Work and Its Secret

by Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works which Vedic scholar Frank Parlato has called, "the greatest comprehensive work in philosophy ever published." His books on the four Yogas are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. This short lecture introduces his thoughts on work and its relation to Karma Yoga.

Genres: Spirituality

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 1980

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

[Narendrāditya Nalwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it just me who has this cherished aspiration to sit at the feet of the lion of Vedanta, if I could meet him in some future age? How marvelous it would be to learn of the glorious stories of our ancestors, the proud people of Bharata, from the mouth of this fearless monk? How lucky are they who blessed themselves even with a glimpse of this uncompromising warrior Hindu? He asks us nothing short of perfection, brethren. Nothing short of perfection. Purification and perfection of self - that is his mantra.

"We are to take care of ourselves — that much we can do — and give up attending to others for a time. Let us perfect the means; the end will take care of itself. For the world can be good and pure, only if our lives are good and pure. It is an effect, and we are the means. Therefore, let us purify ourselves. Let us make ourselves perfect."

This lecture was delivered at Los Angeles in 1900, and it teaches you the why and how of 'work'.

"... we have to work, constantly work with all our power; to put our whole mind in the work, whatever it be, that we are doing. At the same time, we must not be attached. That is to say, we must not be drawn away from the work by anything else; still, we must be able to quit the work whenever we like."



"The brain and muscles must develop simultaneously. Iron nerves with an intelligent brain - and the whole world is at your feet."

[Vasanth Selvam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking words and excerpts from the complete works of Vivekananda. Even though this book is small it is filled with deep thoughts and voice of swami Vivekananda's ideas.

[Abhinav Dhiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for awareness and getting to know what is an action or work (karma), why do or don't work, implications of work upon us, limitations of way of exchanges, how you act to do a work, selfless work, liberate yourself from work, perfection in work is a huge myth, work can be worship, nature's law and observations and divine qualities to obliterate nature's boundaries on yourself and to overcome entanglement of confusion on this topic.

It is very short read which discusses about Karma Yoga and little bit about Jnana (Gyana) Yoga.

To know in depth, suggested book read would be Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda!

[Utkrisht Fella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda's Work and Its Secret book delves into the spiritual essence of action, teaching that work done without attachment to results leads to inner peace and personal growth. Vivekananda's insights bridge practical life and spirituality, offering guidance to approach duties with focus, discipline, and a higher purpose.

This concise yet profound work is a must-read for those seeking clarity on balancing ambition with mindfulness, making it especially relevant for modern professionals and spiritual seekers alike.

[Graham Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite short Yoga texts.

[Vishal Paudel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every line in this book is an appeal and a practical insight into selfless work. An original assimilation of the Gita.

[Gayatri Sravya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed reading this master piece. Short read but very intense read. Karma yoga philosophy is explained very luckily. I recommend this reading this book.

[Nidhi Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great short book that you can read anytime to reflect and connect your day to day thought with divine power.

Few takeaways
1. Whatever you are receiving is exactly what u r giving. Hold yourself responsible, dig deep you will get to know why this is happening to you.

2. Duty is holy, and the greatest form of worship, because who grumbles at every thing will lead to more and more grumbling, misery and failure. Whereas a man who does his duty by putting his shoulder in week, sees higher duties in his share.

3. Goal will be yours only if you have curated your path with almost dedication and honesty.

[Ankita Asondariya · Rating 5 out of 5]

By reading this book I transformed my mind and realized how much we lie to our self without realizing it.