Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue would be organised to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on January 12, celebrated as Youth Day.
Swami Vivekananda:
- One of the most celebrated spiritual leaders of India.
- Born in – 1863, as Narendranath Datta
- Disciple of – Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
- He attempted to combine Indian spirituality with Western material progress, maintaining that the two supplemented and complemented one another.
- Introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world
- Vedanta – Saw Veda as the ultimate source of information and whose authority could not be questioned.
- He believed that the path to self-purification is through helping others.
- Participated in the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions convened during the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
- Founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission at Belur
- His birthday on January 12 is celebrated as National Youth Day
- Literary Works –
- Raja Yoga – Explores the philosophy and practice of meditation and spiritual exercises.
- Karma Yoga – Discusses the path of selfless action and duty.
- Bhakti Yoga – Focuses on the path of devotion and love towards a personal god.
- Jnana Yoga – Delves into the path of knowledge and wisdom, emphasizing the importance of self-realization.
- Lectures from Colombo to Almora – A collection of lectures delivered by Vivekananda during his travels in India, addressing various social and spiritual issues.
- My Master – A tribute to his guru, Sri Ramakrishna, detailing his teachings and influence on Vivekananda’s life
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which among the following events happened earliest?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj.
(b) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neel Darpan.
(c) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath.
(d) Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination
Answer: (b)