'Ready for Greater Responsibilities' - A Tribute to Swami Chakradharananda (Appuswami Maharaj)

Appuswami Maharaj died 13 days back.

Was he reckless? I have seen it in a few other people, they take due care of others’ medical problems, that being their duty but about the body they live in, they labour under an illusion that it belongs to them and they let it languish. Surely one doesn’t need to feel guilty to seek and follow proper medical advice. Some years back he was bulky; did a crash course of dieting and rapidly became famished and reed like. For the last few years his walking was a wobbling. Very often, almost every day, he had to have massage from willing hands. Having suffered severe Chikun guniya aches and being a subject to regular Migraine I could empathise with him. That he is dead now and today is his Remembrance seems so unreal.

He worked very hard in the development of the infrastructure in Madras Ramakrishna Mission Students’ Home and the Multi speciality Dispensary in Salem Ramakrishna Mission and in reviving the Dispensary in Coimbatore Ramakrishna Mission.  If there is a Heavenly Bank recording good Karmas, his account would be more than ample. A highly tagged monk had once told him to be ready for greater responsibilities.  He leaked that to his friends who in their gossiping sessions, duly went about appointing him, one after another, Head of many eligible centres of Ramakrishna Mission. He was sweet and ever ready with help, his Training Centre batch mates recall. He was playing it safe with me and carefully nurturing contacts that would further his prospects. 

God sure has some good plans for him, I guess.

Hari Om Ramakrishna.

My Homage to Swami Dineshananda Ji

Swami Dineshananda ji Maharaj passed away the other day.

Often we had dinner side by side at Aroghya Bhavan in Belur Math at the same table. I know now that he joined the Ramakrishna Mission the year I was born. He was 25 years senior to me by age. I have heard that he used to fill himself with quite commanding authoritative airs while he was an Abbot and I could sense the remnants of it as we used to indulge in friendly banters with each other, me quite junior to him but having a regular wise guy air and he who had seen it all.

The official obituary duly informs us that he was ‘hardworking and austere by nature, he contributed to the Order in different capacities’. Yes, truly so, let me give some illustrative anecdotes as I go on.

‘He also participated in some relief activities’ goes the official obituary narration. A companion of his who worked alongside shared an interesting reminiscence. They were both doing relief work in Orissa. A few of them were going by a vehicle on Relief Work when a motor-cyclist came in the opposite direction. The Motor-cyclist, due to some rashness on his part met with an accident. Seeing some gerua-clad sadhus on the opposite side, the companions of the motor-cyclist started abusing the sadhus and faulted them for the plight of their companion. Dineshananda ji, while showing concern for the victim, stood his ground and pointed out it was their own fault. The youths accustomed to bully the weak and bulldoze their way through others, soon brought some more people and tried to threaten the monks. Dineshananda ji stood in the front full chested and ready to protect others under his care. Better sense dawned and the bullies retreated. The companion recalled that Swami Dineshananda ji was the very picture of Courage and Conviction. A possible ugly communal clash was thus bravely averted.

My distinct interaction with him and striking an acquaintance bordering on friendship was in 2008 when I lived in Aroghya Bhavan but I have a vague recollection of having been a guest of him and his team of monastics for a few days in 1989. Among his team I had close friends who did all that was needed. But I have heard from some other brother monks who had gone as guests that they had some useful learning experience from their interaction with him then. He took more care in maintaining discipline as he saw it and preserving his authority over affairs of the monastery. Pleasing guests took the second place when he found that some arrangements had been done without his knowledge. Of course he saw to it that no real harm was done. I have heard from people who had been with him that he did not mind getting a bad name if he felt that his words and deeds help a growing young monk to shape up well. Some affected parties have admitted this to me, though it be grudgingly so. He was known as a tough abbot and was particularly known for taking a long time before recommending someone for getting ordained into monkhood.

I have heard of a juicy (though you may call vague as regards details) anecdote when Swami Dineshnanda ji, the tough boss, met his match. This anecdote clearly illustrates that it is Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Sri Ramakrishna who really run things. They seem not to shirk from making the point that they are the Ultimate Authority.

{To be given later}

I am giving Swami Dineshananda ji the last word. Attached please find his voice urging ‘Achintya’ to get ready for Worship. You are welcome to use it to urge yourself.