Portrait of Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda

Indian Hindu monk and philosopher

Lived
1863–1902
Country
British Raj

Updated September 2026

About Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world during the late 19th century, and is credited with raising interfaith awareness and elevating Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.