Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (Narendranath Datta, 1863–1902) was an Indian Hindu monk and reformer who introduced Vedanta and yoga to Western audiences. A disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna, he rose to international attention with his address at the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission to combine spiritual practice with social service, and he emphasized education, national renewal, and the unity of religions. His lectures, collected in volumes such as Karma-Yoga, Raja-Yoga, and Jnana-Yoga, remain widely read.