The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda: Volume 1

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda #1

by Vivekananda

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Hinduism, Religion, Psychology

540 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

"Arise Awake and Stop not til the goal is reached"

Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.

Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.

Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

Reviews

[Hriday · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly awesome book. If anyone has explored, understood and explained religion in a very scientific and logical way, it is Swami Vivekananda. It is impressive to read him because of his unconventional approach that springs from a deep and real understanding of the tenets instead of the desire to make a statement and be different.

This book has changed my perception and understanding of God, religion and the meaning of being religious.

But again, this is not a book to be read and forgotten. Because Sw Vivekananda has explained the tenets in a very simple and scientific way, it is not enough justice if the book is read and forgotten. This is a book to be practiced and therein lies the difficult part.

"Religion is realization and not dogmas, rituals, philosophy or intellectual assent", says Swami Vivekananda and this book is a true testimony and a practical guide towards doing just that.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those works that has the power to change one's perspective on the meaning of life. Without preaching or the use of any dogma, Vivekananda provokes the reader and then further drives his beliefs home with the use of amazingly persuasive allusions. It has had a profound effect upon my own view of this living experience, and I believe any open-minded reader would find it equally provocative.

It was a long journey getting through this tome, but each page had me deliberating on my established thoughts and views I had cubby-holed due to a lack of any believable leads. Also, Vivekananda is one of those gifted humans who thinks and writes on the most abstract and nearly impenetrable ideas with poetic beauty and ease, making the most esoteric thoughts and ideas assessable to the invested reader.
Five stars +++

[Nishant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The answer to my question what Buddhism and Jainism did to Hindus was answered in this book.

I had always thought the jain and buddhism panth (part of Hindu dharm) has made Hindus coward. The very existence of these panths has made the journey of an individual internal and swayed the whole generation from externally contributing to the society en masse.

The disjointed panths did not get adapted in the Hindu philosophy due to the vindictive nature of invaders who destroyed the philosophical instutions (pathshala (village schools)) and killed of the Hindu thought mind.. The Hindus were disconnected with their philosophy and now were more surface external hindu.

I have missed my time by not reading this earlier in my life. Now that I started reading Vivekanand ji I understand more. I am humbled to understand our dharm more.

Book #27 series Indic books

[Gautham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Swami Vivekananda's complete works. This is no less than a work of a PhD. He doesn't just preach in the terms of philosophy, he quotes them with physical, meta physical, scientific reasoning, he discusses it with objectivity and proves them with the support of facts like our maths theorems.. he talks about infinity, abstractness, void, energy, matter, mind and the coherence between them. This is eye opener...he knows the history of the topic, every topic he chooses to discuss about, he takes you on a tour from its origin, into its steps of evolution ...the various forms it took... but he doesn't force you to accept anything blindly..he leaves you to try it out. In this first book he barely scratches the surface of religion and its universal nature.. he traces out the patterns between Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrian thought processes.. their ways of life and beliefs. He introduces you to some of the concepts of Vedas and Upanishads and various techniques adopted by them. Irrespective of what religion, caste, race or belief you belong, this book will give you an insight to the world of religions and will take you through an exhilarating journey on the conquest of mastering the self and the divinity within each of us.

[HN Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to Swami's works, this book also gives some insight into the society at that time, both in the US and India. There are few lists of expenses kept by Swami, copy of handwritten letter, fees collected from various lectures, swami's letter to King of Khatri to provide funds for buiding a house to his aging mother etc. makes the reading much more interesting.

[Devi]

timeless, interesting ideas

[Rishbh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice

[Devendra Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

truth told

[Pawan Parashar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why read, to clear the darkness, to understand the concept of karma yoga, raja yoga, religion, vedas, upnishads, basic understanding of a human being, how prana works, how you are connected with each end everyhing in this world, how there is only one thing in this world, how one should treat any being as GOD and many more, to see divinity in you, to remove the darkness of ignorance from within you.

[काजल उपाध्याय · Rating 5 out of 5]

want to Read

[Juhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold and beautiful !

[Vivek Tiwari · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's one of the excellent book, to explain the religion, human nature and self control !

[Keerthana Subramanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

High recommend everyone to read.

[Kishan Mittal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivekananda uses his peak powers of eloquence to bring forth the ideas of ancient Hindu philosophy in a clear, concise and as logical manner as one can. The ideas of potential divinity in one's own self and the fundamental truth based on one's own personal experiences, rather than dogmas and principles, were the most revealing to me. Given the nature of the topic, the prose at times can feel too abstract and metaphors too wide to grasp easily, and I did struggle at times in my reading. But then I am well aware it needs a whole lot more than just one casual reading to internalise the teachings in the book, and that, nonetheless this book served as the perfect gateway to the ancient Vedic and Hindu literature which had piqued my interest all these years, and might be one of the many steps to take in this world.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the benefit of 121 years of scientific advances which Swami Vivekananda did not, and because of that I occasionally encountered passages which likely were profound in 1900 but which have since fallen out of favor or even been disproven outright. That being said, this book, or this collection of speeches and writings, affirmed a life changing realization I had a few years ago, and in many instances illuminated vagueries in my self-understanding and will certainly continue to propel me toward further development on my own spiritual path.

[Swathi Kamath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of Swami Vivekananda's thoughts and belief system. It also has references to various speeches that he had given abroad. He has beautifully explained about the philosophy of Hinduism. From what life is, to what the real purpose of life is, every explanation has just been an eyeopener, that could help one lead a life more meaningfully.

[Aditya Mallya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda's intellect and tolerance are apparent in the first volume of his collected works. There is much in his writing that any individual or society would benefit from. But mixed in with profound insight are outlandish propositions that are assumed to be true without apparent reasoning.

[Shaurya Aarav · Rating 5 out of 5]

If one reads this book with a welcoming mind, it may prove self-liberating. I also found immense pleasure in discovering the storehouse of ancient ideas it alludes. It surprised me that such elaborate thinking existed so long ago.

[Abhijeet Parihar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read in this life :)

If anyone asks me for 1 book that can change their lives, I would recommend them to read 9

The Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda: Vol 1 to 9
and you can leave every other book aside.

[Arjun Saharawat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bow to the world's greatest sage Swami Vivekanand Ji. Best book I have ever read. A must read for anyone who is tired of life or need a way in life. Must read. Don't doubt that whether it is a waste of money , just buy and read it.

[Manish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hinduism is about loving good and being one with god - and that is it
And if enjoying the consciousness of one physical body is happiness, then being in one more than one body should be more happiness- and therefore universal consciousness should be a lot more happiness
Too dry - did not finish

[Deepa · Rating 4 out of 5]

only for strong minded people

[Sachin Gopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read. So much of intricacies related to yoga and life.

[Narayan Srivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great review of Advaita Vedanta.

[Ipshita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid energetic food for the human spirit. Some conservative or non factual opinions on Hinduism and other religions.

[Sarath Chandar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that changed my life

[Carlos Cousin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading

[Avinash Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most of my life, I have been lost, spiritually. Throuh this book, Vivekanand directly spoke to me, in a thunderous voice, only a dead can ignore. I am excited to read the next book in the series.

[Alka Kumari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Neel Preet · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 1" stands as the inaugural installment in a profound collection spanning nine volumes, encapsulating the entirety of Swami Vivekananda's literary legacy. This volume is a treasure trove of wisdom, containing materials derived from his enlightening lectures, many of which were delivered during his impactful visits to the West.

At the heart of this collection are Swami Vivekananda's historic Addresses at the World Parliament of Religions, delivered in Chicago on September 11th, 1893. These addresses mark a pivotal moment in the history of interfaith dialogue, showcasing Vivekananda's eloquence and his ability to bridge diverse religious perspectives!

The inclusion of Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga adds depth to this volume, providing readers with insights into Vivekananda's thoughts on the paths of action and meditation. These texts, rooted in Hindu philosophy, offer practical guidance for individuals seeking a harmonious and purposeful life.

Beyond these seminal works, the volume encompasses a rich array of lectures and discourses, each a testament to Swami Vivekananda's intellectual prowess and spiritual acumen. The themes covered span the spectrum of human existence, from the nature of the self to the interconnectedness of all beings.

The meticulous compilation of this volume ensures that readers have access to a comprehensive collection of Swami Vivekananda's early teachings. His words, as preserved in these volumes, continue to inspire and guide individuals on their spiritual journeys. The enduring relevance of his ideas is evident, making this collection a timeless resource for those seeking wisdom and spiritual illumination.

In essence, "The Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 1" serves as a foundational pillar in the broader edifice of Vivekananda's writings. It is an indispensable volume for scholars, spiritual seekers, and enthusiasts alike, providing a holistic view of the profound contributions of Swami Vivekananda to the world of philosophy and spirituality!