Hindu philosopher, born in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), E India. He studied in a Western-style university, and first joined the Brahmo Samaj, attracted by its policy of social reform. Later, he met Ramakrishna and became his leading disciple, establishing the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Order at Belur Math on the Ganges, near Calcutta. He attempted to combine Indian spirituality with Western materialism, and became the main force behind the Vedanta movement in the West.
| Swami Vivekananda | |
|---|---|
| Swami Vivekananda in London, 1896 | |
| Born |
12 January 1863 Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Died |
4 July 1902 Belur Math near Kolkata |
Swami Vivekananda (Bengali: স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ Shami Bibekanondo), whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta (নরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত Nôrendronath Dotto) (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902) was one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the Vedanta philosophy. He was the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and was the founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
Biography
Birth and early life
Narendranath Dutta was born in Shimla Pally, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on January 12, 1863 as the son of Viswanath Dutta and Bhuvaneswari Devi.
In 1879, Narendra entered the Presidency College, Calcutta for higher studies.
Questions started to arise in young Narendra's mind about God and the presence of God.
With Ramakrishna
Narendra met Ramakrishna for the first time in November 1881.
Though Narendra could not accept Ramakrishna and his visions, he could not neglect him.
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.
Wanderings in India
Soon, the young monks of Baranagore 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. During these days, Vivekananda assumed various names like Vividishananda, Satchidananda, etc., It is said that he was given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri for his discernment of things, good and bad.
During these wandering days, Vivekananda stayed on king's palaces, as well as the huts of the poor. Vivekananda observed the imbalance in society and tyranny in the name of caste.
Vivekananda went to Madras and spoke about his plans for India and Hinduism to the young men of Madras. Thus, helped by his friends at Chennai, Bhaskara Sethupathi, Raja of Ramnad and Maharajas of Mysore and Khetri, Vivekananda set out on his journey to the USA. But he decided and encouraged Swami Vivekananda was the right person to participate and represent the views of Hinduism in the Parliament of World Religions.
In the West
Vivekananda was received well at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where he delivered a series of lectures. He also 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 not as merely an exotic eastern oddity, but as a vital religious and philosophical tradition that might actually have something important to teach the West.
Back in India
Admirers and devotees of Vivekananda gave him an enthusiastic reception on his return to India.
However, he had to bear great criticism from other orthodox Hindus for having travelled in -- what they perceived to be -- the impure West.
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.
Principles and philosophy
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Part of a series on Hindu philosophy |
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| Schools | |
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| Samkhya · Nyaya | |
| Vaisheshika · Yoga | |
| Purva Mimamsa · Vedanta | |
| Schools of Vedanta | |
| Advaita · Vishishtadvaita | |
| Dvaita | |
| Important figures | |
| Kapila · Gotama | |
| Kanada · Patañjali | |
| Jaimini · Vyasa | |
| Medieval | |
| Adi Shankara · Ramanuja | |
| Madhva · Madhusudana | |
| Vedanta Desika · Jayatirtha | |
| Modern | |
| Ramakrishna · Ramana | |
| Vivekananda · Narayana Guru | |
| Aurobindo ·Sivananda | |
| Satyananda ·Nisargadatta | |
| Lakshmanjoo | |
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Vivekananda was a renowned thinker in his own right.
Swami Vivekananda belonged to that branch of Vedanta that held that no one can be truly free until all of us are.
However, Vivekananda also pleaded for a strict separation between religion and government ("church and state"). 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.
Vivekanda advised his followers to be holy, unselfish and have shraddha (faith).
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.
Interaction with notable contemporaries
Many years after his death, Rabindranath Tagore (a prominent member of the Brahmo Samaj) had said: If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. Incidentally, in the earlier years Tagore did not have much respect for Swami Vivekananda for his idol-worshipping. On the other hand, Vivekananda was not particularly impressed by Tagore, though he had been interacting with Tagore's father Maharshi Debendra Nath. Vivekananda was a very good singer and used to sing lots of Bhajans, including about twelve written and composed by Tagore.
Mahatma Gandhi who strived for a lot of reform in Hinduism himself, said: Swami Vivekananda's writings need no introduction from anybody.
Though it may not be obvious, Swami Vivekananda inspired India's freedom struggle movement. Most prominent among them are Bagha Jatin andSubhash Chandra Bose:
Miscellaneous
The turban that Vivekananda used to wear is generally believed to be suggested by Maharaja of Khetri.
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