Prakashananda
Prakashananda | |
---|---|
Vivekananda | |
Honors | President of the Vedanta Society of Northern California from 1915 to 1927 |
Swami Prakashananda (1874–1927) was a monastic disciple of
Early life
Prakashananda's pre monastic name was Sushil Chandra Chakravarty. His father was Ashutosh Chakravarty and the family resided in Serpentine Lane in Calcutta. Sushil Chandra was born on 8 July 1874. His brother Sudhir, who was rechristened as Shuddhananda, had also become a monk with Ramakrishna Order and was a direct monastic disciple of Vivekananda as well.[3] Sushil and Sudhir during their college life had made friends with Kalikrishna, Khagen, Haripada and Govinda, a group of young men who were spiritually inclined. This group came in direct contact with Mahendranath Gupta (known as M), a direct householder disciple of Ramakrishna, and the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, in the course of their study in Ripon College where M was a lecturer.[4] M had inspired them to visit Baranagar Math, where the monastic disciples of Ramakrishna had gathered for pursuing spiritual practices.[4] Sushil was interested in both Western and Eastern philosophy, and he developed intimacy with several direct disciples of Ramakrishna, including Ramakrishnananda and Yogananda.[5] In 1891, he went to Jayrambati, the native place of Sarada Devi and was initiated by her. He was also associated with Gopal Chandra Ghosh, or Hutko Gopal, a direct householder disciple of Ramakrishna who would inspire him with anecdotes from the saint's life.[5] He was also greatly inspired by the ideals of Vivekananda, who was then in America, preaching Vedanta. Sushil left home in 1896 under directive and guidance from Sarada Devi and joined the Alambazar Math.[6] He also spent sometime in Vrindavan to practice austerities, in the company of Premananda.
Monastic life and contribution
When Vivekananda returned to India in February 1897, he granted monastic vows to Sushil and renamed him as Prakashananda. Prakashananda also accompanied Vivekananda when the latter went to seek the blessings of Sarada Devi in 1898 after his return from Kashmir.[7] He also accompanied Vivekananda in consecrating the house of Navagopal Ghosh, a direct householder devotee of Ramakrishna by installation of the image of Ramakrishna in the house. During this occasion Vivekananda composed the famous Pranaam Mantra or the salutary chant on Ramakrishna which is a part of the Sanskrit hymn chanted in vesper services.[8] Prakashananda assisted him during the worship ceremony.[9][circular reference] Prakashananda served the famine stricken people in Dakshineswar as part of the relief program of Ramakrishna Mission in 1897–1898. In 1899, he and Swami Virajananda went to Dhaka to preach the message of Vedanta. The General Report of the Ramakrishna Mission Dhaka states, this branch of the Mission started as early as 1899 when Virajananda and Prakashananda, deputed by Vivekananda, visited these parts and by lectures and religious discourses created an interest in the message of Ramakrishna.[10] Prakashananda and Virajananda also met
In the Americas
In April 1906, Prakashananda was sent to assist
Death
He suffered from diabetes and died on Sunday, 13 February 1927, at the age of fifty-three. His obituary in Prabuddha Bharata read, May rest and eternal peace be the reward of him who on earth worked untiringly, unselfishly, who served God and man as Ms master would have it. We are reminded of Swami Vivekananda's words: Our salutation goes to all those God-like men who worked to help humanity.[16]
References
- ISBN 0-253-33098-X.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ^ ISBN 9788175052468.
- ^ ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ^ Mukherjee, Dalia (1 March 2013). "The house where the swami came". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ Wikisource:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Conversations and Dialogues/XI
- ^ ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 0-253-33098-X.
- ^ Northern California, Vedanta Society. "History of Vedanta Society of Northern California".
- ISBN 0-253-33098-X.
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ^ a b Prabuddha Bharata. "Swami Prakashananda: In Memoriam".
- ^ Shanti Ashrama, History. "History of Shanti Ashrama".
- ISBN 9788175052468.
- ISBN 9788175052468.