The relationship between Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his chief disciple, Swami Vivekananda, is well known to a global community. However, few are aware that Mahatma Gandhi was also a devoted follower of both. Gandhi not only harboured a strong desire to meet Swami Vivekananda, a meeting that remained unfulfilled, but he also read Vivekananda’s works and visited the Ramakrishna Mission, which was founded by the Swami in honour of his guru, Sri Ramakrishna. This is just a glimpse of the information revealed in a new scholarly work, which sheds light on the profound yet often overlooked influence of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda on Mahatma Gandhi. The work was launched today by Dr Nikhil Yadav, a distinguished scholar of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda tradition and presently Deputy Head, of Vivekananda Kendra North Zone.
The book, titled Influence of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Movement on Gandhi, was formally launched at an event held at the Gandhi Bhawan, University of Delhi, North Campus. The occasion was attended by a distinguished audience, including faculty members and research scholars from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, alongside academicians, spiritual leaders, and scholars with a keen interest in India’s philosophical traditions, as well as members of civil society who are engaged with the nation’s cultural heritage.
Shri Bharat Arora Ji, All India Seh-Sampark Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was the chief guest. Shri Manas Bhattacharjee, Sangathak of the Vivekananda Kendra, North Zone, presided over the session, while Dr Raj Kumar Falwaria and Dr Ananya Awasthi served as the guests of honour.
Dr. Nikhil Yadav, while introducing the book, stated that extensive research and studies have been conducted on the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi separately. However, this is the first comprehensive study that highlights Mahatma Gandhi’s profound devotion to both Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. Drawing from Gandhiji’s collected works, Dr Yadav emphasized that Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda were integral to Gandhi’s life, influencing him from his days in South Africa and continuing throughout his entire life.
In this work, Dr. Nikhil Yadav examines the deep, lasting impact of the teachings of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda on Gandhi, despite the fact that Gandhi never met these two spiritual luminaries. The book explores how Gandhi consistently drew upon their ideas in his speeches, letters, and discussions on a variety of subjects. Dr. Yadav’s research offers a nuanced understanding of the spiritual foundations of Gandhi’s philosophy, highlighting how the teachings of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda significantly influenced the formation of his moral and political convictions.
Drawing extensively from the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Nikhil Yadav provides a fresh analytical lens through which to explore the intersection of Gandhi’s thought with the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda movement. The book presents numerous instances in which Gandhi directly referenced the teachings of both Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, thereby illustrating the substantial role these figures played in shaping his worldview and philosophy.
