Vedanta Society of Toronto is a branch center of the Ramakrishna Order of India. The Society is under the spiritual leadership of the Ramakrishna Order of India. Vedanta societies are the Western branches of the Ramakrishna Order.

Vedanta Society of Toronto

Vedanta is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism; but while Hinduism includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious backgrounds. Vedanta is one of the world's most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.

What is Vedanta?

Ramakrishna Order

The Ramakrishna Order is made up of two organizations: Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The Ramakrishna Math, which began as a monastic brotherhood of disciples of Sri Ramakrishna in a dilapidated house at Baranagar, Kolkata, in 1886, was shifted to another building at Alambazar in 1891, and was finally moved to the present site at Belur in January 1899. Currently, there are more than 200 branches in different parts of India and abroad, devoted to the twin ideals of contemplative life and service of God in man.

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, was the chief monastic disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and a world spokesperson for the liberal and universal teachings of Vedanta.

Swamiji is remembered for introducing the teachings of Vedanta to the Western world at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Swamiji represented Hinduism at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions and his opening words, “Sisters and brothers of America” brought the crowd to its feet. Subsequently, he was invited to speak all over America and Europe.

Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Ramakrishna was a highly revered saint who lived in India during the 19th century (1836-1886).

He is known for his message of the harmony of religions, which was based on his own realizations of the truth of various religious paths.

Ramakrishna’s special message was the oneness of existence and the divinity of humankind.

He taught that God, or the higher Self, could be realized in this very lifetime through the paths of knowledge, meditation, ecstatic love and selfless service.

Sri Sarada Devi

Sri Sarada Devi, affectionately known as Holy Mother, was a spiritual leader and the wife of Sri Ramakrishna, one of the most highly revered saints in India.

Holy Mother is revered as a symbol of universal motherhood, whose wisdom and spiritual grandeur remained hidden beneath her natural veil of modesty.

Holy Mother was not only devoted wife to Sri Ramakrishna but also his spiritual companion and object of worship.