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Who is Swami Vivekananda
| Full Name/Original Name | Narendranath Datta, Later Called as Swami Vivekananda |
|---|---|
| Birthday | Narendranath Datta 12 January 1863 Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India) |
| Death | 4 July 1902 (aged 39) Belur Math, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day West Bengal, India) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Citizenship | British India |
| Education | University of Calcutta (BA) |
| Signature | |
| Founder of | Ramakrishna Mission Ramakrishna Math |
| Philosophy | Modern Vedanta Rāja yoga |
| Guru | Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa |
Swami Vivekananda Biography
Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta (Bengali: [nrendronath dto]), was an Indian Hindu monk and philosopher who lived from January 12th, 1863, to July 4th, 1902 in Calcutta, India. He was one of Ramakrishna’s most devoted disciples. It is generally agreed that he had a significant role in bringing Hinduism to prominence as a major international religion in the late nineteenth century by introducing the Indian darsanas (teachings, practises) of Vedanta and Yoga to the West. He was a key figure in India’s modern Hindu reform movements and helped shape the country’s nationalist ideology during British rule. The Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission were created by Vivekananda. When he spoke in the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, he opened his speech by saying “Sisters and brothers of America….”
It wasn’t long before Vivekananda developed an interest in spirituality, having been born into an affluent family in Calcutta. A major influence on his thinking is Ramakrishna, his spiritual mentor, who taught him that all living things are manifestations of the divine self.
Vivekananda travelled the Indian subcontinent extensively after Ramakrishna’s death and gained first-hand information of British India’s problems. His next stop was the United States, where he represented India at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, which was held in New York City in 1893. He gave hundreds of public and private lectures and classes in the United States, England, and Europe, disseminating Hindu philosophy’s precepts. Throughout India, Vivekananda is revered as a national hero, and his birthday is commemorated as a national holiday for young people.
Life of Swami Vivekananda
During the Makar Sankranti festival of 12 January 1863, Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta (shortened to Narendra or Naren) at his ancestral house at 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Calcutta. He was one of nine children in a large, traditional family. When Datta’s father was an advocate at the Calcutta High Court, he was referred to as “Vishwanath.” A Sanskrit and Persian scholar, Durgacharan Datta, Narendra’s grandpa, abandoned his family and became a monk at the age of twenty-five. A pious homemaker, Bhubaneswari Devi, was his mother’s maid of honour. Narendra’s father’s modern, rational approach and his mother’s devout temperament shaped his thoughts and demeanour. Growing up, Narendranath was drawn to religious iconography like that of Lord Shiva, Lord Rama, Lord Sita, and Lord Mahavir Hanuman. Wandering monks and ascetics piqued his interest. He was a rowdy and restless boy, and his parents had a hard time keeping him under control as an infant and toddler. “I begged to Shiva for a son, and he has sent me one of his devils,” his mother claimed of him.
Swami Vivekanand Education
While still an elementary student, Narendranath began his formal education in 1871, when he was enrolled at the Metropolitan Institution of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. After returning to Calcutta with his family in 1879, he was the only student to pass the Presidency College admission exams with a first-class grade.
He was an ardent reader in a wide range of areas, including philosophy, theology, history, social science, art, and literature, to name but a few. Hindu literature, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and the epics of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas, piqued his attention. Music and athletics were a big part of Narendra’s life.
At the General Assembly’s Institution, Narendra studied Western logic, Western philosophy, and European history (now known as the Scottish Church College). He passed the Fine Arts exam in 1881 and went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884 from the University of Pennsylvania. Richard Dawkins, John Stuart Mill and Charles Darwin were just few of the thinkers Narendra came across while doing his undergraduate and graduate work. His interest in Herbert Spencer’s evolutionism led him to write a translation of Spencer’s book, “Education” (1861). While he was studying Western thinkers, he also studied Sanskrit scriptures and Bengali literary works.
In a letter written by William Hastie (the principal of Christian College in Calcutta, where Narendra graduated), he stated, “Narendra is truly a genius in every sense of the word. Even in German universities among philosophical students, I’ve travelled far and wide and have yet to meet a young guy with his talents and potential. He’s going to make a name for himself someday “For further information, please see the following link:
Narendra was renowned for his recall and quick reading abilities. A number of cases have been cited. He once recited two or three pages from Pickwick Papers verbatim in a speech. During one of his arguments, the author mentions bringing up historical data about Sweden that the Swede initially disputed but later admitted. Vivekananda was working on a poem at Dr. Paul Deussen’s in Kiel, Germany, when he was interrupted by the professor and did not respond. Later, he apologised to Dr. Deussen for not hearing him since he was too engrossed in reading.
Despite Vivekananda’s best efforts to convince the professor otherwise, he proceeded to quote and explain entire passages of scripture, leaving him speechless at his memory feat. The very following day, he claimed to have read some Sir John Lubbock volumes that he had borrowed from the library. It took the librarian cross-examination to convince him that Vivekananda was telling the truth, but he eventually did.
Guru of Swami Vivekananda
The guru of Swami Vivekananda is Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa First meeting Ramakrishna was Narendra’s spiritual focus after his own father’s death in 1884, when Narendra first met Ramakrishna.
Professor William Hastie’s lecture on William Wordsworth’s poetry, The Excursion, was Narendra’s first introduction to Ramakrishna at the General Assembly Institution. Hastie proposed that his pupils visit Dakshineswar’s Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to learn the genuine meaning of trance when discussing the word “trance” in the poem. Students like Narendra were inspired by this to visit Ramakrishna.
They met for the first time in November 1881, though Narendra did not consider it their first encounter, and neither man remembered it later. When Ram Chandra Datta accompanied Narendra to Surendra Nath Mitra’s house, where Ramakrishna was invited to give a lecture, Narendra was preparing for his upcoming F. A. examination. At this encounter, Ramakrishna, according to Makarand Paranjape, invited little Narendra to sing. He invited Narendra to Dakshineshwar after being impressed by his singing ability.
Narendra travelled to Dakshineswar with two pals in late 1881 or early 1882 and met Ramakrishna.
This encounter proved to be a watershed moment in his life. Although he originally refused to accept Ramakrishna as his teacher and opposed his beliefs, he was drawn to his demeanour and began to visit him in Dakshineswar on a regular basis. Ramakrishna’s ecstasies and visions were initially dismissed as “mere figments of imagination” and “hallucinations” by him. He condemned idol worship, polytheism, and Ramakrishna’s worship of Kali as a member of the Brahmo Samaj. He further dismissed Advaita Vedanta’s “identity with the absolute” as heresy and lunacy, mocking the concept. Narendra put Ramakrishna to the test, and he gently answered, “Try to perceive the truth from all aspects.”
Guru according to swami vivekananda
Only those who have something to give can be a guru, because teaching is more than just talking or passing on ideas; it is a form of communication. The Guru is the vehicle through which spiritual inspiration is delivered to you.
Swami Vivekanand Wife
Curious about the wife name of Swami Vivekananda but Swami Vivekananda ji, on the other hand, did not marry. All women, he believed, were manifestations of the Divine Mother of the Universe. In that way, all women were his Mother.
How did Swami Vivekananda Died
Vivekananda awakened early on the day of his death, July 4, 1902, and proceeded to the Belur Math monastery to meditate for three hours. He taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda, Sanskrit grammar, and yoga philosophy to students, subsequently proposing a proposed Vedic college at the Ramakrishna Math with colleagues. Vivekananda went to his room at 7:00 p.m., begging not to be disturbed, and died while meditating at 9:20 p.m.
Experience of Mahasamasdhi
Vivekananda experienced mahasamdhi, according to his disciples; a blood vessel burst in his brain was mentioned as a likely reason of death. His disciples theorised that the rupture was caused by the piercing of his brahmarandhra (a hole in the crown of his head) when he attained mahasamdhi. Vivekananda lived just forty years, as predicted by his prophecy. On the banks of the Ganga in Belur, he was burnt on a sandalwood funeral pyre, directly across from where Ramakrishna was cremated sixteen years before.
Swami Vivekanand Teachings and Philosophy
The philosophy of Swami-Vivekananda is founded on Vedanta and the Upanishads. He was anti-book learning and believed that education involves more than just memorising facts.
Purity, patience, and endurance, he said, conquer all obstacles. He advised that I muster courage and press on. According to Swami Vivekananda, the only way to achieve success is through patience and consistent work. “Faith in ourselves and faith in God—this is the key of greatness,” Swami Vivekananda said.
- Before you can believe in God, you must first believe in yourself.
- Arise! Awake! and don’t stop till you’ve achieved your goal
- You must develop yourself from the inside out. Nobody can teach you anything, and nobody can make you spiritual. Your spirit is the only instructor you have.
- When the heart and the brain disagree, follow your heart.
- “Those who live for others are the only ones who live.”
- Take what happens, neither seeking nor avoiding.”
- Comfort is not a valid criterion for determining the truth. The truth isn’t always pleasant to hear.
- The same fire that warms us can also destroy us; the fire is not to blame.”
- Nothing is required of you; nothing is expected of you in return. Give all you have; it will come back to you, but don’t think about it right now.
- “Focus on one thing at a time, and pour your heart and soul into it to the exclusion of all others.”
Story of Swami Vivekananda
here we are sharing a few stories from the life of Swami Vivekananda ji.
In Search of God
Vivekananda was a very logical, scholarly boy who was full of fire when he was just 19 years old. He demanded complete answers to all of his questions. “You are always talking about God, God,” he said to Ramakrishna. Where is the evidence? “Prove it to me!” Ramakrishna was a very simple person. He wasn’t a well-educated individual. He wasn’t a scholar; he was a mystic. “I am the proof,” he declared.
“I am the proof that God exists,” Ramakrishna stated.
Vivekananda couldn’t think of anything to say because this was so insane. He was anticipating some grand philosophical explanation – “The seed sprouting and the earth spinning are proof of God.” “I am the proof that God exists,” Ramakrishna stated. Ramakrishna was stating, “The way I am is the proof.” Vivekananda couldn’t think of anything to say, so he left.
He returned three days later and requested, “OK, can you show me God?” “Do you have the guts to see?” Ramakrishna inquired. Because this was bothering him, the brave lad responded, “Yes.” So Ramakrishna simply placed his foot on Vivekananda’s chest, and Vivekananda entered a state of samadhi in which he was free of mental restrictions. He didn’t wake up for about 12 hours, and when he did, he was no longer the same youngster. After then, he never asked another question in his life.
Ramakrishna’s Message to Swami Vivekananda
It is usually clear that most masters are unable to achieve fame on their own. Because the teacher may not be highly knowledgeable about the ways of the world, they will require one good disciple to transmit the word. Everyone nowadays is discussing Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Ramakrishna’s consciousness has become exceedingly crystallised. It’s a thing. On the other hand, he was completely illiterate on a worldly level. If it hadn’t been for Vivekananda, he would have been a forgotten flower. There are so many flowers that blossom, but how many of them are noticed?
Swami Vivekanand on Women
“It’s excellent that you also support women,” a specific social reformer once said to Vivekananda, “but what must I do?” I’d like to change them. This is something I’d like to support.” “Hands off,” Vivekananda said. You don’t need to do anything about them; simply ignore them. They’ll do what needs to be done.” All that is required is this. It is not necessary for a man to reform a woman. If he just gives her space, she will do what she needs to do.