MONASTIC DISCIPLES OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMAKRISHNA - SWAMI NIRANJANANANDA and SWAMI ADVAITANANDA
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| DISCIPLE OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA AFTER HIS MAHASAMADI |
SWAMI NIRANJANANANDA
PRE-MONASTIC NAME:- NITYANIRANJAN GOSH
DATE OF BIRTH :- Some day in 1862
PLACE OF BIRTH :- RAJARHAT-VISHNUPUR , WEST BENGAL
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| SWAMI NIRANJANANANDA |
Born in a middle class family, Niranjan came under the influence of a group of occultists when he was a teenager, and it was in their company that he first visited SRI RAMAKRISHNA at Dakshineswar. The Master took Niranjan aside, and cautioned him about the dangers of occult practices. Niranjan followed the Master's advice and began to practice meditation under the directions of Sri Ramakrishna.
Duting the Master's last illness Niranjan served the Master with unflinching devotion. After the Master's passing, when the new monastic brotherhood was fromed at Baranagar, Niranjan joined it and after sannyasa assumed the name NIRANJANA-NANDA. After staying at the Math for three years, he went on pilgrimage to different places in India, and also visited Sri Lanka.
Swami Niranjanananda was very much devoted to Holy Mother SRI SARADA DEVI. Towards the end of his life he went to Hardwar for tapasya. There he had a severe attack of dysentery and passed away on 9 May 1904.
Sri Ramakrishna regarded Niranjan as an ISHVARAKOTI, an ever-perfect soul endowed with special divine attributes.
SWAMI ADVAITANANDA
PRE-MONASTIC NAME :- GOPAL CHANDRA GOSH
DATE OF BIRTH :- Some day in 1828
PLACE OF BIRTH :- RAJPUR (JAGADDAL), in 24-Parganas, WEST BENGAL
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| SWAMI ADVAITANANDA |
Advaitananda was oldest in age among the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna; in fact he was older than Sri Ramakrishna himself bu eight years. Hence the Master used to call him "BUDO-GOPAL" (Elder Gopal); to all the others he was "GOPAL-DA".
Gopal-da was an employee of Beni Madhav Pal of Sinthi who was Brahmo and also devoted to Sri Ramakrishna. At the age of 55 Gopal-da lost his wife, and became grief-stricken. A friend took him to Sri Ramakrishna. After two ot three visits he was so much drawn to the Master that he gane up hearth and home and came to live with him. Gopal-da was the only male devotee, other than Latu, to whom Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi talked directly. He would run errands and do shopping for her. During Sri Ramakrishna's last illness Gopal-da served the Master with devoted care.
After the Master's passing, Gopal, Latu and Tarak continued to stay at Cossipore garden house for some more time, and they were the first to join the Baranagar Math. He underwent sannyasa ordination and became ADVAITANANDA. After a year he went out on pilgrimage to different places and also did tapasya for several years on Varanasi.
When Belur Math was established he settled himself permanently there, and did various types of work especially growing vegetables. After a brief illness he passed away, while remaining fully conscious, on 28 December 1909.
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| COSSIPORE GARDEN HOUSE |
