Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) was a Hindu monk, philosopher and reformer, and the chief disciple of Ramakrishna. His speeches at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 introduced Hindu philosophy, especially Vedanta and yoga, to Western audiences. In India he inspired a new confidence in Hindu tradition and a commitment to serving the poor, and he founded the Ramakrishna Mission. He died at the age of just 39.

Early life

Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta on 12 January 1863 in Calcutta (Kolkata), into a prosperous family; his father was a lawyer. “Naren” was a gifted student of Western philosophy, history and science at the Scottish Church College, a fine singer and athlete, and a member of the reformist Brahmo Samaj (see Reform movements). Troubled by religious doubt, he asked many religious leaders whether they had seen God.

Meeting Ramakrishna

In 1881 he met Ramakrishna at the Dakshineswar temple. When he asked his question, Ramakrishna is said to have replied that he had seen God, just as he saw Naren, only more intensely. At first sceptical, Naren gradually became his devoted disciple. After Ramakrishna's death in 1886, Naren and other young disciples took monastic vows.

Wandering monk

From 1888 to 1893, Vivekananda travelled throughout India as a wandering monk, mostly on foot, witnessing the poverty of the people. In December 1892 he reached Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India, and meditated on a rock off the coast, now the site of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. There, according to his own account, he resolved to seek help abroad for India's poor and to spread India's spiritual message.

Chicago, 1893

With the support of friends and the Raja of Khetri, who suggested the name Vivekananda, he sailed to America to attend the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. On 11 September 1893, he opened his first speech with the words “Sisters and Brothers of America”, and the audience rose in a long ovation. He spoke of religious tolerance and of Hinduism as a religion that accepts all religions as true. He became a celebrity overnight.

Over the next few years he lectured across the United States and in Britain, founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894 and taught yoga and Vedanta to students. In London in 1895 he met Margaret Noble, an Irish teacher who became his disciple, Sister Nivedita, and devoted her life to education in India.

Return to India

Vivekananda returned to India in 1897 to a hero's welcome. On 1 May 1897 he founded the Ramakrishna Mission, combining monastic life with practical service, such as famine relief, education and medical care. He taught that serving human beings is serving God, and established the monastery at Belur Math near Calcutta. He died there on 4 July 1902.

Teachings

Vedanta: he presented Advaita Vedanta as the heart of Hinduism and a universal philosophy, teaching the divinity of every soul.
Harmony of religions: following Ramakrishna, he taught that all religions are true paths to God.
The four yogas: his books Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga popularised the idea of four paths suited to different temperaments, and introduced the Yoga Sutras to the West.
Service: spiritual life must include service to the poor and the uplift of the masses and of women.
Strength: he urged Indians to overcome weakness and fear, often quoting the Katha Upanishad: “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”

Legacy

Vivekananda is one of the most influential figures in modern Hinduism and Indian nationalism. His birthday, 12 January, is celebrated in India as National Youth Day. The Ramakrishna Mission continues his work worldwide, including through Vedanta centres in Britain.

Sources and further reading

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 9 vols (Advaita Ashrama).
Swami Nikhilananda, Vivekananda: A Biography (Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 1953).
Amiya P. Sen, Swami Vivekananda (Oxford University Press, 2000).