Swami Vivekananda was a well known spiritual gaint
of India who became famous with his representation of Hinduism at
the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. His deep spiritual
insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy,
and inspirational personality made an irresistible appeal to any one
who came in contact with him.
In America Vivekananda's mission was the interpretation of India's
spiritual culture, especially in its Vedantic setting. He also tried
to enrich the religious consciousness of the Americans through the
rational and humanistic teachings of the Vedanta philosophy. In
America he became India's spiritual ambassador and pleaded eloquently
for better understanding between India and the New World in order
to create a healthy synthesis of East and West, of religion and
science.
Vivekananda strove to promote peace and human brotherhood on the
spiritual foundation of the Vedantic Oneness of existence. A mystic
of the highest order, Vivekananda had a direct and intuitive experience
of Reality. He derived his ideas from that unfailing source of wisdom
and often presented them in the soulstirring language of poetry.
In the course of a short life of thirty-nine years (1863-1902),
he wrote a treasure of literature on Hindu philosophy and organized
the Ramakrishna Order of monks, which is the most outstanding religious
organization of modern India.
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