are you looking for swami vivekananda books? In this article, I list 28 books that are must-reads to understand Swamiji’s thoughts, ideals, and philosophies.
Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk, public speaker, Vedanta philosopher, and yoga practitioner. He was the main disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
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He is best remembered as the founder of Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math.
his speech at the parliament of world religions in chicago in 1893 gave him international fame. he 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 the other books by him 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. inspirational talks of swami vivekananda
- 12. letters of swami vivekananda
- 13. my india: the eternal india
- 14. Powers of the mind
- 15. Chicago addresses
- 16. My teacher
- 17. Fundamentals of Hinduism
- 18. living at the source
- 19. my idea of education
- 20. work and its secret
- 21. steps for realization
- 22. to the youth of india
- 23. pearls of wisdom
- 24. women of india
- 25. life after death
- 26. east and the west
- 27. religion of love
- 28 paths to joy: master vivekananda on the four yoga paths to god
1. complete works of swami vivekananda (9 vols.)
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 vols.) is a comprehensive collection of the speeches and works of Swami Vivekananda.
gathers 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 manner.
2. raja-yoga (1896)
This book, as the title suggests, is a book by Swami Vivekananda on Raja Yoga. It contains, for the most part, his interpretation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
This book was written with its Western audience and reader in mind.
The book begins with a brief introduction to yoga. explains various techniques for practicing basic yoga exercises such as prânâyâma, pratyâhâra, dhyâna, samâdhi, etc.
The book also provides information on developing concentration and the powers of practicing yoga.
3. karma yoga: the yoga of action (1896)
Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action is a book of lectures by Swami Vivekananda, transcribed by Joseph Josiah Goodwin.
The main theme 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 the philosophy of it.
The final message is that work is worship and a path to enlightenment.
4. meditation and its methods
Meditation and its methods is divided into two sections:
- meditation according to yoga and
- meditation according to Vedanta.
Vivekananda’s views on meditation are peppered throughout his “Collected Works”. These various points of view, thoughts, opinions and conferences are compiled to make this book.
5. jnana-yoga (1899)
jnana yoga or the yoga of knowledge is a book of lectures by swami vivekananda transcribed by joseph josiah goodwin. These lectures were given primarily in New York.
In this book, Vivekananda explains the knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita in a scientific way.
According to him, knowledge is the ultimate goal. it is only knowledge that can free us from maya or illusion.
The book also addresses other important Hindu philosophies such as the atman, the cosmos, immortality, etc.
jnana-yoga, together with karma-yoga, bhakti-yoga and raja-yoga, is a classic book on Hindu philosophy.
6. teachings of swami vivekananda
the teachings of swami vivekananda comprises a selection of his speeches, quotes and teachings. these are classified into 44 suitable sections.
This is a perfect book for a beginning reader looking to get started with Vivekananda’s books.
It is suitable for those who don’t have time to read their voluminous writings.
7. swami vivekananda on himself
This book is an autobiographically written biography of Swami Vivekananda. it was first published in 1963.
publishers have collected excerpts from his various books and written them in the first person.
The life and different incidents from the life of Swami Vivekananda have been documented in this book.
8. vedanta: voice of freedom
vedanta: the voice of freedom presents the spiritual wisdom of india as it has evolved over five thousand years. It does it clearly, easily and concisely.
The book is a compilation of Vivekananda’s ideas on the subject of Vedanta. The ideas have been drawn from the various speeches and books by him.
9. conferences from colombo to almora
After visiting the west, Vivekananda arrived in Colombo on January 15, 1897.
From there he went to India and was received as a hero. he toured the country giving speeches to thousands of people eager to hear him.
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lectures from colombo to almora is a collection of many of those speeches.
10. lectures on the bhagavad gita
this book would be useful for people trying to understand the gita.
“lectures on the bhagavad gita” is an anthology of Vivekananda’s writings, opinions and commentaries on the Hindu sacred text.
the bhagavad gita was a lifelong companion of swami vivekananda and he used to take one with him wherever he went.
all of these lectures were delivered in 1900 and were shorthanded by ida ansell.
11. talks inspired by swami vivekananda
In 1895 Vivekananda conducted a series of private lectures to selected groups of disciples. These lectures were recorded by one of his disciples, Sara Ellen Waldo (later known as Haridasi).
Speeches Inspired by Swami Vivekananda was first published in 1909 by the Ramakrishna Mission.
12. swami vivekananda letters
Swami Vivekananda Letters is a close look at the personality and spirit of Swami Vivekananda through his letters.
In this book, the reader gets a picture of Vivekananda that no biographer has ever touched.
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 that he wanted to adopt for the fulfillment of his mission.
at the end, the book also has notes about the people mentioned in these letters.
13. my india: the eternal india
My India: Eternal India talks about India’s past, her present, and Vivekananda’s vision for her future.
swami vivekananda talks about the duties of the youth of india and the path they must follow to make india a great nation.
The book also includes his comments on education and religion.
14. powers of the mind
This is a booklet but it contains more information than other volumes written on the subject of the mind.
It is a lecture delivered by Swami Vivekananda in Los Angeles on January 8, 1900.
powers of the mind speaks of the infinite possibilities and hidden powers within the human mind. it also explains how the powers of the mind can be unlocked through yoga.
15. chicago directions
swami vivekananda achieved worldwide fame due to his speech at the world parliament of religions in chicago in 1893.
chicago addresses contains the lectures given by him.
Through these discourses, Swamiji wished to impart the teachings of Vedanta to the world. the central theme of his conference was: brotherhood and universal acceptance.
16. my master
while i was in the west, swami vivekananda mainly talked and preached about the beauties of vedanta. but on two occasions, in new york and england, he spoke of his guru, sri ramakrishna paramhamsa.
my teacher contains both lectures in which swamiji discusses his teacher’s life from his birth in 1836 to his evolution from gadadhar chattopadhyay (ramakrishna’s premonastic name) to ramakrishna paramhamsa.
17. fundamentals of hinduism
This book is a detailed account of Hinduism.
begins by describing the word “Hindu” and goes on to discuss the various schools of thought in Hinduism.
emphasizes 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 such as the theory of creation, the law of karma, aatma, mukti, idol worship, guru, divine incarnations and much more.
18. live at the source
This book has many inspiring messages that have been selected from various writings, speeches and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
The book is ideal for people who are looking to live a spiritual life but are busy with their everyday material life.
19. my idea of education
swami vivekananda had many insightful and profound thoughts on education, a subject very close to his heart.
in my idea of education, 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 that were way ahead of their time in india.
swamiji also writes about the importance of practical experience, mother tongue and concentration.
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The book ends with one of the main objectives of a good education: the formation of character.
20. work and its secret
the work and its secret is based on the speech of swami vivekananda in los angeles, california on January 4, 1900.
In it, swamiji talks about giving equal importance to both the means and the end while working.
He emphasizes that the main reason for failure is inattention in doing the job.
swamiji draws on the lessons of the bhagavad gita to emphasize this point.
21. steps for realization
Steps to Realization explains the secrets of self-realization.
The book begins by explaining the concept of organs: external organs, that is, the eyes, nose, and mouth, are referred to as instruments, and internal organs, that is, the brain and heart, are considered organs.
swami vivekananda explains the importance of turning off the instruments to activate the organs –
“then, to control the mind, we must first be able to control these organs. prevent the mind from wandering in or out, and keep the organs in their respective centers.”
Other important concepts such as shama, dama, uparati, titikshâ, shraddhâ, samâdhâna and mumukshutva leading to self-realization are also explained.
22. to the youth of india
to the youth of india is a collection of some of the moving and inspiring lectures that swami vivekananda delivered to large audiences in india and sri lanka after his rise to fame.
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 definitely be read by boys and girls alike.
23. pearls of wisdom
The content of this book is derived from the “complete works of swami vivekananda”.
Pearls of Wisdom is a collection of all of Swamiji’s quotes and thoughts, 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.
24. Indian women
women of india is based on the lecture delivered by swami vivekananda at shakespeare’s club house, pasadena, california, on january 18, 1900.
The content focuses on the position of women in Indian society.
swamiji touches on the glory and stature of Indian women and tries to clear up some of the misunderstandings Westerners may 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.
25. life after death
perhaps no other topic has haunted the human mind, since the remote past, with such infallible consistency as that which refers to life and death.
Is man mortal or immortal? what is reincarnation? what happens when a man dies?
every man is forced to ask himself these questions at some point in his life.
Swami Vivekananda’s
Life After Death provides brief but clear answers to these fundamental questions.
26. the east and the west
In East and West, Swami Vivekananda makes a comparative study of Eastern and Western cultures.
The book is divided into six chapters: Customs, Food and Cuisine, Civilization in Dress, Etiquette and Manners, France, Paris, and the Progress of Civilization.
27. religion of love
The 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 and peaceful love, with thoughts such as those of fatherhood and help
- dâsya, the ideal of service
- vâtsalya, god as mother or son .
- sakhya, god as friend.
- madhura, the sweetest love, the love of husband and wife.
28. paths to joy: master vivekananda on the four yoga paths to god
Paths to Joy is a collection of 108 of Swami Vivekananda’s best teachings on Vedanta philosophy.
swamiji illustrates the four classical paths of yoga: karma, bhakti, raja and jnana.
the messages focus on the unity 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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