Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda suddenly leapt into fame at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colorful personality, and handsome figure made an irrestible appeal to all who came in contact with him. People who saw or heard him even once cherished his memory for the rest of their lives.

In America Vivekananda's mission was the interpretation of India's spiritual culture, especially in its Vedantic setting. He also tried to enrich the religious consciousness of the Americans through the rational and humanistic teachings of the Vedantic philosophy. In America he pleaded eloquently for better understanding between India and the New World in order to create a healthy synthesis of East and West, of religion and science.

In India Vivekananda is regarded as the patriot saint and an inspirer of her dormant national consciousness. To his countrymen he preached the ideal of a strength-giving and man-making religion. Service to man as the visible manifestation of the Godhead was the special form of worship he advocated for the Indians, devoted as they were to the rituals and myths of their ancient faith.

The Swami's mission was both national and international. A lover of mankind, he strove to promote peace and human brotherhood on the spiritual foundation of the Vedantic Oneness of existence.

Many political leaders of India have publicly acknowledged their indebtedness to Swami Vivekananda. His towering personality influenced numerous persons in India and abroad in various ways.

- Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda His Eastern and Western Disciples