Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Facts about Swami Vivekananda


 

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, and author. He was a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Influenced by Western esotericism, he was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian teachings, and practices of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. He was also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.

He was a major force in the contemporary Hindu reform movements in India and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India. Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He is perhaps best known for his speech which began with the words “Sisters and brothers of America in which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893. 

In this article, we look at 10 facts about Swami Vivekananda

1. Swami was interested in spirituality from a young age

Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta, shortened to Narendra or Naren in a Bengali family. His ancestral home was at 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Calcutta, the capital of British India. He was born on 12 January 1863 during the Makar Sankranti festival. He belonged to a traditional family and was one of nine siblings. 

Narendranath was interested in spirituality from a young age and used to meditate before the images of deities such as Shiva, Rama, Sita, and Mahavir Hanuman. He was fascinated by wandering ascetics and monks. 

2. Vivekananda was known for his prodigious memory and his ability at speed reading

Swami Vivekanandaat San Francisco, California, United States in 1900

Swami Vivekanandaat San Francisco, California, the United States in 1900 – Wikimedia Commons

Several incidents have been given as examples. In a talk, he once quoted verbatim, two or three pages from Pickwick Papers. Another incident that is given is his argument with a Swedish national where he gave reference to some details on Swedish history that the Swede originally disagreed with but later conceded. 

In another incident with Dr. Paul Deussen’s at Kiel in Germany, Vivekananda was going over some poetical work and did not reply when the professor spoke to him. Later, he apologized to Dr. Deussen explaining that he was too absorbed in reading and hence did not hear him. The professor was not satisfied with this explanation, but Vivekananda quoted and interpreted verses from the text, leaving the professor dumbfounded about his feat of memory.

3. In 1881 Swami first met Ramakrishna, who became his spiritual focus

Swami’s first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in a literature class at General Assembly’s Institution when he heard Professor William Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth’s poem, The Excursion. While explaining the word “trance” in the poem, Hastie suggested that his students visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to understand the true meaning of trance. This prompted some of his students, including Swami to visit Ramakrishna.

In late 1881, Swami went to Dakshineswar with two friends and met Ramakrishna. This meeting proved to be a turning point in his life. Although he did not initially accept Ramakrishna as his teacher and rebelled against his ideas, he was attracted by his personality and began to frequently visit him at Dakshineswar.

4. Vivekananda traveled extensively in India for five years

 At the back is seen Swami Vivekananda

At the back is seen Swami Vivekananda –Wikimedia Commons

Vivekananda visited centers of learning and acquainted himself with diverse religious traditions and social patterns.  He developed sympathy for the suffering and poverty of the people and resolved to uplift the nation. Living primarily on bhiksha (alms), he traveled on foot and by railway with tickets bought by admirers.

During his travels, he met and stayed with Indians from all religions and walks of life: scholars, dewans, rajas, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, paraiyars (low-caste workers), and government officials. Narendra left Bombay for Chicago on 31 May 1893 with the name “Vivekananda”, as suggested by Ajit Singh of Khetri, which means “the bliss of discerning wisdom,” from Sanskrit viveka and ānanda.

5. Swami was known for his oratory skills, especially the English speech he gave in Chicago

Vivekananda started his journey to the West on 31 May 1893, he got to ​​Chicago on 30 July 1893. He contacted Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University, who invited him to speak at Harvard.

Vivekananda submitted an application, “introducing himself as a monk ‘of the oldest order of sannyāsis founded by Sankara,'” supported by the Brahmo Samaj representative Protapchandra Mozoombar, who was also a member of the Parliament’s selection committee, “classifying the Swami as a representative of the Hindu monastic order. Hearing Vivekananda speak, Harvard psychology professor William James said, “that man is simply a wonder for oratorical power. He is an honor to humanity.

6. Vivekananda received a two-minute standing ovation from a crowd of seven thousand after his speech at The Parliament of the World’s Religions

Swami Vivekananda at Parliament of Religions

Swami Vivekananda at Parliament of Religions by Parliament of Religion, 1893 – Wikimedia Commons

The 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. On this day, Vivekananda gave a brief speech representing India and Hinduism. He was initially nervous, bowed to Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of learning), and began his speech with “Sisters and brothers of America!”. At these words, Vivekananda received a two-minute standing ovation from the crowd of seven thousand.

According to Sailendra Nath Dhar, when silence was restored he began his address, greeting 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.

7. Swami founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894

Vivekananda spent nearly two years lecturing in the eastern and central United States, primarily in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and New York. He founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894. By spring 1895 his busy, tiring schedule had affected his health. He ended his lecture tours and began giving free, private classes in Vedanta and yoga. Beginning in June 1895, Vivekananda gave private lectures to a dozen of his disciples at Thousand Island Park, New York for two months.

Vedanta Societies refer to organizations, groups, or societies formed for the study, practice, and propagation of Vedanta. More specifically, they often refer to branches of the Ramakrishna Mission located outside India.

8. Vivekananda is accredited with the introduction of the “four yogas” model

Swami Vivekananda in Calcutta in 1886

Swami Vivekananda in Calcutta in 1886 – Wikimedia Commons

An important element in his adaptation of Hindu religiosity was the introduction of his “four yogas” model, which includes Raja yoga, his interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga sutras, which offered a practical means to realize the divine force within which is central to modern western esotericism.

In 1896, his book Raja Yoga was published, becoming an instant success; it was highly influential in the western understanding of yoga, in Elizabeth de Michelis’s view marking the beginning of modern yoga. Raja yoga was both the goal of yoga and a method to attain it. The term also became a modern name for the practice of yoga. 

9. Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission for social service

Its ideals are based on Karma Yoga, and its governing body consists of the trustees of the Ramakrishna Math which conducts religious work. Both Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission have their headquarters at Belur Math. 

Vivekananda founded two other monasteries: one in Mayavati in the Himalayas near Almora, the Advaita Ashrama, and another in Madras (now Chennai). Two journals were founded: Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbhodan in Bengali. That year, famine-relief work was begun by Swami Akhandananda in the Murshidabad district.

10. Swami predicted his own demise, reiterating that he would not live beyond 40 years of age

Vivekananda had many a time predicted his own demise, reiterating that he would not live beyond 40 years of age. His predictions came true in 1902 when he died at the age of 39 years due to a ruptured blood vessel in his brain.

His disciples believed that the rupture was due to his brahmarandhra, an opening in the crown of his head being pierced when he attained mahasamādhi. Vivekananda fulfilled his prophecy that he would not live forty years.  He was cremated on a sandalwood funeral pyre on the bank of the Ganga in Belur, opposite where Ramakrishna was cremated sixteen years earlier.

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