Reminiscences

Swami Shuddhananda

SWAMI ABJAJANANDA

Translated by Swami Hitakamananda of the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, from the original Bengali Swamijir Padaprante by Swami Abjajananda.

'Let someone take it down as I go on dictating,' said Swami Vivekananda, addressing the assembled monks and brahmacharins of the Alambazar Math. He wanted to formulate, in the form of a canon, the aims and objects of Sri Rama-krishna Math, the plan of campaign and a set of rules that would regulate the life and conduct of its members. It was the end of 1897.

None of the sadhus was feeling confident enough, in the presence of the Swami's towering personality, to take down his fiery dictation. Each one was pushing the other to go forward but none actually volunteered. Finally 'someone' came forward with pen and paper to the seat of Ganesha.¹ A new entrant of four or five days and very young though he was, his nature was undoubtedly capable of carrying the spirit of Swami Vivekananda! This 'someone' taking the seat at the feet of Swamiji later came to be highly respected by all as Swami Shuddhananda, a living commentary of the spirit and message of Vivekananda, the prophet of this age. His whole life was a demonstration of Vedanta in practice--he was Vedanta personified. As a result of the extraordinary devotion to his guru and untiring service to the organization, Swami Shuddhananda, well-versed in the scriptures, displayed an uncommon ideal of harmony in his life. This extremely devoted and beloved disciple of Swamiji has created an unforgettable luminous chapter in the expansion of Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission. As the translator of the major part of Swamiji's English Works into Bengali and as an outstanding spokesman of Swamiji's ideas, Shuddhanandaji has an immortal place in the literature, religious history and culture of Bengal. Swamiji's ideas reached the people of Bengal principally through the booklets translated by him.

Swami Shuddhananda was known as Sudhirchandra Chakravorty in his premonastic life. He lived at Serpentine Lane in Calcutta. Sri Ashutosh Chakravorty, his father, was a devout, broad-minded brahmin. Sudhirchandra was born in 1872 (Aswin Shukla Mahastami of Bengali year 1279). His younger brother, Sushilchandra (later Swami Prakashananda of Ramakrishna Order), too was a well-known monastic disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Sudhirchandra exhibited strong religious inclinations since his childhood. He would invariably visit any monk or religious personality coming to the neighbourhood. Along with like-minded friends, he used to read religious books and attend spiritual discourses. He was a meritorious student. After passing the Entrance Examination with scholarship, he got admitted to the F.A. course at City College in Calcutta. Specially from this period his spiritual life gained momentum and he was eagerly seeking a right direction. The close company of some like-minded friends at this stage accelerated his spiritual yearning. Some of them were Khagen, Kalikrishna, Haripada and Govinda (Shukul) who later came to be known as Vimalananda, Virajananda, Bodhananda and Atmananda respectively. They played significant roles in spreading the message of Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda.

At this stage, Sudhir was in a spree of studies, discourses and singing along with his religious companions. The residence of Khagen, his friend, was their principal meeting place. They formed a Debating Club where they would practise lecturing in English and Bengali on spiritual topics. Sri Panchanan Bhattacharya of Arya Mission Institution, a disciple of Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri, used to teach Yoga to many young men. Sudhir would visit him often. He was very sincere in anything he undertook. Naturally, during this period of Yogic practices, he would maintain severe austerity in food and clothing. Without wearing a shirt, he would cover his body with a chaddar (an upper cloth) and move without shoes. He would attend college also in this uniform and was once admonished for it by his Brahmo-professor Sri Heramba Maitra who considered such dress as uncultured.

Once he visited Dakshineswar with Khagen, Kalikrishna and other friends. They went there in a hired boat. As was the plan, they passed the whole night in japa and meditation at Dakshineswar. It was a joyful experience. They received rice, pulses, firewood, salt, etc. as bhiksha from the Kali Temple Store and cooked khichuri (gruel) for night meal. This was Sudhir's first visit to Dakshineswar!

Sudhir was feeling a sort of restlessness in the confined and hackneyed family life. His mind was, as it were, eagerly waiting for an unknown call. Driven by dispassion he left home twice. Once he went upto Deoghar on foot. Probably the time was not appropriate--so he came back home, pulled by some unknown force. All along he was studious. At this period he plunged into the study of spiritual literature. He got acquainted with Sri Ramakrishna's devotees at the Baranagore Math and also at Kankurgachhi Yogodyan since 1890.

Sudhir did not meet Sri Ramakrishna during his life time but being driven by some unknown force, almost unknowingly, he was attracted to Sri Ramakrishna. In his letter of 13.11.1937, he wrote, 'What shall I write about myself? When Sri Sri Thakur was physically present, I heard about him from a number of persons and also read his teachings in booklets, though I was young. It's my great misfortune that I never went to see him.'

At Baranagore Math, Sudhir and his friends would often enter into long spiritual discussions with Swami Yogananda. During this period he became familiar with a number of disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. At a later date (1934) he narrated these recollections in a letter:

'I remember to have seen him (Swami Advaitananda) at Baranagore Math in 1890 on my first visit. On that day Sri Girish Ghosh and Swami Abhedananda were having some philosophical discussions. I was a student of Entrance Class. Just like any other visitor, I went and sat near them for some time but could not make out anything of what they were discussing. I clearly remember, when we were about to return, Gopaldada went inside and bringing the booklet Paramahamsa Ramakrishner Ukti (Sayings of Paramahamsa Ramakrishna), gave it to me and said, "Today they were discussing philosophy. Anyway, read this booklet and come some other day."'

It was the end of 1893. From the far West, the trumpet-voice of Vedanta had just started reaching India, crossing the seas, stirring its atmosphere. The appreciation that Swami Vivekananda received from the Westerners for his brilliant exposition of Vedanta philosophy was very well being resounded in India too. After a prolonged slumber, as it were, the Indians were showing signs of awakening. Almost all Indian newspapers were publishing the news of Swamiji's preaching in the West. Sudhirchandra was inspired to read these news. The Indian Mirror had its office at Esplanade. New editions of the newspaper were displayed on the wall of the office on a board. Desirous of collecting news about Swamiji, Sudhirchandra almost stopped college studies and kept on visiting The Indian Mirror office frequently. The more he learned about Swamiji the more his heart and soul became filled with joy and expectation. He became almost impatient with the thought of meeting this great personality. In his mind, he went on nursing the thought of accepting Swamiji as the guide for his life.

Some of his friends had already become very close to the inmates of Baranagore and Alambazar Math. Sudhir too came in contact with Sri Ramakrishna's apostles, whose lives were like dazzling fires of renunciation. This association drew him close to the ideas and ideals of Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. Occasionally, Swami Adbhutananda or some other monk of Alambazar Math would be present at the evening study circle of Sudhir and his friends, when their joy would be overwhelming. In the evening, after regular singing and prayers in chorus, they discussed the life of Sri Ramakrishna. Mostly, it was Sudhir who conducted the reading and discussion. His friend, Kalikrishna, who had joined Baranagore Math two years back (in 1891), was now residing with his parents at the behest of Holy Mother for recovering from a severely broken health. Though he was staying at home, Kalikrishna's introvert nature could not accommodate family atmosphere. He was passing his time in long hours of meditation and japam and reading in a closed room. At this time, Sudhir regularly visited Kalikrishna in the afternoons and the two would engage in religious discussions. He listened to Kalikrishna's narration of the life at Baranagore and Alambazar Math with rapt attention.

Some time in 1896, Sudhir went to Benares for some days. Swami Advaitananda was having spiritual practices there at that time. Sudhir spent some days in his holy company joyfully but had to come back to Calcutta as he contracted fever.

It was February 1897. After preaching Vedanta in the West with spectacular success, Swami Vivekananda had come back to India. The day he was to set his foot at Calcutta, his birth place, the streams of people heading towards Sealdah station assumed proportions of a deluge. Sudhir, who was so long waiting eagerly to see Swamiji could not stay indoors. He would have his desire fulfilled that day. Early in the morning he started for Sealdah. In due time, the train carrying Swamiji arrived at the platform. What a wonder! Swamiji's coach stopped exactly where Sudhir stood with thirsting eyes. The four eyes met each other--the life of Sudhirchandra received fresh encouragement to proceed on its journey with increased momentum. Standing at the door of the coach with folded hands, Swamiji received the greetings of the assembled masses and also attracted the heart and soul of unknown Sudhirchandra standing in the vast crowd. The whole surroundings reverberated with the slogans, 'Jai Swami Vivekanandaji ki jai', 'Jai Ramakrishna Paramahamsadev ki jai'. Sudhir too joined in this slogan with a heart full of joy.

References

1. A reference to the story of Mahabharata where Lord Ganesha was the writer and Vyasa the composer.