Manoj Sivan has brought to our notice the following extract from 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' which conclusively proves that Swami Nirmalananda was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The extract is as follows :
[ 'The Gospel of Ramakrishna' - Pg 976, Chapter 52 - After the Passing Away (Indian Edition, 1996, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai)
The younger Gopal brought the Master's bed and other articles of daily use from the garden house at Cossipore. The brahmin who had been cook at Cossipore was engaged for the new monastery. The first permanent member was the elder Gopal. Sarat spent the nights there. In the beginning Sarat, Śaśi, Baburam, Niranjan, and Kāli used to visit the monastery every now and then, according to their convenience. Tārak, who had gone to Vrindāvan following the Master's death, returned to Calcutta after a few months and soon became a permanent member of the monastery. Rākhāl, Jogin, Lātu, and Kāli were living at Vrindāvan with the Holy Mother when the monastery was started. Kāli returned to Calcutta within a month, Rākhāl after a few months, and Jogin and Lātu after a year. The householder devotees frequently visited the monastic brothers and spent hours with them in meditation and study. After a short time Narendra, Rākhāl, Niranjan, Sarat, Śaśi, Baburam, Jogin, Tārak, Kāli, and Lātu renounced the world for good. Sarada Prasanna and Subodh joined them some time later. Gangadhar, who was very much attached to Narendra, visited the Math regularly. It was he who taught the brothers the hymn sung at the evening service in the Śiva temple at Benares. He had gone to Tibet to practise austerity; now, having returned, he lived at the monastery. Hari and Tulasi, at first only visitors at the monastery, soon embraced the monastic life and thus completed the list of the Master's sannyāsi disciples *
* The monastic names of the Master's intimate disciples who renounced the world soon after his death were as follows: Narendra — Swami Vivekananda, Rakhal — Swami Brahmananda, Jogin — Swami Jogananda, Niranjan — Swami Niranjanananda, Latu — Swami Adbhutananda, Baburam — Swami Premananda, Tarak — Swami Shivananda, Hari — Swami Turiyananda, Sarat — Swami Saradananda, Sashi — Swami Ramakrishnananda, Kali — Swami Abhedananda, Gangadhar — Swami Akhandananda, Gopal (elder) —Swami Advaitananda, Sarada Prasanna — Swami Trigunatitananda, Subodh — Swami Subodhananda, Tulasi — Swami Nirmalananda ]
Written by Sugata Bose
Comments :
Bruce Ananta Hilliger He was never not a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna just as we are never not the Self...OM Tat Sat
Sugata Bose True enough in principle and in textual corroboration at places, Bruce. But the vast majority of devotees have been given the idea and impression that Thakur had sixteen monastic disciples whose photographs adorn the walls of the Ramakrishna Maths including Belur Math where the President Maharaj's room has this glaring absence of Swami Nirmalananda's photograph where all the remaining sixteen monastic disciples find their pride of place.
Bruce Ananta Hilliger Sugata Bose yes I understand that and it’s politics as usual even with in the Ramakrishna Order, bless their hearts, they can make or break many things, I saw it at the Chicago Center too, humans with preferences
Debaprasad Bhattacharya I learnt from a senior monk of the Order that it was only after Sw Nirmalanandaji declared himself a disciple of Sw Vivekananda in an affidavit that the authorities of the Order removed the former's name from all books and other places.
Sugata Bose Debaprasad Babu, where is the documentary evidence for that senior monk's assertion that will prove the veracity of Belur Math's stated stance? And, if so, then why does Belur Math not declare Nirmalanandaji as a disciple of Swamiji in their books on the same? Nirmalanandaji is absent from the list of Swamiji's disciples that have ever till date been officially declared in print by Belur Math.
Sugata Bose Debaprasad Babu, I am not questioning you on that but am merely affirming my stance on the statement of that monk in like terms.
Debaprasad Bhattacharya I think it is within the Order's principles not to highlight or even comment on controversial subjects, e. g. Sw Abhedanandaji's separation.
Sugata Bose Could be, Debaprasad Babu, but, if so, then how is it that such a controversial subject as the Mission's court case with Swami Nirmlanananda has been in such great but one-sided detail been provided in Swami Gambhirananda's book 'History of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission', a book that was published by the Advaita Ashrama?
Subrata Saha As I understand, Swami Abhedanandaji could not find a place in Belur Math when he came back from America. He had so many books with him!.. ....anyway he established another Math. It all sounds strange but maybe this was Lord's wish.
Sugata Bose Debaprasad Babu, restraint no doubt but one-sided detail without presentation of the other side's status regarding the same. But then it may be said in his defence that he was chronicling the history of the Order in which this was but one of the significant happenings and not the only one to deserve any more space and elucidation. Debatable that, though.
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