Description

Swami Vivekananda, known in his pre-monasticlife as Narendranath Datta, was born in an affluent family inKolkata on 12 January 1863. His father, Vishwanath Datta, was asuccessful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects, andhis mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion,strong character and other qualities. A precocious boy, Narendraexcelled in music, gymnastics and studies. By the time he graduatedfrom Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge ofdifferent subjects, especially Western philosophy and history. Bornwith a yogic temperament, he used to practise meditation even fromhis boyhood, and was associated with Brahmo Movement for sometime.