News: The Vice President of India paid floral tributes to Swami Vivekananda on National Youth Day.
About Swami Vivekananda
- Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk, spiritual leader, and reformer who played a major role in spreading Vedanta philosophy.
- He was originally named Narendranath Datta and was born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata.
- From a young age, Narendranath had mystical experiences and became deeply curious about the existence of God.
- In 1881, he met Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, who later became his spiritual guru.
- Life as monk: Around 1890, Vivekananda travelled across India as a wandering monk under the names Vividishananda and Sachchidananda. During his travels, he met people from different social classes and studied the social and religious conditions of India.
- World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893): Vivekananda represented Hinduism at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.
- His speeches were deeply inspiring and emphasized harmony, peace, and acceptance of all religions.
- He became famous as a captivating orator, and newspapers described him as “an orator by divine right.”
- In his final address, he stated that the message of all religions should be “Help and not fight, assimilation and not destruction, harmony and peace and not dissension.”
- Founding of Organizations: After returning to India in 1897, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission to organize humanitarian and spiritual activities. He also established Ramakrishna Math at Belur, West Bengal, to train young monks and serve as a spiritual center.
- He established Vedanta Societies in New York (1894) and San Francisco (1900), which spread Vedanta philosophy in the West.
- Philosophy and Teaching:
- His philosophy is based on Vedanta, which highlights the divinity of the soul, the oneness of all existence, and the importance of self-realization
- He believed in a universal religion, teaching that all faiths are different paths leading to the same ultimate truth, promoting tolerance and religious harmony.
- He emphasized service to humanity with the principle “Jiva is Shiva,” meaning helping others is equivalent to serving God
- He popularized Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, teaching that duties should be performed without attachment to results and dedicated to the divine.
- Contribution:
- He was India’s first cultural ambassador to the West, promoting Hinduism, Indian spirituality, and culture globally while countering negative stereotypes.
- He emphasized the harmony of science and religion, advocated selfless action, and stressed the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita in guiding life and social service.
- Vivekananda championed social reforms, opposing untouchability, caste discrimination, and superstition, while promoting women’s education, equality, and the upliftment of the poor.
- He inspired nationalism, universal brotherhood, and spiritual renaissance, awakening Indian pride and integrating material progress with spiritual growth.
- His birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India since 1985.
- He died on July 4, 1902, near Calcutta at the age of 39.
- The Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari commemorates his meditation before leaving for Chicago in 1893.
