Swami Trigunatitananda (1865 - 1914)

The depression brought about by the loss of a gold watch led the young Sarada Prasanna to Dakshineswar seeking peace. Master Mahashaya, the celebrated author of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna who was his teacher, led him to his future guru. The first visit itself forged strong links between them. Fearing that his religious inclination and frequent visits to the Saint of Dakshineswar might ultimately induce him to become a monk, his relatives tried hard to change is mind, taking recourse to, in the process, religious rites and charms. But nothing worked. And, Sarada Prasanna became ‘Swami Trigunatitananda.’

The Swami had a strong constitution and was a dare-devil. During his itinerant days he had often been on the brink of disaster and was miraculously saved. It is said that he once underwent surgery for fistula without anaesthetics.

He never cared for his personal comforts but was ever eager to serve others. The famous relief work he organized at Dinajpur (now in Bangladesh) bears testimony to this.

At the behest of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Trigunatitananda started the Udbodhan, the Bengal Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order, and assiduously built it up.

When Swami Turiyananda returned to India from San Francisco, it was Trigunatitananda who was entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the Vedanta work there. It was he who built the first Hindu Temple in the West.

The great life came to an abrupt end as a result of a mad man’s act of throwing a bomb. He breathed his last on the 10th January, 1914.

Teachings

1. People talk of finding out the proper kind of guru. But that is not a reasonable position in all cases. Whoever the guru may be, everything will progress nicely if the disciple is earnest and sincere.

2. People of all castes can be initiated by a good guru who has attained perfection. What caste can a true devotee or the perfect soul have? When the individual sould merges in God (like rivers in the sea), they can no more have any individuality. So how can there be then, the distinction of caste, as Brahmin, Shudra etc., belong to the body and never to the soul?

Swami  Turiyananda  (1863 - 1922)

A few people, there are, who appear to life in this world, but do not really belong here. Swami Turiyananda was one of them. Born in a religious family, of Brahmana parents, on the 3rd January, 1863 (just nine days earlier to the advent of Swami Vivekananda), Harinath Chattopadhyaya – that was his premonastic name – was given to much orthodox observances even in his younger days. An innate desire for liberation in this very life, kindled by the study of Vedantic works brought him to Sri Ramakrishna. The Master through his deep spiritual insight and all-encompassing love, quickly won his heart.

Not only that, he soon discovered and destroyed two unhealthy trends in his personality – abhorrence of womankind and excessive reliance on self-effort.

After accepting the monastic robes and vows, Harinath became ‘Swami Turiyananda.’ His orthodox mental makeup made him undertake long and arduous journeys as an itinerant monk, and practise severe austerities as also study of the scriptures. Though he had great love and respect for Swami Vivekananda, he was at first averse to active missionary work. But Swamiji’s love melted his heart. He accompanied Swamiji to the United States and worked there for about three years. The Shanti Ashrama in California was practically his creation.

After returning to India he spent his days mostly in austerity and in training the younger generation of monks. His burning spirit of renunciation, deep faith in the Divine Mother, and insight into the intricacies of the scriptures left an indelible impression on everyone that came into contact with him. His fortitude and the control he could exercise over his body were astonishing.

He left the body on the 21st July, 1922.

Teachings

1.Never pride yourself in your having gained control over the passions. If you do, they will at once raise their heads. Ever pray to him, ‘O Lord, save me from them.’

2. Nothing short of complete self-surrender to Him will do. You call Him the Inner controller (Antaryamin), omniscient, omnipresent, and yet you are afraid to surrender yourself to Him!

3. Never expect anything from anyone. But always give. Otherwise a sense of dryness will overtake you. But you must not give your mind to anyone. That you must give only to God.

4. Work done in the spirit of service can lead one as surely to the goal as meditation and japa.