Friday, November 6, 2020

Anecdote concerning Dineshananda ji

It seems there was a particular candidate for monk-hood who was with Swami Dineshananda ji for about three years. For our narration’s sake let us just call him, Achintya. This Achintya left to himself, would have messed up his daily routine, for though he was skilled in computers and instrumental music, good in letter writing and English, was utterly lost in managing his hour to hour daily routine. The disciplined airs of Dineshananda ji was a great help to be steadfast in his morning and evening spiritual sadhanas and in his work. So with great reluctance the Swami had to deviate from his usual practice of delaying the ordination of monastic candidates and had to recommend him for ordination in due time.The Brahmachari was ordained into monk-hood in due time.
But Swami Dineshananda's ingrained habit of being strict with his monastics kept him on the lookout for some reason or other to make a case for disciplining people who were in his keep. He thought he had found such a valid reason, when he found that the monastic had shouted at a devotee in the morning at 5.30 a.m. The devotee had lost his mother at 2.30 in the early hours and had come to take some sacramental flowers and called out to our candidate when he was engrossed in meditation at 5.30 a.m. Disturbed in his morning sadhanas, not knowing the reason, the Sadhaka became cross at the devotee for coming in when the temple was not open to the public and said a few harsh words. Later when he came to know of the matter in details, the brother, with great remorse-fulness profusely apologized. The matter was forgotten. But when he came to know of it, our tough task-master Dineshannada ji, took this as a valid reason to take back the recommendation he had made of the above said candidate. He wrote to this effect to the authorities in Belur Math and they too agreed with Swami Dineshananda and it was all decided that the young monk would be asked to spend some time with himself to discipline himself.
Now, this was an open secret and almost everybody in Belur Math (except the poor person concerned) knew what was to come. They all indirectly tried to prepare the him for the worse. But the candidate was always having the feeling that people he comes across are all instruments of Mother and Sri Ramakrishna and these Two out of their sweet will, get things done through instruments they choose to work with.
The candidate was called into the presence of what we in our gossips call as ‘Cabinet’. The General Secretary droned on with deadly seriousness about the miscellaneous misdemeanours of the candidate, the same one about whom, some weeks back they had received a satisfactory report. Then the G.S. asked a Senior Assistant Secretary to read out the letter written by Swami Dineshananda ji. The Asst. Secretary, who had himself been a tough head-master, went about with his task with all authority he could command. The letter in Bengali began with all necessary preambles, and went on with the list of little indiscretions of the candidate. (I don’t know what they were, perhaps the candidate forgot to put off the light in his room when he came for him meditations, or he might have taken a minute longer for his ablutions which might have inconvenienced somebody else. I greatly admire our mighty authorities for the manner they mange to keep a straight face when they so officiously read out these nuggets). Then the letter went on with Dineshananda ji writing ‘Here is what the affected party told me’ and within proper quotation marks narration began, ‘amar naam Amukh. (My name is so and so). Shokale  adai ta samai amar .. (at 2.30 in the morning my ..) .. ‘ The first page ended at this point. The Asst. Secretary, turned the page and continued reading the letter, ‘... mrityu holo. Shade panch ta samay ami Thakurer mandire elam .. (.. death happened. I came to the Ashrama Temple at 5.30 a.m.)’. The other Assistant Secretaries were perhaps listening with boredom overwhelming them, but the General Secretary had sharp ears. He asked, ‘What was that?’ and requested, ‘Please read again’... The Senior Asst. Secretary read again, ‘at 2.30 in the morning my death happened. I came to the Ashrama Temple at 5.30 a.m.’. The whole cabinet except the reader burst into laughter. The General Secretary had to tap the table to bring some order. The flustered reader made some excuses and went diving deep into the letter to excavate a missing word. The General Secretary realizing they all needed to keep a serious face, for they were all in a meeting where they were planning to discipline an erring monastic, went on with his droning... Another asst. secretary made a point, that the monastic after all got angry at a devotee because the devotee was disturbing him in doing his daily duty of meditation, which somehow makes up for the alleged ill manner of the candidate. .. In the middle of this grave atmosphere the erstwhile reader, who had been deep in his excavation, suddenly exclaimed, ‘I have found it’. ‘What is that’ asked the General Secretary again. The obviously relieved Asst. Secretary said, `I have found the word ‘mother’s’. It has been written at the left margin. While filing the letter, the word has gone inside the spine of the file’. Much to the consternation of the Asst. Secretary the rest of the ‘Cabinet’ burst into a louder round of laughter. The General Secretary now told to the candidate, ‘Go. Go’; the candidate expressed his desire to prostrate to each of them. The General Secretary afraid of more hilarity, urged him to go. So he did and I suppose I don’t need to say that the monk was let off as he really deserved to be.
So this seems the way our Mother chooses to have Her fun. She appears with mock seriousness and after making some holy fuss she drops down the abyss of a file and creates hilarity. Then when duly authorized people bring some seriousness back she re-appears at the edge of the page and there is hilarity again.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Swami Purnasevananda & Swami Abhishtananda (Prabir Maharaj)






My good friend, Swami Purnasevananda died a couple of days back. Before he became my friend, he was a great friend of our Coimbatore Mission, Chennai Math and Salem centres. He did a lot of Bhavaprachar in tandem with us. He founded the reputed Tiruppur Annu Illam institutions. He was a great hit wherever he went and spoke. Many students were positively benefited by him. He bravely faced what the fates had in store for him during his last few months. He spoke cheerfully with me barely a week back.
Surely he can't be so dead. As I expect to wakeup tomorrow into an stimulating and fruitful day with a refreshed though the same old body, he perhaps hoped to get up with a new body. Well, that is their business, he and his Maker but all I have is but a few photos, videos and lots of memories.
I just hazily recollect Sw Abhnatmananda, Prabir Maharaj. He looks kindly. He served the Sangha well. He suffered a lightning strike, came out of it and went on bravely with the daily chores as much as he had the strength.
He died in his room in the holy Kamarpukur Math. Gadai and Sarada have gathered  him up into their folds as his tired self just gave up.
Hari Om Ramakrishna !
But Gadadhar, give us all the strength to see through to the correct end. Sarada, give us the right knowledge. Life, however and whatever it unveils is to be seen through. Hail Nikasha Devi, we will run away when troubles tempt us with a seemingly easy closure. Jumping into a wayside well or hanging oneself are tough acts but tougher it is to live out and we should opt for that. Let's discuss our troubles with the Divine and with the divines within human friends. Let's learn to give up persistent comforting familiarities if need be. Let's have comfort zones everywhere, in our homes and in the  wilderness.
Come on, by Mother's Grace, I say look at me, I should have died at least a dozen deaths but here I am, punching with abandon into my android keys.
I am now at Home in Koilandy and expect to be at Home soon in Ottapalam, Coimbatore, Ooty, Mysore, Belgaum, Goa, Hyderabad, Kadapa, Chennai, Delhi, Vrindavan, Isvarpur by Narmada and then at dear Nettayam by about 10 April.
I wish Corona would go back to its acclamatized Bat hosts and soon leave us poor humans. I am religiously refraining from frequently touching my face and using more soap and washing my hands oftener, cupping my mouth with cloth when I am into my reluctant coughs.
Bye now, have to tuck in now in order to wake up tomorrow into a life to live well so that death can be confronted squarely when it comes with its own sweet will and timing.
Hari Om Ramakrishna.
Jai Ramakrishna Sangha !

Saturday, March 23, 2019

The Young Swami Prashantananda & Sri Nataraja Guru - An interesting anecdote


          

Sivagiri Math and the monastic lineage started by Sri Narayana Guru is a lineage of monks who lead their lives based on interpretation made by Sri Narayana Guru of the Vedas or Smritis. So by definition it is Universal and is not restricted to a caste or language based group of people. But very often it is perceived to be a group of and for people hailing from the Malayalam speaking Ezhava caste from Kerala. Many reasonable people feel they are justified in thinking so. The group itself, it could perhaps be said, have not made a great effort to remove this misconception.

photos/England1895-1896/England1895-1896

Ramakrishna Math
and the monastic lineage started by Swami Vivekananda is a lineage of monks who lead their lives based on interpretation made by Sri Ramakrishna&Swami Vivekananda of the Vedas or Smritis. So by definition it is Universal and is not restricted to a caste or language based group of people. But rarely it is perceived to be a group of and for people hailing from the Bengalis. The group itself, it could definetely be said, have always been making strong efforts to remove any such  misconception even as it starts budding. 


Sri Nataraja Guru was a venerable old monk. He was a scholar of justified repute. In late 1960s or early 1970s he was still an influential person though in his old age many people had begun to laugh behind his back. Yes, mark it, their sniggers were well behind his back. They were careful not to do it in front of him.
But an young monastic from Ramakrishna Math in Trichur once had to confront this venerable monk and say the Truth to his face.

This boy hailing from a poor family of Ezhava caste had joined the Ramakrishna Math attracted by the Universal Teachings of Ramakrishna Vivekananda and further attracted by the saintly lives of the disciples and recruits of Swami Nirmalananda like Swami Isvarananda and such monks. 

This boy Narayanan had been brought up with many tales of the saintliness of Sri Narayana Guru and about the greatness of Dr. Palpu, Poet Kumaran Asan, SNDP  Yogam and had subsequently developed great respect for Sri Nataraja Guru who was the son of the great Dr. Palpu and a luminary with his own lights.



But unfortunately it seems, it was an off-day for the old monk.
He started taunting the young Narayanan for not joining Sivagiri Math or other allied institutions which would have been natural for him but joining instead, an organization which was started by Swami Vivekananda who was after all a fish eater and meat eater. He went on and on about it till the young man said that he only looks at the universal principles taught and lived by saints and doesn't care a damn about what they ate. (something like this in Malayalam : 'Vallavarida vai nokki nadakkunna gatikkedu enikke ayittilla. Jnan avaruda asyangal matramanu nokkunnadhu'. This elevated thought said respectfully but with quite clear disdain and a decisive & spontaneous  punchline threw the venerable monk into a ungainly tantrum for some time. The young monastic quietly made a dignified exit. 

Later he apprised his abbot about what happened but he just laughed it off. So did other people too in Sri Nataraja Guru's Ashrama.

Sri Nataraja Guru is undoubtedly a great Savant and a great monk.

Roger Federer is a great Tennis Player. But he too sometimes loses a set or a match too to some first timer.

The young monastic Narayanan later became Swami Prashantananda of Ramakrishna Mission. He passed away the other day after living a life of simplicity and service.

It is interesting to note a cousin of Swami Prashantananda joined Sivagiri Math and went on to become its President.

It is noted that many great contemporaries of Vivekananda, such as Chattambi Swami & Subrahmanya Bharati disapproved of his meat eating and Sri Narayana Guru looking at the photo of fish-eater Ramakrishna Paramahamsa remarked this was how Brahman if embodied would look like.

Ancient Contemplation of Brahman
Please do read this and more to properly appreciate the great Nataraja Guru : Guru Nataraja



Monday, March 18, 2019

Passing away of Swami Suresananda ji - The Official Speak


Srimat Swami Sureshananda ji passed away unexpectedly on the sacred Jayanti of Sri Ramakrishna on 8th March 2019. Although he was bedridden for more than two years and ailing due to old age issues, he was always cheerful. On that day he watched the special puja and homa in the shrine, admired the flower arrangements in the morning and also listened to the chanting and bhajans in the evening. He repeated 'Jai Ramakrishna' quite a few times early in the morning and when I offered pranams after mangalarati and reminded him that it is Sri Gurumaharaj Jayanti, he said clearly, 'Yes, I remember very well'. Again after Sandhyarati he repeated 'Swamine Taapaharine' while hearing the bhajans. He was very fond of bhajans and would sing along many a time. After the Sandhyarati when I met him at 8.05 pm, he was fully conscious and I asked him if he had any discomfort or pain. He looked at me and said that he was alright and doing well. There was no indication of his passing away.
By about 09.35 pm when all the devotees and volunteers had left after having prasad and the day's celebrations had concluded peacefully, he was administered liquid antacid as per doctor's advice and he seemed to be sleeping as usual. A few minutes after that by about 10.00 pm there was some discharge from his mouth and he told the sevak clearly, 'I am passing away'. This was followed by a convulsion. While the sevak was trying to feel his pulse and pressing his chest I rushed to his side by 10.04 pm and found him sweating profusely and he was in his last moments. I tried calling him and reviving him but to no avail. He hardly gave us any time to think or take him to the hospital. The doctors came and pronounced him dead. They decided that it was death due to natural causes and that he must have had a massive heart attack as there was a convulsion and profuse sweating. They fixed the time as 10.05 pm. 

Immediately our monastic brothers and old students arranged for the shifting of the body to RIMSE for darshan and paying homage by all his admirers and devotees. Gita chanting, bhajans, etc were started by the monastic brothers. The body was placed in a decorated freezer box and devotees started to arrive by 6.00 am on 9th March. A regular stream of devotees, ex-students, staff and dignitaries continued till 2.30 pm. After the ritualistic bath and decoration with a new cloth, the body was taken in a decorated open chariot (hearse) by 2.45 pm to Vidyashala and to the Ashrama. Arati was performed at RIMSE, Vidyashala and Ashrama. Swami Muktidananda ji sprinkled him with the snanjala, placed the prasadi garland and arghya sent from Belur Math and also the Sannyasa bhiksha. The procession from Ashrama to the crematorium started at 4.15 pm with police escort and a big following. Cremation was done at Chirashantidhama on a sandal wood pyre amidst chanting and bhajans. 

Asti was collected on the following day 10/3 at 7.00 am and released into the Cauvery river at Pashchimavahini, Srirangapatna by Muktidananda ji and myself. Special puja to Sri Sri Thakur and sadhu bhandara will be organised on 20/03/2019. A special memorial meeting for the ex-students and admirers will be held at Vidyashala on 24/03/2019, Sunday. Swamis Atmavidananda ji, Nityasthananda ji, Muktidananda ji, Satyeshananda ji and swamis from all the local centres have confirmed that they will be attending the program on 20th. 

Prominent visitors were: Sri Sri Shivaratri Deshikendra Mahaswami ji, Pontiff of JSS Mahasamsthana; Sri Sri Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji, Pontiff of Sri Adichunchanagiri Samsthana; Sri G T Deve Gowda, Dist in-charge Minister and Minister for Higher Education, Karnataka; Sri Pratap Simha, MP, Kodagu Constituency, Sri Devdas, Ex Student of Vidyashala and presently Justice of High Court, Bengaluru; Dr Kumar Naik, Ex Student of Vidyashala, IAS, Secretary of Social Welfare Dept., Govt. of Karnataka; Smt. Aparna Garg, Senior Divisional Manager, South Western Railways, Dr. B V Patil, Ex Vice Chancellor of Raichur Agricultural University, Heads of all the major Educational Institutions of Mysuru and many others.

We were amazed at the number of people who had been touched by the benevolence and magnanimity of 
Swami Sureshananda ji. We heard so many inspiring accounts of how he had helped them in getting education, securing jobs and above all by instilling confidence in them. We all feel that we were blessed to be with him and serve him. He will be a source of inspiration for sadhus, students and devotees.

Swami Atmajnananda
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We regret to announce the passing away of 
Revered Swami Suresananda ji Maharaj on Friday, 08.03.2019 at 10.05 pm. He was 90 years. He was cheerful during the day and atten-ded the Birthday Celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna, both in the mor-ning and evening. We have lost very senior monk whose dedication to the ideals of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda is well known. His mortal remains will be kept in Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education (RIMSE), in 
Sri Ramakrishna  Vidyashala campus from 6.00 am to 01.00 pm tomorrow. Cremation will be performed at Gokulam Chirashanthi Dhama at 02.00 pm.

Adhyaksha
Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama
Yadavagiri,Mysuru - 570 020.

www.srkmys.org, mysuru@rkmm.org


Passing away of our dear brother monk Swami Divyashrayananda ji (Ashwini Maharaj) - Official Speak





We are sorry to announce the passing away of Swami Divyashrayananda (Ashwini) at Cuttack centre on 27 February in the morning under tragic circumstances. He was 60. Initiated by Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj, he joined the order at Narottam Nagar centre in 1981 and received sannyasa diksha from his guru in 1991. He served the order at Narottam Nagar, Baghbazar and
Cuttack centres. He had a quiet nature.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Swami Prashantananda passed away - Official Speak


Revered Swami Prashantananda ji (Narayan Maharaj) passed away just now (at 2:30 pm)due to cardio pulmonary arrest secondary to old CVA, hypertension, diabetes. He was suffering from other old age ailments and was confined to bed for more than two years now. He was 80 years old. Initiated by Swami Yatishwaranandaji he received Sannyas from Swami Vireshwarananda in 1973. Cremation will take place this evening.

By Swami Mokshavratananda, Adhyaksha, Ramakrishna Ashrama, Thiruvananthapuram













Swami Prashantananda - My Homage




Swami Prashantananda passed away at about 2.30 p.m. today.

He had a stroke some months back which had left him paralysed on one side and almost in coma. 

He was a stubborn, jovial, little monk.

His stubbornness sometime bordered on asinineity but he chose to remain so at those times and true to form never changed his course of action.

His Resolute Determination was the foundation on which the Rural Services of the Trivandrum Ramakrishna Mission rests. 

These Rural Services were started by Swami Nirmalananda from Nettayam in 1935 and was continued up to 1942 by Swami Tapasyananda & Swami Visadananda and other monks. Then it ceased till Swami Golokananda revived it in a new format in 1983. It was left to the charge of Swamis Srinathananda & Shakrananda to take the project forward. The details of it fell to the lot of Swami Prashantananda who laid the solid foundations and built upon it an edifice which remains strong and goes well.

His stubborn determination had shown itself earlier during his early years in the monastery and his years in Madras Math. I will narrate a delightful anecdote at the end.

There are hundreds and hundreds of poor or needy people who were benefited by the service activities he so determinedly carried out here. They all remember him with gratitude.

His days as head of Thrissur Math mostly showed his asinine determination. 

He was a good speaker and writer in Malayalam. He often wrote under the pseudonym Ramesh. 

He was jovial to death. He carried his jokes till the day of his stroke.

About his being a little monk he had a retort which I shall keep for another day. That day I shall also narrate other anecdotes.

A part of his legacy is in my charge now. I was his successor to the Rural Services.

My pranams to his memory. Let me go and bow to his mortal remains now.

Hari Om Ramakrishna !

Part 2 :


The form which hitherto went by the name Swami Prashantananda is now in memory. The remnant of remains is still aflame ... Let the memory speak while still afresh ....

The night before last night (10 March) the Swami had some convulsions. Monks & some devotees gathered by his bedside and started chanting & bhajans. While Nama sankirtan was going on, his hands and feet were moving slightly as if keeping the beat and his head too moved in tandem. This coming after about six months of coma like state was really a remarkable occurance. Then he went back to the coma like state again. He breathed his last today afternoon at 2.30 p.m.....

The pyre is still aflame.

.... The form was small but the self occupying it had a strong & substantial 'I'. If some contemporary mentioned about his short stature, he would give a retort that would be both sharp but rich in wit. His Malayalam in this case is beyond translation.

Once a great spiritual luminary of Kerala experienced the sharpness of his wit.

I will narrate it later.

The remnants of the remains are still stubbornly aflame. .....

Hari Om Ramakrishna !