vivekananda biography book

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Vivekananda: A Biography Paperback – 1 Dec. 1989

• Print length 216 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center,N.Y.
• Publication date 1 Dec. 1989
• Dimensions 15.88 x 1.91 x 23.5 cm
• ISBN-10 0911206256
• ISBN-13 978-0911206258
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center,N.Y. (1 Dec. 1989)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 216 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0911206256
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0911206258
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.88 x 1.91 x 23.5 cm
• 4,141 in Hinduism (Books)
• 8,208 in Buddhism (Books)
• 9,424 in Philosopher Biographies

About the author

Swami nikhilananda.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

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Swami Vivekananda Books | A List of 28 Best Books

Are you looking for Swami Vivekananda Books? In this article, I list 28 books which are must-reads to understand the thoughts, ideals and philosophies of Swamiji.

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, public speaker , Vedanta philosopher and Yoga practitioner. He was the chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

He is best remembered as the founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and the Ramakrishna Math .

His speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893 brought him International fame. It introduced the concept and philosophy to the Western World.

Named Narendra Nath Datta at birth by his aristocratic Bengali parents in Calcutta, he is considered a patriotic saint for propagating the message of Vedanta in the west through hundreds of speeches and lectures.

His works are still read by millions of followers even today. Some of his other books are Sangeet Kalpataru, Karma Yoga, and Lectures from Colombo to Almora, Raja Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy: An address before the Graduate Philosophical Society.

Table of Contents

1. complete works of swami vivekananda (9 vols.), 2. raja-yoga (1896), 3. karma yoga: the yoga of action (1896), 4. meditation and its methods, 5. jnana-yoga (1899), 6. teachings of swami vivekananda, 7. swami vivekananda on himself, 8. vedanta: voice of freedom, 9. lectures from colombo to almora, 10. lectures on bhagavad gita, 11. inspired talks by swami vivekananda, 12. letters of swami vivekananda, 13. my india: the india eternal, 14. powers of the mind, 15. chicago addresses, 16. my master, 17. essentials of hinduism, 18. living at the source, 19. my idea of education, 20. work and its secret, 21. steps to realisation, 22. to the youth of india, 23. pearls of wisdom, 24. women of india, 25. life after death, 26. the east and the west, 27. religion of love, 28. pathways to joy: the master vivekananda on the four yoga paths to god.

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 vols.) is an exhaustive collection of Swami Vivekananda’s speeches and works.

It brings together his thoughts on Vedanta, philosophy, and human consciousness. His teachings in these volumes convey the core meaning of Vedanta philosophy in an easy-to-understand way.

This book, as the title suggests, is a book by Swami Vivekananda on Raja Yoga . It contains, for the most part, his interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

This book was written keeping his Western audience and reader in mind.

The book begins with a brief introduction to Yoga. It explains various techniques for practising basic Yoga exercises like Prânâyâma, Pratyâhâra, Dhyâna, Samâdhi etc.

The book also provides insights into developing concentration and the powers of practising Yoga.

Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda, as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin.

The main subject of the book is Karma (Work) and Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action). Vivekananda uses the concept of Karma as described in the Bhagavad Gita to explain his philosophy.

The final message is that work is worship and a path to enlightenment.

Meditation and Its Methods is divided into two sections:

• Meditation according to Yoga and
• Meditation according to Vedanta.

Vivekananda’s views on meditation are sprinkled throughout his “Complete Works”. These various views, thoughts, opinions, and lectures are compiled to make this book.

Jnana Yoga or The Yoga of Knowledge is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin. These lectures were delivered mostly in New York.

In this book, Vivekananda explains the knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita in a scientific manner.

According to him, knowledge is the ultimate goal. It is only knowledge which can give us freedom from Maya or illusion.

The book also touches upon other important Hindu philosophies like the atman , cosmos, immortality etc.

Jnana-Yoga , along with Karma-Yoga , Bhakti-Yoga , and Raja-Yoga , is a classic book on Hindu philosophy.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda comprises a choice collection of his speeches, quotes, and teachings. These are categorised into 44 suitable sections.

This is a perfect book for a beginner reader looking to start Vivekananda’s books.

It is suitable for those who cannot make the time to go through his voluminous writings.

This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda written in an autobiographical manner. It was first published in 1963.

The publishers have picked up excerpts from his various books and written them in the first-person voice.

The life and different incidents of Swami Vivekananda’s life have been documented in this book.

Vedanta: Voice of Freedom presents the spiritual wisdom of India as it has evolved over five thousand years. It does so in a clear, easy and concise form.

The book is a compilation of Vivekananda’s ideas on the subject of Vedanta. The ideas have been sourced from his various speeches and books.

After visiting the West, Vivekananda reached Colombo on 15 January 1897.

From there he proceeded to India and was received as a hero. He went around the country making speeches to thousands of people who were eager to hear him.

Lectures from Colombo to Almora is a collection of many of those speeches.

This book would be useful to people who are trying to understand the Gita.

“Lectures on the Bhagavad Gita” is an anthology of Vivekananda’s writings, opinions and comments on the sacred Hindu text.

The Bhagavad Gita was a lifelong companion of Swami Vivekananda and he used to carry one wherever he went.

All these lectures were delivered in 1900 and were recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand.

In 1895, Vivekananda conducted a series of private lectures to groups of selected disciples. These lectures were recorded by one of the disciples, Sara Ellen Waldo (who was later known as Haridasi ).

Inspired Talks by Swami Vivekananda was first published in 1909 by The Ramakrishna Mission .

Letters of Swami Vivekananda is a close look at the personality and spirit of Swami Vivekananda as seen through his letters.

In this book, the reader gets a picture of Vivekananda that is untouched by any biographer.

The letters have been arranged in chronological order for the benefit of the reader. The letters show the plan of his work and the means he wanted to adopt for the fulfilment of his mission.

In the end, the book also has notes on the persons who are mentioned in these letters.

My India: The India Eternal talks about India’s past, its present and Vivekananda’s vision for its future.

Swami Vivekananda talks about the duties of India’s youth and the path they must follow to make India a great nation.

The book also includes his comments on education and religion.

This is a booklet but packs more information than other volumes written on the subject of mind.

It is a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles on January 8 th , 1900.

Powers of The Mind talks about the infinite possibilities and powers hidden within the human mind. It also explains how the powers of the mind can be unlocked using Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda attained global fame because of his speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Chicago Addresses contains those lectures delivered by him.

Through these speeches, Swamiji wished to impart the teachings of Vedanta to the world. The core theme of his lecture was – brotherhood and universal acceptance.

While in the West, Swami Vivekananda mostly talked about and preached the beauties of Vedanta. But on two occasions – in New York and England – he talked about his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

My Master contains both those lectures in which Swamiji discusses his Master’s life right from his birth in 1836 to his evolution from Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (Pre-monastic name of Ramakrishna) to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

This book is a detailed account of Hinduism.

It begins by describing the word ‘Hindu’ and goes on to discuss the various schools of thought in Hinduism.

It stresses upon the Vedanta Philosophy and the Advaita system. The book also talks about the various Hindu scriptures, Smritis and sects in Hinduism.

Swami Vivekananda discusses other deeper topics like the theory of creation, law of karma, aatma, mukti , idol worship, guru , divine incarnations and much more.

This book has many inspirational messages which have been selected from the various writings, speeches and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

The book is ideal for people seeking to live a spiritual life but are busy with their everyday material life.

Swami Vivekananda had many insightful and deep thoughts on education – a subject very close to his heart.

In My Idea of Education, he writes about the philosophy of education, the relationship between society and education, and The Teacher.

Swamiji presents some brilliant ideas on educating the masses and women – concepts which were far ahead of their times in India.

Swamiji also writes about the importance of practical experience, mother tongue and concentration.

The book ends with one of the main goals of a good education – Character Building.

Work and Its Secret is based on the speech by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles, California on January 4th, 1900.

In it, Swamiji talks about giving equal importance to both the means and the end while doing work.

He emphasises that the major reason for failure is a lack of attention while doing work.

Swamiji draws upon the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita to emphasise this point.

Steps to Realisation explains the secrets of self-realisation.

The book begins by explaining the concept of organs – the external organs i.e., eyes, nose, and mouth are mentioned as instruments and internal organs i.e., brain, and heart are considered as organs.

Swami Vivekananda explains the importance of shutting down the instruments to activate the organs –

“So in order to control the mind, we must first be able to control these organs. To restrain the mind from wandering outward or inward, and keep the organs in their respective centres” .

Other important concepts like Shama, Dama, Uparati, Titikshâ, Shraddhâ, Samâdhâna , and Mumukshutva which lead to self-realisation are also explained.

To the Youth of India is a collection of some of the rousing and inspiring lectures that Swami Vivekananda delivered to vast audiences in India and Sri Lanka after his rise to fame.

It has some of the best messages that can be given to the youth of India.

This book is recommended for all young minds and should be definitely read by girls and boys alike.

The content of this book is derived from “Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” .

Pearls of Wisdom is a collection of all the quotes and thoughts by Swamiji, grouped into different themes like love, knowledge, leader etc.

These quotes have inspired many people over the years and will surely inspire many others in the future.

Women of India is based on the lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda at the Shakespeare Club House, in Pasadena, California, on January 18, 1900.

The content is focused on the position of women in Indian society.

Swamiji touches upon the glory and stature of Indian women and tries to clear some of the misunderstandings that Westerners might have about Indian women –

“Now, the ideal woman in India is the mother, the mother first, and the mother last.”

Swamiji also narrates the difference between the concept of women in the East and the West.

Perhaps no other subject has haunted the human mind, right from the hoary past, with such unerring consistency as the one regarding life and death.

Is man mortal or immortal? What is reincarnation? What happens when a man dies?

Every man is forced to ask these questions at some juncture in his life.

Life after Death by Swami Vivekananda provides brief but clear answers to these fundamental questions.

In The East and the West , Swami Vivekananda makes a comparative study of Eastern and Western cultures.

The book is divided into six chapters – Customs, Food and Cooking, Civilisation in Dress, Etiquette and Manners, France — Paris and Progress in Civilisation.

Religion of Love is based on a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in London on November 16, 1895.

Swamiji classifies love into 5 types –

• Shânta , a common, peaceful love, with such thoughts as those of fatherhood and help
• Dâsya , the ideal of service
• Vâtsalya , God as mother or child.
• Sakhya , God as a friend.
• Madhura , sweetest love, the love of husband and wife.

Pathways to Joy is a collection of 108 of the best teachings of Swami Vivekananda on Vedanta Philosophy.

Swamiji illustrates the four classical yoga paths – Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana .

The messages focus on the oneness of existence; the divinity of the soul; the truth in all religions; and unifying with the Divine within.

Invaluable and inspiring, the selections also explore karma, maya, rebirth, and other great revelations of Hinduism.

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About the Author

Father to Ahaana. Husband to Mayuri. Co-founder at bookGeeks. Engineer at BMM.

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Swami Vivekananda Books

Vivekananda, World Teacher

His Teachings on the Spiritual Unity of Humankind - Through enlightening lectures, letters, poems, photographs, newspaper reports and reminiscences of Vivekananda, this book presents an intimate portrait of Vivekananda and his influential messages of spiritual democracy, spiritual humanism, and world unity.

6x9 Paperback: $21.99

Vivekananda: Yogas and Other Works

Swami Vivekandanda . Chosen and with a biography by Swami Nikhilananda. Includes unabridged texts of "Jnana - Yoga," "Raja - Yoga," "Karma - Yoga," "Bhakti - Yoga," "Inspired Talks," Chicago Address. 18 other lectures, 8 poems and 70 letters. With 43 photographs.

Cloth: $44.95

Vivekananda: A Biography

Swami Nikhilananda . An absorbing biography of Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902). With 28 photographs and Appendix containing most important teachings.

Paperback: $17.95

Swami Vivekananda . Scientific treatment of Yoga philosophy describing methods of concentration, psychic development, and the liberation of the soul from bondage of the body. Includes the Swami's translation of the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali .

Paperback: $15.00

Swami Vivekananda . Essence of Vedanta philosophy — wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita in modern scientific terms.

Karma-Yoga and Bhakti-Yoga

Swami Vivekananda . Describes the way to reach perfection through the performance of daily work in a nonattached spirit and by sublimating human affection into divine love.

Inspired Talks

Conversations of Swami Vivekananda with chosen disciples containing his most brilliant flashes of illumination. Includes his lecture on Sri Ramakrishna ("My Master"), other lectures, poems, and letters.

Paperback: $15.50

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

All speeches, writings, interviews, sayings, poems, and letters are included. All facets of spiritual life, in both its theoretical and its practical aspects, are discussed. Nine volumes, each with index. Frontis.

Hardcover: $95.00

In Search of God And Other Poems

Swami Vivekananda . A complete collection of the Swami's hymns and poems. Frontis.

Paper: $5.00

The Life of Swami Vivekananda

His Eastern and Western disciples. An authoritative biography, presenting the Swami from the many and varied personal viewpoints of those who knew him intimately. Illustrated two volume set.

Hardcover: $36.00

Letters of Swami Vivekananda

More than 200 letters, chronologically arranged and containing some of Swami Vivekananda's most dynamic and inspiring utterances.

Paper: $10.00

The Life of Vivekananda and the Universal Gospel

Romain Rolland . A graphic account of Swami Vivekananda's life and the meaning of his universal message. Frontis.

Hardcover: $10.00

The Master as I Saw Him

Sister Nivedita . Illuminating reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda by a Western disciple (Margaret Noble) who came to India and dedicated her life to the work of her teacher.

Hardcover: $5.00

Notes of Some Wanderings With the Swami Vivekananda

Sister Nivedita .A beautifully written and intimate glimpse into the life of Swami Vivekananda by one of his closest disciples. Describes some of the rare experiences of the Swami during a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Himalayas. Frontis.

Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda

Revised edition of the reminiscences of the Swami by his Eastern and Western disciples, friends, and admirers.

A Short Life of Swami Vivekananda

Swami Tejasananda . A short biography of the Swami, affording a glimpse into his genius and many-sided activities.

Talks With Swami Vivekananda

Intimate conversations and profound spiritual dialogues of Swami Vivekananda, as recorded by his disciples.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

One thousand of the Swami's strength-giving teachings, compiled according to topic. Introduction by Christopher Isherwood. Frontis.

Vivekananda: The Great Spiritual Teacher

An Anthology of forty articles, many by monks of the Ramakrishna Order, describing Swami Vivekananda's life and work. These articles, including one by Swami Adiswarananda, present a picture of Swami Vivekananda's work to awaken the spiritual consciousness of human beings all over the world and to show them the ways and means to express that divinity in their personal lives and their society. This book offers readers a reliable introduction to the study of Swami Vivekananda.

Vivekananda: A Biography in Pictures

A comprehensive album containing over 150 photographs, a life sketch, and many of the quotations of Swami Vivekananda. Deluxe Edition. Large Format.

Hardcover: $19.95

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Vivekananda: A Biography Kindle Edition

In the list of biographies of Swami Vivekananda published by us, we have one which extensively narrates his life, and also one which presents him very briefly. The present book stands midway between these extremes. Herein the readers will find his life described in a short compass, without sacrificing the essential details. This is a masterly presentation of his life from the pen of a scholar of repute. A worthy book for all those who want to study Vivekananda in brief without losing the crucial aspects of his life.

• Print length 345 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Lotus Imprints
• Publication date 1 November 2023
• File size 1515 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
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Product description

From the publisher.

The Centers of the Order in America, often referred to by such names as Ramakrishna or Vivekananda Centers, or Vedanta Societies, were first organized by Swami Vivekananda for the propagation of the Swami's teachings. Today there are Centers in many of America's major cities, including New York, Boston, Providence, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Hollywood. Because of their belief in the underlying truth of all religions, the Centers of the Ramakrishna Order are at the forefront of the Interfaith Movement. (Publisher's comments written by Swami Adiswarananda, Spiritual Leader, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York).

From the Back Cover

Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902), a well-known figure in intellectual and religious circles in America during the first decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth, is cherished by an ever increasing number of readers of his books. His genius was revealed to the world at large in the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, where he indicated India's rightful place in the spiritual map of the world. The first cultural ambassador of his motherland to the West, and the builder of the spiritual bridge connecting the two hemispheres, Vivekananda dreamt of One World based upon a synthesis of religion and science and a knowledge of the solidarity of mankind. In his utterances the souls of East and West, the one oppressed by the tyranny of society and the other by the dead weight of secularism, found the way to freedom. As Ramakrishna, the teacher, reinterpreted and relived for the modern world the spiritual heritage of India, so Vivekananda, the disciple, anticipates and inspires her potential contribution.

About the Author

But the Swami's monumental work, for which he will ever be remembered, is The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna . This complete translation into English from the original Bengali of the Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, as recorded by "M," has made the immortal words of this great prophet of the nineteenth century available to countless readers throughout the world. Aldous Huxley was pleased to write a foreword to The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna , and high praise was given to the book by such notable persons as Thomas Mann and Henry Miller. Time Magazine referred to The Gospel as "One of the world's most extraordinary religious documents."

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a "condensed India." His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the "paragon of Vedantists." Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection. "His words," writes Romain Rolland, "are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!''

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CQBCYX6T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lotus Imprints; 1st edition (1 November 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 1515 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 345 pages
• #20,994 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Kindle Store)
• #62,357 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Books)

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Swami nikhilananda.

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Guru to the World

The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda

Ruth Harris

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ISBN 9780674247475

Publication date: 10/18/2022

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From the Wolfson History Prize–winning author of The Man on Devil’s Island, the definitive biography of Vivekananda, the Indian monk who shaped the intellectual and spiritual history of both East and West.

Few thinkers have had so enduring an impact on both Eastern and Western life as Swami Vivekananda, the Indian monk who inspired the likes of Freud, Gandhi, and Tagore. Blending science, religion, and politics, Vivekananda introduced Westerners to yoga and the universalist school of Hinduism called Vedanta. His teachings fostered a more tolerant form of mainstream spirituality in Europe and North America and forever changed the Western relationship to meditation and spirituality.

Guru to the World traces Vivekananda’s transformation from son of a Calcutta-based attorney into saffron-robed ascetic. At the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, he fascinated audiences with teachings from Hinduism, Western esoteric spirituality, physics, and the sciences of the mind, in the process advocating a more inclusive conception of religion and expounding the evils of colonialism. Vivekananda won many disciples, most prominently the Irish activist Margaret Noble, who disseminated his ideas in the face of much disdain for the wisdom of a “subject race.” At home, he challenged the notion that religion was antithetical to nationalist goals, arguing that Hinduism was intimately connected with Indian identity.

Ruth Harris offers an arresting biography, showing how Vivekananda’s thought spawned a global anticolonial movement and became a touchstone of Hindu nationalist politics a century after his death. The iconic monk emerges as a counterargument to Orientalist critiques, which interpret East-West interactions as primarily instances of Western borrowing. As Vivekananda demonstrates, we must not underestimate Eastern agency in the global circulation of ideas.

This is a deeply researched and compellingly argued biography of Swami Vivekananda, one of the first Indian religious thinkers to become known in the west, and one of the makers of modern India. —Rana Mitter, BBC History Magazine

Guru to the World is a triumph of research and ambition, drawing connections between a dazzling array of philosophies, figures, languages, geographies and religions. —Abhimanyu Arni, Literary Review

This will be the standard biography of [Vivekananda] for years to come…Admirable. —Jon M. Sweeney, Spirituality & Practice

Vivekananda’s life was an embarrassment of epiphanies and contradictions, and Harris exhaustively uncovers all of them. —Pratinav Anil, History Today

The definitive book on [Swami Vivekananda] that seeks to present his complexity as a person and in his teachings…useful and perhaps even fascinating. —John Jaeger, Library Journal

Vivekananda was many things to many people: the first global religious celebrity, an apostle of Indian nationalism, a man whose message was heard, and heard differently, in salons as well as slums. It’s not just any biographer who can do justice to such a complex life. He’s fortunate to have found a perfect interpreter in Ruth Harris. —Benjamin Moser, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Sontag: Her Life and Work

In Ruth Harris’s vivid portrait of India’s Vivekananda, we discover a compelling story of interconnected lives—the guru, his disciple, the international followers, his own teacher—that sheds new light on religion, race, gender, colonialism, and nationalism. This impressive book introduces us to some important but half-forgotten cultural currents in the life of India, Europe, and America at the end of the nineteenth century. To understand contemporary India, we need to pay more attention to these currents, and Harris is a sure-footed guide. —Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

In Guru to the World , Ruth Harris gives us riveting accounts of both the Indian and the international sides of Swami Vivekananda, one of the most provocative personalities of the nineteenth century. The connections between tradition and modernity forged by him over a century ago continue to influence culture, politics, and religion worldwide. A brilliant read. —Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, author of An Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization

An inspired blend of religion, politics, and biography, Guru to the World takes a novel approach to the history of empire and cross-cultural encounters that foregrounds the workings of love, friendship, and faith. In the lives of Vivekananda and his associates, Ruth Harris delivers insight into topics ranging from yoga to anticolonial nationalism that should interest any readers curious to understand the workings of what might be called globalized culture. —Maya Jasanoff, author of The Dawn Watch

• Ruth Harris is the author of Lourdes and The Man on Devil’s Island , which won the Wolfson Prize and the National Jewish Book Award. She is Senior Research Fellow at All Soul’s College, University of Oxford, Fellow of the British Academy, and Professor of European History at the University of Oxford.

Book Details

• 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 inches
• Belknap Press

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Vivekananda

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• Academia - Swami Vivekananda
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• Cultural India - Reformers - Biography of Swami Vivekananda
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• Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York - Biography of Swami Vivekananda
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Vivekananda (born January 12, 1863, Calcutta [now Kolkata]—died July 4, 1902, near Calcutta) was a Hindu spiritual leader and reformer in India who attempted to combine Indian spirituality with Western material progress, maintaining that the two supplemented and complemented one another. His Absolute was a person’s own higher self; to labour for the benefit of humanity was the noblest endeavour.

Born into an upper-middle-class family of the Kayastha (scribes) caste in Bengal , he was educated at a Western-style university where he was exposed to Western philosophy , Christianity , and science . Social reform became a prominent element of Vivekananda’s thought, and he joined the Brahmo Samaj (Society of Brahma), dedicated to eliminating child marriage and illiteracy and determined to spread education among women and the lower castes. He later became the most-notable disciple of Ramakrishna , who demonstrated the essential unity of all religions .

Always stressing the universal and humanistic side of the Vedas , the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism , as well as belief in service rather than dogma , Vivekananda attempted to infuse vigour into Hindu thought, placing less emphasis on the prevailing pacifism and presenting Hindu spirituality to the West. He was an activating force in the movement to promote Vedanta philosophy (one of the six schools of Indian philosophy ) in the United States and England . In 1893 he appeared in Chicago as a spokesman for Hinduism at the World’s Parliament of Religions and so captivated the assembly that a newspaper account described him as “an orator by divine right and undoubtedly the greatest figure at the Parliament.” Thereafter he lectured throughout the United States and England, making converts to the Vedanta movement.

On his return to India with a small group of Western disciples in 1897, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission at the monastery of Belur Math on the Ganges (Ganga) River near Calcutta (now Kolkata ). Self-perfection and service were his ideals, and the order continued to stress them. He adapted and made relevant to the 20th century the very highest ideals of the Vedantic religion , and, although he lived only two years into that century, he left the mark of his personality on East and West alike.

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