136-401: Stubbornness is not strength. Stubbornness merely hides one's weakness. Strong is he who is flexible like steel and does not break. Strong is he who can live in harmony with many people and heed opinions other than his own.. Swami Turiyananda or "Hari Maharaj" as he was popularly known as, was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna , the 19th-century Hindu mystic from Bengal. He was one of
272-612: A monk . After the death of Ramakrishna , Vivekananda extensively toured the Indian subcontinent as a wandering monk and acquired first-hand knowledge of the living conditions of Indian people in then British India . Moved by their plight, he resolved to help them and found a way to travel to the United States, where he became a popular figure after the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago at which he delivered his famous speech beginning with
408-643: A shanti ashrama (peace retreat) in California. He then went to Paris for the Congress of Religions in 1900. His lectures in Paris concerned the worship of the lingam and the authenticity of the Bhagavad Gita . Vivekananda then visited Brittany , Vienna , Istanbul , Athens and Egypt . The French philosopher Jules Bois was his host for most of this period, until he returned to Calcutta on 9 December 1900. After
544-566: A "streamlined, rationalized, monotheistic theology strongly coloured by a selective and modernistic reading of the Upanisads and of the Vedanta." Rammohan Roy , the founder of the Brahmo Samaj who was strongly influenced by unitarianism , strove towards a universalistic interpretation of Hinduism. His ideas were "altered [...] considerably" by Debendranath Tagore , who had a romantic approach to
680-522: A Vedanta retreat in the San Antonio valley of California, which was set up in an isolated area, far away from any human habitation. From New York, Turiyananda first went to Los Angeles and became quite popular there. From there, he went to San Francisco and worked with students from the Vedanta society of San Francisco. He finally established the Shanti Ashrama with about a dozen students. In Shanti Ashrama
816-528: A breakaway faction of the Brahmo Samaj led by Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore . From 1881 to 1884, he was also active in Sen's Band of Hope , which tried to discourage youths from smoking and drinking. It was in this cultic milieu that Narendra became acquainted with Western esotericism . His initial beliefs were shaped by Brahmo concepts, which denounced polytheism and caste restrictions, and
952-452: A brief speech representing India and Hinduism . He was initially nervous, bowed to Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of learning) and began his speech with "Sisters and brothers of America!". At these words, Vivekananda received a two-minute standing ovation from the crowd of seven thousand. According to Sailendra Nath Dhar, when silence was restored he began his address, greeting the youngest of
1088-845: A brief visit to the Advaita Ashrama in Mayavati, Vivekananda settled at Belur Math, where he continued co-ordinating the works of Ramakrishna Mission, the math and the work in England and the US. He had many visitors, including royalty and politicians. Although Vivekananda was unable to attend the Congress of Religions in 1901 in Japan due to deteriorating health, he made pilgrimages to Bodhgaya and Varanasi . Declining health (including asthma , diabetes and chronic insomnia ) restricted his activity. On 4 July 1902 (the day of his death), Vivekananda awoke early, went to
1224-446: A change in mission, namely the establishment of Vedanta centres in the West. Vivekananda adapted traditional Hindu ideas and religiosity to suit the needs and understandings of his western audiences, who were especially attracted by and familiar with western esoteric traditions and movements like Transcendentalism and New thought . An important element in his adaptation of Hindu religiosity
1360-589: A child disinclined to leave its mother, so was he disinclined to leave his Divine Mother Kali. Hovering in an ocean of bliss he guided various seekers to Kali, realising one cannot experience it anywhere but from Her. When asked why he called the deity a " Mother ", he answered that it was because the child is most free with the Mother, and she alone can cherish the child more than anyone else. People around him noted that he engaged in talks of spiritual matters only and never about any worldly issues, and while talking about Kali
1496-457: A devotee rather than a steadfast monist. During the five or six years he was with Ramakrishna, Hari had many opportunities to meet the other disciples of the Master. Early in this period he met Narendranath Dutta (more familiarly called Naren), who later became Swami Vivekananda who was his close friend and who from the very beginning had made a very deep impression on his mind. Naren too developed
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#17328558244011632-597: A dozen of his disciples at Thousand Island Park, New York for two months. During his first visit to the West he travelled to the UK twice, in 1895 and 1896, lecturing successfully there. In November 1895, he met Margaret Elizabeth Noble an Irish woman who would become Sister Nivedita . During his second visit to the UK in May 1896 Vivekananda met Max Müller , a noted Indologist from Oxford University who wrote Ramakrishna's first biography in
1768-509: A drama group with some of his friends and left school to pursue it. Ramakrishna had practically no formal education and spoke ungrammatical imperfect Bengali with a rustic accent. Kamarpukur , being a transit-point on the well-established pilgrimage routes to Puri , brought Ramakrishna into contact with many renunciate saints and holy men. He became well-versed in the Puranas , the Ramayana ,
1904-470: A dream in which Bhagavan Gadadhara (a form of lord Vishnu ) told him that he would be born as his son. Chandramani Devi is said to have had a vision of light entering her womb from the lingam in Yogider Shiv mandir . In another vision following Ramakrishna's birth, his mother saw a strange tall person lying in the bed instead of the baby Ramakrishna. The family was devoted to the Hindu deity Rama ,
2040-509: A few religious teachers visited Ramakrishna and assured him the sanctity of his visions. In 1859, in accordance with then prevailing customs, Ramakrishna was married to Sarada Devi , a marriage that was never consummated. Tota Puri, a vedanta monk, initiated Ramakrishna into sannyasa in 1865. Ramakrishna later gained widespread acclaim amongst the temple visiting public as a guru , attracting to him social leaders, elites, and common people alike. Although initially reluctant to consider himself
2176-462: A great liking for him and called him brother Hari, or Haribhai. Both lived in Calcutta and often came to see Ramakrishna together. This relationship lasted till the end. When Swami Vivekananda implored Swami Turiyananda to come to America to teach the message of Vedanta, at first he refused, but then his love and respect for the leader prevailed, and he set off on his mission. Swami Vivekananda wrote in
2312-593: A guru, he eventually taught his disciples and founded the monastic Ramakrishna Order . Ramakrishna died due to throat cancer on the night of 15 August 1886. After his demise, his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda popularized his ideas in India and the West . Ramakrishna was born on 18 February 1836, in the village of Kamarpukur , in the Hooghly district of West Bengal , India, in a very poor and pious Bengali Brahmin family. He
2448-456: A large piece of land on the banks of Hooghly river at Dakshineswar and started the construction of a nine-spired temple where pilgrims could congregate to catch a glimpse of the Goddess. However for being born into a Cāsi kaivarta family, she was deemed unworthy by the local Brahmins to make food offerings to Kali. It was her heart's desire to offer prasada to Kali, and if she did so going against
2584-474: A letter from America in 1895, Whenever I think of the wonderful renunciation of Hari, his steadiness of intellect and forbearance, I get a new access to strength . After the death of his Master, Hari went to Shillong in Assam for about six months. Afterwards, he returned to Calcutta and stayed with his brother disciples in the " Baranagar Math ". In 1887, he took Sannyasa , or the pledge of renunciation, and adopted
2720-631: A literature class at General Assembly's Institution when he heard Professor William Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth 's poem, The Excursion . While explaining the word "trance" in the poem, Hastie suggested that his students visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to understand the true meaning of trance. This prompted some of his students (including Narendra) to visit Ramakrishna. They probably first met personally in November 1881, though Narendra did not consider this their first meeting, and neither man mentioned this meeting later. At this time, Narendra
2856-644: A new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; the Unitarian a better Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the light within your own soul." After the Parliament of Religions, he toured many parts of the US as a guest. His popularity opened up new views for expanding on "life and religion to thousands". During
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#17328558244012992-441: A part of practicing the spiritual mood called mādhurā bhavā sādhana , Ramakrishna dressed and behaved as a woman. Disciple Mahendranath Gupta quoted the Master as follows: Swami Vivekananda " Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached " ( more on Wikiquote ) Swami Vivekananda (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and
3128-712: A question-answer session at Brooklyn Ethical Society, he remarked, "I have a message to the West as Buddha had a message to the East." Vivekananda spent nearly two years lecturing in the eastern and central United States, primarily in Chicago , Detroit , Boston , and New York . He founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894. By spring 1895 his busy, tiring schedule had affected his health. He ended his lecture tours and began giving free, private classes in Vedanta and yoga . Beginning in June 1895, Vivekananda gave private lectures to
3264-674: A result of his devotion in worship, he started to experience Bhava-Samadhi or Savikalpa-Samadhi . He reportedly had experiences of similar nature a few other times in his childhood—while worshipping the Goddess Vishalakshi , and portraying the God Shiva in a drama during the Shivaratri festival. Ramakrishna was sent to the village school where he learned to read and write, but had an aversion towards arithmetic and didn't progress beyond simple addition, multiplication and division. He read
3400-409: A result of his spiritual practices at Dakshineswar. Ramakrishna's mother and his elder brother Rameswar decided to get Ramakrishna married, thinking that marriage would be a good steadying influence upon him by forcing him to take up responsibilities, and keep his attention on normal affairs rather than on his spiritual practices and visions. Ramakrishna himself mentioned that they would find the bride at
3536-503: A son of a well-to-do family, became one of the poorest students in his college. He unsuccessfully tried to find work and questioned God's existence, but found solace in Ramakrishna and his visits to Dakshineswar increased. One day, Narendra requested Ramakrishna to pray to goddess Kali for their family's financial welfare. Ramakrishna instead suggested him to go to the temple himself and pray. Following Ramakrishna's suggestion, he went to
3672-446: A turning point in his life. Although he did not initially accept Ramakrishna as his teacher and rebelled against his ideas, he was attracted by his personality and began to frequently visit him at Dakshineswar. He initially saw Ramakrishna's ecstasies and visions as "mere figments of imagination" and "hallucinations". As a member of Brahmo Samaj, he opposed idol worship, polytheism and Ramakrishna's worship of Kali . He even rejected
3808-595: A young age and used to meditate before the images of deities such as Shiva , Rama , Sita , and Mahavir Hanuman . He was fascinated by wandering ascetics and monks. Narendra was mischievous and restless as a child, and his parents often had difficulty controlling him. His mother said, "I prayed to Shiva for a son and he has sent me one of his demons". In 1871, at the age of eight, Narendranath enrolled at Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's Metropolitan Institution , where he went to school until his family moved to Raipur in 1877. In 1879, after his family's return to Calcutta, he
3944-609: Is Truth and the World is false. These unorthodox last words, which were spoken impromptu, has generally been taken as the vision seen by an illumined sage who sees God everywhere. Turiyananda was renowned for his fearlessness. Once, when was harassed by the British police in Northern India, a high ranking police officer asked him whether he was afraid of police. He responded, I do not even fear death, why should I fear any human being?" Later on,
4080-517: Is celebrated in India as National Youth Day . Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Datta (name shortened to Narendra or Naren) in a Bengali Kayastha family in his ancestral home at 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Calcutta , the capital of British India , on 12 January 1863 during the Makar Sankranti festival. He was one of nine siblings. His father, Vishwanath Datta , was an attorney at
4216-556: Is given is his argument with a Swedish national where he gave reference to some details on Swedish history that the Swede originally disagreed with but later conceded. In another incident with Dr. Paul Deussen 's at Kiel in Germany, Vivekananda was going over some poetical work and did not reply when the professor spoke to him. Later, he apologised to Dr. Deussen explaining that he was too absorbed in reading and hence did not hear him. The professor
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4352-404: Is it all a fabrication of my mind, mere poetry without reality? If you do exist, why can't I see you?" Soon his longing for her vision became extreme and he was engaged in either worship or meditation for almost twenty-four hours a day. Despaired, and feeling an unbearable pain at the thought that he might never have her vision, one day, as he later recounted: "In my agony, I said to myself, 'What
4488-495: Is really a genius. I have travelled far and wide but I have never come across a lad of his talents and possibilities, even in German universities, among philosophical students. He is bound to make his mark in life". Narendra was known for his prodigious memory and the ability at speed reading. Several incidents have been given as examples. In a talk, he once quoted verbatim, two or three pages from Pickwick Papers . Another incident that
4624-433: Is the use of this life?' Suddenly my eyes fell on the sword that hangs in the temple. I decided to end my life with it then and there. Like a madman, I ran to it and seized it. And then — I had a marvellous vision of the Mother and fell down unconscious." He became overwhelmed and before fainting, observed that to his spiritual sight, houses, doors, temples and everything else around vanishing into an empty void and "What I saw,
4760-415: Is to send missionaries to this learned nation". American newspapers reported Vivekananda as "the greatest figure in the parliament of religions" and "the most popular and influential man in the parliament". The Boston Evening Transcript reported that Vivekananda was "a great favourite at the parliament... if he merely crosses the platform, he is applauded". He spoke several more times "at receptions,
4896-614: The Mahabharata , and the Bhagavata Purana , hearing them from the wandering monks and the Kathaks –a class of men in ancient India who preached and sang the Purāṇas . He used to sing and enact the songs and scenes from the Purāṇas to the village women. A trader, Durgadas Pyne, who enforced a strict purdah on the women in his household, criticised those who would meet Ramakrishna to listen to
5032-445: The Yogi ' s eyes." According to Banhatti, it was Ramakrishna who really answered Narendra's question, by saying "Yes, I see Him as I see you, only in an infinitely intenser sense." According to De Michelis, Vivekananda was more influenced by the Brahmo Samaj's and its new ideas, than by Ramakrishna. Swami Medhananda agrees that the Brahmo Samaj was a formative influence, but that "it
5168-490: The Advaita Vedanta of "identity with the absolute" as blasphemy and madness, and often ridiculed the idea. Narendra tested Ramakrishna, who faced his arguments patiently: "Try to see the truth from all angles", he replied. Narendra's father's sudden death in 1884 left the family bankrupt; creditors began demanding the repayment of loans, and relatives threatened to evict the family from their ancestral home. Narendra, once
5304-509: The Bagbazar area of Calcutta, was well respected by the people. Harinath lost his parents at a very young age and was brought up by his eldest brother, Mahendranath. His mother Prasannamayi died while trying to save young Harinath from a wild jackal when he was three years old. His father died when he was just twelve years old. In school, Hari paid close attention to all his studies, but his special interest lay in religion and athletics. His ambition
5440-520: The Bhagavad Gita , Upanishads and works of Adi Shankaracharya . He was attracted towards the teachings of Advaita Vedanta , and strove sincerely to live up to that ideal One notable incident that depicted his adherence to the principles of Vedanta was his fearlessness upon a chance encounter with a crocodile. One day while taking a bath in the Ganges , he saw the creature approaching him. Despite warnings from passersby, he did not turn back, and instead, faced
5576-482: The Calcutta High Court . Durgacharan Datta, Narendra's grandfather was a Sanskrit and Persian scholar who left his family and became a monk at age twenty-five. His mother, Bhubaneswari Devi, was a devout housewife . The progressive, rational attitude of Narendra's father and the religious temperament of his mother helped shape his thinking and personality. Narendranath was interested in spirituality from
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5712-427: The Purāṇas . Ramakrishna argued with him that women will be protected through good education and devotion to God, and not through Purdah. Once a challenge was thrown by Durgadas that it was impossible to look into his inner apartments, Ramakrishna accepted the challenge and dressed himself like a weaver woman, then fooled Durgadas with his disguise and entered the inner apartments of his house. Durgadas, defeated, allowed
5848-936: The Ramakrishna Mission for social service. Its ideals are based on Karma Yoga , and its governing body consists of the trustees of the Ramakrishna Math (which conducts religious work). Both Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission have their headquarters at Belur Math . Vivekananda founded two other monasteries: one in Mayavati in the Himalayas (near Almora ), the Advaita Ashrama and another in Madras (now Chennai). Two journals were founded: Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbhodan in Bengali. That year, famine -relief work
5984-519: The Ramayana , the Mahabharata and other religious books with devotion. He observed the scholars and found that they were only interested in acquiring wealth and contrasted this with his father's standards of detachment and righteous conduct. He later lost interest in this "bread-winning education". He instead became proficient in making images, acting and painting. When he was fourteen years old, he started
6120-523: The monastic order of Ramakrishna . Narendra and other disciples used to spend many hours in practising meditation and religious austerities every day. Narendra later reminisced about the early days of the monastery: We underwent a lot of religious practice at the Baranagar Math. We used to get up at 3:00 am and become absorbed in japa and meditation. What a strong spirit of detachment we had in those days! We had no thought even as to whether
6256-511: The teachings Vivekananda later popularised in the west. Not satisfied with his knowledge of philosophy, Narendra came to "the question which marked the real beginning of his intellectual quest for God." He asked several prominent Calcutta residents if they had come "face to face with God", but none of their answers satisfied him. At this time, Narendra met Debendranath Tagore (the leader of Brahmo Samaj) and asked if he had seen God. Instead of answering his question, Tagore said, "My boy, you have
6392-648: The " Parliament of Religions " took place in September 1893. The Congress was an initiative of the Swedenborgian layman, and judge of the Illinois Supreme Court , Charles C. Bonney , to gather all the religions of the world, and show "the substantial unity of many religions in the good deeds of the religious life." It was one of the more than 200 adjunct gatherings and congresses of the Chicago's World's Fair, and
6528-469: The "Chicago Parliament of Religions". Swami Turiyananda came back to the Ramakrishna Math in Alambazar before Vivekananda's arrival in India. At "Alambazar Math" Swami Turiyananda took up the task of training young recruits to the Ramakrishna order, and began taking classes in Vedanta in Calcutta. In 1899 when Vivekananda started for America the second time, he requested Turiyananda to accompany him to preach
6664-433: The "cyclonic monk from India". The New York Critique wrote, "He is an orator by divine right, and his strong, intelligent face in its picturesque setting of yellow and orange was hardly less interesting than those earnest words, and the rich, rhythmical utterance he gave them". The New York Herald noted, "Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it
6800-570: The Divine Mother, he would simply cry and be elated. When someone once asked him about Kali worship, he said: "I do not worship Kali made of clay and straw. My Mother is the conscious principle. My Mother is pure Satchidananda — Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. That which is infinite and deep is always dark-coloured. The extensive sky is dark-coloured and so is the deep sea. My Kali is infinite, all-pervading, and consciousness itself." Rumors spread to Kamarpukur that Ramakrishna became unstable as
6936-413: The Goddess will be awakened very soon". As the days passed, Ramakrishna's food intake and sleep gradually declined and when not engaged in either worship or meditation, he was seen in a state of turmoil over whether he would get a vision of the Mother. Seeing the evening sun, he would cry, "Mother, another day is gone and still I have not seen you!" Eventually he would question, "Are you true, Mother, or
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#17328558244017072-621: The Himalayas. During these days of wandering, he survived on the barest of necessities in the extreme cold weather. He visited the holy shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath and stayed for some time in Srinagar (Garhwal).Later he met up with Swami Vivekananda in Bombay and Mt. Abu when the latter was preparing to depart for America in 1893. During his travels in Punjab, he heard about Swami Vivekananda's success in
7208-517: The Hindu religious life of a wandering monk, "without fixed abode, without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go". His sole possessions were a kamandalu (water pot), staff and his two favourite books: the Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ . Narendra travelled extensively in India for five years, visiting centres of learning and acquainting himself with diverse religious traditions and social patterns. He developed sympathy for
7344-712: The Mussalmans take water in leather bags and call it ' pani '. At a third the Christians call it ' water '. Can we imagine that it is not ' Jal ' , but only ' pani ' or ' water '? How ridiculous! The substance is One under different names, and everyone is seeking the same substance; only climate, temperament, and name create differences. Let each man follow his own path. If he sincerely and ardently wishes to know God, peace be unto him! He will surely realize Him." — Ramakrishna Born in Kamarpukur , Bengal Presidency, India, Ramakrishna
7480-751: The Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram in Varanasi , where he died on 21 July 1922. Turiyananda spent the next several years practicing intense contemplation in Vrindavan, in different places in the Himalayas, in Dehra Dun, Kankhal, Almora, etc. He finally settled down in Varanasi in February 1919. During the last few years he suffered much from diabetes. He died on 21 July 1922 at Varanasi. Moments before dying he repeated
7616-554: The Swami as a representative of the Hindu monastic order." Hearing Vivekananda speak, Harvard psychology professor William James said, "that man is simply a wonder for oratorical power. He is an honor to humanity." The Parliament of the World's Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the Art Institute of Chicago , as part of the World's Columbian Exposition . On this day, Vivekananda gave
7752-500: The Upanishadic mantra 'Satyam, Jnanam Anantham Brahma' meaning 'God is Truth, Wisdom and Infinity' along with his brother disciple Swami Akhandananda after which he was heard muttering in Bengali 'Brahma Satya, Jagat Satya; Sab Satya. Satye Pran Pratishtitha' which means `God is Truth, the World is also Truth, Everything is Truth. Life is based on Truth'. This was radically different from the orthodox 'Brahma Satyam Jagad Mithya' meaning God
7888-483: The West. From the UK, Vivekananda visited other European countries. In Germany, he met Paul Deussen , another Indologist. Vivekananda was offered academic positions in two American universities (one the chair in Eastern Philosophy at Harvard University and a similar position at Columbia University ); he declined both, since his duties would conflict with his commitment as a monk. Vivekananda's success led to
8024-547: The beginning of modern yoga . Vivekananda attracted followers and admirers in the US and Europe, including Josephine MacLeod , Betty Leggett , Lady Sandwich , William James , Josiah Royce , Robert G. Ingersoll , Lord Kelvin , Harriet Monroe , Ella Wheeler Wilcox , Sarah Bernhardt , Nikola Tesla , Emma Calvé and Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz . He initiated several followers : Marie Louise (a French woman) became Swami Abhayananda , and Leon Landsberg became Swami Kripananda, so that they could continue
8160-588: The chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna . He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. He is credited with raising interfaith awareness and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late nineteenth century . Born into an aristocratic Bengali Kayastha family in Calcutta , Vivekananda was inclined from a young age towards religion and spirituality. He later found his guru Ramakrishna and became
8296-414: The complex for conducting worship, and appointed Ramakrishna to the office of priest. Ramkumar was glad with this arrangement, and after serving for one year since the consecration of the temple, he died suddenly in 1856 while preparing to go home on a leave. At age 20, Ramakrishna who by now had witnessed more than one death in his family, realising the utter impermanence of life, became more engrossed in
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#17328558244018432-456: The core tenets of Hindu philosophy , and founded the Vedanta Society of New York and the Vedanta Society of San Francisco (now Vedanta Society of Northern California ), both of which became the foundations for Vedanta Societies in the West. In India, he founded the Ramakrishna Math , which provides spiritual training for monastics and householders, and the Ramakrishna Mission , which provides charity, social work and education. Vivekananda
8568-440: The crocodile. He was adhering to the principle of Vedanta that says the same divinity is manifest in all living organisms, and therefore one soul should not be afraid of another. Harinath first met Ramakrishna when he was about fourteen years old, when the latter had come to visit a neighbour's house. Harinath went to Dakshineswar temple two or three years later (c.a 1880) and became Ramakrishna's devotee. Harinath's favourite book
8704-658: The development of these new doctrines, and questioned central Hindu beliefs like reincarnation and karma, and rejected the authority of the Vedas . Tagore also brought this "neo-Hinduism" closer in line with western esotericism , a development which was furthered by Sen. Sen was influenced by transcendentalism , an American philosophical-religious movement strongly connected with unitarianism, which emphasised personal religious experience over mere reasoning and theology . Sen strived to "an accessible, non-renunciatory, everyman type of spirituality", introducing "lay systems of spiritual practice" which can be regarded as an influence to
8840-430: The different ways once. Wherever I look, I see men quarrelling in the name of religion - Hindus, Mohammedans, Brahmos, Vaishnavas, and the rest. But they never reflect that He who is called Krishna is also called Siva, and bears the name of the Primal Energy, Jesus, and Allah as well - the same Rama with a thousand names. A lake has several Ghats. At one, the Hindus take water in pitchers and call it ' Jal ' ; at another
8976-564: The earliest missionary to be sent by his leader and brother disciple Swami Vivekananda to the United States of America to preach the message of Vedanta to the western audience from 1899 to 1902. He established the Shanti Ashrama in California, United States. He was a monk of the Ramakrishna Mission . He died in Varanasi, India . Turiyananda was born as Harinath Chattopadhyay, the youngest of six children, in an affluent Bengali middle-class family in Calcutta on 3 January 1863. His father, Chandranath Chattopadhay, an orthodox Brahmin who lived in
9112-552: The education of Indian women and India's independence. The ship from Europe arrived in Colombo , British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ) on 15 January 1897, and Vivekananda received a warm welcome. In Colombo, he gave his first public speech in the East . From there on, his journey to Calcutta was triumphant. Vivekananda travelled from Colombo to Pamban , Rameswaram , Ramnad , Madurai , Kumbakonam and Madras , delivering lectures. Common people and rajas gave him an enthusiastic reception. During his train travels, people often sat on
9248-403: The eight servitudes of "hatred, fear, shame, aversion, egoism, vanity, noble descent, and good conduct." He viewed his sacred thread as a display of the ego of his Brahmin descent and thus kept it aside, saying when calling upon the Mother, one should discard all such bondages and call on Her with a focused mind. He assured his nephew that he would put them on after the end of his meditation. Hriday
9384-405: The end lead to Me." According to Sailendra Nath Dhar, "it was only a short speech, but it voiced the spirit of the Parliament." Parliament President John Henry Barrows said, "India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors". Vivekananda attracted widespread attention in the press, which called him
9520-475: The entire sky. The ensuing sight was so beautiful that he was absorbed into it and lost all his outer consciousness, before falling down with the rice scattered all over. People nearby who saw this came to his rescue and carried him home. At age nine, in accordance with Brahminical tradition, the sacred thread was vested on Ramakrishna, thus making him eligible for conducting ritual worship. He would later help his family in performing worship of their deities. As
9656-443: The family deity was Sri Raghubir–an epithet of Rama, and the male children of Khudiram and Chandramani were given names that started with Ram or Rama: Ramkumar, Rameswar, and Ramakrishna. There has been some dispute about the origin of the name Ramakrishna, but there is "...evidence which proves beyond doubt that the name 'Ramakrishna' was given to him by his father..." Ramakrishna confirmed this himself, as recorded in "M"s diaries, "I
9792-401: The family's financial position worsened, Ramkumar then started a Sanskrit school in Calcutta (Jhama pukur lane), whilst also serving as a priest there. In 1852, Ramakrishna moved to Calcutta along with his brother to assist him with the priestly work. In the 19th century Calcutta, there lived Rani Rasmani , a wealthy woman with a commanding personality. A widow with four daughters, she was
9928-482: The first of the many prominent women who played a major role in the life of Ramakrishna. Inheriting property from her husband, the Rani managed to endear herself to the people of the city through her exceptional managerial skills of the estate, her resistance against the British colonial authorities, and her various philanthropic works. Known well for her kindness, benevolence to the poor, and also for her religious devotion, she
10064-459: The first six chapters of The Imitation of Christ was published in Brahmavadin in 1899. Vivekananda left for India on 16 December 1896 from England with his disciples Captain and Mrs. Sevier and J.J. Goodwin. On the way, they visited France and Italy, and set sail for India from Naples on 30 December 1896. He was later followed to India by Sister Nivedita, who devoted the rest of her life to
10200-508: The group had to face many hardships and hurdles because of the remote and uninhabited nature of the place. However, this experience was life changing for many of his students, one of whom wrote, To think of Turiyananda is an act of purification of mind, to remember his life, an impulse to new endeavour To many of his students Turiyananda was a living example of Vedanta. Turiyananda had a very strenuous life in Shanti Ashrama and his health broke down. He therefore returned to India in 1902 and heard
10336-577: The house of Ramchandra Mukherjee in Jayrambati , three miles to the north-west of Kamarpukur . The five-year-old bride, Saradamani Mukhopadhyaya (later known as Sarada Devi; she is also considered an avatar ) was found, and the marriage was duly solemnised in 1859. Ramakrishna was twenty-three at this point, but this age difference for marriage was typical for nineteenth-century rural Bengal. They later spent three months together in Kamarpukur when Sarada Devi
10472-538: The last day of May in 1855, on request by the Rani, he continued as its chief priest. Ramkumar informed Ramakrishna that he was taking up the post of the priest and asked him to stay at the Kali Temple. At this injunction Ramakrishna strenuously objected and reminded Ramkumar that their father never officiated in the ceremonies of the purported 'lower castes' and refused to join him, but the will of Ramkumar prevailed in this matter. On Thursday, 31 May 1855, Ramkumar in
10608-499: The like. Do show Thyself to me." Being averse to wasting any time, after the closure of the temple during midday or at night, he would visit the nearby jungle to think and meditate on Kali . Before meditating, he would put down his clothes and the sacred thread aside, and meditate completely naked. When Hriday found this out, he confronted his uncle and asked him to explain his strange conduct. Ramakrishna answered that when one thinks about God, one should be free from all attachments and
10744-475: The monastery at Belur Math and meditated for three hours. He taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda , Sanskrit grammar and the philosophy of yoga to pupils, later discussing with colleagues a planned Vedic college in the Ramakrishna Math. At 7:00 pm Vivekananda went to his room, asking not to be disturbed; he died at 9:20 p.m. while meditating . According to his disciples, Vivekananda attained mahasamādhi ;
10880-527: The more you will fall into the snare." The Master had a very high opinion of his disciple. Sri Ramakrishna said about Harinath, He comes of that transcendent region whence name and form are manufactured . Hari Maharaj's opinion about his Guru was that the bliss he received in the company of his master more than compensated for all the sufferings in his life. Ramakrishna also taught him to overcome lust and desire, along with various other spiritual disciplines. Gradually, under his influence, Harinath transformed into
11016-471: The name Turiyananda (Turiya – transcendental, Ananda – bliss). He then left the monastery and travelled by foot all the way to the Himalayas . While leading a contemplative life there, he was reunited with Swami Vivekananda and several other brother disciples in Rajpur. Then they travelled together to Rishikesh . After Swami Vivekananda left his brother monks, Turiyananda and Brahmananda travelled further north into
11152-597: The name, as suggested by Ajit Singh of Khetri , "Vivekananda"–a conglomerate of the Sanskrit words: viveka and ānanda , meaning "the bliss of discerning wisdom". Vivekananda started his journey to the West on 31 May 1893 and visited several cities in Japan (including Nagasaki , Kobe , Yokohama , Osaka , Kyoto and Tokyo ), China and Canada en route to the United States , reaching Chicago on 30 July 1893, where
11288-672: The nations on behalf of "the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sannyasins, a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance". Vivekananda quoted two illustrative passages from the " Shiva mahimna stotram ": "As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take, through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!" and "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths that in
11424-403: The next slipped away. But, in my heart of hearts, there was flowing a current of intense bliss, never experienced before, and I had the immediate knowledge of the light that was Mother." When he regained consciousness, he was found uttering the word " Maa " (Mother) repeatedly in an aching voice. Thoroughly convinced of Kali's existence, Ramakrishna now lived at her abode, all the time, and like
11560-474: The norms of the Brahmanical society of the time, the devotees would no longer visit that temple, nor would a Brahmin priest officiate there. To find a scriptural solution to her problem, the Rani sought written opinions of various pandits from different parts of the country. However, none of the opinions were in her favor. When all hope was seemingly lost, she received a letter from Ramkumar, who assured her that
11696-468: The now famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple . Reportedly in the dream, the goddess instructed her that instead of visiting Kashi she better set up a stone idol of the Goddess at a beautiful place on the banks of the Bhagirathi River , and make arrangements for the daily worship and prasada offering there, then she would manifest in the deity and receive her worship. With great delight the Rani bought
11832-905: The opinion that with large organisations, spiritual work is apt to suffer. "Lectures," he used to say, "are to reach the public, but the real work can be done only through close personal contact, yet both are necessary." Ramakrishna Shaivism/Tantra/Nath New movements Kashmir Shaivism Gaudapada Adi Shankara Advaita-Yoga Nath Kashmir Shaivism Neo-Vedanta Inchegeri Sampradaya Contemporary Shaivism/Tantra/Nath Neo-Advaita Hinduism Buddhism Modern Advaita Vedanta Neo-Vedanta Traditional Ramakrishna (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886 ), also called Ramakrishna Paramahansa ( Bengali : রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস , romanized : Ramôkṛṣṇo Pôromohôṅso ; pronounced [ramɔkriʂno pɔromoɦɔŋʃo] ; IAST : Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṃsa ), born Ramakrishna Chattopadhay ,
11968-517: The other aspiring monks accepted the invitation and went to Antpur to spend a few days. In Antpur, on the Christmas Eve of 1886, Narendra, aged 23, and eight other disciples took formal monastic vows at the Radha Gobinda Jiu temple . They decided to live their lives as their master lived. Narendranath took the name "Swami Vivekananda". In 1888, Narendra left the monastery as a Parivrâjaka —
12104-408: The other disciples had to find a new place to live. Many returned home, adopting a Grihastha (family-oriented) way of life. Narendra decided to convert a dilapidated house at Baranagar into a new math (monastery) for the remaining disciples. Rent for the Baranagar Math was low, raised by "holy begging" ( mādhukarī ). The math became the first building of the Ramakrishna Math : the monastery of
12240-452: The police officer became an admirer and devotee. His method of teaching was through conversation with quotations from holy scriptures. "There are two ways of answering a question," he said. "One is to answer from intellect, the other is to answer from within. I always try to answer from within . Even though he was not actively involved in philanthropic activity of the Ramakrishna Mission , he held it in high regard. He used to say, If one serves
12376-403: The poor and lower classes of the town of Khetri and teach them religion. Also, let them have oral lessons on geography and such other subjects. No good will come of sitting idle and having princely dishes, and saying "Ramakrishna, O Lord!"—unless you can do some good to the poor". In 1895, Vivekananda founded the periodical Brahmavadin to teach the Vedanta. Later, Vivekananda's translation of
12512-475: The presence of his brother Ramakrishna officiated at the dedication ceremony of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple . Despite having Brahmanical authority since its beginning, this temple remained accessible to all irrespective of caste, creed, and class. Within three months after the consecration of the temple, Mathur Babu, the Rani's right-hand man was much impressed by Ramakrishna and appointed him with
12648-483: The professor, "He urged upon me the necessity of going to the Parliament of Religions , which he thought would give an introduction to the nation". Vivekananda submitted an application, "introducing himself as a monk 'of the oldest order of sannyāsis ... founded by Sankara,'" supported by the Brahmo Samaj representative Protapchandra Mozoombar , who was also a member of the Parliament's selection committee, "classifying
12784-597: The rails to force the train to stop, so they could hear him. From Madras (now Chennai), he continued his journey to Calcutta and Almora . While in the West, Vivekananda spoke about India's great spiritual heritage; in India, he repeatedly addressed social issues: uplifting the people, eliminating the caste system , promoting science and industrialisation, addressing widespread poverty and ending colonial rule. These lectures, published as Lectures from Colombo to Almora , demonstrate his nationalistic fervour and spiritual ideology. On 1 May 1897 in Calcutta, Vivekananda founded
12920-508: The religious fervor in Ramakrishna, who reportedly became ecstatic as soon as a mantra was recited in his ear. In order to get him more accustomed, Ramkumar later employed Ramakrishna on few occasions to perform the worship of Kali. As Ramkumar grew old and infirm to carry out the difficult duties at the Kali temple, Mathur with the permission of the Rani, requested him to move to the Vishnu temple in
13056-524: The rupture of a blood vessel in his brain was reported as a possible cause of death. His disciples believed that the rupture was due to his brahmarandhra (an opening in the crown of his head) being pierced when he attained mahasamādhi . Vivekananda fulfilled his prophecy that he would not live forty years. He was cremated on a sandalwood funeral pyre on the bank of the Ganga in Belur, opposite where Ramakrishna
13192-492: The scientific section, and private homes" on topics related to Hinduism, Buddhism and harmony among religions until the parliament ended on 27 September 1893. Vivekananda's speeches at the Parliament had the common theme of universality, emphasising religious tolerance. He soon became known as a "handsome oriental" and made a huge impression as an orator. "I do not come", said Swamiji on one occasion in America, "to convert you to
13328-427: The scriptural principles would be observed intact if she made a gift of the property to a Brahmin, who could then install the deity and make arrangements for food offerings. No blemish would then be incurred by those who partook the prasada there. She readily agreed to these conditions, displaying savviness in working around the rigidities of caste while adhering to its restrictions. The Rani thus decided to consecrate
13464-457: The sick and distressed in the right spirit, in one single day one can get the highest realisation . He sympathised with the masses, and encouraged philanthropy and work for the poor and distressed. Turiyananda cared not so much for public work and organisation as upon working personally with a smaller number. His work was based upon individual character building. He preferred the style of an inward, meditative and contemplative life. He seemed to be of
13600-458: The suffering and poverty of the people, and resolved to uplift the nation. Living primarily on bhiksha (alms), Narendra travelled on foot and by railway (with tickets bought by admirers). During his travels he met, and stayed with Indians from all religions and walks of life: scholars, dewans , rajas , Hindus, Muslims, Christians, paraiyars (low-caste workers) and government officials. On 31 May 1893, Narendra left Bombay for Chicago with
13736-423: The task of dressing up the deity of Kali, and Hriday, the sixteen year old nephew of Ramakrishna was appointed as an assistant to both him and Ramkumar. Soon, Ramkumar began to teach his brother the modes of worship and service of the Goddess, in the hope that he might perform them in his absence. To initiate him properly, a Sadhaka of Shakti named Kenaram Bhattacharya was invited. He was apparently charmed to see
13872-403: The temple and proceeded with her plans. While the search for a priest was on, a Brahmin named Mahesh Chandra Chattopadhyaya who worked on the estate of the Rani, and her secretary Ramdhan Ghosh, both of whom were well acquainted with Ramkumar, requested him to officiate as a priest at the temple of the Rani, albeit temporarily. The devout Ramkumar agreed and later after the opening of the temple on
14008-754: The temple thrice, but failed to pray for any kind of worldly necessities and ultimately prayed for true knowledge and devotion from the goddess. Narendra gradually grew ready to renounce everything for the sake of realising God, and accepted Ramakrishna as his Guru . In 1885, Ramakrishna developed throat cancer , and was transferred to Calcutta and (later) to a garden house in Cossipore . Narendra and Ramakrishna's other disciples took care of him during his last days, and Narendra's spiritual education continued. At Cossipore, he experienced Nirvikalpa samadhi . Narendra and several other disciples received ochre robes from Ramakrishna, forming his first monastic order. He
14144-491: The tragic news of the passing away of Vivekananda on 4 July 1902. After the death of Vivekananda, Turiyananda left the newly built Belur Math and went to Vrindaban and Uttarkashi . He built an ashrama in Almora together with Swami Shivananda , another brother disciple. He later developed diabetes and was operated upon for a curbuncle, without the use of chloroform or any anesthetic. The last three years of his life were spent at
14280-708: The twelve main centres. There is also a Vedanta Press in Hollywood which publishes books about Vedanta and English translations of Hindu scriptures and texts. Christina Greenstidel of Detroit was also initiated by Vivekananda with a mantra and she became Sister Christine , and they established a close father–daughter relationship. From the West, Vivekananda revived his work in India. He regularly corresponded with his followers and brother monks, offering advice and financial support. His letters from this period reflect his campaign of social service, and were strongly worded. He wrote to Akhandananda , "Go from door to door amongst
14416-452: The ultimate unity of diverse religions as being means to enable the realization of the same God. He is regarded by his followers as an avatar (divine incarnation). "I have practised all religions - Hinduism, Islam, Christianity - and I have also followed the paths of the different Hindu sects. I have found that it is the same God toward whom all are directing their steps, though along different paths. You must try all beliefs and traverse all
14552-490: The universal message of Vedanta . At first the latter refused as he was averse to preaching and active life. But finally he relented. He reached New York via England in August 1899. He worked at first in the Vedanta Society of New York and took up additional work at Mont claire. His main interest was in character building based upon principles of Vedanta and this he strived to achieve with a group of young students in Shanti Ashrama,
14688-403: The women to go and listen to Ramakrishna's recitals. Ramakrishna's father died in 1843, a loss which he felt very strongly and made him reticent. He would visit the nearby cremation ground alone to practice spiritual disciplines there. At this stage the family responsibilities fell on his elder brother, Ramkumar, who was about thirty-one years older than him. When Ramakrishna was in his teens,
14824-428: The words: "Sisters and brothers of America ..." while introducing Hinduism to Americans. He made such an impression there that an American newspaper described him as "an orator by divine right and undoubtedly the greatest figure at the Parliament". After great success at the Parliament, in the subsequent years, Vivekananda delivered hundreds of lectures across the United States , England , and Europe , disseminating
14960-535: The work of the math and trained disciples for several months. Vivekananda composed " Khandana Bhava–Bandhana ", a prayer song dedicated to Ramakrishna, in 1898. Despite declining health, Vivekananda left for the West for a second time in June 1899 accompanied by Sister Nivedita and Swami Turiyananda . Following a brief stay in England, he went to the United States. During this visit, Vivekananda established Vedanta Societies in San Francisco and New York and founded
15096-613: The work of the mission of the Vedanta Society . This society still is filled with foreign nationals and is also located in Los Angeles . During his stay in America, Vivekananda was given land in the mountains to the southeast of San Jose, California to establish a retreat for Vedanta students. He called it "Peace retreat", or, Shanti Asrama . The largest American centre is the Vedanta Society of Southern California in Hollywood , one of
15232-569: The works of David Hume , Immanuel Kant , Johann Gottlieb Fichte , Baruch Spinoza , Georg W. F. Hegel , Arthur Schopenhauer , Auguste Comte , John Stuart Mill and Charles Darwin . He became fascinated with the evolutionism of Herbert Spencer and corresponded with him, translating Herbert Spencer 's book Education (1861) into Bengali. While studying Western philosophers, he also learned Sanskrit scriptures and Bengali literature . William Hastie (principal of Christian College, Calcutta; from where Narendra graduated) wrote, "Narendra
15368-404: The world existed or not. In 1887, Narendra compiled a Bengali song anthology named Sangeet Kalpataru with Vaishnav Charan Basak. Narendra collected and arranged most of the songs of this compilation, but could not finish the work of the book for unfavourable circumstances. In December 1886, the mother of Baburam invited Narendra and his other brother monks to Antpur village. Narendra and
15504-579: The worship of Kali . After the daily worship, he would sit in the temple looking intently at the deity and get absorbed in her, before losing himself in devotion whilst singing with profound emotion the songs composed by devotees like Ramprasad and Kamalakanta . He regarded their songs as an aid in his worship, and was certain about having the vision of Kali as Ramprasad did. With an ardent heart, he would say, "Thou showed thyself to Ramprasad, Mother, why then shouldst Thou not reveal Thyself to me? I don't want wealth, friends, relatives, enjoyment of pleasure, and
15640-547: Was "an avant-garde intellectual manifestation of [...] cultic milieus, East and West," with the Brahmo Samaj and the Theosophical Society being invited as representative of Hinduism . Vivekananda wanted to join, but was disappointed to learn that no one without credentials from a bona fide organisation would be accepted as a delegate. Vivekananda contacted Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University , who invited him to speak at Harvard. Vivekananda wrote of
15776-468: Was Narendra's momentous encounter with Ramakrishna that changed the course of his life by turning him away from Brahmoism." According to De Michelis, it was Sen's influence which brought Vivekananda fully into contact with western esotericism, and it was also via Sen that he met Ramakrishna. In 1881, Narendra first met Ramakrishna, who became his spiritual focus after his own father had died in 1884. Narendra's first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in
15912-399: Was a boundless infinite conscious sea of light! However far and in whatever direction I looked, I found a continuous succession of effulgent waves coming forward, raging and storming from all sides with great speed. Very soon they fell on me and made me sink to the unknown bottom. I panted, struggled and fell unconscious. I did not know what happened then in the external world — how that day and
16048-420: Was a pet child of my father. He used to call me Ramakrishnababu." Around the age of six or seven, Ramakrishna experienced his first moment of spiritual trance. One morning while walking along the narrow ridges of a paddy field , eating some puffed rice from a small basket, he came across the sight of a flock of milky white cranes flying against the backdrop of a heavy rain laden black clouds, which soon engulfed
16184-471: Was aghast at hearing this and left him in dismay. In this way, Ramakrishna spent his days and nights altogether in prayer, singing, and meditation while his longing for her vision kept increasing daily. It was not long before people around the temple started noticing his passion and adherence to devotion, which was quite unperturbed by the opinions of people around him. The Rani was informed by her son-in-law Mathur thus: "We have got an extraordinary worshipper;
16320-408: Was an Indian Hindu mystic . He was a devotee of the goddess Kali , but adhered to various religious practices from the Hindu traditions of Vaishnavism , Tantric Shaktism , and Advaita Vedanta , as well as Christianity and Islam. He advocated the essential unity of religions and proclaimed that world religions are "so many paths to reach one and the same goal". His parable-based teachings espoused
16456-479: Was angry with Khudiram for refusing to commit perjury, brought a false petition against him in the court and took possession of his ancestral property. Bereft of all property, Khudiram and Chandramani Devi moved to Kamarpukur where a friend, Sukhlal Goswami, gifted them one Bigha and ten Chataks of land for their maintenance. The parents of Ramakrishna are said to have experienced supernatural incidents and visions regarding his birth. In Gaya , his father Khudiram had
16592-792: Was begun by Swami Akhandananda in the Murshidabad district. Vivekananda earlier inspired Jamsetji Tata to set up a research and educational institution when they travelled together from Yokohama to Chicago on Vivekananda's first visit to the West in 1893. Tata now asked him to head his Research Institute of Science ; Vivekananda declined the offer, citing a conflict with his "spiritual interests". He visited Punjab , attempting to mediate an ideological conflict between Arya Samaj (a reformist Hindu movement) and sanatan (orthodox Hindus). After brief visits to Lahore , Delhi and Khetri , Vivekananda returned to Calcutta in January 1898. He consolidated
16728-527: Was fourteen, and Ramakrishna thirty-two. Ramakrishna became a very influential figure in Sarada's life, and she became a strong follower of his teachings. After the marriage, Sarada stayed at Jayrambati and joined Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar at the age of eighteen. By the time his bride joined him, Ramakrishna had already embraced the monastic life of a sannyasi , and the marriage was never consummated. Once as
16864-499: Was indeed being truthful. Some accounts have called Narendra a shrutidhara (a person with a prodigious memory). In 1880, Narendra joined Keshab Chandra Sen 's Nava Vidhan , which was established by Sen after meeting Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and reconverting from Christianity to Hinduism. Narendra became a member of a Freemasonry lodge "at some point before 1884" and of the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in his twenties,
17000-510: Was much loved and revered by the people and proved herself to be worthy of the title " Rani ". Being an ardent devotee of the Goddess Kali, the Rani had the words, "Sri Rasmani Dasi, longing for the Feet of Kali”, inscribed in her estates official seal. After having a vision of the Goddess Kali in a dream on the night before her departure for a pilgrimage to the Hindu holy city of Kashi , she founded
17136-415: Was not satisfied with this explanation, but Vivekananda quoted and interpreted verses from the text, leaving the professor dumbfounded about his feat of memory. Once, he requested some books written by Sir John Lubbock from a library and returned them the very next day, claiming that he had read them. The librarian refused to believe him, until cross-examination about the contents convinced him that Vivekananda
17272-472: Was one of the most influential philosophers and social reformers in his contemporary India, and the most successful missionary of Vedanta to the Western world . He was also a major force in contemporary Hindu reform movements and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India . He is now widely regarded as one of the most influential people of modern India and a patriotic saint . His birthday
17408-471: Was preparing for his upcoming F. A. examination, when Ram Chandra Datta accompanied him to Surendra Nath Mitra 's, house where Ramakrishna was invited to deliver a lecture. According to Makarand Paranjape, at this meeting Ramakrishna asked young Narendra to sing. Impressed by his singing talent, he asked Narendra to come to Dakshineshwar. In late 1881 or early 1882, Narendra went to Dakshineswar with two friends and met Ramakrishna. This meeting proved to be
17544-453: Was taught that service to men was the most effective worship of God. Ramakrishna asked him to care of the other monastic disciples, and in turn asked them to see Narendra as their leader. Ramakrishna died in the early-morning hours of 16 August 1886 in Cossipore. After Ramakrishna's death, his devotees and admirers stopped supporting his disciples. Unpaid rent accumulated, and Narendra and
17680-475: Was the Rama Gita , an Advaita treatise. Harinath had an aversion and horror of women and always avoided them, even if they were little girls. One day he told about it to Ramakrishna. He chastised him, saying "Look down upon women! What for? They are the manifestation of the Divine Mother. Bow down to them as to your mother and hold them in respect. That is the only way to escape their influence. The more you hate them,
17816-539: Was the fourth and the youngest child of his parents, father Khudiram Chattopadhyaya, born in 1775, and mother Chandramani Devi, born in 1791. The couples first son Ramkumar is said to have born in 1805, a daughter Katyayani five years later, and a second son Rameswar in 1826. Chandramani Devi was Khudiram's second wife. His first wife died young. Khudiram had ancestral property in the Dere Village of present day West Bengal, India. An unscrupulous landlord, Ramananda Roy, who
17952-470: Was the fourth and youngest child of his parents. He encountered several religious experiences starting from his childhood, and later began his career, at age twenty, as a temple priest at the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple in Calcutta . The devotional temperament of Ramakrishna coupled with his intense religious practices at the temple premises led him to experience various spiritual visions . Soon
18088-478: Was the introduction of his "four yogas" model, which includes Raja yoga , his interpretation of Patanjali 's Yoga sutras , which offered a practical means to realise the divine force within which is central to modern western esotericism. In 1896, his book Raja Yoga was published, becoming an instant success; it was highly influential in the western understanding of yoga , in Elizabeth de Michelis 's view marking
18224-666: Was the only student to receive first-division marks in the Presidency College entrance examination. He was an avid reader in a wide range of subjects, including philosophy , religion, history , social science, art and literature. He was also interested in Hindu scriptures , including the Vedas , the Upanishads , the Bhagavad Gita , the Ramayana , the Mahabharata and the Puranas . Narendra
18360-561: Was to lead an austere life, observing all the orthodox rules and traditions. After finishing his studies in the Bengali Institution, Hari went to the General Assembly School (now Scottish Church Collegiate School ), run by Christian missionaries. However, he was never swayed away by the doctrines of Christianity taught by the missionaries. At a very young age he was inclined towards the study of philosophy and scriptures like
18496-577: Was trained in Indian classical music , and regularly participated in physical exercise, sports and organised activities. Narendra studied Western logic, Western philosophy and European history at the General Assembly's Institution (now known as the Scottish Church College). In 1881, he passed the Fine Arts examination, and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884. Narendra studied
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