RE: Digest Number 2027

[Guest guest]

Dear Sunil,

 

 

It is with great sadness that I am informing the sudden demise of Parama poojya

swami Purushothamandaji Mj. He left us on Friday morning after a heart attack.

He was 74.

 

 

 

Swamiji had joined the Ramakrishna order in 1959 at Bangalore when the president

there was Swami Yathiswaranandaji Mj, and was initiated by him. Swamiji was in

Bangalore till 1993. In May 1993 he took over as the head of the Ramakrishna

ashrama at Ponnampet in Karnataka. He developed it as a training center for the

Bramhacharis. Almost 30 bramhacharis joined the order in the Ponnampet mutt. In

2000 he took over as the first head of the newly formed Ramakrishna Mission

ashrama at Belguam. It was a long standing demand of the devotees of the order

to start a center in that region and also in the place where Swami Vivekanandaji

Mj had stayed for 12 days. For the devotees it was a pilgrimage place. Finally

the land was handed by the Govt. of Karnataka along with the house where in 1893

Swami Vivekananda had stayed, to the Ramakrishna Mutt & Mission in 2001. The

house was in a dilapidated state and also had been altered. Parama poojya

Swamiji took the full responsibility of constructing a new grand Ramakrishna

temple and also rebuilt the house where Swami Vivekananda had stayed to its old

structure. The temple construction was completed in a record time of 2 years and

was inaugurated last year (Jan 2004).

 

 

 

But the heavy work during the last 3 to 4 years had its bad effect on Swamiji's

health and since last one year he was not keeping very well. Inspite of that he

continued with his regular work till the last minute.

 

 

 

Swamiji was a great human being and a very respected saint. He has authored a

number of books including the detailed biographies on Sri Guru Maharaj, Sri Ma,

Sri Swamiji and Sri Swami Brahmanandaji Mj. He took the holy trio to the nook

and corner of Karnataka with these books and that resulted in a great increase

in the number of devotees. Swamiji was a very gifted singer and was invited by

all the Mutts during special occasions and inauguration functions. He trained a

large number of people in singing devotional music and many have taken up

singing as a sadhana. For more than 45 years he worshipped the Lord through

singing. He himself has written and composed a large number of devotional songs

on the holy trio and other deities. Another great deed of the Swamiji was in

inspiring thousands of young people all over Karnataka. Hundreds of them have

taken up the life of renunciation and leading a monastic life.

 

 

 

His passing away is a very great loss to the order and devotees in particular

and society in general. It is very hard to believe that one single individual

having so many qualities. Many of us who have seen him from a very young age

look upon him as a father, a teacher and more than that as an affectionate

mother.

 

 

 

May his blessings be on all of us at all times.

 

 

 

regards,

Swamy

 

 

Message: 7

Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:18:21 -0800 (PST)

Sunil Kuravinakop <kuravinakop

Swami Purushottamanandaji

 

 

Hello,

 

I heard that Swami Purushottamanandaji, president

of Ramakrishna Mutt in Belgaum, passed away. Is that

true?

 

 

regards,

--Sunil