Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda’s original name was Narendra Nath Datta. He was a charismatic figure whose talks, writings, stories, and poems inspired not only Indian youth but also people from different castes and religions across the world. He was a brilliant thinker, philosopher, and philanthropist. His extraordinary efforts continue to enlighten and awaken the underprivileged section of India. He established the Ramakrishna Mission, which is still operational till date. By the words of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda is the “maker of modern India”.  He was the prodigy from Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. 

Background & Life History

The early life of Swami Vivekananda was very much about developing his interest in learning about philosophy, religion, history, ayurveda, and spirituality under his Guru Ramakrishna Paramhansa, he was a big devotee of him till his last breath. 

He was interested in many subjects like science, engineering. He could meditate for hours in front of Hindu Gods. He was amongst the greatest and most influential people who have contributed a lot in the field of philosophy. 

For the rejuvenation of India, he placed the most focus on education and urged for effective teaching. According to him, a country’s progress is proportional to the quality of education it provides to its citizens. He was adamant about educating women and those from lower castes.

He introduced Indian philosophy of Yoga and Vedanta to the world. Once Maharaja Ajit Singh who was the ruler of Khetri state, advised him to change his name to Vivekananda in 1893, previously he had used “Sachidananda” after his name. 

He initiated the Ramakrishna Mission after the good name of his Guru Ramakrishna Paramhansa in May 1897. He is credited with popularising interfaith dialogue by exposing Hinduism on the world stage in the late 1800s. He was the representative India sent at the first Parliament of Religions conference held in Chicago, U.S. in 1893.

Contributions 

• Swami Vivekananda was the greatest spiritual leader, inspiring India’s youth to become better people by living a pure life and setting an example for the rest of the world.
• Yoga is an Indian physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that dates back thousands of years. Yoga’s literal meaning is to join with something or unite with something in the abstract sense and it represents the union of body and awareness.
• Vedanta is one of the six principles of Hindu philosophy, and it is founded on the understanding of the Upanishads. Its goal was to learn more about the term “Brahman” (ultimate Reality). It considers Veda to be the ultimate source of knowledge, whose authority cannot be questioned.
• He brought the concept of  ‘neo-Vedanta,’ the eastern version of hinduism which was broadly based on combining the ideas of spirituality and material advancements together. Neo-Vedanta is a modern Vedantic approach that adopts a liberal following to the Vedas. While rejecting Shankara’s “universal illusionism,” it reconciles dualism with nondualism.
• His most famous lecture was given in Chicago in 1893 before the Parliament of the World’s Religions. He began by greeting the crowd with, “My brothers and sisters of America,” then further went on to explain the relevance of universal acceptance, compassion, and religion for our country.
• He began giving free lectures as a consultation in several locations around the United States and also in the United Kingdom, and everyone started knowing him as the ‘Messenger of Indian Wisdom to the Western World.’
• In 1897, he returned to India and initiated the Ramakrishna Mission whose goal was to deliver thoughts and bring some action equipment that would transfer  the wisest and noblest thoughts to the weakest across the world. He went on a tour across India, suggesting and consulting with people on how to work on their economic sufferings as well as giving practical wisdom. Just after this tour, he founded the Belur Math, which served as his permanent residence in the year 1898.
• He brought a new perspective in the field of morality and ethics principle based on the Soul (Atman) inherent oneness and purity. According to him, ethics is nothing but a code of behaviour that advises a human to become a good citizen for its nation. He tried to promote harmony and universal brotherhood.
• His understanding of religion as a general phenomenon of transcending reality shared by all humanity is one of his most major contributions. The hold of myths, religious dogma, occult rituals, and opinions on religion was difficult to digest by the universal vision. He believed that service to mankind is the ultimate devotion one can perform to meet the manifestation of God. 
• Swami Vivekananda was known for his extensive knowledge and understanding in both science and religious spectrum, and his preaching to the Western world proved how both science and faith can co-exist together peacefully.
• Swami Vivekananda described four paths to liberation from worldly pursuits and ties in his books: Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga.
• He thought that if modern youth are strong-willed, nothing is difficult for them to do in the world. With his teachings, courses, and writings, he influenced a generation of young people across the country.
• On January 12, his birthday is honoured as National Youth Day, and the week that follows is celebrated as National Youth Week. “A man is not poor if he doesn’t have a rupee, but a man is desperately poor without a desire and ambition,” states one of his numerous statements.

Conclusion

Swami Vivekananda was a leading figure in Neo-Vedanta, a modernised version of certain components of Hinduism based on western mystical traditions such as Spiritualism, New Thought, and Occultism. His redefinition was and continues to be extremely successful, resulting in a new awareness and acceptance of Hinduism both within and outside of India, and was a major factor in the enthusiastic acceptance of yoga, transcendental meditation, and other types of Indian spiritual self-improvement practices in the U.S and other parts of the globe.