Shivaji the Great - As Viewed by Swami Vivekananda

Among Swami Vivekananda’s many talents, his grasp of Indian history was profound. And living at a time when the Indian Independence Movement was extremely active, Vivekananda had a great appreciation for the seventeenth-century Indian king, Chatrapati Shivaji. His interest in Shivaji was so deep that one April evening in 1893, while preparing to travel to the West, Vivekananda “spoke his heart out about Shivaji. His words carried fire, charged with spirit and passion.”

Also present that evening was Dr, Nanjunda Rao who, listening with rapt attention, was spellbound. Some years later, Dr. Rao compiled his memories of that evening culminating in this book.

Shivaji is a controversial figure in Indian history and his legacy is certainly colored by various political spectrums. We hope that Swami Vivekananda’s view of Shivaji the Great will bring some much needed balance to this checkered legacy.