The love which my mother gave to me has made me what I am and I owe a debt to her that I can never repay.

In India the mother has always been equated with the gods and her role in the of her children is considered second to none, Therefore, this small booklet on Swami Vivekananda’s devotion to his mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, is a reiteration of the significance of a mother in moulding even a world-renowned spiritual giant such as Swamiji who himself says, ‘The love which my mother gave to me has made me what I am and I owe a debt to her that I can never repay.’ Based on the speech given by the author, who is the head of Vedanta Society of New York, at the seminar on ‘Swamiji and Divine Motherhood’ held at Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House and Cultural Center, Kolkata, on 3 September 2006, the booklet has numerous insights into some little-known facets of the strong bond between a privileged mother and her illustrious son.

‘Swamiji’s Devotion to His Mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi’, was first published as a booklet by the Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House and Cultural Center, Kolkata. In a revised and edited version it formed Chapter 12 of the book ‘Celebrating Shri Ramakrishna: Essays for the 175th Birth Anniversary of Shri Ramakrishna’ by Swami Tathagatananda. This book is being reprinted on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda for wider publicity.