...onSwami Vivekananda (Bengali: [ born Narendra Nath Datta(Bengali: ]( listen), Bibekānondo; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), Norendro Nath Dot-to), was an Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century saintRamakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world[2] and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.[3] He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India.[4] Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission.[2] He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech which began, "Sisters and brothers of America ...,"[5] in which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. Born into an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta, Vivekananda was inclined towards spirituality. He was influenced by his guru, Ramakrishna, from whom he learnt that all living beings were an embodiment of the divine self; therefore, service to God could be rendered by service to mankind. After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda toured the Indian subcontinent extensively and acquired first-hand knowledge of the conditions prevailing in British India. He later travelled to the United States, representing India at the 1893 Parliament of the World Religions. Vivekananda conducted hundreds of public and...
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...Swami Vivekananda : Life and Teachings Swami Vivekananda, known in his pre-monastic life as Narendra Nath Datta, was born in an affluent family in Kolkata on 12 January 1863. His father, Vishwanath Datta, was a successful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects, and his mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion, strong character and other qualities. A precocious boy, Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. By the time he graduated from Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and history. Born with a yogic temperament, he used to practise meditation even from his boyhood, and was associated with Brahmo Movement for some time. With Sri Ramakrishna At the threshold of youth Narendra had to pass through a period of spiritual crisis when he was assailed by doubts about the existence of God. It was at that time he first heard about Sri Ramakrishna from one of his English professors at college. One day in November 1881, Narendra went to meet Sri Ramakrishna who was staying at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar. He straightaway asked the Master a question which he had put to several others but had received no satisfactory answer: “Sir, have you seen God?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna replied: “Yes, I have. I see Him as clearly as I see you, only in a much intenser sense.” Apart from removing doubts from the mind of Narendra, Sri Ramakrishna won him over...
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...SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND ETHICS PREFACE This paper presents the Ethics of Swami Vivekananda. It shows how anyone's life's condition may be improved through an understanding of the ethics of Swami Vivekananda and the application of his principles to lead a better existence. This paper is primarily addressed to all interested in the working of spirituality and religion from Swami Vivekananda's perspective, which will play a very important role in the growth and development of the oneself. An understanding of ethics, as one of the basic factors that influence behavior will help us shift towards the necessity and purity of universalism by treating all around us equally. Grateful acknowledgment is here made to our History professor, Mrs Archana Raj Mishra and those who helped us gather data for this paper. This work would not have reached its present form without their invaluable help. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 in Kolkata. He was named Narendranath Datta by his parents Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. Swamiji’s father was a successful attorney while mother had qualities like deep devotion and a strong character. Swamiji was always bright student. Being from an affluent family, he graduated from the Calcutta University and had a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and History. Nonetheless he was also good at Music, Gymnastics and Studies. One would wonder how a person could excel in so many things...
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...A nation is an entity that is built by its people with the aim to serve their overall wellbeing. People are the essential bricks that build a nation and are its benefactors and eventual beneficiaries. It is the quality of people we have in a nation which by and large constitute the characteristics of the nation. The leaders of a nation surely know where the strength of a nation lies. They also have a duty to retain that strength and develop other strengths. This reinforcing of complementary strengths builds a strong nation. Unfortunately, that disciplined approach has been missing in India, largely due to the lack of morality and discipline in our leadership. Western education has taught us to work as a team. It has also taught us that materialistic well-being is important. This new knowledge must be blended with that of our traditional knowledge of spiritual well-being. Only then we will have balanced people in our society. As a nation, we are still not aware of this balanced approach. As a result, the spread of literacy has not achieved the purpose of building up the strong character which our society direly needs. Just as people of strong character build a strong society, similarly a strong society gives rise to a stable, unified, and powerful nation. Today this lack of morality and character has put us in a grave crisis on all fronts. We must introspect if we have done justice to our collective wisdom. Have we done for our masses what they needed on a priority basis from...
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...Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Addresses at The Parliament of Religions Karma-Yoga Raja-Yoga Lectures and Discourses Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Addresses at The Parliament of Religions Response to Welcome Why We Disagree Paper on Hinduism Religion not the Crying Need of India Buddhism, the Fulfilment of Hinduism Address at the Final Session Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Raja-Yoga / > Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Lectures and Discourses Soul, God and Religion The Hindu Religion What is Religion? Vedic Religious Ideals The Vedanta Philosophy Reason and Religion Vedanta as a Factor in Civilisation The Spirit and Influence of Vedanta Steps of Hindu Philosophic thought Steps to Realisation Vedanta and Privilege Privilege Krishna Gita I Gita II Gita III Mohammed Vilvamangala The Soul and God Breathing Practical Religion: Breathing...
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...A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Introduction to Essay There are a variety of Vaishnava groups in the UK. Many Vaishnavas belong to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The organisation was founded in 1966 in New York by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ISKCON is based on the teachings of two sacred Hindu writings called the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavad Purana. It was set up to spread the message of Sanatan Dharma throughout the world. ‘Krishna Consciousness’ is the idea of people being aware of God and their relationship with God in everything they do Krishna is one of the Sanskrit names for God. It means the ‘All-attractive One’. Life and Work of Prabhupada Born in Calcutta, India in 1896 Showed a devotion to Krishna from an early age. He organised religious festivals at the age of 5. Engaged his community in chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra. Would visit the Radha Krishna Temple instead of playing with his friends. At the age of 26, he met his spiritual master Sarasvati. He gave the command “Go to the West and spread Krishna Consciousness in the English language”. He starting writing and distributing “Back to the Godhead”, a magazine of the science of Krishna Consciousness. In 1959 he took Sannyasa after retiring from the householder stage. At the age of 70 set off to America to promote Krishna Consciousness. This was a 40 day journey by sea. During this time he had 2 heart attacks...
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...brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. Swami Vivekananda Success, Alone, Live All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark. Swami Vivekananda Before, Eyes, Dark You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself. Swami Vivekananda Religion, God, Yourself All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. Swami Vivekananda Everything, Kind, Secret If money help a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. Swami Vivekananda Money, Help, Better Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin; to say that you are weak, or others are weak. Swami Vivekananda Greatest, Anything, Others 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 Vivekananda Spiritual, Teacher, Soul Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth. Swami Vivekananda Truth, Live, Struggle The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence...
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...Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Addresses at The Parliament of Religions Karma-Yoga Raja-Yoga Lectures and Discourses Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Addresses at The Parliament of Religions Response to Welcome Why We Disagree Paper on Hinduism Religion not the Crying Need of India Buddhism, the Fulfilment of Hinduism Address at the Final Session Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Addresses at The Parliament of Religions / > Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 Karma-Yoga Karma in its Effect on Character Each is great in his own place The Secret of Work What is Duty? We help ourselves, not the world Non-attachment is complete self-abnegation Freedom The Ideal of Karma-Yoga Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works / Volume 1 / Karma-Yoga / > Home / Complete-Works...
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...Early years Shantilal was born in the village of Chansad, Gujarat, on 7 December 1921. His parents, Motibhai and Diwaliben Patel, were disciples of Shastriji Maharaj and followers of the Akshar Purushottam faith.[2] Motibhai and Diwaliben were both involved in the Swaminarayan fellowship; Diwaliben’s family’s association with the Swaminarayan fellowship extended to the time of Bhagatji Maharaj.[3] Shastriji Maharaj had blessed young Shantilal at birth, and had told his father, “This child is ours; when the time is ripe, please give him to us. He will lead thousands to the devotion of God. Through him, thousands will attain liberation.”[4] Shantilal’s mother described him as a calm and soft-spoken, yet energetic and active child.[5] His childhood friends recall that Shantilal developed a reputation in the town and in school as an honest, reliable, mature, and kindhearted boy.[6] Even as a child, he possessed an uncommon empathy that led others to seek out and trust his opinions and judgments in matters large and small.[7] Shantilal was raised in a simple home environment, as his family was of modest means. Although he excelled in his studies, in the seventeen years he spent at home before becoming a sadhu, Shantilal only had the opportunity to attend school for six years.[8] As he grew older, Shantilal helped his household by doing chores on the family farm. Early spiritual inclination Shantilal was strongly inclined towards spirituality from a young age. Upon completing...
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...Prepared by: Radhika Bhalotia CONTENTS Brief bio-sketch of Swami Vivekananada | Family background | 1 | The Child- Narendranath | 1-2 | Early boyhood of Narendranath | 3 | The multi-faceted Narendranath | 4 | Major turnaround events and their impact on the Vivekananda | Vivekananda- Lover of life | 5 | Does God exist?- Engagement with the Brahmo Samaj | 5-7 | Association with Shri Ramakrishna | 7-8 | Developing eminence and emergence of leadership | Early development of leadership traits | 8 | Dasasya | 9 | Vivekananda at Chicago | 10 | Vivekananda’s take on Vedanta | 10-11 | Vivekananda’s Works | 11 | Vivekananda on his Last Days | 11-12 | Major contributions and demonstrated leadership capability | 12-13 | Swami Vivekananda’s leadership concepts, as applicable in organizations of today | 13-15 | Comments on the person’s leadership styles and attributes | 16-17 | Motivation behind this writing this paper and choosing Swami Vivekananda Leadership is seen in the board room and in the kindergarten classroom. It is needed to guide nations as well as a scout troop. Leadership is exercised all over the world. Perhaps the fact that leadership is “omnipresent” is why it is often ignored, neglected and taken for granted. It’s like air; we don’t even think about it unless it’s lacking. The fact that leadership is so pervasive should make it a required subject in business school. While some topics are electives, everyone needs to...
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...Tagore said, "Reach high, for stars lie hidden in you. Dream deep for every dream precedes the goal." Strength and weakness is within us. Success and failure is within us. If you think you will fail, you will never succeed, for you will never give that thing your full try. On contrary if you think you will succeed, no hindrance will be big enough to fail you. Whether you achieve your dream or not, is not as important , as starting on your way to achieve them, with full faith and determination. You tried and tried your best is more important because that gives you satisfaction and strength. In Geeta, Lord says- "Do your duty, do not worry about result" Your work is your duty and that has to be done. A man is powerhouse made by God. Swami Vivekananda said- "All power is within you, you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak...You can do anything and everything, without even guidance of anyone. All power is there. Stand up and express the divinity within you....Arise, awake, sleep no more." Never let your confidence be marred by what others say about you. Trust yourself, then only slowly people will trust you. You need not always hear and heed to people who always have negative to say about you. “There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure; There are thousands to point out to you, one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you. But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Just take...
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...Compiled Talks of Swami Vivekananda KARMA IN ITS EFFECT ON CHARACTER The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, to do; all action is Karma. Technically, this word also means the effects of actions. In connection with metaphysics, it sometimes means the effects, of which our past actions were the causes. But in Karma-Yoga we have simply to do with the word Karma as meaning work. The goal of mankind is knowledge. That is the one ideal placed before us by Eastern philosophy. Pleasure is not the goal of man, but knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end. It is a mistake to suppose that pleasure is the goal. The cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that men foolishly think pleasure to be the ideal to strive for. After a time man finds that it is not happiness, but knowledge, towards which he is going, and that both pleasure and pain are great teachers, and that he learns as much from evil as from good. As pleasure and pain pass before his soul they have upon it different pictures, and the result of these combined impressions is what is called man's "character". If you take the character of any man, it really is but the aggregate of tendencies, the sum total of the bent of his mind; you will find that misery and happiness are equal factors in the formation of that character. Good and evil have an equal share in moulding character, and in some instances misery is a greater teacher than happiness. In studying the great characters the world has produced, I dare...
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...doing things which matter, always a fear of failure and it is then, that the cobweb of doubts in our own capabilities rise. It is important for us to understand that it is OK to fail, but important to try, give it a shot. Be it a struggling first time driver, or a new mother- there always is a first time to greater things in life. It is important to take the first step even though one may not see the entire ladder in life. Through the sands of time, we have numerous examples of men taking that important “first” step, against all odds and eventually creating a name for themselves. Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong, and even Kiran Bedi for that matter, must have said to themselves and to their critics- there always is a first time! Swami Vivekananda said to the youth of the nation- “Awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached!”.Such soul stirring utterances of great people have often risen from the very fact that it is important to believe in ourselves most, and not think about failure. If we just live life seeing every moment as a gift, and try to give our best in them- we are bound to succeed in life. Personally, I often remember my parents quoting these lines when I feared falling from the bicycle when I was six, and when I was first going to live away from home when I was 14. Very aptly, this line has been used in times when I felt weak, when I felt that I would fail… It gave me the strength to give it a try and the freedom to feel OK...
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...INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HYDERABAD CONTENTS 1. STATEMENT 2. MY LEARNING 3. FIELD VISIT 4. CONTENT OF THE TALKS 5. CRITICAL ANALYSIS STATEMENT The following is a collection of the different aspects towards education explored in the course Education and Self, instructed by Dr. Tejinder Walia and Dr. Soma Paul for the spring semester 2013 at IIIT Hyderabad. Apart from the normal classes we had many field visits and guest lectures, by eminent people who were champions of practicing their own alternative path to education in different parts of the country. We met Partho Sanyal – Sri Aurobindo’s school of thought, Ravindra Sharma – Adilabad Kala Ashram, Rajesh Dalal – following J Krishnamurthi’s philosophy, Swami Bodhomayananda – Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence, Ramakrishna Math, Pawan Gupta –SIDH. All introduced their approach to education and also discussed some key issues which Education and society is facing presently. In our limited interactions we succeeded in learning the crux of all of these philosophies towards education. This was enabled by lengthy discussions in class on what our frame of mind and what kind of questions need to be asked in such lectures. Follow up of all interactions was done and this helped make the topics come alive for us. Education is not just a topic – it is something which is a very important part of lives. Its importance even further exemplified by the fact that we are still in this phase of life – of being...
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...Description of healing modality Yoga Nidra is a unique intergration of spirit and science, combining deepest relaxation and alert awareness. Yoga nidra is one of the practices of pratyahara where the awareness is internalized. Literally, yoga nidra means 'psychic sleep' i.e. sleep with full awareness. In psychology, the state achieved in yoga nidra is termed the hypnogogic state, a state between sleep and wakefulness. It takes one’s brain to the alpha state and eventually the even deeper theta wave state. Here, without effort or strain, one is able to tap into his/her own source of health, abudance , intuition, and creativity. Role of a nurse or healing practitioner during yoga nidra. The presence and voice of the healing practitioner is crucial during the therapy. Yoga Nidra is practiced in a comfortable position while lying down. The healing practitioner guides the practitioner through a series of simple instructions and breathing exercises .These include a scan of the body or visual imagery, which occupies the mind thus preventing it from getting involved in the ordinary mind-chatter that absorbs our usual consciousness. Within a short time, one becomes submerged in the alpha state, in which the brain rhythms fall into the internal silent space. Once the body is relaxed and the mind is calm, all energies become focused on the Third Eye, i.e the inner sanctuary found between the eyebrows. One is now able to simultaneously access both the intuitive and the...
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