‘All religions teach the necessity of hero-worship. Who is a hero? The man who has realized his oneness with God, who has self-knowledge, for religion is not a matter of talk or learning or faith, but a matter of realization. A man of realization alone is the true teacher, the Guru. So you must hear, study, understand, and then try to realize with the aid of a real Guru.’ - Swami Ramakrishnananda
Swami Ramakrishnananda was the very embodiment of service towards his hero, his Guru, Shri Ramakrishna. Unhesitatingly he gave up his body, mind and soul wholly and unreservedly to the service of the Master. He was unflagging in his zeal to serve the Master as best as he could not only while he was alive, but even after he had left the mortal frame. Death could not rob him of the living presence of the Master. Throughout his life he worshipped and served the Master in the relics with the same devotion and earnestness as when he had been physically alive. No place was more sacred to him than where the relics of the Master lay. The strength of his mind was incessantly sustained by his love and devotion to the Guru.
Shashi Bhushan Chakravarti, his name in his pre-monastic days, was born in an orthodox Brahmin family of the Hooghly district of Bengal. Shashi received a good education and an excellent training during the early years that laid the foundation of the lofty character exhibited in his life.
His very first visit along with his cousin Sharat (Swami Saradananada) to Shri Ramakrishna forged strong links with them, whom they accepted as the polestar of their lives. Of Shashi and Sharat, Shri Ramakrishna used to say that both were the followers of Jesus Christ in a former incarnation. At first sight Shri Ramakrishna recognized Shashi and Sharat as his own, belonging to his inner circle. The intense hunger for God amongst the Master’s young disciples never allowed them to think or speak of anything else. Love manifests through action, manner, and feeling. Someone who truly loves always takes the position of a giver – joyfully giving everything – body, mind, possessions, wealth – to the loved one. Even the Master would be overwhelmed by Shashi’s sincerity and unselfish love. Love is reciprocal. Shri Ramakrishna poured his fountain of love into his disciples and captivated them forever in the path of eternal freedom. Under the affectionate guidance, supervision and watchful eye of the Master, his disciples practiced rigorous spiritual disciplines day and night. For almost two years Shashi regularly visited the Master at Dakshineswar and acquired great spiritual treasures from him.
During the Master’s last illness, Shashi served him whole-heartedly. He was the very embodiment of service. He was convinced that to serve the Master was the highest form of religion. He practiced no spiritual discipline, knew no other asceticism, traveled to no holy places. Forgetting his personal comfort, food or rest, he was always ready to serve the Master. His life’s purpose was to alleviate the Master’s suffering. Everyone marveled at his indefatigable energy, his endurance, and his boundless love for the Master.
After the Master passed away came a period of supreme depression for these pure, unblemished children of the Master, burning in the fire of renunciation. They severed their ties with the world and gathered together at the newly founded monastery at Baranagore. Shashi played a pivotal role in holding the young band together and in regulating the routine of life to be followed by them. Facing hunger, pain, poverty, and persecution, while others were indifferent as to whether the body lived or went in their intense search for the Highest, being absorbed in deep meditation day and night, Shashi took care of his brother disciples like a loving mother, somehow or other arranged their food and fed them by force if necessary. He took upon his shoulders all the responsibilities in maintaining the Math, so that his brother disciples could continue their spiritual practices without any hindrance. He even took up the job of a schoolmaster, though for a short period, to meet the expenses of the Math.
After taking their monastic vows, Shashi was given the name ‘Swami Ramakrishnananda’ by Swamiji because of his unparallel love for the Master. If Shashi’s devotion to the Guru was incomparable, his love for Swamiji whom Shri Ramakrishna had ordained as the leader of the whole group was overwhelming. Any word from the leader was more than a command to him. There was no trouble that he could not face, no sacrifice that he could not make in deference to the slightest wish of Swami Vivekananda.
When some of the citizens in the city of Madras approached Swamiji with the request that he should kindly send one of his brother disciples to stay in Madras and establish a monastery which could become the center of the religious teachings and philanthropic activities outlined by him, Swamiji replied, “I shall send you one who is more orthodox than your most orthodox men of the South and who is at the same time unique and unsurpassed in his worship of and meditation on God.” The very next steamer from Calcutta brought to Madras Swami Ramakrishnananda. He at once responded to the call of Swamiji to go to Madras to spread the message and ideals of their Guru. It meant that he would have to give up many habits of long years, as also that he would have to leave the place where he was so steadfastly worshipping the relics of the Master. But these were no consideration against the wish of the leader.
A combination of deep unflinching devotion and mighty intellect is something very rare. But this very rare type was needed for the work in South India, and it was the good fortune of that province to get such an apostle. The Ramakrishna Mission work in the South now stands as a noble edifice giving shelter to thousands of persons who seek consolation which religion alone can give. But the strong foundation for this imposing establishment was firmly laid by the great monk, the first apostle of the Ramakrishna Order to Madras, by his austere life, devoted service, immense scholarship and steadfastness in the face of fiery ordeals. Ramakrishnananda was a powerful orator, a delightful conversationalist, and also a serious writer.
As an active, intelligent, independent, dauntless, heroic devotee of the Master, in his work in the South, he cared more for building up lives than for reaching a wide circle of indifferent auditors. Perfection in life comes from good and systematic training. He was a strict disciplinarian and insisted all who came under his influence be perfect and exemplary in every detail of conduct. His own life was extremely disciplined. He was very regular and punctual in his habits.
He had an overflowing love, kindness, and abounding sympathy for all, as well as a soft childlike nature, which reflected the inner purity of the soul. There is a saying, “One should adore the children of the guru like the guru.” Ramakrishnananda’s love and esteem towards his brother disciples almost bordered on worship. When any brother disciple came to the South he would be beside himself with joy, and did not know how sufficiently to take care of him. A similar attitude, though in a more intense degree, was in evidence, towards the Holy Mother.
His life was short but eventful. His strenuous life of intense and unceasing activities in the South and lack of proper food burnt his life-energy quickly. When the news of his passing away reached the Holy Mother, she remarked with tearful eyes: “Alas, Shashi is gone. My back is broken.” Sister Devamata, an American disciple of Swamiji, wrote: “What Saint Paul declared in his Epistle to the Galatians, ‘Ye not I, but Christ liveth in me,’ perfectly described Swami Ramakrishnananda’s attitude towards himself and towards that one whom he called guru. He was dead wholly to himself and alive only in Shri Ramakrishna.”
