January 12 is the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, a famous Hindu spiritual leader and thinker from the late 19th century. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his message of the day on Channel X on Sunday, saying, “An eternal inspiration to the youth, he continues to ignite passion and purpose in the minds of young people.” In his honor, the government of India in 1984 declared his birthday as National Youth Day.
An important religious reformer in India, Swami Vivekananda is known for introducing the Hindu philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the West. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called him “the maker of modern India.” We briefly recall his early life, the significance of his Chicago address in 1893, and his great contributions to Indian society.
The early life of Swami Vivekananda
Vivekananda was born in Kolkata on January 12, 1863, as Narendra Nath Datta. From an early age, he developed an interest in Western philosophy, history, and theology, and continued to meet the religious leader Ramakrishna Paramhansa, who later became his Guru. He remained devoted to Ramakrishna until his death in 1886.
In 1893, he adopted the name ‘Vivekananda’ after Maharaja Ajit Singh of Khetri State requested him to do so, changing from ‘Sachidananda’ which he used earlier.
After Ramakrishna’s death, Vivekananda traveled around India, and began after teaching the masses how to improve their economic condition and imparting spiritual knowledge.
Chicago address
Vivekananda is best remembered around the world for his speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. The speech covered topics including universal acceptance, tolerance and religion, and it made him very happy. While this talk talked about how religions present different paths to common spiritual goals, it also showed the superiority of Indian culture.
Many parts of his speech have become famous, including “I am proud to belong to a religion that has taught the world tolerance and acceptance of the world.” We not only believe in universal tolerance but accept all religions as true.”; “I am proud to belong to a nation that has protected the persecuted and refugees of all religions and nations of the world.”; and “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its monstrous offspring, fanaticism, have long outlived this beautiful world… If it were not for these terrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.”
He started lecturing at various venues in the US and the UK, and became known as the ’emissary of Indian wisdom to the West’.
Go back to India
After returning to India, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 “to start a machine that will bring the best ideas to the doorstep of the poorest and most destitute.”
In 1899, he established the Belur Math in Howrah, West Bengal, which became his permanent residence.
Vivekananda’s legacy
Through his speeches and lectures, Vivekananda worked to spread his religious thought. He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress. He has also written several books, including ‘Raja Yoga’, ‘Jnana Yoga’ and ‘Karma Yoga’.
Practicing yoga was also an important part of his legacy. As The Indian Express previously reported in the research article, after the Chicago lecture “the Indian mystic finds ways and means to spread the awareness of ancient Indian spirituality in the West and he found Yoga to be the best concept to help him in this process.”
Before his death in 1902, Vivekananda wrote to a Western fan: “Perhaps I will find it good to get out of my body, and throw it away like a worn-out garment.” But I will not stop working. I will inspire people everywhere until the whole world knows that you are one with God.”
This article was originally published in 2020.
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