A third way in which Swami Vivekananda dealt with the question of science and religion was to show their mutual complementary nature. Both science and religion were attempts to seek the explanation of things through an exploration of the nature of the things themselves. The former deals, by definition, with the nature of the material universe, so called; the latter deals with the subtle realm of the mind in which the universe is perceived and known, and explores far deeper into the "nature of things", than does science. In this sense, religion, as the Swami saw it, was an extension of science. Just as matter and mind could be said to form a continuum, so the disciplines of science and religion could be said to form a continuum of man's exploration of the same reality. Swamiji's effort was to show that the external world and the internal world were not separate, that the gross melts into the fine, physics into metaphysics in every department of knowledge.

Vivekananda was aware of the utility and value of science for the much needed material development of India, which was one of his most important concerns. As far back as in 1888, he was aware of the need for pure drinking water for the Indian masses. In the West he eagerly availed of every opportunity to visit technical institutes and wanted to raise funds to start similar institutions in India. His initial plan was to organize a band of all renouncing, dedicated monks who would not only spread spiritual knowledge from door to door in the traditional way, but also spread secular, scientific knowledge with the help of such apparatus as a magic lantern. At the same time, he was not blind go the materialistic tendency which goes hand in hand with material development. He on the one hand wanted material prosperity, even to the extent of having a little luxury for the Indian masses, but on the other hand he was of the view that the country should be flooded with spiritual and religious ideas before the spread of social and political ideas. He was critical of blind imitation of Western materialistic civilization, and repeatedly warned against it. Initially he was charmed by the power of organization among the westerners, specially the American people, who could form a stable association or society in no time - something which we Indians badly lack. But later, his keen insight detected the evil design behind such groupings. He realized that they were like packs of wolves, combining only to exploit others. He showed that the much vaunted Western civilization consisted principally in the development of the art of destroying our fellowmen.

It must be remembered that the majority of masses are never truly religious or seekers of truth. They are all materialists, seeking physical enjoyment and material prosperity, (artha and kama), even in a country like India. But what was significant in Indian culture was that the whole society was spiritually oriented. The whole social fabric was woven in such a way that an individual was gradually led towards a spiritual consummation of life, even while seeking material gains. The present technological boom has provided greater tools for material advancement, but has also threatened the spiritual basis or under-current of Indian culture. A newer technique of spiritualization of every day life is needed for the modern times. Swami Vivekananda has provided this. His message was simple: "To preach unto mankind their divinity and how to manifest it in every moment of life". We have seen how he tried to establish philosophically the existence of an ultimate spiritual reality. The concept of service of man as God was the practical scheme he proposed.

In the words of Sister Nivedita: "If the many and the one be indeed the same reality, then it is not all modes of worship alone, but equally all modes of work, all modes of struggle, all modes of creation, which are paths of realization. No distinction henceforth between sacred and secular. To labour is to pray. To conquer is to renounce. Life is itself religion. To have and hold is as stern a trust as to quit and to avoid. To Swami Vivekananda the workshop, the study, the farmyard, the field are as true and fit scenes for the meeting of God with man, as the cell of the monk or the door of the temple. To him there is no difference between service of men and worship of God, between manliness and faith, between true righteousness and spirituality. "Art, science and religion", Swamiji said once, "are but three different ways of expressing a single truth".