Swami Vivekananda Quotes and Brief Biography

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Today is 147th Birthday of Swami Vivekanada. Today is 147th Birthday of Swami Vivekanada. Swami Vivekanand’s birhtday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India.

Swami Vivekananda was one of the most influential spiritual leaders of Vedanta philosophy. He was the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahansa and was the founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Vivekananda was the living embodiment of sacrifice and dedicated his life to the country and yearned for the progress of the poor, the helpless and the downtrodden. He showed a beacon of light to a nation that had lost faith in its ability under British rule and inspired self-confidence among Indians that they are second to none. His ringing words and masterful oratory galvanized the whole world.

Real name of Swami Vivekananda was Narendranath Dutta. He was born on January 12, 1863 in Calcutta. His father’s name was Vishwanath Dutta and his mother’s name Bhuvaneswari Devi. Narendranath acquired the name of Swami Vivekananda when he became a monk.

After matriculation he entered Presidency college, Calcutta. Later he joined Scottish Church College, Calcutta and studied philosophy and European history.

He was associated with Brahmo Samaj, a religious movement led by Keshab Chandra Sen. But his zeal to know God was not fulfilled by listening to the devotional songs.

From childhood, Narendra was fond of monks. He was so much kind hearted that he never let any beggar to go without alms. Narendra used to question the validity of superstitious customs and discrimination based on caste and religion. It was in Narendra’s nature to test something thoroughly before he could accept it.

Narendra came to know of Sri Ramakrishna Pramahans of Dakshineswar. Sri Ramakrishna was a priest in the temple of Goddess Kali. He was not a scholar. But he was a great devotee. He asked Ramakrishna, whether he had seen God. The instantaneous answer from Ramakrishna was, “Yes, I have seen God, just as I see you here, only in a more clear sense.” Narendra was astounded and puzzled. He could feel the man’s words were honest and uttered from depths of experience. He started visiting Ramakrishna frequently.

In 1890, Narendra set out on a long journey. He visited Varanasi, Ayodhya, Agra, Vrindavan, Alwar etc. Narendra acquired the name of Swami Vivekananda during the journey. It is said that he was given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri for his discrimination of things, good and bad.

Swami Vivekananda reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent on December24, 1892. He swam across the sea and started meditating on a lone rock.

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to America to attend the Conference of World Religions in Chicago. He earned wild applause for beginning his address with the famous words, “Sisters and brothers of America.” Swamiji mesmerized everyone in America with his masterful oratory. Wherever he went, he dwelt at length on the greatness of Indian Culture. He spoke with spontaneous ease on every topic, be it History, Sociology, Philosophy or Literature. Many people became his disciples. Most famous among them was Margaret Nivedita’. She came to India and settled here.

Swami Vivekananda started Sri Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 and formulated its ideology and goal. During the next two years he bought a site at Belur on the banks of the Ganga.

Swami Vivekananda died on July4, 1902 at Belur Mutt near Calcutta.

Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.

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We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act.

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Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin ? to say that you are weak, or others are weak.

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The goal of mankind is knowledge … Now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man ‘knows’, should, in strict psychological language, be what he ‘discovers’ or ‘unveils’; what man ‘learns’ is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.

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Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.

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You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

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The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong.

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The first sign of your becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful.

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The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.

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If you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.

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BY the study of different RELIGIONS we find that in essence they are one.

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The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!

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If faith in ourselves had been more extensively taught and practiced, I am sure a very large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have vanished.

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MY nature is love Him. And therefore I love. I do not pray for any-thing. I do not ask for anything. Let Him place me wherever He likes. I must love Him for love’s sake. I can not trade in love.

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As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different tendencies various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.

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Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity already in man.

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That man has reached immortality who is disturbed by nothing material.

The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.

Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true.

The Vedanta recognizes no sin it only recognizes error. And the greatest error, says the Vedanta is to say that you are weak, that you are a sinner, a miserable creature, and that you have no power and you cannot do this and that.