Swami Vivekananda

Who is Swami Vivekananda?

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta in Calcutta, was a Hindu monk and one of the most influential spiritual figures of modern India. As a young man he became the chief disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and after his teacher's death he took monastic vows and travelled widely across India. He gained international fame at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, where his address beginning 'Sisters and brothers of America' introduced Hindu philosophy, particularly Vedanta and Yoga, to a Western audience. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, an organization devoted to spiritual practice combined with social service, education and disaster relief. Vivekananda emphasized the strength and self-confidence of youth, the harmony of religions, and service to humanity as worship of the divine. He died at the age of thirty-nine at Belur Math. His birthday is observed in India as National Youth Day.

Sources: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama · Records of the Parliament of the World's Religions, Chicago, 1893 · Amiya P. Sen, Swami Vivekananda, 2000