THE FORGOTTEN BROTHER OF SWAMIJI

THE FORGOTTEN BROTHER OF SWAMIJI

Mohendranath Datta, venerable sage, younger brother of Swami Vivekananda. He had seen Sri Ramakrishna at close quarters during the latter's many visits to the houses of devotees and had even talked to him.

A globe-trotter, Mohendranath had led an adventurous life across continents before settling down permanently at his ancestral house in 3, Gourmohan Mukherjee Lane, Simulia, Kolkata where he matured into an erudite scholar, a prolific writer authoring over a hundred published books and many more which were lost to posterity, and attained to that exalted state of spiritual sublimity that is the aspired end of all human life. He emerged a Rishi (seer) in the line of his illustrious grandfather Durgaprasad and his Godlike elder brother Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda) as he followed the latter's advice of remaining a lifelong celibate and looking after his mother Bhuvaneshwari. Younger brother Bhupendranath who was a revolutionary, kept Mohendranath company after his return from USA where he had gone for his doctoral studies, ostensibly with the purpose of avoiding imminent arrest by the British Indian police, though. The brothers lived together in the same house for decades on end, Bhupendranath catering to court cases centring disputed property of the Dattas and Mohendranath immersing himself in depth-study of the mind and the soul, soaring higher and higher till he transcended earthly barriers and touched the Infinite.

Devotees in small numbers flocked to him and were captivated to listen to his early adventures. Fewer still had the rare privilege of getting a glimpse into his heightened state of spiritual realisation. Once a globe-trotter, Mohendranath now remained cooped up in his room in his house, a 'kutichak' in Sri Ramakrishna's words.

Mohendranath passed away in 1956. Five years later in 1961 younger brother Bhupendranath left his earthly abode as well. Golden-wombed Bhuvaneshwari's three jewel sons had lit up the world before they receded to their respective realms.

Written by Sugata Bose