MONASTIC DISCIPLES OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA
One of the striking characteristic of a world teacher is that he has a universal message for all mankind and he starts a new sampradaya, religious tradition or path. SRI RAMAKRISHNA, recent most world teacher, selected a band of young men, trained them in a new form of monastic life and left them under the leadership of Swami Vivekananda to emanate his message.
Here we present a short life sketch of two of the Monastic Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
Here we present a short life sketch of two of the Monastic Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
SWAMI TURIYANANDA
PRE-MONASTIC NAME : HARINATH CHATTOPADHYAY
DATE OF BIRTH : 3 JANUARY 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH : NORTH KOLKATA
Born in a well-to-do family, Hari lost his parents in boyhood and grew up under the care of his eldest brother. After passing the school final examination he did not go to college. Instead, he devoted his time to meditation and the study of SANKARA'S ADVAITA VEDANTA. When he was about 17 years he visited SRI RAMAKRISHNA at Dakshineswar for the first time, and after that he started going to the Master frequently. The Master regarded him as a YOGI. Hari was a member of the team of youngsters who served Sri Ramakrishna during his last illness at Cossipore.
After the Master's passing, Hari joined Baranagar Math and underwent sannyasa ordination assuming the name TURIYANANDA. After three years he left the monastery and spent his time doing tapasya at different places, sometimes alone, some-times in the company of his brother monks. When Swami Vivekananda went to the West for the second time, he took Swami Turiyananda with him. When Swamiji went back to India, Turiyananda continued his work first in New York and Boston and later in California. However, his health deteriorated and he left America in June 1902.
On his arrival in India, he was shocked to hear of the passing of Swami Vivekananda. Turiyananda spent the next several years practicing intense contemplation in Vrindavan, in different places in the Himalayas, in Dehra Dun, Kankhal, Almora, etc. He finally settled down in Varanasi in February 1919. During the last few years he suffered much from Diabetes. He passed away on 21 July 1922 repeating Upanishadic Mantras.
SWAMI ADBHUTANANDA
PRE-MONASTIC NAME : RAKHTURAM
DATE OF BIRTH : NOT KNOWN
PLACE OF BIRTH : CHAPRA IN BIHAR
Speaking about Latu Maharaj, Swami Vivekananda once said,"Latu is Sri Ramakrishna's greatest miracle. Having absolutely no education, he has attained the highest wisdom simply by virtue of the Master's touch." Latu was the only disciple of Sri Ramakrishna who could not even read or write. He was born of very poor parents in a village in Bihar. He lost his parents in early boyhood. Poverty forced his uncle to take him to Kolkata where Latu was employed as a houseboy in the house of Ramachandra Datta, a close devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. The Master recognized the dormant spiritual potential in the boy and asked Ram to allow Latu to stay at Dakshineswar as an attendant. Under the guidance of the Master Latu practiced intense sadhana, spending whole nights in meditation, a habit which he followed all through his life.
After Sri Ramakrishna's passing , Latu joined Baranagar Math, and was ordained a sannyasin bearing the name ADBHUTANANDA. He, however, spent most of his time in contemplation on the bank of the Ganga or in a room in Balaram Babu's house.
Swami Vivekananda established Ramakrishna Mission on 1897 and Belur Math in 1898. Latu Maharaj with his deep absorption in contemplative life could neither take up the service activities of the Mission nor follow the discipline and routine of the monastery. So Swami Vivekananda permitted him to follow his own way of life. After some years Adbhutananda moved to Varanasi where he lived alone, but his needs were taken care of by the Ramakrishna Home Of Service. At the end of a brief ailment he passed away in a meditative state on 24 April 1920.
