SPIRITUAL HUMANISM AS A CORE PRINCIPLE OF THE INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM: A STUDY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Abstract: The research paper investigates ‘Spiritual Humanism’, which is a fundamental aspect of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS), through the philosophical views of Swami Vivekananda. In line with the Vedantic idea that ‘each soul is potentially divine,’ Vivekananda describes a humanistic view based on spiritual self-realization rather than rational processes. He expresses appreciation for the worth of every person, emphasizes the unity of all existence, and underscores the potential of forming character to transform society; these are key aspects of IKS that include the concepts of Ātman, Dharma and integral education. By connecting the notion of serving others with the concept of serving God, he provides a holistic model of knowledge, ethics and community involvement in terms of spirituality and personal growth. The paper will demonstrate how the spiritual humanism of Vivekananda links to the epistemological, moral and educational models of IKS and argue that his work can be viewed as an intellectual connection between traditional Indian philosophy and present-day human development. It will also illustrate the relevance of Vivekananda's thought to contemporary education, societal cohesion and nation building by engaging in a textual analysis of his writings and comparing them to the foundations of IKS. The paper concludes that the spiritual humanism of Vivekananda offers a value-based and transformative model for the Indian Knowledge System. Keywords: Spiritual Humanism, Indian Knowledge System (IKS), Swami Vivekananda, Vedanta, Humanism in India