Life and Works Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was a famous disciple of Sri Ramakrishan Paramahansa , born in an affluent family in Kolkata on 12th January, 1863. Narendranath (as he was known before becoming a monk) had a mind of his own and a passion to serve people. He stressed that service to the poor and downtrodden was most sacred. He wrote one of the most brilliant pages in the history of Indian philosophical and sociological thoughts of the new times. “Vivekananda came from a rich, educated and free-thinking family: he began studying philosophical literature at a very early age. Biographers wrote that he was profoundly impressed by John Stuart Mill’s Three Essays of Religion. He studies the works of Descartes, Spinoza, Hume, Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Comte and Darwin.”1 We can have a good introduction of his life in Vivekananda: A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda. For a general observation of his life we are providing a chronology of main events of Vivekananda’s life in the end of this book. 

Works of Swami Vivekananda 

Swami Vivekananda worked on many themes. Karma Yoga (1896) , Raja Yoga (1896 [1899 edition]), Vedanta Philosophy: An address before the graduate philosophical society (First published 1896) , Lectures from Colombo to Almora (1897), Vedanta philosophy: lectures on Jnana Yoga (1902), published in his lifetime. 

And some other works published posthumously including Addresses on Bhakti Yoga , Bhakti Yoga , Complete Works. Vol 5, The East and the West , Inspired Talks (First published 1909 ) , Narada Bhakti Sutras - translated by Swami Vivekananda, Lectures from Colombo to Almora (1904), Para Bhakti or Supreme Devotion , Practical Vedanta, Jnana Yoga , Raja Yoga (1920), Speeches and writings of Swami Vivekananda; a comprehensive collection , Vivekavani (1986) – Telugu, Yoga (1987) - Telugu and My Master (1901) . 

The followings are the main articles by  Swami Vivekananda: 

Commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda Page 9 

 The Ether - New York Medical Times, Feb 1895 

 Reincarnation - The Metaphysical magazine March 1895 

 Is The Soul Immortal- New York Morning Advertiser (1895) 

 On Dr. Paul Deussen- Brahmavadin 1896 

 On Professor Max Muller - Brahmavadin 1896 

 The education that India needs - Bharati, 1897

  The Problem of Modern India and Its Solution Udbodhan Jan 14, 1899  The Bengali Language - Udbodhan 

 Knowledge Its Source and Acquirement- Udbodhan Feb 12, 1899  Modern India - Udbodhan Mar, 1899 

 Memoirs of European Travel - Udbodhan 1899 

 The Paris Congress of the History of Religions- Udbodhan 1900 

 Memoirs of European Travel -Udbodhan 1900 

It is a matter of pleasure that Swami Vivekananda's whole literature Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda published by Advaita Ashrama, 5 Dehi Entally Road, Kolkata. 

Vivekananda guided by the desire to re-orientate the Vedanta philosophy to make it the practical foundation of the struggle for building a New India, he paid considerable attention to the question of philosophical heritage as a whole. He formulated an excellent constitution which reveals his foresight. A succession of monks of the order continues to serve humanity through a networking of the Mission’s centers in India and abroad. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were among the leaders who were inspired by his life and teachings.

He was one of the first thinkers of India to call himself a socialist. He wrote, “Everything goes to show that socialism or some form of rule by the people, call it what you will, is coming on the boards. The people will certainly want the satisfaction of their material needs, less work, no oppression, no war, more food.”3 He believed that, “the oppressed and enslaved position of Indian people, their downtrodden state and general literacy, on the one hand, and fanatical religiosity, on the other, did not permit any other approach to their minds and he except Commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda Page10 through religion.”

He thought that the principle and leading force in implementing all social changes in India though only by religion. He said, “If you want to speak of politics in India, you must speak through the language of religion.”5 For him, one could rouse the lower classes in a country like India only through religion, education and instruction. He thought that, “If the poor boy cannot come to education, education must go to him.” by the thousands of Sanyasi monks go from village to village preaching religion. 

Vivekananda attributed great significance to developing in Indians the feeling of patriotism, human dignity and national pride. He espoused the idea of equality of all people, inspiring Indians confidence in their ability to perform progressive historical actions 8 and also he preached universal brotherhood through his secularism. Swami Vivekananda’s views as a progressive Indian thinker played a positive role in the development of the patriotic and national self consciousness of the peoples of India and he made a considerable contribution to our national struggle and his teachings continue motivating the masses in their lives. In the next chapters we will study his ideas on education, culture, religion and as a youth ideal.