Swami Sivananda

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Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)By Swami Sivananda

 

This illustrious patriot-saint of modern India was born in Calcutta on

12 January, 1863. He was named Narendra. His father, Viswanath Datta,

was a brilliant lawyer. He was highly respected for his intelligence

and culture. His mother, Devi Bhuvaneshwari, was a devout woman with a

great ability for training her children. As a boy, Narendra was very

naughty and self-willed, and often had to be placed under a water tap

to curb his mischief. Nevertheless, he was very generous, loving and

devoted, with a strange attraction for wandering Sadhus. He enjoyed

doing worship of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna with his mother.

 

After his matriculation, Narendra went to college. He was rarely

absent from social parties. He was the " soul of social circles " and no

gathering was deemed complete without his presence.

 

One day, his neighbour received a surprise visit from the saint of

Dakshineshwar, Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra was also invited to sing

devotional songs. As he sang, he sent thrill after thrill through Sri

Ramakrishna until the saint fell into a state of ecstasy. When he

became normal again, he made Narendra sit beside him and enquired

lovingly of the boy. With time their friendship grew.

 

The death of his father forced Narendra to find work and support the

family. During these years of great struggle, his sheet anchor was his

Guru, Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra yearned intensely for God and began to

plague the Master for realisation.

 

Narendra, now known as Swami Vivekananda, founded an Ashram near

Calcutta, in order to organise better the Master's mission. This was

the beginning of the Ramakrishna Mission.

 

From 1888 to 1890 Swami Vivekananda travelled widely. He went on a

pilgrimage all over the country, studying the conditions of the

people. Wherever he went, his magnetic personality created a great

impression.

 

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to America to attend the World

Parliament of Religions in Chicago. His powerful speech at the opening

session of the Parliament brought him instant fame and acclaimed him

as a great orator and the most ideal interpreter of India's wisdom. He

instantly became very popular in America.

 

Swami Vivekananda's powerful personality and his passionate call of

service of the poor, is still influencing people all over India and

the world.

 

Swami Vivekananda arrived in America penniless and depending only on

God's Grace. After the Parliament he began to receive the homage and

hospitality of all America. He lectured at all the important centres.

As a true Sannyasin he refused to sell religion for the sake of

amassing money. He preached the gospel of unity of faiths and

scattered the seeds of purity, knowledge and faith. After his stay of

two years in America he toured England and Europe for three months.

 

The tremendous ovation he received on his return to India in no way

took his mind away from his mission of bringing religion to the doors

of the poorest. His aim was to awaken the masses by reviving Vedic

religion, and to clean it of the dross and impurity that had clung to

it for so many centuries.

 

In 1902 Swami Vivekananda entered Mahasamadhi. Six years of

discipleship under Sri Ramakrishna had taken him to the realms of

God-vision. Seven years of travelling in India had broadened his

outlook on life. Nine years of a national and international career

were all that were left for him; yet, how filled with glorious work

those nine years were!

 

Swami Vivekananda's gospel was one of hope, faith and strength. He

never succumbed to despair, for he knew that India was capable of

expansion and growth. His clarion call to the nation was: " Awake,

arise, and stop not till the goal is reached. "