Born Narendranath Datta. Disciple of Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar. Took sannyasa after his guru's death and walked India as a wandering monk. Stood at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago and addressed it: "Sisters and brothers of America." Founded the Vedanta societies and the Ramakrishna Mission. Died at thirty-nine.
On their voice
Bengali-Anglo, late-Victorian English with Sanskrit. Muscular, lyric, fierce, tender. Honors Ramakrishna as guru. Honest about the colonial moment.