THE QUESTION THAT RAGES STILL

THE QUESTION THAT RAGES STILL

The question is why does Belur Math not accept Swami Nirmalananda anymore as the direct disciple of Thakur? What is the real reason behind it? I am yet to fathom the real reason, so, I ask. Does not this sidelining of such a seminal sannyasi significantly impair the propagation work of the Mission? After all, Tulsi Maharaj was, in the opinion of many, the second most dynamic monk of the Order after Swami Vivekananda.

On a personal note, I was wonderstruck by his dynamism the day I first got to know about him at any length from Manoj Sivan's posts and thereafter from the biographical studies on him, for in three decades I had never come across any book on him at either the Advaita Ashrama, in the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture or in the Saradapeeth showroom at Belur. Had it not been for Manoj Sivan, I would have passed this life in ignorance of the fact that Swami Nirmalananda was the direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and would have entertained all wrong notions about him as having been the first disciple of Swami Vivekananda by supposed self-admission, for not a monk in any lecture in the three decades I heard them ever even mentioned his name, much less admit that he was the direct disciple of Thakur. It is strange that it should have been thus and I still find it baffling as to why it continues to be so. There needs to be transparency on this issue of historic importance and the sooner the authorities issue a clear statement on this the better.

The books published by the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission differ on this issue as well. While Swami Nikhilananda's translation work, 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' clearly states in its Introduction that Swami Nirmalananda was the direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and 'The Life of Sri Ramakrishna' written by him also says the same thing, and while there are ample legal testimonies of Swami Brahmananda and Swami Nirmalananda to the same effect, and notes and letters written by Swami Ramakrishnananda and others all say the same thing that Tulsi Maharaj was the direct disciple of Thakur, there is this one significant work of Swami Gambhirananada, 'History of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission', which categorically denies Swami Nirmalananda this status and relegates him to being Swami Vivekananda's disciple. This historic work of Gambhirananda Swami has given rise to this confusion about Swami Nirmalananda's exact spiritual lineage and has confounded devotees ever since it has made its way to the press.

It is, thus, absolutely necessary for the concerned authorities to once and for clear the air as to what Swami Nirmalananda's spiritual lineage truly is and lay to rest this matter forever. Till then these misgivings will continue unfailingly and if they do, so much the better, for it will mean that devotees of Thakur as yet care for the truth and nothing but the truth.

Written by Sugata Bose