Swami Ramakrishnananda
(1863 - 1911)

It is said that Swami Vivekananda at the time of Sannyasa wanted to take the name ‘Ramakrishnananda’ for himself, but gave it up in favour of Shashibhushan, who, he thought, deserved it best. And, Shashi deserved it eminently by dint of his devoted service to Sri Ramakrishna especially during his last days. The way he served Sri Ramakrishna when he was alive and the way he carried on his worship through he relics after his Mahasamadhi were, to say the least, exemplary.

Born on the 13th July, 1863 – the same year as Vivekananda – in an orthodox Brahmin family of the Hoogly district of Bengal. Shashi got a good education and an excellent training during the early years which laid the foundation for a lofty character. His very first visit – along with his cousin Sharat (Swami Saradananda) – to Sri Ramakrishna forged strong links with him, whom he accepted as the polestar of his life.

During the last illness of the Master, Shashi toiled day and night to serve him and to look to his comforts. After his demise, when the relics were gathered and established in the shrine of the maiden monastery at Baranagore, it was Shashi who took upon himself the responsibility of worshipping it as also take care his monastic brothers who had been fired by an intense spirit of renunciation.

No mother would have served her children with greater feeling and care than Shashi cared for them.At the behest of Swami Vivekananda, Shashi – now Swami Ramakrishnananda – came down to Madras to start a monastery there. By his austere life, devoted service and immense scholarship he was able to put the monastery on a solid foundation though he had often to pass through fiery ordeals. It was he who kindled the interest of the people in the then princely State of Mysore, in the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and eventually start a Math at Bangalore also.

The Swami was a combination of intellectual scholarhip of the highest level and devotion of the deepest type. In spite of all his stern external discipline, he possessed a soft and motherly heart.

The hard incessant work he did to consolidate the work of the Math at Madras broke even his massive frame. He left the mortal coil on 21st August 1911.

Teachings

1. What kind of devotion takes us to God? The child’s devotion to the mother. Why does the baby go to the mother? Because it has, reasoned out that the mother is the best friend it has. And why do you go to God? Because you have previously reasoned out hat God will help you and no one else can. So, as the baby goes to the mother, you will go to God.

2. So long as we have no ideal to follow, we have to heed the calls of our lower nature. A characterless man is a slave to all worldly enjoyments.

3. You have been worshipping this god of your body for so many lives; it is not easy to begin worship the true God all at once. If you would raise your Self, you must crucify the body and conquer the senses.