Sw. Advaitananda

[Guest guest]

NAMASTE. On this last wednesday was Swami Advaitananda's Birthday, the

eldest apostle of Sri Ramakrishna.

 

The following is half of an article on him from " www.sriramakrishna.org "

 

Swami Advaitananda in his pre-monastic days was known as Gopal Chandra Ghosh.

He was the oldest of the monastic disciples of Shri Ramakrishna, being older

than even the Master by a few years. Besides, as there were two Gopals, Shri

Ramakrishna would address Swami Advaitananda as " aged Gopal " , while others

would call him Gopalda or Gopal the elder brother. His father was Govardhan

Ghosh, and he was born in a village called Jagaddal in Twenty-four Parganas,

but usually he lived in Sinthi near Calcutta. Gopal was an employee in a shop

in Chinabazar, Calcutta, belonging to Beni Pal of Sinthi. Beni Pal was a

devout Brahmo, and in the religious celebrations which he performed at his

place, the Master would also occasionally be pre sent on invitation. Perhaps

it was at these meetings that Gopal first met the Master.

Gopalda was a married man. At the death of his wife he received such a great

shock that he did not know what to do. A friend, who was a devotee of the

Master, asked him to go to Dakshineswar, which he did. Gopalda did not profit

much by the first visit, nor did he find anything very remarkable in the

Master. But his friend insisted on his repeating the visit, for holy men do

not often reveal themselves at once. Gopalda complied and this time he was

caught in the love of Shri Ramakrishna. As he began to frequent Dakshineswar,

the overwhelming burden of his grief was completely removed. The Master's

simple explanation of the unreality of the world made a deep impression on

his mind, and he began seriously to think of giving up the world in search of

God.

Ultimately he renounced the world and devoted himself heart and soul to the

service of the Master in his last illness. He was very neat and clean and the

embodiment of method and orderliness. These traits in him received great

appreciation from the Maste r. His service to the Holy Mother was equally

whole-hearted. As the bashful Mother did not talk with anyone except the old

Gopalda, the young Latu, and a few others, Gopalda used to attend to her

needs.

One day Gopalda expressed a desire to the Master to distribute some ochre

cloths and rosaries to monks. On this the Master replied, " You won't find

better monks than these young boys here. You may give your cloths and

rosaries to them. " Thereupon Gopald a placed a bundle of saffron cloths

before the Master, who distributed them among his young disciples. Thus was

sown the seed of the future Ramakrishna Order. At the Cossipore garden-house

Swami Vivekananda then Narendra Nath, when sitting one day in med itation was

lost to outer consciousness. His mind flew beyond the realm of relative

consciousness and was merged in the Absolute. Gopalda became terrified and

rushed to the Master to report that Narendra was dead. The Master understood

that it was a case of Nirvikalpa Samadhi and assured Gopalda accordingly.

After some time Narendra regained normal consciousness.

After the passing away of the Master, Gopalda had no home to go to. So, with

himself and Shivananda as the first inmates, was started the monastery at

Baranagore. After staying in this monastery for a few years, he went to

Varanasi where he practised aus terities for about five years. One who had

the privilege of staying with him at Varanasi says that his regularity in

spiritual practices was wonderful. Very early in the morning, even in the

severe wintry days of Varanasi, he would get up and go to the G anga for a

bath. From there he would return shivering with cold but his mind absorbed in

reciting some Sanskrit hymns. The programme of the whole day was fixed, and

he would follow it without the least deviation for days, months, and years.

At that holy city he lived on Madhukari. i.e., small quantities of cooked

food collected from various houses, so that it might not be taxing to a

single individual. Adjacent to a place where an image of Shiva was installed,

he occupied a small room. But how neat and clean that small room was !

Everything was kept in its proper place, the room at once gave indication of

great taste and orderliness. His steadiness would cause wonder to those who

watched him. He was quite indifferent to worldly sights and sounds, and f

ollowed his own tenor of life in the contemplation of the Divinity from day

to day without any break.

 

to be continued tomorrow