Swami Vivekanand

The Great Hindu Monk

Vivekananda in Chicago, September 1893.

Timeline of Swami Vivekanand's Life

1863:

Birth of Swami Vivekananda, Born on January 12th, Monday, in Calcutta. Father Vishwanath Dutta, a famous and important attorney. Mother Bhuvaneswari Devi, a pious lady.

1869:

Age 6, started education in Pathshala

1880:

Joined Presidency College in January, Arts section.

1881:

Met Ramakrishna Paramahamsa for the first time in November in Calcutta, at house of Surendranath Mitra, sang, Master invited him to Dakshineswar.

1881:

December - First great meeting with the Master Ramkrishna Paramahamsa, when he went to Dakshineswar with a friend. Of great importance for both of them. He found the Master’s behaviour rather strange, as he fed him sweets and wept before him. Asked him if he had seen God, famous answer: ‘Yes.’

1882:

January, second meeting, Vivekananda’s first experience of Ramakrishna’s strange power, everything vanished before his eyes when the Master put his foot on his chest, realized that this was no ordinary man.

1884:

January, passed Bachelor of Arts examination from Scottish Church college. Had Philosophy as one subject, also logic.

1884:

February 25th – Father died. Immediate hardship, search for job. Small jobs now and then – Schoolmaster for few months at Metropolitan Iinstitute, his old school,work at an attorney’s office. Continued going to Dakshineswar.

1886:

January 4th, gave up his studies for law examinations and stayed almost completely with Master in Cossipore.

1886:

Sunday, Aug. 15th, Swami's master Ramakrishna died.

1891:

Journey completely alone as wandering monk for 2 years, from beginning – Feb 1991 to end – March of 1893,when he left for the US. Not much known of this period. Starts from Delhi after bidding goodbye to his fellow monks.

1893:

Lands in Chicago on July 30th, finds Parliament months later, heads to Boston, finds friends, some lectures, back in Chicago in time for opening.

1896:

April – Leaves America for England–stays there till July. Gives classes on Gyan Yoga. May- meets Max Mueller. Here also meets Sister Nivedita (Margaret Noble), Mr. and Mrs. Sevier.

1897:

January 26th – Arrived in India at Pamban Param, then invited by the Raja of Ramnad to Rameswaram with great pomp, several lectures and meetings, then on to Ramnad. Then onwards with great pomp and ceremony to Madras on Feb. 6th. Great reception there. Several meetings and lectures. Then finally by sea to Calcutta on Feb. 15th.

1898:

Work against plague in Calcutta, work reorganised. Margaret Noble arrives in January, Ole Bull and Mrs. Mcleod in February, other western disciples, teaching to them.

1899:

Set up many Vedantic centres in US, at San Fransisco, Oakland, Alameda. Gave lectures. Had taken along Turiyananda, set him up in Mont Clair near New York, work of Abhedananda in Vedanta society in full swing. Set up Ashrama in district of Santa Clara.

1900:

July 20th, Left for France. August 1st arrived in France. Stayed there till October. Attended Congress of History of Religions, on the occasion of the Universal Exposition, Eiffel tower unveiled. Enjoyed stay there. Left France in October, toured Vienna and Constantinople, Austria, Greece, Egypt. Mr. Sevier dies in India in October.

1902:

Friday, July 4th, Died. Although seriously ill for several months, death itself was sudden and unexpected. Had been meditating, had lunch and gave talks on various subjects in the morning. In the evening went for meditation to his room around 7. Then lay down on the bed and attained the final Samadhi around 9 pm. He was thirty nine.

Publications By Swami Vivekanand

# Publicaton Name Publication Year
1 Sangeet Kalpataru 1887
2 Karma Yoga 1896
3 Raja Yoga 1896 [1899 edition]
4 Vedanta Philosophy: An address before the Graduate Philosophical Society 1896
5 Lectures from Colombo to Almora 1897
6 Bartaman Bharat (Bengali) March, 1899
7 My Master 1901
8 Vedânta philosophy: lectures on Jnâna Yoga, Vedânta Society 1902
9 Addresses on Bhakti Yoga N.A.
10 Bhakti Yoga N.A.
11 The East and the West 1909
12 Inspired Talks 1909
13 Narada Bhakti Sutras – translation N.A.
14 Para Bhakti or Supreme Devotion N.A.
15 Practical Vedanta N.A.
16 Speeches and writings of Swami Vivekananda; a comprehensive collection N.A.
17 Complete Works: a collection of his writings, lectures and discourses in a set of nine volumes N.A.

Popular Quotes By Swami Vivekanand

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.

Swami Vivekanand

Arise,awake and donot stop until the goal is reached.

Swami Vivekanand

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.

Swami Vivekanand

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

Swami Vivekanand

Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.

Swami Vivekanand

In a day, when you don't come across any problems - you can be sure that you are travelling in a wrong path.

Swami Vivekanand

All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.

Swami Vivekanand

If you have time, you should read more about this incredible human being on his Wikipedia entry.