over America and world to research Life of Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Vedanta. Hundreds Thousands Men and Women come here with hunger of True knowledge and finds the ancient Indian principals of life living.
Narayana Rao K.V.S.S.
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Narayana Rao K.V.S.S.
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Knol author community
Knol Authors and Visitors Bulletin Board
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