Apostles of Ramakrishna
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Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had sixteen disciples who became monks of the Ramakrishna Order; they are often considered his apostles . In the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda movement, the apostles have played an important role. Apart from Swami Vivekananda the direct disciples or apostles of Ramakrishna were as follows.
[edit] Monastic disciples
[edit] Swami Brahmananda
Swami Brahmananda (1863-1922), whose original name was Rakhal Chandra Ghosh, was son of a zemindar in the Basirhat area. While studying at the Metropolitan Institution at Kolkata, he met Narendranath Dutta in a gymnasium. He was influenced by Narendranath to join the Brahmo Samaj. In 1880, his brother-in-law, Manmohan Mitra, took him to Paramahamsadev. He was so impressed that he became a disciple and was subsequently known as the ‘spiritual son’ of Paramahamsadev. He was a wandering monk for some time. He spent most of his time at Puri and Bhubaneswar. He set up a math at Puri. When Ramakrishna Mission was formed, he was the first president.
[edit] Swami Premananda
Swami Premananda (1861-1918), whose original name was Baburam Ghosh, was born at Antpur in Hughli district. His sister was married to Balaram Bose, one of the persons in close touch with Ramkrishna Paramahamsadev. He studied under Mahendranath Gupta at the Metropolitan Institution, Kolkata. Mahendranath Gupta, was closely associated with Ramkrishna Paramahamsadev and later became famous for his Ramakrishna Kathamrita. Rakhal Chandra Ghosh (later Swami Brahmananda) took him to Paramahamsadev in 1882. Swami Vivekananda and eight other disciples met in the house where he was born and took of serving the cause of their master as sannyasis. He virtually presided over the Ramkrishna Math (monastery) at Belur from 1902-1916. He devotedly looked after the young monks and novices in his charge.
[edit] Swami Yogananda
Swami Yogananda (1861-1899), whose original name was Jogindranath Chowdhury belonged to an aristocratic family that had declined. His father was a devout Brahmin and he was devoted to religious affairs from a young age. Popular as Jogin, he came in touch with Paramahamsadev when still at school but his family did not approve of his touch with Paramahamsadev and forced him into marriage. He joined Paramahamsadev subsequently. He had a critical mind and often criticised Swami Vivekananda’s actions. He remained with Saradama till his death.
[edit] Swami Niranjanananda
Swami Niranjanananda (died 1904), whose original name was Nitya Niranjan Ghosh, had clairvoyant powers. When he came in touch with Paramahamsadev at the age of eighteen, he told him, “If you let your mind dwell on ghosts, you'll become a ghost yourself. If you fix your mind on God your life will be filled with God.” That brought about a change in his thinking and he joined Paramahamsadev. He was devoted to both Paramahamsadev and Saradama. He died of cholera.
[edit] Swami Saradananda
Swami Saradananda (1865-1927), whose original name was Sarat Chandra Chakravarty, first came in touch with Paramahamsadev, with his cousin Sashi Bhusan and others when he was 18 years old. He had joined Calcutta Medical College to study medicine but gave it up to serve Paramahamsadev when he was ill. When Swami Vivekananda advised him to take up work in the West, he met him in London in 1896 and then sailed for New York. There he remained head of the Vedanta Society until his return to India in 1898. Back in the country, he was engaged in different types of work and later became the first Secretary of Ramkrishna Math and Mission. He directed the magazine named Udbodhan (Awakening) founded by Swami Vivekananda. He decided to build a house at Bagbazar that would serve both as an office for Udbodhan and a residence for Saradama. He was author of Sri Sri Ramakrishnalila Prasanga.
[edit] Swami Shivananda
The original name of Swami Shivananda (1854-1934) was Tarak Nath Ghosal. His father, Ramkanai Ghosal, had been a legal adviser of Rani Rasmoni and had met Paramahamsadev a number of times. He was a member of the Brahmo Samaj, and met Paramahamsadev in 1880. After Paramahamsadev’s death, he became a wandering monk. He spent some time preaching Vedanta in Sri Lanka. In 1902, he opened a monastery at Varanasi and initiated work for monastery at Almora. Second president of the Ramkrishna Mission from 1922 to 1934, he was also known as Mahapurush Maharaj.
[edit] Swami Ramkrishnananda
Swami Ramkrishnananda (1863-1911), whose original name was Sashi Bhusan Chakravarty was born in an orthodox Brahmin family. He was initiated early in life into a devotional life. He had joined the Brahmo Samaj and served for sometime as private tutor of Keshub Chunder Sen’s children. He met Paramahamsadev in 1883 and was immediately attracted towards him. Considered a great devotee of Paramahamsadev, he collected his relics after his death and made a shrine of them. He founded the Ramkrishna Mission at Chennai in 1902 and remained in charge of it till his death.
[edit] Swami Turiyananda
Swami Turiyananda (1863-1922), whose original name was Hari Nath Chaterjee, met Paramahamsadev when he was only fourteen years old. After he became a monk, he spent the greater part of the next thirteen years wandering from place to place or meditating in seclusion. In 1899, Swami Vivekananda took him to America with him. He established the Shanti Ashrama in the San Antonio valley, Santa Clara County, California to be used a monastery of retreat. In 1902, he was returning to India but Swami Vivekananda died before he set foot in the country. A heart broken man he spent time in meditation and spiritual austerities. Later he devoted himself to training monks.
[edit] Swami Abhedananda
Swami Abhedananda (1866-1939), whose original name was Kali Prasad Chandra, was a scholar in Sanskrit and had studied western philosophy. He was initially attracted towards Christianity but turned towards Hinduism after listening to the lectures of Brahmo leaders. Having become fascinated by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, he was eager to find someone who could teach him to follow the methods of meditation they prescribe. On the advice of a friend, he went to Dakshineswar and learnt the practice of yoga from Paramahamsadev. In 1896, Swami Vivekananda wanted him in England. He went and from there on to New York after a year and took charge of the Vedanta Society there. He stayed in America until 1921 teaching and lecturing. On return to Kolkata, he founded his own Sri Ramakrishna Vedanta Society in 1923 and Sri Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashram at Darjeeling in 1924. He was author of several books: Gospel of Ramakrishna Reincarnation, How to be a Yogi, India and her People, Atmabikash, Vedantabani, Hindu Dharme Narir Sthan. He edited a monthly magazine Viswabani for nine years.
[edit] Swami Adbhutananda
Swami Adbhutananda (died 1920) was a very simple person and was absolutely devoted to his master. His earlier name Rakhturam was shortened to Latu. He was born of humble parents in a village in the district of Chhapra in Bihar. “Latu is the greatest miracle of Sri Ramakrishna,” Swamiji once said, “Having absolutely no education, he has attained to the highest wisdom simply at the touch of the Master.” He was the first among the disciples to come to Paramahamsadev.
[edit] Swami Advaitananda
Swami Advaitananda (1828-1909), whose original name was Gopal Ghosh came to Paramahamsadev for solace when his wife died and decided to stay as a devotee. He was oldest amongst the disciples of Paramahamsadev.
[edit] Swami Trigunatitananda
Swami Trigunatitananda (1865-1914), whose original name was Sarada Prasanna Mitra, belonged to a rich land-owning family and studied under Mahendranath Gupta at the Metropolitan Institution, Kolkata. He started visiting Paramahamsadev at an early age and took to major relief work when he became a monk. After Swami Turiyananda returned from California in 1902, he was asked to go to the San Francisco centre. The first Hindu temple in the West was built under his supervision at San Francisco in 1906. A bomb thrown by a mentally unbalanced former student of his killed him.
[edit] Swami Akhandananda
Swami Akhandananda (1864-1937), whose original name was Gangadhar Ghatak, had met Paramahamsadev at Bosepara when he was just 13 years old. Later he introduced him to Swami Vivekananda. He was President of the Ramkrishna Mission from 1934 to 1937.
[edit] Swami Subodhananda
Swami Subodhananda (1867-1932), whose original name was Subodh Chandra Ghosh, was also known as Khoka Maharaj. He belonged to the family of Shankar Ghosh, who owned the famous Kali Temple at Thanthania, in Kolkata and had tremendous power of meditation even in his younger days and that improved since he met Paramahamsadev in 1884.
[edit] Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (1869-1938), whose original name was Hari Prasanna Chaterjee, was an engineer and had met Paramahamsadev early in life but family commitments kept him away. In 1896, he became a monk. Swami Vivekananda entrusted him with the task of building the Math campus as also preparing suitable plans for a memorial temple for Paramahamsadev. He prepared it in consultation with a noted European architect of Kolkata and Swamiji approved of the same. However, due to the sudden demise of Swamiji and lack of funds, the project had to wait for a long time to be taken up. It was completed and dedicated by Swami Vijnananda himself on the 14th of January 1938. He was President of the Ramkrishna Mission in 1937-38. He established Ramakrishna Sevasram at Allahabad.
[edit] Householder disciples
The following are among Ramakrishna's householder disciples and devotees:
- Ram Chandra Datta
- Manomohan Mittra
- Mahendranath Gupta ("M")
- Girish Chandra Ghosh
- Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal
- Yogindra Mohini Biswas
- Nistarini Ghosh
- Kedar Nath Bandyopadhyay
- Manmatha Nath Ghosh
- Bepin Behari Sen
- Manindra Krishna Gupta
- Pratap Chandra Majumdar
- Sivanath Sastri
- Girish Chandra Sen
- Krishna Kumar Mittra
- Upadhyay Brahmabandhav
- Trailokyanath Sanyal
- Priyanath Mallik
- Kshirod Chandra Sen
- Kamakhya Nath Bandyopadhyay
- Nagendra Nath Gupta
- Dr. Abdul Wajij
- Aswini Kumar Datta
- Balaram Bose
- Surendra Nath Mittra
- Durgacharan Nag, affectionately called Nag Mahasaya
[edit] Others
Ramakrishna's wife, Sarada Devi, is also sometimes considered one of his disciples.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Ramakrishna and His Disciples by Christopher Isherwood, Advaita Ashram, 9th impression, 2001.
- Sansad Bangali Charitabhidhan (Biographical dictionary) in Bengali edited by Subodh Chandra Sengupta and Anjali Bose
- God lived with them by Swami Chetanananda ISBN 0-916356-80-9
