Vijnanananda

Shri Ramakrishna one day challenged a young man to wrestle with him. The tall and hefty youth put him down in no time. But though victorious in the bout, the boy felt some energy entering into him from Shri Ramakrishna, and he felt awed. This was how Swami Vijnanananda had one of his early encounters with the Master.

Born in a respectable Brahmin family in Calcutta, Swami Vijnanananda’s pre-monastic name was Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya. He was a good student and after graduating from the Patna College went on to study Civil Engineering at Poona.

As a student Hariprasanna was very spirited and would be upset at the sight of any moral turpitude or social injustice. From his very first visit, Shri Ramakrishna knew that he belonged to the inner circle of devotees. Whenever Hariprasanna visited the Master, the latter affectionately gave him many instructions about the intricacies of spiritual life, and blessed him with many spiritual experiences. When the Master passed away Hariprasanna, who was still a student in Patna, had a vision in which he saw the Master as if in flesh and blood standing before him.

Hariprasanna was very devoted to his mother. Since he had lost his father at an early age, to support his mother he joined the Government service and rose in the course of a few years to the position of a District Engineer. By that time the monastery at Baranagore had been founded, and the monastic disciples of the Master often became his guests at different places. The flame of renunciation, however, kindled in him by the Master was burning within him, and he found it impossible to remain in the world for a long time. Even as an officer Hariprasanna was taciturn, would mix with few people, and remained in his bungalow absorbed in his own thoughts. But his colleagues and assistants were surprised at his uncommon degree of integrity as well as strictness in regard to the discharge of his duties. Those who came into close touch with him revered him almost as a god – such was the force of his character, pure, spotless, and at the same time humble and unassuming.

When he had collected enough money to meet his mother’s future expenses he felt his conscience free. So with his worldly duties over and conviction firm he renounced the world to join the Brotherhood and became ‘Swami Vijnanananda’. This was in the year 1896, shortly before Swami Vivekananda’s return for the first time from his triumphant mission in the West.

Just before the monastery was removed to its permanent home at Belur in 1899, the task of constructing the necessary buildings was entrusted to Swami Vijnanananda, who later also supervised the construction of the embankment on the Ganga in front of the main building. Swamiji had a great desire to raise a big memorial temple at the Belur Math and entrusted the task of planning it to Swami Vijnanananda, giving him specific instructions for it. The Swami, in consultation with a noted European architect of Calcutta, prepared a design of the proposed temple, which had the approval of Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji’s premature passing away in 1902 nipped the project in the bud. But the serious thoughts of spiritual giants never die out; they only bide their time. Thirty years after Swami Vivekananda’s exit from this world, it was made possible for the authorities of the Belur Math to erect the present beautiful temple of Shri Ramakrishna after the design left by Swamiji. Swami Vijnanananda strove hard over the construction of the temple and finally on 14th January 1938, as President of the Order, he performed the dedication of the temple and the consecration of the marble image of Shri Ramakrishna amidst imposing rites – a function which was witnessed by about fifty thousand devotees and spectators.

During his early days as a wandering monk, a group of young men in Allahabad had formed themselves into an association called ‘Brahmavadin Club’ with a view to uplifting themselves morally and spiritually. They had done so under the inspiration of a devotee of Shri Ramakrishna. This devotee had left Allahabad and later in the same year Swami Vijnanananda arrived at Allahabad. The young men, who were delighted to have a disciple of Shri Ramakrishna amongst them, requested the Swami to live in the rented premises of their club and guide them. Swami Vijnanananda agreed and lived there for nearly ten years, spending most of his time in austerity and study. He later established a permanent branch of the Ramakrishna Math at Allahabad.

Absorbed as he always was in his own thoughts, there was an atmosphere of aloofness about him. He would always prefer to be left to himself. He could not submit himself to any social code of conduct. Although he would not usually talk seriously with those who approached him with big philosophical problems and the like for the sake of mere discussion, when sincere inquirers approached him with the pressing problems of their inner life, his face would light up and with great affection, love, and sympathy he would talk, and the problems, which to the persons concerned appeared knotty, would dissolve immediately and they would go away experiencing the joy of freedom from their heavy burden. At times he would be full of wit, humour and mirth and throw the listeners into roaring laughter. On occasions precious little gems were hidden in the words he uttered in fun. In many things he was just like an innocent child. His frankness was beyond comparison. The same trait made him a very plain-speaking person, but his straight words would not give offence to anyone.

Living, as he always was, on the spiritual plane, to make supreme efforts for the realization of Truth was his advice to the devotees. His renunciation was very intense and spontaneous. There was a delightful naturalness about it. He had many spiritual visions and experiences about which he was discreetly silent. Only sometimes, in unguarded moments would he give out some secret.

Swami Vijnanananda preferred a life of humility and retirement. He was a voracious reader and had varied intellectual interests. He loved to remain absorbed in his spiritual thoughts. But whenever his active help was necessary, especially with regard to his engineering knowledge, he would ungrudgingly give it. On the demise of Swami Akhandananda, he became the President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1937. Feeling deeply about the sufferings of the people and the urge to initiate weary pilgrims in the wilderness of life, he broke towards the end of his life, his lifelong practice of not initiating anybody. Through his supreme spiritual achievements and graceful spiritual ministrations hundreds of men and women were placed on the path of spiritual progress. Everywhere he went his presence was the occasion of spiritual awakening to innumerable people. He thought and inspired many people, less through lectures than through his exemplary life, which was full of purity and renunciation.

To him the evidence of the existence of the Master, though not in the physical body, was as strong and as natural as that of things seen in broad daylight. This faith kept him calm and joyous under all circumstances, in sickness or in health. After performing the dedication of the memorial temple of Shri Ramakrishna at Belur, he felt that the great task of his life had finished and got anxious to join his beloved Master, giving up his body like a rejected garment. Swami Vijnanananda’s life verified that God is not a myth, and that the supreme goal of religion lies in the realization of God.