Swami Gokulanandaji passes away

[Guest guest]

Dear list

 

Sad news.

The head of New Delhi Ramakrishna movement who was a personal friend of the Vivekananda Centre London has passed away.

 

Press Release

DELHI, INDIA, March 31, 2007: Ramakrishna Mission New Delhi is deeply aggrieved to announce the passing away of Swami Gokulanandaji, senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and Head of the New Delhi Centre, who breathed his last at Sir Gangaram Hospital around 10:25 AM on March 31, 2007. He was 79. He was admitted to the hospital for brain surgery on 20th March and in spite of all efforts by the doctors and nursing staff did not regain his consciousness.Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and responding to his call to the youth of the country to work for the under privileged, Swami Gokulanandaji, after a brilliant post graduate education and a short stint in teaching, joined the Ramakrishna Order in 1954 and became a monk in 1963. He served with distinction in various Mission centers especially in the North East where he endeared himself to the local people by learning their language and achieving the fluency to deliver lectures in their language.

 

jay

[Guest guest]

Ramakrishna , " Vivekananda " <vivekananda wrote:

>

Dear all,

May the deceased soul rest in peace ! May the Almighty Lord Vishnu

take the heavenly spirit of Gokulanandaji in him !

> Dear list

>

> Sad news.

> The head of New Delhi Ramakrishna movement who was a personal friend

of the

[Guest guest]

Maharaj has ascended to that effulgent sphere where Thakur – Ma- Swamiji are present. He lived his as a true Karmayogi in every sense of the word. Yet, it is inconceivable to conceive that Maharaj has left us all and one shall not be able to feel the touch of his feet and receive his blessings.. He was indeed a phenomenon and a repository of unbounded love. His radiant & ever so inspiring persona is so vivid that it is impossible to believe that we will not see him

traversing the Delhi Ashram with his gait so full of energy and in his unique leonine manner. One had the rare privilege of meeting him way back in 2002 during the Durga Puja at the Delhi Ashram .He was the sole instrument who generated a Spiritual direction to a dry householder like oneself. One got initiated under Revered Swami Rangnathananda –ji Maharaj on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Delhi Ashram in 2002…this rare privilege was made possible only with the inspired support of Swami Gokulananda. One still recalls the day when one was entering the Delhi Ashram whence one saw Maharaj pacing down the path from his office to the Temple and on alighting from my conveyance I immediately touched his feet to be rewarded with a beatific smile that will forever be etched in my mind’s as perhaps the best moment of my life. Also comes to mind the unalloyed glee that lit him up on hearing the tunes of “ Ramakrishna Saranam”. We relocated from Delhi and continued to be

in touch and his voice over the phone used to be our sustenance. Maharaj will be missed so very much with his magnetic personality and his sterling qualities as a born Leader among men. He will be with us always . Forever. It would be apt to quote Maharaj from his own writing and I quote: “ Look here, another incident and I conclude this talk. Another young man, who took diksha from from Virajanandaji on Swamiji's birthday, came from home to Belur Math before his joining. There was Puja in the Temple and in Swamiji's bedroom he found brahmacharins - as our brahmacharins sitting here do - offering breakfast to Swamiji in his bedroom. But this young man who was also doing Master's degree in philosophy in Kolkata University, felt jealous, envious. He thought, "Had I responded to the call of the great Swami Vivekananda, who could have denied me the privilege of going inside Vivekananda's room and serve his breakfast? But I am an ordinary

person." That young man was watching all this from outside, from the verandah. He could see everything, and at that moment when this call of Swamiji came one gentleman was singing a song in Bengali and the last lines were like this: "Oh Vivekananda, you are a commander. Responding to your clarion call many left homes. Will you not be kind enough to give sufficient inspiration? I know that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. But if only you give me sufficient strength, inject sufficient strength in me, then with your strength I will be able to respond to your call." And the import of the song was, "Be gracious unto me on this day when I have come to pranam you; bless me so that I can give my life - 'Kripakari karo yashashi dham'. Out of your infinite grace, bless me so that I can dedicate my life in response to your call. I am unworthy, but accept me." So, when that young man

was seated in the midst of other devotees, that song was going on and he was looking at the brahmacharins and he was jealous and envious all the time thinking that 'I could not enter in that room, I have no entry; 'Oh Swamiji, please bless me".Kripakari karo yashashi damTabo kazi jeno jeevana jaayeYashode yasho karunanidamLago azi tanu mano pran"Oh compassionate Vivekananda, be gracious, specially bless me so that in your strength I can also respond to your clarion call". And that young man also could not resist the call of Swamiji, and that is your humble Gokulanandaji’ Maharaj exemplified the spirit conveyed from the lines quoted from his own pen. His life was a living testimony of that same zeal with which he joined the Order. Indeed, he was for us the embodiment of the motto “ for the liberation of the self and for the good of all”. His glorious presence , we will miss and pine for but he shall continue to inspired us by what he strove to impart in us. Regards, Bhaskar Mukherjee Doha,Qatar Vivekananda <vivekananda wrote: Dear list Sad news. The head of New Delhi Ramakrishna movement who was a personal friend of the Vivekananda Centre London has passed away.