Adbhutananda
Adbhutananda (Latu Maharaj) | |
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Benaras, India | |
Religion | Hinduism |
Philosophy | Advaita Vedanta |
Religious career | |
Guru | Ramakrishna |
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Adbhutananda (died 1920), born Rakhturam, was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna, a Yogi of nineteenth century Bengal. He is familiarly known as Latu Maharaj among the followers of Ramakrishna.[1] Adbhutananda was the first monastic disciple to come to Ramakrishna.[2] While most of Ramakrishna's direct disciples came from the Bengali intelligentsia, Adbhutananda's lack of formal education made him unique amongst them.[3][4] He was a servant boy of a devotee of Ramakrishna, and he later became his monastic disciple. Though unlettered, Adbhutananda was considered as a monk with great spiritual insight by Ramakrishna's followers, and Vivekananda regarded him as "the greatest miracle of Ramakrishna".[5][6]
Biography
Early life
Adbhutananda was born in North-Eastern India in the Chhapra district of Bihar, around the middle of the nineteenth century.[6] He was given the name Rakhturam, meaning "child who is protected by Lord Rama". His parents were poor, humble villagers. Both his father and mother died before Rakhturam was five years old and he was left in the care of an uncle who was affectionate towards him.[7]
Growing up in the village, Rakhturam led a carefree life, tending cows and sheep in the fields. In later years, he said, "I used to wander freely with the cowherd boys. How simple and guileless they were! You can't have real joy unless you are like that."
Meetings with Ramakrishna
Ramakrishna lived at the
When Ramakrishna saw Latu, he reportedly said to Ramchandra that Latu had "holy signs in him." and it is reported that when Ramakrishna touched him, Latu entered an ecstatic state, "tears trickled from his eyes and his lips began to quiver with emotion" and he gradually returned to normal state of consciousness.[11] Latu began to visit Ramakrishna regularly, and he lost the enthusiasm with which he worked before at Datta's house. In June 1881, he joined Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar as his personal attendant and helper.[12] He also used to help Sarada Devi in her chores.[13]
With Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar
At Dakshineswar Latu began a life of rigorous spiritual discipline under Ramakrishna's guidance, and also continued his service as his servant to him. His day began, first seeing Ramakrishna and saluting him. As Latu had received no formal schooling, Ramakrishna hoped that he might acquire at least a rudimentary education, so he tried to teach him the
At Shyampukur and Cossipore
In the middle of 1885 Ramakrishna's throat became sore, which later developed into
At Calcutta
After Ramakrishna's passing away, Narendra (Vivekananda) and some of the other disciples established the first Ramakrishna monastery at
At Varanasi
In October 1912 Adbhutananda left Balaram's house for Varanasi, never to return again.[26] Here he first stayed at Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama and later at different locations. As was characteristic of him, he was so often absorbed in meditation that he rarely had fixed time for meals. In Varanasi, he continued to teach and people visited him for spiritual instructions.[27]
Last days
During his last days, according to his devotees, Adbhutananda seemed to be gradually withdrawing from the world. He spoke occasionally with people, and when he spoke it was generally of spiritual matters. As reported by this disciples, his body, which had once been remarkably strong, had been gradually weakened by age and years of intense spiritual disciplines and his indifference towards the physical world.
Teachings and sayings
Adbhutananda, being illiterate, did not write any books; his teachings and discourses have been recorded by his disciples and devotees. Swami Adbhutananda taught that "the true being in man is ever free, ever pure, and remains ever untouched by good or evil. Good and evil have no absolute reality. They exist only so long as man identifies himself with the ego, the
- What is the use of prayer and meditation if there is no dependence on Him? Everything else is useless if this is lacking.
- It is a great sin to find fault with others. Those who do never do a good act themselves, who easily see defects in others and energetically spread rumors.
- It is better to continue calling on the Lord devotedly than to know, speak, and preach thousand and one religious cants and shibboleths.
Notes
- ISBN 978-0-87481-000-4.
- ^ "Swami Adbhutananda". Prabuddha Bharata. Advaita Ashrama: 259. 1972.
- ^ Swami Chetanananda (1998). "Swami Adbhutananda". God Lived with Them. Advaita Ashrama. p. 393.
- ^ Mukherjee, Jayasree (May 2004). "Sri Ramakrishna's Impact on Contemporary Indian Society". Prabuddha Bharata. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
An analysis of the class composition of the early admirers and followers of Ramakrishna reveals that most of them came from the Western-educated middle class of the Bengali society, Latu (later Adbhutananda) or Rasik Hadi being exceptions.
- ^ Swami Gambhirananda (1967). The Apostles of Sri Ramakrishna. p. 271.
- ^ a b
Sen, Amiya P. (June 2006). "Sri Ramakrishna, the Kathamrita and the Calcutta middle classes: an old problematic revisited". Postcolonial Studies. 9 (2): 165–177. S2CID 144046925.
- ^ God Lived with them, p.395
- ^ Sri Latu Maharajer Smritikatha. p. 491.
- ^ a b God Lived with Them, p.396
- ^ Sri Latu Maharajer Smritikatha. p. 27.
The first teaching he heard was, "God sees into the mind of a man, without concern for what he is or where he is. He who yarns for God and wants none other than God--to such a man God reveals Himself. One should call on Him with a simple and innocent heart. Without sincere longing, none can see God. One should pray to Him in solitude and weep for him; only then will he bestow his mercy."
- ^ a b God Lived with Them, p.397
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.400
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.433
- ISBN 978-0-87481-050-9.
- ^ God lived with them, pp.401-402
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.404
- ^ God lived with them, p.411
- ^ God lived with them, p.412
- ^ God lived with them, p.413
- ^ God lived with them, p.414
- ^ God lived with them, p.415
- ^ God lived with them, p.417
- ^ God lived with them, p.422
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.428
- ISBN 978-0-87481-050-9., the ancient scriptures of the Hindus. They could not understand it, although they referred to a number of commentaries. Finally, they asked Adbhutananda for an explanation. As he did not know Sanskrit, the young monks phrased the passage in this vernacular. Adbhutananda thought for a moment; then he said, "I've got it!" Using a simple illustration, he explained the passage to them, and they found wonderful meaninging it.
One day, several young monks came across a difficult passage in the Upanishads
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.434
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.435
- ^ God Lived with Them, p.436
- ^ a b God Lived with Them, p.437
- ^ a b God Lived with Them, p.438
- ISBN 978-0-9701097-8-1.
Further reading
- Nityajnanananda, Swami. "The Uniqueness of Swami Adbhutananda" (PDF). Prabuddha Bharata. 114 (1). Advaita Ashrama. ISSN 0032-6178. Archived from the original(PDF) on 17 January 2009.
- Swami Chetanananda (1980). Swami Adbhutananda : His teachings and reminiscences. Vedanta Society of St. Louis.
- Swami Chetanananda (1980). How a Shepherd Boy Became a Saint. Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0-916356-59-0.
- Swami Gambhirananda (1967). The Apostles of Shri Ramakrishna. Advaita Ashrama.