Introduction

Have you seen God? This is the question that Swami Vivekananda asked as a young boy.He renounced all worldly pleasures.He wandered all over India with just a staff and a begging bowl.He wanted to see God, and soon he succeeded.In this book, you will learn about the life of Swami Vivekananda.Who was he as a child.How did he become a great leader? What led him to be the most admired person in America? What is his legacy? You will learn about these and more from this book.

Swami Vivekananda often found himself lost, alone, and hungry. All he had was his faith.Until one day, he finally saw God.He realized his goal in life. It became clear to him, and soon he was able to achieve it.Swami Vivekananda chose to do good deeds, and so the good things also came to him.

TO READ OR LISTEN COMPLETE BOOK CLICK HERE

Early Years

Swami Vivekananda was born on the day of Makar sankranti.It was January 12, 1863. Millions of worshippers were along the Ganga River. The prayers and songs of devotees could be heard from the Swami’s home.His mother was very religious.She prayed and fasted so that she would be blessed with a son who would give honor to her family.One night, Bhuvaneswari Devi dreamt of Siva.She saw that the great deity stands up from meditation and tell her that he would be born again as her child.The mother woke up with tears in her eyes. She was filled with joy.

Bhuvaneswari wanted to name his son Vireswara from Vireswara Siva. But the family chose the name Narendranath instead.He was fondly called Naren for short.Naren would grow up to be the honorable Swami Vivekananda. His devotion to Hinduism was evident since childhood.He was born into the Datta family in Calcutta.His family was known for honor, scholarship, and philanthropy. Naren’s father was a lawyer.He served on the High Court of Calcutta.

Naren was unlike his father, who enjoyed worldly life.He was more like his grandfather, who followed a monastic life.His first teacher was his mother.She taught him the alphabet and some English words.She also told him stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.Young Naren loved the story of the hero Rama and his love Sita.As a boy, he always had visions in his sleep.Naren thought that every child experienced it and that there was nothing extraordinary about it. In his dream, he saw a bright ball of light that was changing its colors every time.

He watched the ball as it expanded slowly.A point would come when the ball would burst.Then the light coming from it showered upon him and covered him in white radiance.Naren questioned the differences of people in belief and social status even when he was young.One day, he saw the boxes of tobacco pipes in his father’s law office. These were offered to the clients—one box each for the different Hindu castes and also one box for the Muslims.

Naren smoked from all the pipes. He tried all of them. Naren’s father saw him and reprimanded him. But the boy said, “I do not see the difference between all of them.”He was a very curious boy.There was one instance when Naren asked his father. “What have you done for me?” His father was wise.He made Naren see his own reflection. “Look at yourself in the mirror and see what I have done for you.”He also asked on another day. “Father, how shall I present myself to the world?” The old man replied, “Son, never show surprise at anything.” That was how Naren learned how to behave himself and not to offend others. When he became a monk, he remained calm when visiting a prince’s palace or a beggar’s straw hut.

TO READ OR LISTEN COMPLETE BOOK CLICK HERE

At the Feet of Ramakrishna

When he was a student, Naren sees two visions before he fell to sleep.The first one was of an educated man who enjoyed riches and high status in society. He had a nice home, a good wife, and beautiful children. The second vision was of a wandering monk.He lived simply.He was not attracted by worldly pleasures.The monk seeks to be close to God.Naren knew that he could become either of the two. But he reflected within himself and realized that he wanted to follow the life of a monk.The milestones of the world meant nothing to him.

Naren soon had a clear goal. He wanted to experience God.He wanted to be under the guidance of a man who had seen God.In his search for spiritual guidance, Naren joined the Brahmo Samaj.One day, he asked the leader of the group, “Sir, have you seen God?” The Devendranath was surprised. He gave Naren a vague answer.He said, “My boy, you have the spirit of a yogi.It is best that you practice more meditation.”Naren was disappointed.He felt that the Devendranath was not the teacher he needed.

He asked otherwise men, but still, he couldn’t find what he was looking for.Then he heard of Ramakrishna, the man who experienced religious trances because of extreme concentration and purity of heart.Naren met Sri Ramakrishna in the Dakshineswar temple. The Master was instantly impressed by Naren.The boy sang spiritual songs from the heart.The Master could see that he was different from the other students.Naren’s eyes seemed to be always in a meditative mood.He was careless about his clothes and his appearance.

The Master was delighted to finally see a student to whom he could share his strong faith.No teacher had ever admitted that they had seen God, only Sri Ramakrishna.Naren knew then that he had found what he was looking for. “Sir, have you seen God?” He asked.The Master replied, “Yes, I have seen God.I see Him as I see you here.God can be seen.One can talk to him. People cry for their families, for their wealth and property. But who cries for a vision of God? If a person truly desires for God, he can surely see Him.” After that, Naren found inner peace.

TO READ OR LISTEN COMPLETE BOOK CLICK HERE

Training of the Disciple

The young monks were left homeless when Sri Ramakrishna died. Naren was already 23 years old.It became his responsibility to teach and look after the younger monks.A follower of Ramakrishna offered to rent a house for all of them.That was how Baranagore Math started.Naren devoted his whole self to the training of the young disciples.On the day, he performed his duties as the eldest man in his family.At night, he went to the monastery to guide his brothers.In Baranagore, the disciples of Ramakrishna formed a stronger bond.They were like beads in a necklace that were bound together by a strong thread, which was Ramakrishna’s teachings.

The young disciples fully accepted monastic life.They spent their days in worship, study, meditation, or devotional music.It was quite often that they forgot to have their meals.They were too absorbed with what they were doing that they didn’t feel hungry.At times they do; the monks only eat rice.They did not even use salt for flavor.Despite this, the monks were contented.They consider delicious food as a worldly pleasure, and they could not partake in that.For months, the Ramakrishna order sustained themselves with boiled rice. Sometimes they put in salt or bitter herbs.

Even their clothing was very simple.Each member owned two pieces of loincloth.They shared among themselves some regular clothes, which they used only if they had to leave the monastery.When it was time for sleep, they layout straw mats on the floor.Just a few images of gods, goddesses, and saints are pinned on the wall.Naren didn’t want his brothers’ actions to be lacking in philosophy.He educated them with plenty of knowledge.He read books from all over the world.Naren taught the younger monks about the histories and political systems of other countries.

He taught them about Plato, Aristotle, Buddha, Hegel, Kant, and others. He enlightened them in the concepts of Karma, Yoga, Bhakti, and Jnana. If the session became dull, the monks relaxed through devotional music.

TO READ OR LISTEN COMPLETE BOOK CLICK HERE