International Journal of Development Issues

Vivekananda’s interpretation of Vedanta philosophy and values for sustained human

development
Swami Sarvapriyananda
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sustained human development", International Journal of Development Issues, Vol. 13 Iss 3 pp. 204 - 211
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IJDI
13,3
Vivekananda’s interpretation of
Vedanta philosophy and values
for sustained human
204 development
Swami Sarvapriyananda
Monastic Probationers Training Centre at Belur Math, Howrah, India
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Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the unique aspects of Vivekananda’s interpretation
of Vedanta philosophy.
Design/methodology/approach – The doctrine of the One and the many being the same reality is
the philosophical core of the vast and varied treasury of Vivekananda’s teachings and, indeed, of his life.
Findings – Vivekananda has given a remarkable interpretation of the Vedanta philosophy which is
not only universal but also both inspiring and rational (and accommodative).
Practical implications – Combining service with spirituality, grounding religion in rationality and
being very contemporary in its sensitivities, Vivekananda’s thought is poised to become the ideology of
the modern Indian nation.
Originality/value – Vedanta philosophy is inclusive of ethics that are well-grounded in Vedantic
metaphysics and constitutes a very effective response to the inequities and corruption widespread in
contemporary societies.
Keywords Ethics, Human development, Vedanta philosophy, Spirituality, Swami Vivekananda,
The doctrine of Oneness
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
Vivekananda’s remarkable interpretation of the Vedanta philosophy has given Indians
an identity that is universal yet uniquely Indian, and inclusive of her richly diverse
multicultural society, a philosophy that is both inspiring and rational (and
accommodative) and ethics that are well-grounded in Vedantic metaphysics and
constitute a very effective response to the inequities and corruption widespread in
society. Combining service with spirituality, grounding religion in rationality and being
very contemporary in its sensitivities, Vivekananda’s thought is poised to become the
ideology of the modern Indian nation. This paper will outline the unique aspects of
Vivekananda’s Vedanta and its implications in terms of values and practical
philosophy.

International Journal of Development 2. The philosophical core: the one and the many
Issues What is the essence, the unique core of Vivekananda’s philosophy? When one enquires
Vol. 13 No. 3, 2014
pp. 204-211 about the core of Sankaracarya’s philosophy, Advaita Vedanta, the answer is evident.
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited “Brahma satyam, jagat mithya, jiva Brahmaiva na parah”. Sankaracarya holds that
1446-8956
DOI 10.1108/IJDI-06-2014-0045 Brahman is the only reality and the many which we perceive is mithya, an appearance,
 an illusion. When you ask Ramanujacarya about the core of his philosophy, Vivekananda’s
Visistadvaita, he will tell you that Brahman is the whole and sentient beings, the jivas,
are parts of Brahman, as is the entire insentient universe. The One is the whole and the
interpretation
many, jiva and jagat, are Its parts. The term Visistadvaita, in fact, means Jiva, Jagat
visista Brahma – hence, Visistadvaita – Brahman (God the Ultimate Reality) qualified by
sentient beings, Jivas and the insentient universe, Jagat. God is amsi (the whole) and we
are amsa-s (parts). God is the seshi (the complete which “owns” its integral parts), we are 205
sesha-s (integral parts). We are one with God only in the sense parts of a body are one
with the whole body. When you ask the great dualist, Madhvacarya, about his
philosophy, he says the One and the many are real, and they are different. Brahman,
jivas and jagat – God, sentient beings and the insentient universe – are all distinct
realities.
What then would Vivekananda say when asked about his stand? Vivekananda was
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actually asked this question and his answer is enlightening and very significant. He was
asked, “Is it true that the Buddha said the many are real and changing while orthodox
Hinduism teaches that the One is real and the many are false?”, He replied:
Yes, and what Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and I have done is to show that the many and the
One are the same reality seen by the same mind at different times and different attitudes
(Swami Vivekananda).
This is the key, which, I think, will help us unlock the varied mysterious and enormous
dimension of Viveknanda’s teachings.

3. Discovering the absolute

Vivekananda tells us that the One, Brahman, is the only reality. That is appearing as the
many, this variegated world. God verily is all that we see, hear and experience in endless
ways throughout our lives. Brahman is both transcendental and immanent. These are
wonderful words indeed, but when we look around we do not find this “Brahman”.
Where is Brahman?
Sri Ramakrishna helps us out here. In his inimitable language:
Sand and sugar are mixed – the ant can separate them, milk and water are mixed – the swan
can separate them, there is maal in golmaal – take the maal, discard the gol (no translation can
do justice to the last analogy! Roughly, gol would “the worthless” and maal, “valuable”, the
world being a mixture of the two.) […][1].
Vivekananda was an expert at this separating the two. The very name “Vivekananda”
comes from the Sanskrit word, viveka, which means discrimination, to separate, to
differentiate. Ramakrishnananda in his beautiful salutation to Vivekananda says,
“Anitya drsyesu vivicya nityam […]”. This manifold world of our experience is anitya
drsya – transient object of experience – constantly changing. In the midst of this anitya
drsya, Vivekananda was able to recognize the nityam, the eternal, with ease. There is
something unchanging, luminous in the midst of this changeful world of inert matter.
“Tasmin samaadhatta ihaasma lilayaa […]”. Not only did he recognize the Real in this
whirlwind of the unreal, but he also would merge himself in this Reality in deep
Samadhi – all with the joyful ease of a child at play.
Diving deep into this non-dual intuition, what was Vivekananda’s unique
philosophical discovery? His fundamental philosophical stance is reflected in many
comments strewn across the Complete Works. He says that there are these two
 IJDI extremes – one says I shall retire into a Himalayan cave, ignore this world and plunge
into nirvikalpa samadhi and give up the body. He has missed the way. There is the other
13,3 who plunges headlong into the enjoyments and luxuries of the world. He too has missed
the way. Two extremes: one, ignoring the world, the many and trying to find the One
apart from the many. The other, taking this manifold world, the many, to be the sole
reality and trying to find satisfaction contentment here, trying to make merry as long as
206 life lasts. Vivekananda holds that both these extremes have missed the way. Then what
is the way? The way, Vivekananda tells us, is:
[…] the deification of the world. The Vedanta does not in reality denounce the world. The ideal
of renunciation nowhere attains such a height as in the teachings of the Vedanta. But, at the
same time, dry suicidal advice is not intended; it really means deification of the world – giving
up the world as we think of it, as we know it, as it appears to us – and to know what it really is.
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Deify it; it is God alone […][2].

This was Vivekananda’s message and we can immediately see how it draws upon the
Vedantic message reflected in the Isha Upanishad verse 1 “Ishaa vaasyam idam sarvam,
yat kim ca jagatyaam jagat […]” (All that you experience in the world is pervaded by the
Lord or, more precisely, you have to pervade the world by the Lord – you have to
recognize the divinity in all things and creatures of the world). There is an underlying
reality which gives substance to the world as we experience it. This underlying reality
is existence– consciousness– bliss – the Upanishad says you have to recognize It. How
does one go about recognizing It? Take an example of a river flowing by in front of you.
So many waves, large and small, come up and merge back into the river. Each little wave
is different from the others, but all the waves and indeed, the whole river, is water. Just
as water pervades all these waves, as wood pervades wooden tables and chairs, and as
gold pervades all golden ornaments, there is one existence– consciousness– bliss that
pervades all of us. Every existent being, living and non-living here is pervaded by one
reality. Realize it, recognize It.
That one reality is your own true inner Self. Vivekananda stressed this endless times,
that you are Brahman, Tat tvam asi. That which you are within, is manifested as the
world of your experience spread out before you in time and space.
Sister Nivedita caught this tune. In her introduction to the Complete Works of
Vivekananda she says:
[…] the many and the One are the same Reality, perceived by the mind at different times and
in different attitudes […] It is this which adds its crowning significance to our Master’s life, for
here he becomes the meeting-point, not only of East and West, but also of past and future. If the
many and the One be indeed the same Reality, then it is not all modes of worship alone, but
equally all modes of work, all modes of struggle, all modes of creation, which are paths of
realisation. No distinction, henceforth, between sacred and secular. To labour is to pray. To
conquer is to renounce. Life is itself religion[3].
This is truly tremendous. The barrier between the spiritual and the secular is erased. Not
that the spiritual has become secular. Rather, all that we consider secular is to be
spiritualized. The whole of our life is to be spiritualized. This is the central teaching of
Vivekananda and one feels that humanity is still not in a position to accept the full
implications of this teaching. We are still in the process of working out the implications
of this profound insight.
 Sister Nivedita goes on to propose that, because of this doctrine of the One and the Vivekananda’s
many, Vivekananda is the great preacher of karma, not divorced from, but as expressing
jnana (knowledge) and bhakti (devotion). Jnana and bhakti are expressed through
interpretation
service. Vivekananda taught Nivedita that art, science and religion are all expressing
the same truth – he, however, added that this can be understood only through the
non-dual vedanta.
What is spirituality after all? Ranganathananda put it this way: 207
Spirituality is when you close your eyes in meditation, you find peace within. When you open
your eyes and see this world, you say, “What can I do for you?”.
Contrast this with worldliness. Closing his eyes, the worldly man, only finds turmoil and
unhappiness within and opening his eyes, his attitude is “I want this, I want that. What
can I get from you?”
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4. Facing doubts
Such bold steps in theory (and practice) inevitably gave rise to doubts. Doubts were
voiced during the lifetime of Vivekananda – even now, there are doubts. Vivekananda
formed the Ramakrishna Mission to execute his plans. On that occasion Swami
Yogananda said,“Eshob tomaar videshi bhaaber kaaj hocchey! Paramahamsa deber
upadesh ki eirup chhilo?” (These are foreign ideas of work which you have taken up. Are
these Paramahamsa-deb’s teachings?) He meant that all this work – schools, relief and so
on – are foreign (Western) ideas, not in accord with the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna.
Vivekananda shot back, “How much have you understood Sri Ramakrishna?” Sri
Ramakrishna is much vaster than what you take him to be. Yogananda agreed and
acquiesced to Vivekananda’s interpretation. He said, “I can clearly see that Thakur is
doing all this through you”. Master Mahashay, the author of the Gospel of Sri
Ramakrishna, had long standing doubts about what Vivekananda was doing. Once he
asked Vivekananda:
All these charitable works you have started for the welfare of the masses, all these are within
Maya. Doesn’t Advaita teach us that we have to overcome Maya through spiritual practices
and attain mukti?
Vivekananda replied with a smile, “Your mukti is also within Maya, isn’t it?”, “Nityo–
mukto atmar mukti cheshta keno?”, “Why would you struggle to liberate the Self which
you admit is ever liberated?” He is echoing here the Gaudapada’s verse in the Mandukya
Karika – Ultimately, there is neither anyone bound, and (therefore) none liberated (since
liberation is freedom from bondage). Of course, Master Mahashay kept quiet at that
moment, but he was not fully convinced until much later. Years later, in the
Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama in Kashi, the Holy Mother saw the monks serving
the poor patients in the hospital in the spirit of “Shiva Jnane, Jiva Seva” – “Service to
living beings knowing them to be God”, and she said with joyful approval, “Thakur
vicharan korchhen […] aami dekchi ei shob tnar kaaj!”, “I feel the presence of Sri
Ramakrishna here […] all this service is His work!” Swami Brahmananda immediately
asked a brahmachari to go and repeat Holy Mother’s remarks to Master Mahashay (who
was also visiting the Sevashrama then). The brahmachari narrated everything to
Master Mahashay, who did not fail to understand the point, and laughed and said, “Naa
maanbaar to aar jo nei!”, “There is no way of denying it (the doctrine of service as
spiritual practice) any longer!” (Swami Nikhilananda, 1942, from different chapters).
 IJDI Even now there are doubts. There are scholars who find a discontinuity between the
teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and the service activities started by Vivekananda. They
13,3 are not to be blamed for this – it is not easy to grasp the underlying continuity. Let us try
to see this continuity for ourselves. If we look at Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings, there are
certain teachings which he insistently repeated on different occasions. No doubt, when
he met Vaishnavas, he would talk of the love of Krishna, and when he visited the
208 Brahmos, he would talk of the Formless. However, there are certain things he made it a
point to emphasize, albeit in his inimitably gentle and sweet manner. For example, “Jaar
nityo, taar i lila […]”, “The changeless Absolute as well as the Divine Play of the
changing manifold universe belong to One Reality”, “Je Sagun, tini Nirgun”, “The
Personal God and the Impersonal Absolute are one and the same”. “Kali aar Brahma ek”,
“Kali and Brahman are the one and the same”.
He would often speak of the Vijnani. One climbs to the roof of a house, leaving the
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ground and the staircase behind and then sees that stairs and lower parts of the house
are made of the same materials – concrete and bricks and so on – as the roof itself.
Similarly one attains the Absolute by the method of “neti, neti” “not this, not this”
denying the relative world, and then realizes that the Absolute and the relative
manifestation are one and the same. This is the Vijanani – he sees God in everything.
Again, Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “Does God exist only when you meditate with
closed eyes? Does He not also exist when you open your eyes?” Sri Ramakrishna would
make it a point to give these teachings to all. And one can see a continuity in all of these
teachings. It is in this light we must understand Vivekananda when he says that the
many and One are the same reality and that this is Sri Ramakishna’s teaching. “[…] and
what Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and I have done is to show that the many and the One
are the same reality”. Once this continuity is established, we can proceed to throw the
light of this understanding on the wide spectrum of Vivekananda’s teachings.
Vivekananda’s talks and writings range over vast domains. There is perhaps no aspect
of human life which he has not touched upon.

5. Implications of the philosophy of one Brahman manifested as many

If One Brahman is manifesting as the many – jivas and jagat, then what would be the
correlate of the identity of the non-dual Absolute in this manifold world? It can only be
harmony. Sri Ramakrihna says, “Je samanvaya korechhey, sei lok”, “He is truly a man
who can harmonise everything”. Harmony is one of the practical implications of the
metaphysical doctrine of the One and the many being one reality. Difference is a fact of
experience. We are all different in so many respects – physically, intellectually,
emotionally, socially and so on. Are we then to obliterate difference? Far from it. The
manifestation of the underlying Oneness would be harmony in daily life – harmony
among people, harmony of religions, harmony of science and religion and so on. And all
of these are the teachings of Vivekananda. The harmony of religions, particularly, is of
great relevance today in the 21st century. He taught the harmony of the yogas—jnana,
karma, bhakti and dhyana (knowledge, service, love and meditation respectively). While
recognizing that each of the four yogas can individually lead to God realization, he
recommends, and even insists upon, a harmony of the four yogas. He says that if one
wants to follow Sri Ramakrishna truly, one must have a harmony of the four yogas in his
life. Vivekananda speaks of the harmony of science and religion and expressed the hope
that it may someday be achieved. He wanted the harmony of the East and the West–a
 wish he expressed on different occasions. He would have thoroughly approved of our Vivekananda’s
efforts at multi-culturalism.
He spoke of harmonizing the major schools of Vedanta – Advaita, Visistadvaita and
interpretation
Dvaita. Vivekananda’s doctrine of the One and the many being the same reality provides
a matrix in which you can situate all these versions of Vedanta. Sri Ramakrishna would
sometimes speak from the Dvaita point of view, sometimes from the Visistadvaita and
again from the Advaita point of view. He clearly did not see them as adversaries. These 209
are all true – God is different from the jiva under certain assumptions, the jiva is part of
God with different assumptions, and finally, it is valid to say that the jiva is identical
with God. In Advaita, the consciousness within you is neither different from, not part of,
Brahman, but there exists identity, absolute oneness of jiva and Brahman. One is
reminded of Hanuman’s answer when he was asked what he (Hanuman) thought about
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Ramachandra. Hanuman replied “Deha buddhya daso’ham; jiva buddhya tvad

amsakam; Atma budhhya tu tvam eva aham – iti me niscita matih!”. “From the body
aspect, I am Thy servant, as an individual jiva, I am part of Thee and, as the Atman,
Thou art verily I – this is my conviction!” Here, Dvaita, Visistadvaita and Advaita are
harmonized beautifully. The doctrine of One and the many gives a philosophical
approach towards generating these different approaches to the Vedantic truth.
In any discussion of Vivekananda’s Vedanta, the term “Practical Vedanta” will
always crop up. In what ways is Vedanta practical? How is Vedanta philosophically
linked to the service of the poor, the sick and the ignorant? Gambhirananda gives us a
clear and striking analysis in his writings. The question is, after realizing the One,
Brahman, how does the perfected saint, the jivanmukta, view the many, the jivas and
jagat? He says that there may be three distinct attitudes a jivanmukta can have towards
the many. First, he may remain immersed in the One Absolute and completely ignore the
manifestation. We recall how initially Narendranath, after attaining nirvikalpa
Samadhi, said he preferred to remain in that state. Of course, Sri Ramakrishna rebuked
him but the point here is that it is a valid attitude for a jivanmukta. The second attitude
is that he may see this world of the many as a wonder, as the play of Maya. And there is
a third attitude where the jivanmukta sees God in all these forms and melts in love and
compassion. This third attitude is what Vivekananda is talking about when he links
Vedanta to service.
What is true of the jivanmukta is also true for the rest of us. In his commentary on the
second chapter of the Gita, Sankaracharya says “sarvatra hi adhyatma sastre, yani eva
kritarthasya laksanani, tani eve sadhakasya sadhanani, yatna sadhyatvat […]”:
In all scriptures, all that is said to be the natural characteristics of the perfected, are the very
qualities are to be practiced by spiritual aspirants, since such perfection is attained by effort
(Shastri, 1901).
People did not understand this. When Akhandananda Maharaj wrote to Pramadadas babu
about the orphanage in Sargachhi, Murshidabad, Pramadadas babu replied from Benares,
“For sannyasis its better to remain immersed in spiritual practice and beg for food and not
get distracted by such work […]”. Akhandanandaji wrote back in a fiery letter:
I know my Lord is always with me. My Lord is my own. That very God who is within me is
telling me, “It is among human beings that rishis and munis have come, it is within human
beings that even Avataras have come – and can’t you see what a terrible state have these very
human beings been reduced to?” This is what the Lord is telling me. I sacrifice this life for
 IJDI humanity and how many more lives I shall lay down for them, I do not know […] (Swami
Devarajananda, 2009).
13,3
Similarly, all the different teachings of Vivekananda can be seen in the light of this
doctrine of the One and the many. Take Vivekananda’s definition of religion as the
manifestation of the divinity already within man. Why “manifestation” of the divinity
within? Why not just knowledge of the inner divinity, or simply realization of the
210 divinity within? If One and many are the same reality, then it follows inevitably that the
realization of the One should be manifested in this world of the many.
Vivekananda said, “My mission in this world can be put in a few words – to preach
unto mankind their inner divinity and how to make it manifest in every movement of
life”. Notice the emphasis on the manifestation of spiritual realization. This was the
attitude of Sri Ramakrishna himself, the teaching of the avatara of this age. Religion is
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not only a matter of inner realization, but it must also be reflected in life. Again, when
Vivekananda gave an ideal for the new monastic order, it was “Atmano Moksartham,
Jagat Hitaya Cha”, “For one’s own liberation, and for the welfare of the world”. The
welfare of the world is not a by-product of spirituality. It is not something peripheral
added unto the primary aim of spiritual liberation. Rather, if One and the many be the
same reality, it follows directly that as you do sadhana or rigorous practice for your own
liberation, you must also serve all.
The doctrine of the One and the many being the same reality is then, the philosophical
core of the vast and varied treasury of Vivekananda’s teachings and, indeed, of his life.
Sometimes, he is immersed in nirvikalpa samadhi, and again he works tirelessly for the
welfare of humanity – the unifying theme in this life of polar extremes seems to be this
doctrine.

6. Conclusion
Let me conclude with the Vedantic foundation of values:
• Morality is an expression of what is already intrinsic to the one reality within us,
while immorality is caused by ignorance of our own true nature. Ethics are, thus,
grounded in the ontology of the self. The importance of this move has not yet been
widely appreciated by philosophers. It follows directly that ethics is based on
freedom and not compulsion. When I am ethical, I am merely expressing my own
true nature, freed from considerations of utility or duty.
• Vivekananda gave us a startlingly simple test of morality “That which is selfish is
immoral, and that which is unselfish is moral”. Altruism is, thus, equated to
morality, and altruism is grounded in the Vedantic unity of all existence. What we
call love springs from the same source – this Vedantic unity. Love is expressed as
service to all irrespective of race, nationality, religion, gender or caste.
• The Vedantic principles of the unity of all existence and the innate divine nature of
all beings also serves as the ground for justifying equality in spite of apparent
differences, and as the basis for eradicating privilege and working for equity.
Notes
1. www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rls/rls26.htm
2. Ibid. Vol. 2 p. 146.
3. Ibid. Vol. 1 p. xv (Introduction to the Complete Works).
 References Vivekananda’s
Shastri, A.M. (1901), The Bhagavad-Gita with the Commentary of Sri Sankaracharya, Mysore.
interpretation
Swami Devarajananda (2009), Prabuddha Bharata, Akhandananda: Service as Worship.
Swami Nikhilananda (1942), The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras.
Swami Vivekananda (1955), The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 8, Advaita
Ashrama, Kolkata, p. 261.
211
Further reading
Swami Vivekananda (1989), The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vols 1/2/8, Mayavati
Memorial ed., Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta.

Corresponding author
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Swami Sarvapriyananda can be contacted at: [email protected]

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