What Religion Is in the Words of Swami Vivekananda

Preface to the first Indian Edition

What Religion is in the Words of Swami Vivekananda was first produced by Phoenix House, Ltd., London, (copyright: Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati) in 1963 as a Birth Centenary tribute to the great teacher. It was designed by its compiler, John Yale, who is Swami Vidyatmananda of the Ramakrishna Order, to present Vivekananda's thoughts and words on religion (spread over nearly 4200 pages of the eight volumes of his Complete Works) to the Western reader in as systematic and concise a manner as possible. He has succeeded in collecting such essential thoughts in a volume not exceeding 100,000 words, which has served a generally helpful purpose for readers our publishing a moderately priced Indian edition of the book.

In this book we have all that is authentic and abiding, challenging and refreshing in Religion, and stated in a language that is perfectly understandable to modern mind. Hence we think that the book will be welcomed as a publication of absorbing interest everywhere in the world.

About the Book

Emblem of the Ramakrishna Order
The wavy waters in the picture are symbolic of Karma; and lotus, of Bhakti and the rising-sun of Jnana. The encircling serpent is indicative of Yoga and the awakened Kundalini Shakti, while the swan in the picture stands for the Paramatman (Supreme Self). Therefore the idea of the picture is that by the union of Karma, Jnana, Bhakti, and Yoga, the vision of the Paramatman is obtained.

Swami Vivekananda

CONTENTS

	Preface to the First Indian Edition	iii
	Editor's Preface	v
	Introduction by Christopher Isherwood	xi
Chapter 1	The Ideal of a Universal Religion	1
Chapter 2	Principles and Practices of Vedanta	43
Chapter 3	Self-Realization Through Knowledge	103
Chapter 4	Self-Realization Through Control of Mind	141
Chapter 5	Self-Realization Through Selfless Work	183
Chapter 6	Self-Realization Through Love of God	245
Chapter 7	Great Teachers of the World	291