Swami Vivekananda and the Parliament of Religions — Swami Bhaskarananda

Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on January 24, 2016.In this lecture, Swami Bhaskarananda recounts the life of Swami Vivekananda and his historic participation in the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago. The talk traces Vivekananda’s early spiritual search, his meeting with Sri Ramakrishna, and the profound influence Ramakrishna had on shaping his mission. Swami Bhaskarananda describes Vivekananda’s years as a wandering monk in India, the circumstances that brought him to America, and the challenges he faced before being accepted as a delegate to the Parliament. He also reflects on the significance of Vivekananda’s famous addresses, especially his message of religious harmony, tolerance, and universal acceptance.The lecture places Vivekananda’s appearance at the Parliament within the broader spiritual and historical context of East and West meeting at a pivotal moment in history. Swami Bhaskarananda explains how Vivekananda presented Vedantic teachings as a universal spiritual vision while responding firmly to religious exclusivism and sectarianism. He also discusses Vivekananda’s continuing influence on modern spirituality, interfaith understanding, and the spread of Vedanta in the West. Throughout the talk, Swami Bhaskarananda portrays Vivekananda as an instrument of Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual mission and as a teacher whose message remains deeply relevant in the modern world.