Death of Swami Vivekananda – [4 July, 1902]

Swami Vivekananda, one of the eminent spiritual personalities of India, was a great teacher of Vedanta philosophy. He left for his heavenly abode on July 4th, 1902, aged 39 years, at Belur Math, Calcutta. An inspiration for everyone, especially the youth. His birth anniversary, January 12, is celebrated in India as ‘National Youth Day.’ Credited for spreading Hinduism in the West, his words and his work have left an indelible mark in the historical, cultural, and spiritual realms. Read below this comprehensive article to learn more about Swami Vivekananda, his early life, teachings, quotes, and his death.

Death of Swami Vivekananda

The early life of Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Dutta on January 12, 1863, in Calcutta, was the son of Vishwanath Datta, an attorney at the Calcutta High Court, and his wife Bhubaneswari Devi. As a child, he was named Narendranath and was quite restless and mischievous, but from a very tender age, he was driven towards spirituality. At the age of 8, he attended formal school and was then sent to the Presidency College in Calcutta.

A voracious reader, he has read a wide variety of subjects like history, social sciences, art, literature, western logic and philosophy, religion, the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Hindu epics, etc. I had a keen interest in sports and took part in wrestling activities. Afterwards, as a spiritual leader, he always emphasized the importance of being physically fit.

In his 20s, he became a member of the Sadharan Brahmo Samajan, an offshoot of the Brahmo Samaj. In 1881, he met Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Initially, Narendranath was against Ramakrishna’s ideas and was opposed to Advaita Vedanta. Later on, he accepted him as his guru after he was convinced by his philosophy.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

In August 1886, Ramakrishna died, and in December that year, Narendranath took his formal vows as an ascetic and became ‘Swami Vivekananda’. In 1888, he started his life as a wandering monk, carrying his two favorite books, namely, the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘The Imitation of Christ’.

• Being an avid traveler, he met a lot of people from different walks of life. He spoke to them and urged them to come out of the prevalent caste system.

• A promoter of industrialization and science, he advocated women’s empowerment and fought against superstitions.

• Encourage people to adopt free thinking and accept equality.

• He also spread the teaching of neo-Vedanta, which reconciles Dvaita (dualism) and Advaita (monism).

• He propagated the Hindu doctrine that each soul is divine and that everyone should work towards manifesting that divine within themselves.

• Credited for spreading Hinduism in the West, he represented the Hindu religion at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago held on September 11, 1893, where he gave a brief speech, beginning with the now-famous words, “Sisters and brothers of America!” that received much praise. The speech was about how people, through their different religious paths, try to reach the same goal.

• He traveled throughout the US, giving lectures and receiving admiration for ancient Indian philosophies. He also gave free classes in Vedanta and yoga.

• He was offered academic positions at two top American universities, but he declined their offers because he felt this would interfere with his life as a monk.

• Swami Vivekananda emphasized nationalism in his teachings to the youth of India.

• In 1897, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission, which is based on Vedanta, emphasizes religious harmony and equality for all human beings, and actively engages in social work.

• He left for his heavenly abode on July 4th, 1902, aged 39 years, at Belur Math, Calcutta.

• His birth anniversary is celebrated in India as ‘National Youth Day’ on January 12.

Death Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (Date)

Swami Vivekananda died on July 4, 1902, aged of 39 years, five months & 24 days at Belur Math, Calcutta. Not much is known about his last days or why he died at an early age. What is known is that in the last few weeks of his life preceding his death, he encouraged his followers & members of the math community to practice meditation and lead a disciplined life. He also participated in several meetings and discussions.

From the accounts available, the following points emerge:

• Lead an active life as the head of the Ramakrishna Math until his last days. It is said that on his last day, he taught yoga and other subjects to his pupils. Later, he held a meeting with his colleagues, talking about a planned Vedic college in math. Then, he went to his room to do meditation, asking others not to disturb him, and a few hours later, he passed into the higher realm (mahasamadhi).

• His close associates claimed that he had a premonition about his impending death.

• He could have also died due to several health problems, as, from an early age, Swami Vivekananda suffered from many chronic ailments like insomnia, liver and kidney problems, malaria, migraines, diabetes, and heart ailments.

• From his account, we get to know that before his death, he cut short his visit to Cairo, Egypt, due to health problems and returned to India, where he wished to die.

• One version suggests that he died due to the rupture of a blood vessel in his brain, but according to another version, like a liberated yogi, he left the body through the mystic opening (Brahmarandhra) in the crown of his head by rupturing it.

• His death was sudden. There was no indication of any suffering. It was a great shock for his followers and associates at Belur Math who did not foresee this. Upon knowing that he had died, many fell into inconsolable grief.

Certain important points emerge from the study of his life and works.

1. The Swami was a social worker. It was seen that frequently he was moved to tears by seeing the plight of the poor and downtrodden. Traveling to various places, he had a very hectic life. He accepted food and hospitality from diverse groups of people, irrespective of their social or economic conditions.

2. As the head of the monastery, he faced financial difficulties. The poor living conditions and lack of proper medical facilities at the Math might have also been reasons behind the deterioration of his health.

Quotes by Swami Vivekananda

The sayings and teachings of Swami Vivekananda on various topics, be they art, history, culture, education, or spirituality, have left an impression worldwide. Here are a few of his famous quotes:

• “Nature, body, mind, go to death, not we. We neither go nor come. The man Vivekananda is in nature, is born and dies; but the Self (soul) we see as Vivekananda is never born and never dies. It is the eternal and unchangeable reality.”

• Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.

• “Arise, awake, & stop not till the goal is reached.”

• Believe in yourself & all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.

• Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny.

• Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.

Conclusion

Swami Vivekananda, one of the eminent spiritual personalities of India, was a great teacher of Vedanta philosophy. He left for his heavenly abode on July 4th, 1902, aged 39 years, at Belur Math, Calcutta. His death was a shock for his followers. He led an active life as the head of the Ramakrishna Math until his last days. Chronic ailments from a young age, poor living conditions, and a lack of proper medical facilities at the school might have also been reasons behind the deterioration of his health. His birth anniversary, January 12, is celebrated in India as ‘National Youth Day.’ He emphasized religious harmony and equality for all human beings and actively engaged in social work.

FAQs: Death Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (Date)

1. How was Swami Vivekananda as a kid?

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Dutta on January 12, 1863, in Calcutta, was the son of Vishwanath Datta, an attorney at the Calcutta High Court, and his wife Bhubaneswari Devi. As a child, he was named Narendranath and was quite restless and mischievous, but from a very tender age, he was driven towards spirituality. At the age of 8, he attended formal school and was then sent to the Presidency College in Calcutta. A voracious reader, he has read a wide variety of subjects like history, social sciences, art, literature, western logic and philosophy, religion, the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Hindu epics, etc. I had a keen interest in sports and took part in wrestling activities.

2. What are the teachings of Swami Vivekananda?

Swami Vivekananda spoke to people worldwide and urged them to come out of the prevalent caste system. A promoter of industrialization and science, he advocated women’s empowerment and fought against superstitions. Encourage people to adopt free thinking and accept equality. He also spread the teaching of neo-Vedanta, which reconciles Dvaita (dualism) and Advaita (monism). He propagated the Hindu doctrine that each soul is divine and that everyone should work towards manifesting that divine within themselves. Swami Vivekananda emphasized nationalism in his teachings to the youth of India. All throughout his life, he emphasized religious harmony, equality for all human beings, and being actively engaged in social work.

3. What did Swami Vivekananda do as the head of the Ramkrishna Math?

In 1897, Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission, which is based on Vedanta, emphasizes religious harmony and equality for all human beings, and actively engages in social work.

4. Mention some quotes by Swami Vivekananda.

Certain famous quotes by Swami Vivekananda: (a) “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” (b) Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. (c) Stand up, be bold, and be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders and know that you are the creator of your own destiny.

5. What were the circumstances surrounding Swami Vivekananda’s death?

The Swami was a social worker. It was seen that frequently he was moved to tears by seeing the plight of the poor and downtrodden. Traveling to various places, he had a very hectic life. He accepted food and hospitality from diverse groups of people, irrespective of their social or economic conditions. He left for his heavenly abode on July 4th, 1902, aged 39 years, at Belur Math, Calcutta. His death was a shock for his followers. As the head of the monastery, he faced financial difficulties. The poor living conditions and lack of proper medical facilities at the Math might have also been reasons behind the deterioration of his health.