Swami Vivekananda

 

Swami Vivekananda’s original name was Narendranath Dutta. He was born on January 12, 1863 in KolKata, India. His parents were Viswaanath Dutta and Bhuveneswari Devi. Swami Vivekananda was disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

 Swami Vivekananda spread the Vedanta philosophy and tenets of Hinduism in the western world. With his soul stirring speeches, he became an inspiration to millions of people across the world.  “Ye are the children of God,” he proclaimed while addressing the Parliament of Religions, “the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings.  Ye divinities on earth - sinners!  It is a sin to call man so; it is a standing libel on human nature.  Come up, lions! and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal.”

He was very much against believing in miracles. “What were the great powers of Christ,” he asked, “in miracles and healing, in one of his characters? They were low, vulgar things because he was among vulgar beings... Any fool could do those things. Fools heal others, devils can heal others. I have seen horrible demoniacal men do wonderful miracles. They seem to manufacture fruits out of the earth. I have known fools and diabolical men tell the past, present and future. I have seen fools heal at a glance, by the will, the most horrible diseases. These are powers, truly, but often demoniacal powers.”

He wrote books on Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakthi Yoga and  Jnana Yoga.