Swami Vivekananda’s Social Welfare Models: Integrating Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-477-8_7How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Social welfare; Seva; Education; Dharma; Artha; Gurukula; Spiritual

Abstract

Swami Vivekananda, one of the most prominent spiritual leaders and philosophers of modern India, integrated the essence of ancient Indian knowledge systems into his vision for social welfare. His philosophy emphasized the unity of spiritual and material progress, drawing from Vedic principles that advocate the well-being of society. Vivekananda’s social welfare model was grounded in the concept of selfless service (Seva), the recognition of the inherent divinity in every individual, and the empowerment of the masses. Through his teachings, he emphasized the importance of education, physical well-being, and social justice, seeking to elevate the marginalized sections of society. His emphasis on holistic development, focusing on both mind and body, is closely aligned with the ancient Indian ideals of Dharma (duty), Artha (prosperity), and Kama (pleasure) balanced by spiritual wisdom. Vivekananda’s social welfare approach also drew from the traditional Gurukula system of education, which combined knowledge with practical living. He believed in the transformative power of education, not merely as a tool for intellectual growth but as a means to cultivate morality, character, and self-reliance. This approach was in line with ancient Indian knowledge systems, which saw spiritual and social welfare as interconnected. His teachings offered a framework for addressing contemporary social issues through the lens of timeless Indian values, guiding society towards inclusive and sustainable development.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Tilak Kumar Sharma
AU  - Lehar Isarani
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/10
TI  - Swami Vivekananda’s Social Welfare Models: Integrating Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems
BT  - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference, Anubhuti: Revitalizing Indian Knowledge Systems for the Modern World (ICIKS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 85
EP  - 96
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-477-8_7
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-477-8_7
ID  - Sharma2025
ER  -