[ramakrishna] Direct Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna

[Guest guest]

Dear Mr. Kamanat

 

The author of 'They lived with God' and 'God lived with them' is

Swami Chetanananda not Chedananda. Reason he did omit biography of Tulsi

Maharaj in his book is that Belur Math does not, as far as I know,

consider Swami Nirmalananda as one of the Direct Disciples of Sri Sri

Ramakrishna. Also historically speaking there was a turmoil between Swami

Nirmalananda and the Belur Math Authority.

Love to you and to all others in the world of Sri Sri THAKUR.

Pankaj Ghosh

 

On Sat, 2 Sep 2000 10:05:23 +0800 " P.S.KAMANAT " <kamanat

writes:

> Dear Jay, Rajamanickam and other list members,

> It is really a joy to read that someone is interested to know

> more about the Direct Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Direct Disciples

> of Sri Ramakrishna form a unique class of Spiritual Luminaries by

> themselves. They led exemplary but simple lives under the guidance

> of their Maser. Wherever they went, they shed wonderful spiritual

> Brightness and inspired the people around them to lead a very high

> standard of spiritual lives. They stood for the Universal message of

> Sri Ramakrishna and everything in them were positive. They never

> demanded pre-qualifications from the devotees to show their Grace to

> them.

> Many people at large, at the moment, might not have recognised

> the unique glory of this special class of spiritual leaders and

> might not have given due respect they deserve in the history of

> spiritual evolution. But, their wonderful lives, as far as we know,

> written by various biographers, are highly inspiring.

> Though Holy Mother Sarada Devi is to be considered as the first

> disciple of Ramakrishna, we normally give respect to Her at par with

> Sri Ramakrishna. So, when we list the names of Direct Disciples, we

> will not include Her name.

> Please read " Life of Ramakrishna " , published by Advaita Ashrama,

> Mayavati, with a foreword by Mahatma Gandhi for authentic versions

> of the lives of these young disciples.

> Swami Chedananadaji's " God lived with them " is a captivating

> book in English to read about the monastic disciples and " They lived

> with God " is another enchanting book on the lay disciples of the

> Lord by the same author. Christopher Isherwood also wrote on the

> disciples. One name of the monastic disciples is missing in

> Chedananandaji's book and also in Isherwood's. The missing name is

> Swami Nirmalananda (1863 - 1938) whose pre-monastic name was Tulsi

> Charan Dutta. Please read " Swami Nirmalananda, His Life and

> Teachings " published by Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Kayamkulam, Kerala

> on Tulsi Maharaj.

> The following are the seventeen monastic direct disciples of Sri

> Ramakrishna:

> 1) Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902): Narendranath Dutt was his

> pre-monastic name; The foremost among the Disciples of Sri

> Ramakrishna. Many of us believe that in due course, human history is

> going to count Him as one at par with Lord Buddha. Biography of

> Swami Vivekananda by Eastern and Western Disciples, published by

> Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta is the best biograhy among a large number

> of biographies available on Swamiji. Other noted biographers are

> Romain Rolland and Sister Nivedita in English. Also, please read

> " Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna " by M and " Sri Ramakrishna, the Great

> Master " by Saradanandaji.

>

> 2)Swami Brahmananda (1863 - 1922) Pre-monastic name: Rakhal Chandra

> Ghosh. He is the first President of the Ramakrishna Math and

> Mission. Sri Ramakrishna saw him as a cowherd boy, who was

> intimately playing with Lord Krishna at Virindavan. Also he was

> considered as the SPIRITUAL SON of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami

> Vivekananda considered him as A POWERFUL SPIRITUAL DYNAMO and found

> in him a very confidant co-worker.

> When Sri Ramakrishna was alive, he casually remarked that if given

> chance, Rakhal can rule a kingdom. The alert Swami Vivekananda

> remembered this casual remark of his Master and made him the Head of

> the Order, when it was formally registered. The disciples of

> Ramakrishna, including Vivekananda used to address him as RAJA.

> Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna contains several mention of Rakhal. Small

> books like, " Eternal Companion " and " Teachings of Direct Disciples "

> published by the Order are good books on him. " God lived with them "

> by Chedananandaji is another beautiful book to read on Raja Maharaj.

>

>

> 3)Swami Premananda (1861 - 1918)- Baburam Ghosh- One of the ISHWAR

> KOTI identified by Ramakrishna. First Manager of the Ramakrishna

> Order.Sri Ramakrishna used to say that Baburam was pure to his very

> bones.

>

> 4)Swami Yogananda (Jogindranath Choudhury)

> One of the Ishwar Koti identified by Sri Ramakrishna. He was the

> embodiment of " Kaama jayam " - the absolute conquerer of lust. Though

> he was a dear disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, he was initiated by Holy

> Mother by imparting mantram, as per the Master's direction, after

> the Master's Mahasamadhi!

>

> 5)Swami Niranjanananda (Nitya Niranjan Sen). There are a number of

> references on him in the " Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna " . The Master

> identified him as an ISHWAR KOTI.

>

> 6)Swami Ramakrishnananda (Sashibhushan Chakravarthy) He served Sri

> Ramakrishna by his heart and soul during the Master's fatal illness.

> A very orthodox person, who was sent by Swami Vivekananda to work

> among the most Orthodox Brahmins of Madras. He established the

> Madras (Chennai) Math and inaugurated the activities in South India.

> Sri Ramakrishna identified him as a disciple of Jesus Christ in his

> earlier life.

>

> 7)Swami Saradananda (1865 - 1926) - Sarat Chandra Chakravarty. He

> was the first Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order. Vivekanada sent

> him to work in UK and America. He served Holy Mother Sarda Devi as

> Her Gurad and Door keeper to Her last days. He is identified by Sri

> Ramakrishna as a disciple of Jesus and believed to be Saint Peter by

> the devotees.

>

> 8)Swami Adbhutananda (Latu or Rakturam). He is the unlettered

> disciple of Ramakrishna, who became a great Spiritual Luminary in

> later years. His presence was highly elevating. Vivekananda used to

> point out to him as a miracle of Ramakrishna!

>

> 9)Swami Shivananda (1854 - 1934) - Taraknath Ghoshal. He is the

> second President of the Oder. Vivekananda called him " Mahapurush "

> due to his absence of lust in him. So, he is the " Mahapurush

> Maharaj " for the devotees.

>

> 10)Swami Abhedananda (1865 - 1938) - Kaliprasad Chandra. Swami

> Vivekananda sent him to America and England to assist his works

> there. A great Scholar and tapasvi and known as " Kali Tapasvi " among

> the brother-disciples. He is the founder of Ramakrishna Vedanta Math

> in Calcutta.

>

> 11)Swami Advaitananda - Gopal Sur. The eldest among the disciples.

> Worked tirelessly for the establishment of the Belur Math in the

> early years.

>

> 12)Swami Turiyananda - Harinath Chattopadhyaya. A great ascetic and

> vedantin. Vivekananda sent to America to establish the Shanti

> Ashrama there. A rare representative of the ancient ascetic

> traditions of India and a modern task master.

>

> 13)Swami Akhandananda - Gangadhar Gatak. He was very close to

> Vivekananda. He was the first direct disciple in the Order to

> practice the Vivekananda mantra " Shiva Sever Jeever Seva " - worship

> of man is worship of God. He established the first orphanage in

> Murshidabad in the name of his Master. He became the third President

> of the Order.

>

> 14)Swami Trigunatitananda (1868 - 1915) - Saradaprasanna Mitra. He

> is one among the direct disciples, who went to America as a

> Missionary. He was killed by a bomb blast and became a martyr at the

> hands of a lunatic devotee of Vedanta in America. A classical

> example of " Vicarious Atonement " of the recent history.

>

> 15)Swami Subodhananda (Subodh Ghosh). As he was the youngest among

> the disciples, he was nicknamed " KHOKHA Maharaj " , meaning Baby. His

> extra ordinary faith in his Master made him a great Missionary by

> giving spiritual solace to many.

>

> 16)Swami Nirmalananda (1863 - 1938) - Tulsi Charan Dutta. He was a

> disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, who took the formal vow of sannyas

> together with the leader Vivekananda in early 1887 as the first

> batch. When Vivekananda formally instituted the Mission as an

> Organisation, Swamiji made Tulasi Maharaj as its first Asstistant

> Secretary. (The first Secretary was Sarat Mj). He was sent to

> America wasked there with Swami Abhedananda for three years. After

> his return to India, he established more than twenty Ramakrishna

> Ashramas in South India. Many of the Senior Swamis of the Order from

> the South had acknowledged that they became monks due to the

> influence of Tulasi Maharaj. Due to his fearless and independant

> stand, he had some differences of opinion with the Authorities of

> the Order in later years. He entered Mahasamadhi at Ottappalam, an

> obscure village in Kerala and Ramakrishna Mission consecrated a

> memorial temple there.

>

> 17)Swami Vijnanananda (1865 - 1938) - Hariprasanna Chatterji. He was

> a Civil Engineer by profession and was a class-mate of Tulasi

> Maharaj. He joined the Order after many years of the passing away of

> the Master. Tulasi Maharaj used to go to him and inspire him to

> resign the job to become a sadhu. He became a monk in 1890 and was

> the Engineer Swami-in- charge of the construction of the beautiful

> and magnificent Ramakrishna Temple at Belur Math. He was the fouth

> President of the Order.

>

> These are the seventeen monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. A

> brief narration of the lay disciples shall be sent later as a

> separate mail.

>

> Regards

> P. S. KAMANAT

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

 

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