THE TITANIC TRINITY
Swami Abhedananda, the dynamic brother disciple of Swamiji who along with Swami Nirmalananda formed, I believe, the titanic trinity among Thakur's direct disciples. This, however, is an entirely personal estimation of mine at this point of time.
Of the Swami Vivekananda what more can I say? His shadow looms large on the Indian consciousness as his deeds gain fresher ground each day. His tussle with his preceptor, his exploits as a schoolboy, his versatility as a youth, his realisations of the Spirit, his wanderjahre through India, his victorious eloquence in the West, his stirring up the national revolution and his self-embracing of the Infinite at the end -- all these have become folklore and need no excessive expounding.
Much has been written about the one who came to give shape India and alter the course of world events. Revolutionary Hemchandra Ghosh has dubbed him 'the cyclonic monk' after he was electrified by a touch of the Swami at Dhaka in 1901. The monk who could mould a life by a momentary touch was the subject of Romain Rolland's study, Nivedita's classic portrayal and the continuing content of writers across the world who find in his being an inexhaustible reservoir of eternal solutions to modern problems articulated in modern terms. Thus have come up beautiful biographies which flash the searchlight of discovery on his manifold personality for the people to draw strength and succour from, for the youth to gain inspiration and for nations to find direction in the maze of material life. Swamiji seems to be Thakur's solution to every problem that besets man.
Swamiji has been well chronicled and is more or less known to the world for his seminal achievements but what about the two other brother disciples of the hero, Ramakrishna's other two gifts to the world in pure dynamism and zeal for the regeneration of humanity? About them we do not hear much despite their significant contributions to the Master's mission. 'The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.' So said Cassius with reference to the commoner in relation to Julius Caesar. And how pertinent he was for the reference holds true yet universally in this world of great men and petty followers or foes. That Swamis Abhedananda and Nirmalananda should suffer neglect at our hands in terms of appreciation of their Herculean efforts for the regeneration of humanity, even if locally at the least, is our shame and upon us lies the charge of reviving general interest in their life and attainments.
Swami Abhedananda spent 25 years preaching Vedanta in the West. He spread out his ministerial mission from 1897 to 1922, remaining resident in USA and building up the nascent movement initiated by his illustrious elder brother disciple that yet needed nurturing and nourishment. This epic work of Abhedananda gets eclipsed in the Chicago fanfare we raise over Swamiji and history remains unfulfilled in its proper proportionate portrayal. Abhedananda, ever endeared to Vivekananda and carrying the charge of the hero, remains unduly in shadow for all his academic attainments, all his perfected propagation of the pristine principles of the Vedas. And, I reiterate, 'The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.'
Swami Abhedananda returned to India after a triumphant stay of 25 years in the West to eventually settle in Kolkata where he soon established the Ramakrishna Vedanta Math and shifted residence from Belur Math to his new address in the metropolis. He remained a lifelong Vice President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission but curiously was never elected the President of the Order despite his junior monks in Swamis Vijnanananda, Shudhhananda and Virajananda adorning the office in succession even when Abhedananda was alive. Perhaps, it had to do with his stated desire to stay in Kolkata separately as President of the Vedanta Math or, perhaps, it had to do with his own desire not to be accorded that office. The reason is not known to me. Abhedananadaji was the last of Thakur's direct disciples to quit the earthly plane five days after the outbreak of the Second World War on 8 September, 1939. With his passage an era ended, the eclipse of the apostles from the earthly vision of devotees.
Written by Sugata Bose
Swami Abhedananda, the dynamic brother disciple of Swamiji who along with Swami Nirmalananda formed, I believe, the titanic trinity among Thakur's direct disciples. This, however, is an entirely personal estimation of mine at this point of time.
Of the Swami Vivekananda what more can I say? His shadow looms large on the Indian consciousness as his deeds gain fresher ground each day. His tussle with his preceptor, his exploits as a schoolboy, his versatility as a youth, his realisations of the Spirit, his wanderjahre through India, his victorious eloquence in the West, his stirring up the national revolution and his self-embracing of the Infinite at the end -- all these have become folklore and need no excessive expounding.
Much has been written about the one who came to give shape India and alter the course of world events. Revolutionary Hemchandra Ghosh has dubbed him 'the cyclonic monk' after he was electrified by a touch of the Swami at Dhaka in 1901. The monk who could mould a life by a momentary touch was the subject of Romain Rolland's study, Nivedita's classic portrayal and the continuing content of writers across the world who find in his being an inexhaustible reservoir of eternal solutions to modern problems articulated in modern terms. Thus have come up beautiful biographies which flash the searchlight of discovery on his manifold personality for the people to draw strength and succour from, for the youth to gain inspiration and for nations to find direction in the maze of material life. Swamiji seems to be Thakur's solution to every problem that besets man.
Swamiji has been well chronicled and is more or less known to the world for his seminal achievements but what about the two other brother disciples of the hero, Ramakrishna's other two gifts to the world in pure dynamism and zeal for the regeneration of humanity? About them we do not hear much despite their significant contributions to the Master's mission. 'The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.' So said Cassius with reference to the commoner in relation to Julius Caesar. And how pertinent he was for the reference holds true yet universally in this world of great men and petty followers or foes. That Swamis Abhedananda and Nirmalananda should suffer neglect at our hands in terms of appreciation of their Herculean efforts for the regeneration of humanity, even if locally at the least, is our shame and upon us lies the charge of reviving general interest in their life and attainments.
Swami Abhedananda spent 25 years preaching Vedanta in the West. He spread out his ministerial mission from 1897 to 1922, remaining resident in USA and building up the nascent movement initiated by his illustrious elder brother disciple that yet needed nurturing and nourishment. This epic work of Abhedananda gets eclipsed in the Chicago fanfare we raise over Swamiji and history remains unfulfilled in its proper proportionate portrayal. Abhedananda, ever endeared to Vivekananda and carrying the charge of the hero, remains unduly in shadow for all his academic attainments, all his perfected propagation of the pristine principles of the Vedas. And, I reiterate, 'The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.'
Swami Abhedananda returned to India after a triumphant stay of 25 years in the West to eventually settle in Kolkata where he soon established the Ramakrishna Vedanta Math and shifted residence from Belur Math to his new address in the metropolis. He remained a lifelong Vice President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission but curiously was never elected the President of the Order despite his junior monks in Swamis Vijnanananda, Shudhhananda and Virajananda adorning the office in succession even when Abhedananda was alive. Perhaps, it had to do with his stated desire to stay in Kolkata separately as President of the Vedanta Math or, perhaps, it had to do with his own desire not to be accorded that office. The reason is not known to me. Abhedananadaji was the last of Thakur's direct disciples to quit the earthly plane five days after the outbreak of the Second World War on 8 September, 1939. With his passage an era ended, the eclipse of the apostles from the earthly vision of devotees.
Written by Sugata Bose
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