Within the covers of this book, you will find a clear and lucid exposition of spirituality and Non-Duality that is sure to touch you deeply irrespective of your personal faith.

Swami Vivekananda was the devotee of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, but he was no ordinary devotee, and Ramakrishna was to say many times that the Swami was a greater teacher than him. These words were to come true, for it was Swami Vivekananda who set up the Ramakrishna Mission and immortalized the Master’s work. Vivekananda is also famous for taking the West by storm towards the end of the nineteenth century. He made two trips to the West, and both of these trips were remarkable for the stir and fervor they caused. He was the first among the true Hindu Swamis to go to the US and UK, and
people in the West who came into contact with him were revolutionized by this man who spoke in English and the language of rationality but spoke of an ancient wisdom. Many became his followers, and the Swami popularized the image of the Hindu spiritual seeker with his clear eyes and flowing ochre robes and turban.

In this book you will find out why he made such a huge impact. His words are clear and forceful. He never deviates the slightest from logic and reason, and he is also eager to embrace the latest scientific advancements like evolution, a new idea at that time which scared so many other religions. But here we find the Swami not just accepting it but actually welcoming it as a support. At the same time, he preached a message that was among the oldest philosophies in the world, yet was as unceasing in its rationality as any scientific work.

The volumes contain all his writings like his books on the Yogas Bhakti and Raja, and also Gyan and Karma, his essay and expositions of many other topics, his speeches including his famous speeches in the US and UK, his invaluable personal accounts of his life and meetings with men and women ranging from such men as Pavhari Baba, the saint who lived in a cave, to Kings and prostitutes. There are also his letters to his friends and others, and reporter’s accounts from Western newspapers of his visits there.

In all this, we find a man always completely devoted to Truth. Even the lightest glance through the book makes this clear. It was this love of the Truth that led him to Advaita, and it is no doubt because of this devotion that his words resonate so strongly within us. These writings are a must-read for anyone who has ever felt a longing for truth, a longing to understand the world. No one who reads them will fail to come away with a deeper understanding of the Truth. ( )