HOME

 
Activities
Center's Teachings
Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Sarada Devi
Swami Vivekananda
Books, Incense, Photographs and Videos
What's New
Website Contents

banact.gif (5205 bytes)

SPIRITUAL LEADER

Services & Classes stop.gif (845 bytes) Calendar stop.gif (845 bytes) Spiritual Leader
Founder stop.gif (845 bytes) Ramakrishna Order  stop.gif (845 bytes) Pictorial Album stop.gif (845 bytes) Sculptures stop.gif (845 bytes) Minister's Message Archive

SA2.jpg (4568 bytes)
Swami Adiswarananda

Swami Adiswarananda was born in West Bengal, India. He received his undergraduate degree and Master's degree from the University of Calcutta. During his student days he was inspired by Swami Vivekananda and his call to the "service of God in man." In 1954 he joined the monastic Order of Sri Ramakrishna and was ordained a monk in 1963. As a monk, he has served the Order in various capacities in its educational and cultural centers. He taught religious subjects for several years at one of the premier colleges of the Order, the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira at Belur, West Bengal, India. In 1966 he was sent to the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati in the Himalayas, where he was Joint Editor of Prabuddha Bharata: Awakened India, the English-language monthly journal on religion and philosophy published by the Order. He served in that capacity until 1968, when he was sent by the Order to the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York to assist Swami Nikhilananda.

Literary Work

The writings of Swami Adiswarananda appear regularly in the published bulletins of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, and he has contributed many articles to Prabuddha Bharata (India) and Vedanta Kesari (India), the two English-language monthly journals of the Order, and Vedanta for East and West (England). The Swami has written the following books:

 

The Swami has also contributed chapters to a number of books, among which are the following :

  • The preface to "Tagore - The Mystic Poets" translated from Bengali to English by the author.
  • "Philosophy of History: Hindu View" in the book Contemporary Indian Philosophers of History, edited by T.M.P. Mahadevan and Grace E. Carins (published by the World Press, Calcutta, India).
  • "Hindu View of Death and Life After Death" in the book Encounter with Eternity: Religious Views of Death and Life After Death, edited by Christopher Jay Johnson and Marsha G. McGee (published by the Philosophical Library, New York).
  • "Living the Mature Way" in the book Meditation: Monks of the Ramakrishna Order (published by the Ramakrishna Vedanta Center, Bourne End, Great Britain).
  • "Sri Ramakrishna and His God Consciousness" in the book Sri Ramakrishna The Power and Glory (published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, India).
  • "Facing the Restless Mind" in the book Living Wisdom: Vedanta in the West (published by the Vedanta Press, Hollywood, California).
  • "Swami Vivekananda: His Message of Vedanta and the Western Way" in the book Vivekananda: The Great Spiritual Teacher (published by Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, India).

Interfaith Activities

Swami Adiswarananda regularly participates in the programs and activities of major interfaith organizations. The Swami is a member of the Advisory Board of The Temple of Understanding (located at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City), and has spoken at a number of its Spiritual Summit Conferences. He is a founding member of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders for Human Survival (New York City), and also serves on the International Board of Advisors of the International Peace University of Potsdam and Berlin, Germany. In the summer of 1993, Swami Adiswarananda took part in the Parliament of World's Religions, which was held in Chicago to commemorate the Centenary of the first Parliament of 1893. The Swami was selected to be one of the 250 representatives in the Parliament's Assembly of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. The Assembly held sessions during the days of the Parliament, and continues as a consultative body, to discuss issues and challenges facing the global community and to find common grounds for mutual understanding and cooperation among all faiths.

Swami Adiswarananda is a frequent lecturer at colleges and universities and other religious, educational, and cultural centers throughout the United States and abroad.

A senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, Swami Adiswarananda is the Spiritual Leader of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, where he conducts three services a week. The Swami's writings are regularly published in the Monthly Announcements of the Center. Selected writings can be found under Minister's Message.

Services & Classes stop.gif (845 bytes) Calendar stop.gif (845 bytes) Spiritual Leader
Founder stop.gif (845 bytes) Ramakrishna Order stop.gif (845 bytes) Pictorial Album stop.gif (845 bytes) Sculptures

Copyright© 1996, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York.