The Saga of A Great Soul - Life and Work of Swami Shivananda
Swami Vividishananda
Swami Shivananda was a monk of such sublime spiritual realizations that Swami Vivekananda called him Mahapurush, a Great Soul. He was the second President of the Ramakrishna Order. Many observations and reminiscences by Swami Shivananda himself are included in this biography written by one who was long associated with him. Foreword by Christopher Isherwood.
The important thing is how much less you think of the body, of yourself as matter -- as dead, dull, insentient matter; how much more you think of yourself as shining immortal being. The more you think of yourself as spirit, the more eager you will be to be absolutely free from matter, body and senses. This is the intense desire to be free.
-Swami Vivekananda