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Vivekananda: A Biography Kindle Edition

In the list of biographies of Swami Vivekananda published by us, we have one which extensively narrates his life, and also one which presents him very briefly. The present book stands midway between these extremes. Herein the readers will find his life described in a short compass, without sacrificing the essential details. This is a masterly presentation of his life from the pen of a scholar of repute. A worthy book for all those who want to study Vivekananda in brief without losing the crucial aspects of his life.

• Print length 345 pages
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• Publisher Lotus Imprints
• Publication date November 1, 2023
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CQBCYX6T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lotus Imprints; 1st edition (November 1, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 1, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 1515 KB
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• Print length ‏ : ‎ 345 pages
• #136 in Biographies & Memoirs of Asian & Asian American
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• #796 in Philosopher Biographies

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Swami nikhilananda.

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Vivekananda: A Biography

Swami Nikhilananda

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In the list of biographies of Swami Vivekananda published by us, we have one which extensively narrates his life, and also one which presents him very briefly. The present book stands midway between these extremes. Herein the readers will find his life described in a short compass, without sacrificing the essential details. This is a masterly presentation of his life from the pen of a scholar of repute. A worthy book for all those who want to study Vivekananda in brief without loosing the crucial aspects of his life.

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Swami Vivekananda Books | A List of 28 Best Books

Are you looking for Swami Vivekananda Books? In this article, I list 28 books which are must-reads to understand the thoughts, ideals and philosophies of Swamiji.

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, public speaker , Vedanta philosopher and Yoga practitioner. He was the chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

He is best remembered as the founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and the Ramakrishna Math .

His speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893 brought him International fame. It introduced the concept and philosophy to the Western World.

Named Narendra Nath Datta at birth by his aristocratic Bengali parents in Calcutta, he is considered a patriotic saint for propagating the message of Vedanta in the west through hundreds of speeches and lectures.

His works are still read by millions of followers even today. Some of his other books are Sangeet Kalpataru, Karma Yoga, and Lectures from Colombo to Almora, Raja Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy: An address before the Graduate Philosophical Society.

Table of Contents

1. complete works of swami vivekananda (9 vols.), 2. raja-yoga (1896), 3. karma yoga: the yoga of action (1896), 4. meditation and its methods, 5. jnana-yoga (1899), 6. teachings of swami vivekananda, 7. swami vivekananda on himself, 8. vedanta: voice of freedom, 9. lectures from colombo to almora, 10. lectures on bhagavad gita, 11. inspired talks by swami vivekananda, 12. letters of swami vivekananda, 13. my india: the india eternal, 14. powers of the mind, 15. chicago addresses, 16. my master, 17. essentials of hinduism, 18. living at the source, 19. my idea of education, 20. work and its secret, 21. steps to realisation, 22. to the youth of india, 23. pearls of wisdom, 24. women of india, 25. life after death, 26. the east and the west, 27. religion of love, 28. pathways to joy: the master vivekananda on the four yoga paths to god.

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 vols.) is an exhaustive collection of Swami Vivekananda’s speeches and works.

It brings together his thoughts on Vedanta, philosophy, and human consciousness. His teachings in these volumes convey the core meaning of Vedanta philosophy in an easy-to-understand way.

This book, as the title suggests, is a book by Swami Vivekananda on Raja Yoga . It contains, for the most part, his interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

This book was written keeping his Western audience and reader in mind.

The book begins with a brief introduction to Yoga. It explains various techniques for practising basic Yoga exercises like Prânâyâma, Pratyâhâra, Dhyâna, Samâdhi etc.

The book also provides insights into developing concentration and the powers of practising Yoga.

Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda, as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin.

The main subject of the book is Karma (Work) and Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action). Vivekananda uses the concept of Karma as described in the Bhagavad Gita to explain his philosophy.

The final message is that work is worship and a path to enlightenment.

Meditation and Its Methods is divided into two sections:

• Meditation according to Yoga and
• Meditation according to Vedanta.

Vivekananda’s views on meditation are sprinkled throughout his “Complete Works”. These various views, thoughts, opinions, and lectures are compiled to make this book.

Jnana Yoga or The Yoga of Knowledge is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin. These lectures were delivered mostly in New York.

In this book, Vivekananda explains the knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita in a scientific manner.

According to him, knowledge is the ultimate goal. It is only knowledge which can give us freedom from Maya or illusion.

The book also touches upon other important Hindu philosophies like the atman , cosmos, immortality etc.

Jnana-Yoga , along with Karma-Yoga , Bhakti-Yoga , and Raja-Yoga , is a classic book on Hindu philosophy.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda comprises a choice collection of his speeches, quotes, and teachings. These are categorised into 44 suitable sections.

This is a perfect book for a beginner reader looking to start Vivekananda’s books.

It is suitable for those who cannot make the time to go through his voluminous writings.

This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda written in an autobiographical manner. It was first published in 1963.

The publishers have picked up excerpts from his various books and written them in the first-person voice.

The life and different incidents of Swami Vivekananda’s life have been documented in this book.

Vedanta: Voice of Freedom presents the spiritual wisdom of India as it has evolved over five thousand years. It does so in a clear, easy and concise form.

The book is a compilation of Vivekananda’s ideas on the subject of Vedanta. The ideas have been sourced from his various speeches and books.

After visiting the West, Vivekananda reached Colombo on 15 January 1897.

From there he proceeded to India and was received as a hero. He went around the country making speeches to thousands of people who were eager to hear him.

Lectures from Colombo to Almora is a collection of many of those speeches.

This book would be useful to people who are trying to understand the Gita.

“Lectures on the Bhagavad Gita” is an anthology of Vivekananda’s writings, opinions and comments on the sacred Hindu text.

The Bhagavad Gita was a lifelong companion of Swami Vivekananda and he used to carry one wherever he went.

All these lectures were delivered in 1900 and were recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand.

In 1895, Vivekananda conducted a series of private lectures to groups of selected disciples. These lectures were recorded by one of the disciples, Sara Ellen Waldo (who was later known as Haridasi ).

Inspired Talks by Swami Vivekananda was first published in 1909 by The Ramakrishna Mission .

Letters of Swami Vivekananda is a close look at the personality and spirit of Swami Vivekananda as seen through his letters.

In this book, the reader gets a picture of Vivekananda that is untouched by any biographer.

The letters have been arranged in chronological order for the benefit of the reader. The letters show the plan of his work and the means he wanted to adopt for the fulfilment of his mission.

In the end, the book also has notes on the persons who are mentioned in these letters.

My India: The India Eternal talks about India’s past, its present and Vivekananda’s vision for its future.

Swami Vivekananda talks about the duties of India’s youth and the path they must follow to make India a great nation.

The book also includes his comments on education and religion.

This is a booklet but packs more information than other volumes written on the subject of mind.

It is a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles on January 8 th , 1900.

Powers of The Mind talks about the infinite possibilities and powers hidden within the human mind. It also explains how the powers of the mind can be unlocked using Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda attained global fame because of his speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Chicago Addresses contains those lectures delivered by him.

Through these speeches, Swamiji wished to impart the teachings of Vedanta to the world. The core theme of his lecture was – brotherhood and universal acceptance.

While in the West, Swami Vivekananda mostly talked about and preached the beauties of Vedanta. But on two occasions – in New York and England – he talked about his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

My Master contains both those lectures in which Swamiji discusses his Master’s life right from his birth in 1836 to his evolution from Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (Pre-monastic name of Ramakrishna) to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa .

This book is a detailed account of Hinduism.

It begins by describing the word ‘Hindu’ and goes on to discuss the various schools of thought in Hinduism.

It stresses upon the Vedanta Philosophy and the Advaita system. The book also talks about the various Hindu scriptures, Smritis and sects in Hinduism.

Swami Vivekananda discusses other deeper topics like the theory of creation, law of karma, aatma, mukti , idol worship, guru , divine incarnations and much more.

This book has many inspirational messages which have been selected from the various writings, speeches and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

The book is ideal for people seeking to live a spiritual life but are busy with their everyday material life.

Swami Vivekananda had many insightful and deep thoughts on education – a subject very close to his heart.

In My Idea of Education, he writes about the philosophy of education, the relationship between society and education, and The Teacher.

Swamiji presents some brilliant ideas on educating the masses and women – concepts which were far ahead of their times in India.

Swamiji also writes about the importance of practical experience, mother tongue and concentration.

The book ends with one of the main goals of a good education – Character Building.

Work and Its Secret is based on the speech by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles, California on January 4th, 1900.

In it, Swamiji talks about giving equal importance to both the means and the end while doing work.

He emphasises that the major reason for failure is a lack of attention while doing work.

Swamiji draws upon the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita to emphasise this point.

Steps to Realisation explains the secrets of self-realisation.

The book begins by explaining the concept of organs – the external organs i.e., eyes, nose, and mouth are mentioned as instruments and internal organs i.e., brain, and heart are considered as organs.

Swami Vivekananda explains the importance of shutting down the instruments to activate the organs –

“So in order to control the mind, we must first be able to control these organs. To restrain the mind from wandering outward or inward, and keep the organs in their respective centres” .

Other important concepts like Shama, Dama, Uparati, Titikshâ, Shraddhâ, Samâdhâna , and Mumukshutva which lead to self-realisation are also explained.

To the Youth of India is a collection of some of the rousing and inspiring lectures that Swami Vivekananda delivered to vast audiences in India and Sri Lanka after his rise to fame.

It has some of the best messages that can be given to the youth of India.

This book is recommended for all young minds and should be definitely read by girls and boys alike.

The content of this book is derived from “Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” .

Pearls of Wisdom is a collection of all the quotes and thoughts by Swamiji, grouped into different themes like love, knowledge, leader etc.

These quotes have inspired many people over the years and will surely inspire many others in the future.

Women of India is based on the lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda at the Shakespeare Club House, in Pasadena, California, on January 18, 1900.

The content is focused on the position of women in Indian society.

Swamiji touches upon the glory and stature of Indian women and tries to clear some of the misunderstandings that Westerners might have about Indian women –

“Now, the ideal woman in India is the mother, the mother first, and the mother last.”

Swamiji also narrates the difference between the concept of women in the East and the West.

Perhaps no other subject has haunted the human mind, right from the hoary past, with such unerring consistency as the one regarding life and death.

Is man mortal or immortal? What is reincarnation? What happens when a man dies?

Every man is forced to ask these questions at some juncture in his life.

Life after Death by Swami Vivekananda provides brief but clear answers to these fundamental questions.

In The East and the West , Swami Vivekananda makes a comparative study of Eastern and Western cultures.

The book is divided into six chapters – Customs, Food and Cooking, Civilisation in Dress, Etiquette and Manners, France — Paris and Progress in Civilisation.

Religion of Love is based on a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in London on November 16, 1895.

Swamiji classifies love into 5 types –

• Shânta , a common, peaceful love, with such thoughts as those of fatherhood and help
• Dâsya , the ideal of service
• Vâtsalya , God as mother or child.
• Sakhya , God as a friend.
• Madhura , sweetest love, the love of husband and wife.

Pathways to Joy is a collection of 108 of the best teachings of Swami Vivekananda on Vedanta Philosophy.

Swamiji illustrates the four classical yoga paths – Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana .

The messages focus on the oneness of existence; the divinity of the soul; the truth in all religions; and unifying with the Divine within.

Invaluable and inspiring, the selections also explore karma, maya, rebirth, and other great revelations of Hinduism.

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Home » Books To Read » 12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime

12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime

• By Subodh Sharma

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk who stands as one of the most inspiring personalities of all time in India as well as abroad. He traveled to many parts of the world and gave lectures on philosophy, religion, yoga, spirituality and more.

Most of his books are based on these lectures that were first recorded and later transcribed into books.

Books by Swami Vivekananda

There are many life-changing books by different authors but there are very few authors whose all books have the potential to change and mold your thoughts to live a peaceful and contented life. And Swami Vivekananda is unarguably among one of those few brilliant authors.

Swami Vivekananda’s books have touched and bettered the lives and souls of many people and will keep doing so for ages to come!

Here is a list of 12 Swami Vivekananda books that everyone should read at least once in a lifetime:

1. Karma Yoga

In this book, Swami Vivekananda discusses the concept of Karma Yoga in Bhagavad Gita. The book also shows a righteous path towards knowledge and wisdom. Swami Vivekananda described Karma Yoga as the discipline of mind that allows a person to carry out his/her duties as a service to the entire world, as a path to enlightenment.

This book is easy to understand and can act as a very powerful tool in spiritual development.

2. Raja Yoga

This book is valuable for both knowledgeable as well as for those who are new to Raja-Yoga.

It starts with an introduction and the eight steps of Raja-yoga. In the progressive chapters, more complex concepts such as Dhyana and Samadhi are explained. All these concepts are explained in a concise and in a manner that is easy to understand for everyone.

This book also covers an introduction to the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali where the concept of Concentration is explained along with its practical uses and techniques. There are also explanations of the Powers of the Mind, Reincarnation, and Discipleship.

The readers can even feel the connection with the book and have a lot of positive vibes while reading it. It is truly a brilliant book and a must-read for everyone!

3. Jnana Yoga

Jnana Yoga is also based on lectures by Swami Vivekananda as transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin. These lectures were delivered mainly in New York City and London.

This book is among the first to explain some basic concepts that underpin Yoga. It starts with the importance of religion and its relationship with men. Swami talks about the nature of man and makes a sincere and complete effort to help people understand that the Vedanta is a complete source of all knowledge of the Absolute. The book also tells ways to reach it.

This book explains many other important concepts such as Realization and God through an abridged version of the Katha Upanishad, nature of the Soul, The Cosmos, micro and macrocosm, and immortality in a simple and easy to understand manner.

This book is definitely a classic in the field of yoga. However, one thing should be kept in mind that this book was initially a lecture, not a book. So ideally it was meant to be heard and not read. So sometimes it can be a little tedious and difficult to understand. But this is nothing compared to the vast knowledge that this book is home to.

4. Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti yoga is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on the cultivation of love and devotion to God. It is the simplest and most direct path to God.

In this book, Swami Vivekananda writes with insight and profound knowledge and provides the reader with a simple path to the Divine. This book contains everything you need to know about the practice of Bhakti Yoga. It is concise and yet highly rich in contents and knowledge.

Swami Vivekananda through this book brilliantly brings before the reader the full range of the teachings of the path of the devotion of Hinduism. From simple dualistic beliefs to the highest Advaitic principles, this book covers every important concept of Bhakti Yoga. Through these practices and our interpretation of Bhakti, it is possible to reach the final spiritual goal of Samadhi even in the modern age!

This is a complete book filled with profound and deep wisdom. It is a must-read book for everyone. Even if you are among those who weigh science and reasons more, you can still read it without having to give up your own beliefs!

5. Lectures from Colombo to Almora

Lectures from Colombo to Almora is a book based on lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda after his return from the west in 1897. His visit to the west proved to be a great success and his achievements were highly celebrated in India.

Swami Vivekananda then traveled extensively and visited many Indian states. During the period of January to June 1897, he gave lectures in many places starting from Colombo and up to Almora. These lectures were later published as a book.

It is a brilliant book that gives insights on many basic and complex concepts like religion and advaitism. It enlightens us and inspires us to do great things in life. Here is an inspiring quote from the book.

“All power is within you; you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak; do not believe that you are half-crazy lunatics, as most of us do nowadays. You can do anything and everything, without even the guidance of anyone. Stand up and express the divinity within you.”

6. My Master

As one can understand from the title, this book is about the Master or the Guru of Swami Vivekananda – Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This book is based on two lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda in New York and England in 1901.

It is a short book that beautifully lays out the relationship between a Guru and his disciple. After reading this book, one could clearly see from where Swami Vivekananda found his passion and grit towards the things he did in his short yet complete life.

Here is a humble quote by Swami Vivekananda about his spiritual teacher that sums up the great value of wisdom that Shri Ramakrishna had imparted into his life.

“If there has ever been a word of truth, a word of spirituality, that I have spoken anywhere in the world, I owe it to my Master; only the mistakes are mine.”

7. Swami Vivekananda on Himself

Although ‘ Swami Vivekananda on Himself ’ is a biographical book, it is written in an autobiographical manner (first person narrative). This book was first published in 1963 by Swami Sambudhdhananda, general secretary of Swami Vivekananda’s birth centenary committee.

In this book, the life incidents of Swami Vivekananda have been written in his own words. The book is actually based on selected notes, letters, and utterances of Swami Vivekananda about himself and his works collected from different books.

The book covers different aspects of his life and Gives a glimpse of the world through the eyes of Swami Vivekananda himself.

8. Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

This book contains many of the Swami Vivekananda’s ideas, philosophies, and teachings. It shows how Swami’s teachings stressed on different aspects of religion, education, character-building as well as social issues pertaining to India.

If you haven’t read about Swami’s writings, speeches, or teachings previously, this book can really give you a good refresher. It will surely inspire you and help raise your spirits and awaken a new sense of hope.

9. Meditation and its Methods

A concise book that brings out the most important talks of Swami Vivekananda on meditation. The language is simple and very easy to read and understand. Though the book is a short read, each page of it is filled with thoughtful insights and beamed with wisdom.

‘ Meditation and its methods ’ not only states the practical ways of meditation, but it also explains the power and philosophy behind it and its ultimate goal. It also talks about mind restraint, patience and dealing with people and misery on a daily basis. And above all, it guides you to a peaceful and happy life.

If you really want to motivate yourself toward meditation, yoga, and spirituality, this book is definitely for you. Give it a read and it will change your perception of life for the better!

10. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (Set of 9 Volumes)

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda , as the title suggests, are a set of nine books that covers all works and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. All his works, lectures, philosophies and ideologies are made into these 9 volumes that act as an encyclopedia to everything related to Swami’s life.

It covers everything from Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana yoga to all other lectures and teachings on Gita, Upanishad, Vedanta and so on.

All the books that are mentioned above are actually the subsets of these complete volumes. If you are willing to get full-fledged information and knowledge on Swami’s life and want to get inspired, you should definitely get these books. If you read these books, you don’t even have to get any other books by Swami Vivekananda, because everything is covered here.

Books on Swami Vivekananda by Other Authors

There are many books on Swami Vivekananda, written by many other authors. But most of those books have similar or repetitive contents. That’s why not all such books are mentioned in this list.

Here are a few books about Swami Vivekananda that you should read at least once:

1. The Master As I Saw Him by Sister Nivedita

Sister Nivedita was an Irish social worker, author, teacher, and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She met Vivekananda in 1895 in London and traveled to Calcutta in 1898. The name Nivedita (meaning “Dedicated to God”) was given to her by Swami Vivekananda himself when he initiated her into the vow of Brahmacharya.

‘ The master as I saw him ‘ is an incredibly humble and brilliant description of Swami Vivekananda’s life from the viewpoint of Sister Nivedita. This book is one of the top books on Swami Vivekananda that gives an account of Swami’s life through the eyes of a close disciple.

It is probably one of the best narratives of a relationship between a disciple and a teacher.

2. Vivekananda: A Biography By Swami Nikhilananda

This book is a biography of Swami Vivekananda written by another spiritual leader, Swami Nihilananda.

The book presents his vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture, deep spiritual insight, broad human sympathy, and colorful personality.

It is a concise book and if you want to get an overview of Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings, you should surely read this one.

Vivekananda: A Biography in Pictures by Swami Smaranananda

Well, this is Swami’s biography with few words and more pictures. It is actually a collection of all the known photographs of Swami Vivekananda together with pictures of where he lived and also of the people whom he knew.

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So, these were the list of some books on Swami Vivekananda’s life. There are many other books about Swami Vivekananda, but almost all concept, ideas, philosophies and references are covered in the books mentioned above.

If you read these books, your perspectives on life will definitely transform in a positive way!

Keep Reading, Keep Growing!

8 thoughts on “12 Swami Vivekananda Books That Everyone Should Read in Lifetime”

I have read one of the books written by Swami ji ” bhakti yoga ” the answers i want to know from my God is already here is this book !

Thank you. This was really very helpful. The world should know about this great man!

thanx fo your blog it was really helpfull

Swami Vivekananda’ my master

It Very helps full bro. for me to choose a good book and get knowledge about Swami Vivekananda Thanks Again

Thanks for the summary. Will help me in deciding which ones to start with

All the Best Aparna.

Thank you for the blog

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