Swami Vivekananda
Indian Hindu monk who introduced Vedanta and Yoga to the West.
Swami Vivekananda, originally named Narendranath Datta, lived from 12 January 1863 to 4 July 1902. He was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, and religious teacher, best known as the foremost disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna. In the late 1800s, he became a key figure in bringing Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world, helping to foster interfaith understanding and raising Hinduism’s status to that of a major global religion.
Born into an aristocratic Bengali Kayastha family in Calcutta, he was one of nine children. His father, Vishwanath Datta, worked as an attorney, while his mother, Bhubaneswari Devi, was a devout homemaker. His grandfather, Durgacharan Datta, had been a scholar of Sanskrit and Persian who left his family at twenty-five to become a monk. From a young age, Narendra showed a strong interest in spirituality, meditating before images of deities like Shiva, Rama, Sita, and Hanuman, and was drawn to wandering ascetics. As a child, he was mischievous and restless, leading his mother to remark that she had prayed to Shiva for a son and received one of his demons instead.
He began his education at age eight at Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Metropolitan Institution, continuing until his family moved to Raipur in 1877. After returning to Calcutta in 1879, he was the only student to achieve first-division marks in the Presidency College entrance exam. A voracious reader, he explored philosophy, religion, history, social science, art, and literature, as well as Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. He trained in Indian classical music and took part in physical exercise and sports. At the General Assembly’s Institution (now Scottish Church College), he studied Western logic, philosophy, and European history, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884 after passing a Fine Arts exam in 1881. He delved into the works of thinkers such as David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Baruch Spinoza, Georg Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Auguste Comte, John Stuart Mill, and Charles Darwin, and was particularly fascinated by Herbert Spencer’s evolutionism, even translating Spencer’s book *Education* into Bengali. He also learned Sanskrit scriptures and Bengali literature. His college principal, William Hastie, called him a genius, noting he had never encountered a student of such talent and prom
- born
- 12 January 1863
- died
- 4 July 1902
- field
- Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher
- nationality
- Indian
- known_for
- Introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world; landmark speech at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago; founding the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission
Lore & Background
Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Datta in an aristocratic Bengali Kayastha family in Calcutta on 12 January 1863. He showed an early inclination towards religion and spirituality, and at age 18 met Ramakrishna, becoming his devoted disciple. After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda travelled extensively across the Indian subcontinent as a wandering monk, gaining first-hand knowledge of the harsh living conditions of the Indian masses under British India. He sought to alleviate their suffering through social services but lacked capital.
In 1893, he travelled to the United States to participate in the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, where he delivered a landmark speech beginning with 'Sisters and brothers of America...'. His message introduced Hindu spiritual thought and advocated for religious tolerance and universal acceptance. An American newspaper described him as 'an orator by divine right and undoubtedly the greatest figure at the Parliament'. Following this success, he lectured widely across the United States, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe, disseminating the principles of Hindu philosophy.
He established the Vedanta Society of New York and the Vedanta Society of San Francisco, which became foundations for later Vedanta Societies in the West. In India, he founded the Ramakrishna Math, a monastic order for spiritual training, and the Ramakrishna Mission, dedicated to social services, education, and humanitarian work. His birth anniversary is observed in India as National Youth Day.
Reader's Guide
Swami Vivekananda's significance lies in his role as a bridge between Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. His appearance at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions marked a pivotal moment for Hinduism, elevating it to the status of a major world religion in the global consciousness. He was a prominent philosopher and social reformer who contributed significantly to the Hindu revivalist movement and the development of Indian nationalism in colonial India. His establishment of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission created lasting institutions for spiritual training and social service. Vivekananda's teachings emphasized religious tolerance and universal acceptance, and his lectures across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe introduced Vedanta and Yoga to Western audiences. He is celebrated as a patriotic saint, and his legacy continues through the Vedanta Societies and the annual observance of National Youth Day in India. His work laid the groundwork for later interfaith dialogue and the global spread of Hindu philosophical ideas.
Did You Know?
- Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863 during the Makar Sankranti festival.
- He was the only student to receive first-division marks in the Presidency College entrance examination in 1879.
- He translated Herbert Spencer's book 'Education' (1861) into Bengali.
- His mother said of him: 'I prayed to Shiva for a son and he has sent me one of his demons.'
More in Founders Of New Religious Movements 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record