Swami Vivekananda

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This article is about Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda. For other uses, see Swami Vivekananda (disambiguation).

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda in Chicago, September 1893. On the left Vivekananda wrote in his own handwriting:"one infinite pure and holy beyond thought beyond qualities I bow down to thee ".[1]

Born

Narendra Nath Datta 12 January 1863 Calcutta, British India

Died

4 July 1902 (aged 39) Belur Math near Calcutta, British India

Nationality

Indian

Founder of

Belur Math, Ramakrishna Math andRamakrishna Mission

Guru

Ramakrishna

Philosophy

Vedanta

Literary works

Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga

Prominent Disciple(s)

Alasinga Perumal, Swami Abhayananda,Sister Nivedita, Swami Sadananda

Influence on[show]

Quotation

Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal; ye are not matter, ye are not bodies; matter is your servant, not you the servant of matter.[2] (See more quotations in Wikiquote)

Signature

Swami Vivekananda (Bengali: [ami bibekanno] (

listen),

Shmi Bibeknando; 12 January 1863 4 July o]), was an Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple

1902), bornNarendra Nath Datta[3] (Bengali: [n end o na d

of the 19th-century saintRamakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world[4] and was credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late 19th century.[5]He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India and contributed to the notion of nationalism in colonial India. [6]Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission.[4] He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech beginning with "Sisters and Brothers of America,"[7] through which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. Born into an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta,[8] Vivekananda showed an inclination towards spirituality. He was influenced by his guru Ramakrishna from whom he learnt that all living beings were an embodiment of the divine self and, hence, service to God could be rendered by service to mankind.[9] After the death of his guru, Vivekananda toured the Indian subcontinentextensively and acquired a first-hand knowledge of the conditions that prevailed in British India.[10] He later travelled to the United States to represent India as a delegate in the 1893 Parliament of World Religions. He conducted hundreds of public and private lectures and classes, disseminating tenets of Hindu philosophy in the United States, England and Europe. In India, Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint and his birthday is celebrated as the National Youth Day.[11]

Contents
[hide]

1 Early life (18631888)

o o o o o

1.1 Birth and childhood 1.2 Early and college education 1.3 Spiritual apprenticeship 1.4 With Ramakrishna 1.5 Founding of the Ramakrishna Math

2 As a monk wandering in India (18881893)

o o o o o o

2.1 Northern India (18881890) 2.2 Return to Baranagar Math (1890) 2.3 The Himalayas (18901891) 2.4 Rajputana (1891) 2.5 Western India (18911892) 2.6 Southern India (18921893)

3 First visit to the West (18931897)

o o

3.1 Parliament of the World's Religions 3.2 Lecturing tours in America and England

4 Back in India (18971899)

o o

4.1 Colombo to Almora 4.2 Founding of the Ramakrishna Mission

5 Second visit to the West and final years (18991902) 6 Death 7 Teachings and philosophy 8 Influence and legacy

8.1 150th birthday celebration

9 Literary Works

9.1 Books by Vivekananda

10 See also 11 References

o o o

11.1 Notes 11.2 Citations 11.3 Sources

12 Further reading 13 External links

Early life (18631888)[edit]

Birth and childhood[edit]

Bhuvaneswari Devi (18411911). "I am indebted to my mother for the efflorescence of my knowledge."[12] Swami Vivekananda

Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Datta (in short, Narendra) in Calcutta, the capital of British India on 12 January 1863 during theMakar Sankranti festival. He belonged to a traditional Bengali Kayastha (a caste of Hindus) family and was one of nine siblings.[13] His father, Vishwanath Datta, was an attorney of Calcutta High Court.[14] Durgacharan Datta, Narendra's grandfather, was a Sankrit and Persian scholar[15] who left his family and became a monk at the age of twenty five.[16] Narendra's mother Bhuvaneswari Devi was a religious housewife.[15] The progressive rational approach of Narendra's father and the religious temperament of his mother helped shape his thinking and personality.[17][18] Young Narendra had interest on spirituality and used to play by meditating before the images of deities such as Shiva, Rama, and Sita.[19]He was fascinated by the wandering ascetics and monks.[18] He was naughty and restless as a child, and his parents often faced trouble controlling him. His mother told "I prayed to Shiva for a son and he has sent me one of his demons."[20]

Early and college education[edit]

In 1871 Narendra was enrolled in Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's Metropolitan Institution where he studied until his family moved to Raipur in 1877.[21] In 1879, after the family returned to Calcutta, he passed the entrance

examination in the first division from the Presidency College. In that year, he was the only student of his college obtaining first division marks.[22] Narendra was a voracious reader.[23] He was interested in a wide range of subjects such as philosophy, religion, history, the social sciences, arts, and literature. [24] He evinced interest in the Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. He trained inIndian classical music,[25] and participated in physical exercise, sports, and organisational activities.[24] Narendra studied western logic, western philosophy and history of European nations in the General Assembly's Institution (now known as the Scottish Church College).[26][27] In 1881 he passed the Fine Arts examination and in 1884 he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree.[28][29] He studied the works 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.[30][31]Narendra became fascinated with the evolutionism of Herbert Spencer and had correspondence with him;[32][33] he translated Spencer's book Education (1861) into Bengali. Alongside his study of Western philosophers, he was thoroughly acquainted with Indian Sanskrit scriptures and many Bengali works.[31] Dr. William Hastie, principal of General Assembly's Institution, 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."[30] Some accounts regard Narendra as a srutidharaa man with prodigious memory.[34][35][36]

Spiritual apprenticeship[edit]
Narendra became the member of a Freemason's lodge and of a breakaway faction of the Brahmo Samaj led by Keshub Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore.[27][37][38] His initial beliefs were shaped by Brahmo concepts, which included belief in a formless God and deprecation of the worship of idols.[39] At this time Narendra met Brahmo Samaj leader Debendranath Tagore and directly asked him the question if he had seen God. Tagore did not reply to that question, but told "My boy, you have the Yogi's eyes."[40] Not satisfied with knowledge of philosophy, Narendra wondered if God and religion could be made a part of one's growing experiences and deeply internalised. He went about asking prominent residents of contemporary Calcutta whether they had come "face to face with God (Maa Kali)" but could not get answers which satisfied him.[41][42]

With Ramakrishna[edit]

Ramakrishna, guru of Vivekananda.

Narendra's first introduction to the saint Ramakrishna occurred in a literature class in General Assembly's Institution, when he heard Professor William Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth's poem The Excursion.[43][44] While explaining the word "trance" in the poem, Hastie suggested his students to visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to know the real meaning of trance. This prompted some of his students, including Narendra, to visit Ramakrishna.[27][45][46] Narendra's cousin Ramchandra Datta also suggested him to meet the saint.[47] This meeting with Ramakrishna in November 1881 proved to be a turning point in Narendra's life.[48] Though he did not accept Ramakrishna as his teacher initially and revolted against his ideas, he was attracted by his personality and started visiting him at Dakshineswar frequently.[49] He initially looked upon Ramakrishna's ecstasies and visions as "mere figments of imagination",[17] and "hallucinations".[50]As a member of Brahmo Samaj, he was against idol worship and polytheism and also against Ramakrishna's worship of Kali.[51] He even rejected the Advaitist Vedantism of "identity with absolute" as blasphemy and madness, and often made fun of the concept.[50] Though at first Narendra could not accept Ramakrishna and his visions, he did not neglect him. Instead, he tested Ramakrishna, who faced all of his arguments and examinations with patience"Try to see the truth from all angles" was his reply.[49] Narendra's father's sudden death in 1884 left the family bankrupt. Creditors started to ask for returning the money that his father borrowed. Relatives threatened to evict the family from the ancestral house. Narendra, once a son of rich family, became one of the poorest students in his college.[52] He attempted to find a job but was unsuccessful. At this time he questioned God's existence,[53] but found solace in Ramakrishna, and his visits to Dakshineswar increased.[54] He gradually became ready to renounce everything for the sake of realising God. He accepted Ramakrishna as his guru.[49]

In 1885, Ramakrishna developed throat cancer and was transferred to Calcutta and later to a garden house in Cossipore. Narendra and Ramakrishna's other disciples took care of him during his final days. Narendra's spiritual education under Ramakrishna continued. At Cossipore, he experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi.[55] He and some of the other disciples received the ochre monastic robes from Ramakrishna, forming the first monastic order of Ramakrishna.[56] He was taught that service to men was the most effective worship of God.[17][57] Ramakrishna asked him to take care of other monastic disciples and in turn asked them to look upon Narendra as their leader.[58] Ramakrishna died in the early morning hours of 16 August 1886 in Cossipore.[58]

Founding of the Ramakrishna Math[edit]

Vivekananda (standing, third from left) and other disciples of Ramakrishna in Baranagar Math, in 1887[59]

After the death of Ramakrishna, his devotees and admirers stopped funding. The unpaid rents soon piled up and Narendra and other disciples of Ramakrishna had to find a new place to live. [60] Many of the disciples returned home and became inclined towards a Grihastha (family-oriented) life.[61] Narendra decided to make a dilapidated house at Baranagar the new math(monastery) for remaining disciples. The rent of the Baranagar Math was cheap and it was funded by "holy begging" (mdhukar). In his book Swami Vivekananda: A Reassessment, Narasingha Prosad Sil writes, "the Math was an adult male haven, a counterculture community of freedomseeking youths on the fringe of society and the city".[62] The math became the first building of theRamakrishna Maththe monastery of the monastic order of Ramakrishna.[48] Narendra later reminisced about the early days in the monastery:[63]

We underwent a lot of religious practice at the Baranagar Math. We used to get up at 3:00 am and become absorbed in japa and meditation. What a strong spirit of detachment we had in those days! We had no thought even as to whether the world existed or not.

In January 1887, Narendra and eight other disciples took formal monastic vows. Narendra took the name of Swami Bibidishananda. Later in 1893, he was given the name Vivekananda by Ajit Singh, the Maharaja of Khetri.[64] In January 1899 the Baranagar Math was transferred to Belur in the Howrah district, now known as the Belur Math.[65]

As a monk wandering in India (18881893)[edit]

In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery as a Parivrjaka the Hindu religious life of a wandering monk, "without fixed abode, without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go."[66] His sole possessions were a kamandalu (water pot), staff, and his two favourite booksBhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ.[67] Vivekananda travelled extensively in India for five years, visiting centres of learning, acquainting himself with the diverse religious traditions and different patterns of social life. [68][69] He developed a sympathy for the suffering and poverty of the masses and resolved to uplift the nation.[68][70] Living mainly on bhiksha (alms), Vivekananda travelled on foot and railway tickets bought by his admirers whom he met during the travels. During these travels he made acquaintance and stayed with Indians from all walks of life and religionsscholars, dewans,rajas, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, pariahs (low caste workers) and government officials.[70]

Northern India (18881890)[edit]

In 1888, Narendranath's first destination was Varanasi where he visited the places where Gautama Buddha and Adi Shankara preached.[71][72] Here he met the Bengali writer,Bhudev Mukhopadhyay and the Hindu saint Trailanga Swami.[73] after the meeting with Narendranath Bhudev Mukhopadhyay remarked "such vast experience and insight at such an early age! I am sure he will be a great man." [71] Narendranath also met Babu Pramadadas Mitra, the noted Sanskrit scholar, with whom he corresponded on the interpretation of the Hindu scriptures.[74] After Varanasi he visited Ayodhya, Lucknow, Agra, Vrindavan, Hathras and Rishikesh.[72] At Hathras, Narendranath met Sharat Chandra Gupta, a railway station master who later became one of his earliest disciples as Sadananda.[75][76] When Narandranath met Gupta, Gupta took him to his house. At Gupta's house Narendranath asked Gupta for food. Gupta quoted a Persian poem in reply which meant "Oh Beloved, I shall prepare the most delicious dish with the flesh of my heart."[77] Between 1888 and 1890, he visited Vaidyanath and Allahabad. From Allahabad, he went on to Ghazipur, where he met Pavhari Baba,[78] an Advaita Vedanta ascetic who used to spend most of his time in meditation.[79]

Return to Baranagar Math (1890)[edit]

In the first half of 1890, after the deaths of Balaram Bose and Suresh Chandra Mitra, two disciples of Ramakrishna, Narendra returned to Baranagar math because of ill health and to arrange for monetary funds for the math. After doing the works there in July 1890 he decided to leave the math once again.[76]

The Himalayas (18901891)[edit]

In July 1890, accompanied by the fellow monk Swami Akhandananda (also a disciple of Ramakrishna), Vivekananda visited the Himalayas. This constituted the first phase of his journey that would encompass the West.[76][80] He visited Nainital, Almora, Srinagar, Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar. During these travels, he

met Swami Brahmananda,Saradananda, Turiyananda and Advaitananda. They stayed at Meerut for some days engaged in meditation, prayer and study of scriptures. At the end of January 1891, Vivekananda left his fellows and journeyed to Delhi.[80][81]

Rajputana (1891)[edit]

After the death of Ramakrishna, in January 1887 Vivekananda (then Narendranath Datta) and eight other disciples of Ramakrishna took formal monastic vow in Baranagar math. In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery of Baranagar and started his life as a wandering monk. Both these images were taken during this phase.[82]

See also: Ajit Singh of Khetri#Relationship with Swami Vivekananda After visiting historical sites at Delhi, Vivekananda journeyed towards Alwar in Rajputana. Later Vivekananda journeyed to Jaipur, where he studied Panini's Ashtadhyayi with a Sanskrit scholar. He next travelled toAjmer, where he visited the palace of Akbar and the Dargah Sharif. At Mount Abu, he met Raja Ajit Singh of Khetri,

who became his ardent devotee and supporter. Swami Tathagatananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order wrote of the relationship: Swami Vivekananda's friendship with Maharaja Ajit Singh of Khetri was enacted against the backdrop of Khetri, a sanctified town in Northern Rajasthan, characterized by its long heroic history and independent spirit. Destiny brought Swamiji and Ajit Singh together on 4 June 1891 at Mount Abu, where their friendship gradually developed through their mutual interest in significant spiritual and secular topics. The friendship intensified when they travelled to Khetri and it became clear that theirs was the most sacred friendship, that of a Guru and his disciple.[83] At Khetri, he delivered discourses to the Raja, became acquainted with the pandit Ajjada Adibhatla Narayana Dasu, and studied Mahbhya on sutras of Panini. After two and a half months there, in October 1891, he proceeded towards Maharastra.[70][84]

Western India (18911892)[edit]

Vivekananda visited Ahmedabad, Wadhwan and Limbdi. At Ahmedabad, he completed his studies of Islamic and Jain culture.[70] At Limbdi, he met Thakur Saheb Jaswant Singh, who had himself been to England and America. From Thakur Saheb, he first got the idea of going to the West to preach Vedanta. He later visited Junagadh, where he was the guest of Haridas Viharidas Desai, the Dewan of the State. The Diwan was so charmed with his company that every evening he, with all the State officials, used to meet Vivekananda and converse with him until late at night. Vivekananda also visited Girnar, Kutch, Porbander, Dwaraka, Palitana,Nadiad, Nadiad ni haveli and Baroda. At Porbander, he stayed three quarters of a year, furthering his philosophical and Sanskrit studies with learned pandits.[70] Vivekananda's next destinations included Mahabaleshwar, Pune, Khandwa and Indore. At Kathiawar, he heard of the Parliament of the World's Religions and was urged by his followers there to attend it. After a brief stay in Bombay in July 1892, he met Bal Gangadhar Tilak during a train journey.[85] After staying with Tilak for a few days in Pune,[86]Vivekananda travelled to Belgaum in October 1892 and to Panaji and Margao in Goa. He spent three days in the Rachol Seminary, the oldest convent of Goa, where rare religious manuscripts and printed works in Latin were preserved. There, he studied Christian theological works.[87]

Southern India (18921893)[edit]

Vivekananda Rock Memorial on Vivekananda rock at Kanyakumari, India

Later Vivekananda travelled to Bangalore, where he became acquainted with K. Seshadri Iyer, the Dewan of the Mysore state, and stayed at the palace as a guest of the Maharaja of Mysore, Chamaraja Wodeyar. Iyer described Vivekananda as "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 introductionto the Dewan of Cochin and got him a railway ticket.[88] From Bangalore, he visited Trichur, Kodungalloor, and Ernakulam. At Ernakulam, he met Chattampi Swamikal, contemporary of Narayana Guru, in early December 1892.[89] From Ernakulam, he travelled to Trivandrum, Nagercoil and reached Kanyakumari on foot during the Christmas Eve of 1892.[90] At Kanyakumari, Vivekananda meditated on the "last bit of Indian rock", known later as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. At Kanyakumari, Vivekananda had the "Vision of one India", also commonly called "The Kanyakumari resolve of 1892".[91] He wrote,

"At Cape Camorin sitting in Mother Kumari's temple, sitting on the last bit of Indian rockI hit upon a plan: We are so many sanyasis wandering about, and teaching the people metaphysicsit is all madness. Did not our Gurudeva use 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."[91][92]

From Kanyakumari he visited Madurai, where he met the Raja of Ramnad, Bhaskara Sethupathi, to whom he had a letter of introduction. The Raja became his disciple and urged him to go to the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. From Madurai, he visited Rameswaram, Pondicherry and Madras and there he met some of his most devoted disciples, who played important roles in collecting funds for his voyage to America and later in establishing the Ramakrishna Mission in Madras. 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 Vivekanandathe name suggested by the Maharaja of Khetri, Ajit Singh.[92]

First visit to the West (18931897)[edit]

Vivekananda visited several cities in Japan such as Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo,[93] and some places in China and Canada en route to the United States.[94] He arrived at Chicago in July 1893.[94] However, to his disappointment he learnt that no one without credentials from a bona fide organisation would be accepted as a delegate. He came in contact with Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University who invited him to speak at the university.[95] On learning that Vivekananda lacked credentials to speak at the Chicago 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."[96] 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."[96]

Parliament of the World's Religions[edit]

Main article: Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of the World's Religions (1893)

Swami Vivekananda on the platform of the Parliament of Religions September 1893. On the platform (left to right) Virchand Gandhi,Dharmapala, Swami Vivekananda[97]

Parliament of the World's Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of the World's Columbian Exposition.[98] On this day Vivekananda gave his first brief speech. He represented India and Hinduism.[99] He was initially nervous, bowed to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning and began his speech with, "Sisters and brothers of America!".[95][100] 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 on behalf 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." [101] He quoted two illustrative passages from the Shiva mahimna stotram"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."[101] Despite being a short speech, it voiced the spirit of the Parliament and its sense of universality. [101][102] 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."[100] 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."[103] The American newspapers reported Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most popular and influential man in the parliament".[104] The Boston Evening Transcript reported that

Vivekananda was "a great favourite at the parliament...if he merely crosses the platform, he is applauded".[105] He spoke several more times at the Parliament on topics related to Hinduism, Buddhism and harmony of religions. The parliament ended on 27 September 1893. All his speeches at the Parliament had the common theme of universality, and emphasised religious tolerance.[106]

Lecturing tours in America and England[edit]

"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."[107]

Following the Parliament of Religions, Vivekananda spent nearly two years lecturing in various parts of eastern and central United States, mostly in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and New York. He founded the "Vedanta Society of New York" in 1894.[108] By the spring of 1895, his busy and tiring schedule led to poor health.[109] He stopped lecturing tours, and started giving free and private classes on Vedanta andYoga. Starting in June 1895, he conducted private lectures to a dozen of his disciples at the Thousand Island Park in New York for two months.[109] During his first visit to the West, he travelled to England twicein 1895 and 1896. His lectures were successful there.[110] There in November 1895, he met Margaret Elizabeth Noble, an Irish lady, who would later become Sister Nivedita.[109] During his second visit to England in May 1896, Vivekananda met Max Mller, a noted Indologist from Oxford University who wrote Ramakrishna's first biography in the West.[102] From England, he also visited other European countries. In Germany he met Paul Deussen, another Indologist.[111]Vivekananda was offered academic positions in two American universitiesone for the chair of Eastern Philosophy at Harvard Universityand another similar position at Columbia Universitywhich he declined since such duties would conflict with his commitment as a monk. [109]

Swami Vivekananda in Greenacre, Maine in August 1894[112]

Vivekananda attracted several followers and admirers in the US and Europe, such as Josephine MacLeod, William James, Josiah Royce,Robert G. Ingersoll, Nikola Tesla, Lord Kelvin, Harriet Monroe, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Sarah Bernhardt, Emma Calv, and Professor Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz.[17][109][111][113] He initiated several followers into his mission; Marie Louise, a French woman, becameSwami Abhayananda, and Mr. Leon Landsberg, became Swami Kripananda.[114] From West, Vivekananda also set his work back in India in motion. He was in regular correspondence with his followers and brother monks,[nb 1] offering advice and monetary funds. His letters in this period reflect motives of his campaign for social service,[115] and often contained strong words.[116] 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."[117][118] Eventually in 1895, money sent by Vivekananda was used to start the periodical Brahmavadin, for the purpose of teaching the Vedanta.[119] Later, Vivekananda's translation of first six chapters of The Imitation of Christ was published in Brahmavadin (1889).[120] Vivekananda left for India on 16 December 1896 from England with his disciples, Captain and Mrs. Sevier, and J.J. Goodwin. On the way they visited France and Italy, and set sail for India from the Port of Naples on 30 December 1896.[121] He was later followed to India by Sister Nivedita. Nivedita devoted the rest of her life to the education of Indian women and the cause of India's independence.[109][122]

Back in India (18971899)[edit]

Vivekananda at Chennai 1897

Colombo to Almora[edit]
The ship from Europe arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 15 January 1897.[123] Vivekananda received an ecstatic welcome. In Colombo, he gave what constitutes his first public speech in the East, India, the Holy Land. From

there on, his journey to Calcutta was a triumphal progress. He travelled from Colombo to Pamban, Rameswaram, Ramnad, Madurai, Kumbakonam and Madras delivering lectures. People and Rajas gave him enthusiastic reception. During his train journeys, people often squatted on the rails to enforce stopping of the train to hear him.[123] From Madras, he continued his journey to Calcutta and then to Almora. While in the West he talked of India's great spiritual heritage; on return to India he repeatedly addressed social issuesuplift of the population, getting rid of the caste system, promotion of science, industrialisation of the country, addressing the widespread poverty, and the end of the colonial rule. These lectures, published as Lectures from Colombo to Almora, show his nationalistic fervour and spiritual ideology.[124] His speeches had influence on the contemporaneous and subsequent Indian leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bipin Chandra Pal, Balgangadhar Tilak andNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose.[125][126]

Founding of the Ramakrishna Mission[edit]

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, a branch of theRamakrishna Math, founded on 19 March 1899, later published many of Swami Vivekananda's work, now publishes Prabuddha Bharata journal

On 1 May 1897 at Calcutta, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Missionthe organ for social service. The ideals of the Ramakrishna Mission are based on Karma Yoga.[127][128] Its governing body consists of the trustees of the Ramakrishna Maththe organ to carry out religious works.[129] Both Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission have their headquarters at Belur Math.[102][130] He founded two other monasteriesone at Mayavati on the Himalayas, near Almora, called the Advaita Ashrama and another at Madras. Two journals were started, Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbhodan in Bengali.[131] The same year, thefamine relief work was started by Swami Akhandananda at Murshidabad district.[102][129] Vivekananda had earlier inspired Jamsetji Tata to set up a research and educational institution when they had travelled together fromYokohama to Chicago on Vivekananda's first visit to the West in 1893. Now Tata requested him to head the Research Institute of Science that Tata had established; he declined the offer citing conflict with his "spiritual interests".[132][133][134] Vivekananda visited Punjab where he tried to mediate ideological conflict between Arya Samaj (a reformist movement of Hinduism) and Sanatans (orthodox Hindus).[135] After brief visits to Lahore,[129] Delhi and Khetri, he returned to Calcutta in January 1898. He consolidated the works of math and trained disciples over the next several months. He composed Khandana Bhava Bandhana, a prayer song dedicated to Ramakrishna in 1898.[136]

Second visit to the West and final years (18991902)[edit]

Swami Vivekananda the photo was taken in Bushnell Studio in San Francisco, 1900.[137]

The Swami Vivekananda temple at Belur Math, on the place where he was cremated.

Despite declining health, Vivekananda left for the West for the second time in June 1899. [138] He was accompanied by Sister Nivedita and Swami Turiyananda. Following a short stay in England, he went to the United States. During this visit, he established the Vedanta societiesat San Francisco and New York. He also founded "Shanti Ashrama" (peace retreat) at California.[139] From US, he reached Paris to attend the Congress of Religions in 1900.[140] His lectures in Paris dwelt on worship of Linga and authenticity of the Gita.[139] Then he visitedBrittany, Vienna, Istanbul, Athens and Egypt. The French philosopher Jules Bois was his host for most of this period.[139] He returned to Calcutta on 9 December 1900.[139]

Following a brief visit to Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, he settled at Belur Math from where he continued to coordinate the works of Ramakrishna Mission and Math, and also the works in England and America. Many visitors came to him in these days, including royalties and politicians. He was unable to join the Congress of Religions in 1901 in Japan due to deteriorating health. He, however, went for pilgrimages to Bodhgaya and Varanasi.[141] Declining health and ailments such as asthma, diabetes and chronic insomnia restricted his activities.[142]

Death[edit]
On 4 July 1902, the day of his death, Vivekananda woke up very early in the morning, went to chapel and meditated for three hours. He taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda, Sanskrit grammar, and yoga philosophy to pupils in the morning at Belur Math.[143][144] He discussed with colleagues a plan to start a Vedic college in the Ramakrishna Math, and carried out usual conversation. At seven p.m. he went into his room and asked not to be disturbed.[143] Vivekananda died at ten minutes past nine p.m. while he was meditating.[145] According to his disciples, Vivekananda attained Mahasamadhi.[146] Rupture of blood vessels in the brain was reported as a possible cause of the death.[147]His disciples believed that rupture was on account of Brahmarandhra the aperture in the crown of the head being pierced when he attained Mahasamadhi. Vivekananda had fulfilled his own prophecy of not living to be forty years old.[148] He was cremated on sandalwoodfuneral pyre on the bank of Ganga in Belur. On the other bank of the river, Ramakrishna had been cremated sixteen years before.[149]

Teachings and philosophy[edit]

Main article: Teachings and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda
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Vivekananda believed a country's future depends on its people; his teachings focused on the development of the masses.[150] He wan ed o se in mo ion a machine y which will bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even he poo es and he meanes .[151]Vivekananda believed that the essence of Hinduism was best expressed in the Vedanta philosophy, based on the interpretation of Adi Shankara. He summarised the Vedanta's teachings as follows:[152]

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 mental discipline, or philosophyby one, or more, or all of theseand be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details.

Vivekananda linked morality with the control of mind. He saw truth, purity and unselfishness as traits which strengthened the mind.[153] He advised his followers to be holy, unselfish and have Shraddha (faith). He supported practice of Brahmacharya (celibacy),[154] and believed that such practice was the source of his physical and mental stamina, as well as eloquence.[155] Vivekananda emphasised that success was an outcome of focused thought and action. In his lectures on Raja Yoga, he said, "Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced."[156]

Influence and legacy[edit]

Swami Vivekananda statue nearGateway of India, Mumbai.

Vivekananda revitalised Hinduism within and outside India. He was the principal reason behind the enthusiastic reception of yoga, transcendental meditation, and other forms of Indian spiritual self-improvement in the West.[157] Professor Agehananda Bharati explained that, "...modern Hindus derive their knowledge of Hinduism from Vivekananda, directly or indirectly."[158] Vivekananda espoused the idea that all sects within Hinduism and, indeed, all religions, are different paths to the same goal.[159] This view, however, has been criticised for oversimplification of Hinduism.[159] In the background of germinating nationalism in the British-ruled India, Vivekananda crystallised the nationalistic ideal. In the words of the social reformer Charles Freer Andrews, "The Swami's intrepid patriotism gave a new colour to the national movement throughout India. More than any other single individual of that period Vivekananda had made his contribution to the new awakening of India."[160] Vivekananda drew the attention towards the prevalence of poverty in the country, and maintained that addressing such poverty was prerequisite for the national awakening.[161] His nationalistic thoughts influenced scores of Indian thinkers and leaders. Sri Aurobindo regarded Vivekananda as the one who awakened India spiritually.[162] Gandhi counted him among the few Hindu reformers "who have maintained this Hindu religion in a state of splendor by cutting down the dead wood of tradition."[163] The first governor general of independent India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, said "Vivekananda saved Hinduism, saved India."[164]According to Subhas Chandra Bose, a major proponent of armed struggle for Indian independence, Vivekananda was "the maker of modern India";[165] for Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda's influence increased his "love for his country a thousandfold." Vivekananda influenced India's independence movement;[166] his writings inspired a whole generation of freedom fighters such as Netaji Subhas Chandra

Bose, Aurobindo Ghose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bagha Jatin. Many years after Vivekananda's death, Rabindranath Tagore told French Nobel LaureateRomain Rolland,[167] "If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative." Rolland himself wrote that "His words are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Hndel 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!"[168] Jamsetji Tata was influenced by Vivekananda to establish the Indian Institute of Scienceone of India's best known research universities.[134] Abroad, Vivekananda had interactions with Max Mller. Scientist Nikola Tesla was one of those influenced by the Vedic philosophy teachings of Vivekananda. On 11 November 1995, a section of Michigan Avenue, a major thoroughfare in downtown Chicago, was renamed "Swami Vivekananda Way".[169] National Youth Day in India is observed on his birthday, 12 January.[170] He is projected as a role model for youth by the Indian government as well as non-government organisations and personalities.[170][171] In September 2010, India's Finance Ministry highlighted the relevance of teachings and values of Vivekananda in the modern competitive environment. The Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, approved in principle the "Swami Vivekananda Values Education Project" at the cost of 1 billion (US$17 million) with the objectives

such as involving the youth through competitions, essays, discussions and study circles and publishing Vivekananda's complete work in different languages.[172] In 2011, West Bengal Police Training College was renamed as "Swami Vivekananda State Police Academy, West Bengal".[173] The state technical university of Chhattisgarh has been named as Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University. [174] In 2012, the airport in Raipur was renamed as Swami Vivekananda Airport.[175]

150th birthday celebration[edit]

Main article: 150th birthday of Swami Vivekananda The 150th birthday of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated all over India and in different countries of the world. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports of India decided to observe 2013 as the year of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.[176] Year-long events and programs were organised by different branches of Ramakrishna Math, Ramakrishna Mission, central government and different state governments of India, education institutions, youth groups etc. Bengali film director Tutu (Utpal) Sinha made a film The Light: Swami Vivekananda as a tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his150th birth anniversary.[177]