All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.

According to his disciples Vivekananda attained Mahasamadhi. He belonged to a traditional Bengali Kayastha (a caste of Hindus) family and was one of the nine siblings. He was the principal reason behind the enthusiastic reception of yoga transcendental meditation and other forms of Indian spiritual self-improvement in the West.

He was the chief disciple of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. After the death of his guru Vivekananda toured the Indian subcontinent extensively and acquired a first-hand knowledge of the conditions that prevailed in British India. In India Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint and his birthday is celebrated as the National Youth Day.