As we draw closer to 4 October, 2016, the centenary year of Swami Gahanananda, it is worthwhile remembering that it is a unique opportunity afforded us by Providence to commemorate his life and works in a befitting manner. Should we miss this opportunity, most of us who have been the recipients of his grace may not find a like moment to rejoice in his advent and to celebrate his life as now when the hour is ripe and the autumnal fruit has ripened and the blossom of spring will burst forth in a dazzle of spectral hues, remembering the words of the Master that grace bestows the fruit of realization ahead of its floral cause. Thus, it is meet that we meet to deliberate how we may live up to the call of the hour and render ourselves ready for the occasion.
The prime necessity is a venue for the celebration on the hallowed day, funds to career the programme through and able speakers to deliver memorial lectures. For all of this we need a core group of committed members who will give top priority to the execution of the programme. They must devote adequate time and energy to see the programme through to its aspired success. The beginnings have been falteringly made and it is expected that, with more volunteers to the cause from among the countless devotees and disciples of Swami Gahanananda, the movement will fast gain ground en route to its eventual fruition. We are hopeful of your participation in this grand endeavour whose success depends upon the combined effort of all. We welcome queries on the subject and solicit your support in every way.
One more point we wish to make here. Swami Gahanananda was an intensely pragmatic person and was, under the guidance of Swami Dayananda, virtually the architect of the Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan. He had guided its course from a 32 bed Maternity Hospital to a full-fledged 550 bed General Hospital between the years 1958 and 1985. The first 5 of these 27 years he had worked as Assistant Secretary to Shishu Mangal's founder, Swami Dayananda, who was the Secretary then, and the remaining 22 years he guided the course of the hospital on his own, of course under the watchful eyes of the venerable Dayanandaji, and literally set it up on its feet before relinquishing charge to his successor. As such, somehow I feel that we ought to do some such service-oriented activity in his memory as would have given him pleasure were he with us today. And, indeed, where has he gone after all? He is evidently with us as we embark on this mission of ours to relive the experiences and achievements of his life through our diverse devotions to him. In this connection may I suggest that we take it up on ourselves to financial help the different hospitals run throughout India by the Ramakrishna Mission for, indeed, the requirement of funds for these medical units of the Mission is great.
Another project to be undertaken is the activation of spirituality in the devotee by the daily discipline of reading 10 pages of 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna'. Veritably, we wish to storm the heavens and rain the grace of Thakur by pleasing him at all costs for, indeed, the reading of the Gospel is very dear to his heart. Where the Gospel is read, there Thakur dwells. Let, therefore, the message of the Master run deep in our nervous system and transform us into instruments fit for his purpose. May Gurudev be pleased by such an extension of his grace unto us as well!
Finally, we need to dwell on his life-story and meditate on its salient features. It is a wish of this author that a few speakers be trained to deliver lectures on the life and message of the Master and his mission on earth to make our 'passive piety' into 'dynamic spirituality', to quote the unforgettable Swami Ranganathananda. Devotees will well remember and, that too, with a fair bit of mirth, how Swami Vivekananda, intent on training his brother disciples into becoming public speakers of excellence, had commissioned Khoka Maharaj (Swami Subodhananda) to deliver a lecture off-hand at Belur Math and how when Khoka Maharaj, after a great deal of initial reluctance, had begun, co-incidentally, an earthquake took place, and how Swamiji in jest had said that Khoka had made on debut an earth-shaking speech! It is our wish that many among you should have that dynamism to deliver truly electric speeches that the world may in awe hear and the Lord within too.
These are our high hopes, our aspirations on the eve of the birth centenary of our beloved spiritual preceptor but for whom life would have been insipid and a more difficult terrain to traverse. We sincerely solicit the support of all for this, our devotion to the venerable sage, for this, our labour of love, and, for this, our exercise in bliss. May Gurudev bless all!
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