The Quest for Meaning of Svāmī Vívekānanda

Description

This scholarly study offers a nuanced re-examination of the spiritual development of Swami Vivekananda, one of modern India's most influential religious figures. Moving beyond the common hagiographical portrayals of unwavering conviction, George M. Williams charts Vivekananda's life as a dynamic and often tumultuous "quest for meaning."

The book meticulously traces the evolution of Vivekananda's "patterns of ultimate concern" through various distinct phases: his early intellectual explorations as a member of the Brahmo Samaj, a Freemason, and a skeptic influenced by Western philosophy; his transformative and complex discipleship under Sri Ramakrishna; and a subsequent, lesser-known period of profound doubt that led him to question scriptural authority and even seek guidance from another guru.

Drawing primarily on a chronological analysis of Vivekananda's own writings, the author focuses on the historical development of his beliefs rather than their ultimate truth. The study culminates in an exploration of Vivekananda's mature philosophy of "The Religion Eternal" and "Practical Vedanta," presenting it not as a static doctrine but as the hard-won outcome of a lifelong spiritual struggle. This work provides a critical and humanizing portrait, essential for understanding the internal tensions that shaped both the man and the modern Hindu Renaissance.

Table of contents 29 entries

Foreword Arvind Sharma — Contributor p. 5
Chapter I. Introduction p. 7
1. The Definitional Problem p. 109
2. The Descriptive Procedure p. 112
3. The Type and Level of Understanding p. 113
4. The Object of Study p. 113
5. The Quotations, Transliterations and Appendices p. 115
Chapter II. Three Convictional Postures During College and Law School p. 8
1. Brāhmo Samāji p. 9
2. Freemason p. 12
3. Skeptic p. 13
Chapter III. His Pattern of Ultimate Concern as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Disciple p. 18
1. The Questions and the Answers p. 18
2. Narendra's Internalization of Rāmakṛṣṇa's Teachings p. 22
3. Narendra's Renewed Doubts p. 29
Chapter IV. The Search for the True Authority p. 31
1. Authority in the Scriptures p. 32
2. Help from Another Guru p. 38
3. A Pattern of Ultimacy in Spite of Uncertainty p. 41
Chapter V. The Religion Eternal p. 43
1. The Background of This Pattern of Ultimacy p. 43
2. The Principles of the Religion Eternal p. 50
3. Practical Vedānta p. 67
Chapter VI. The Place of Svāmī Vivekānanda in the Religious History of India p. 83
Notes p. 87
Appendices p. 109
1. Appendix B p. 116
2. Appendix C p. 135
Bibliography p. 149