Swami Trigunatitananda
Encyclopedia
Swami Trigunatitananda, premonastic name Sarada Prasanna Mitra, was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the 19th century Indian mystic and saint. He established the monthly Bengali magazine Udbodhan of Ramakrishna Math
and later at the behest of Swami Vivekananda
, he went to America in 1902 and took charge of the San Francisco centre. One of his contributions was the construction of a new building in San Francisco which came to be known as the Hindu Temple. He was mortally injured by a bomb thrown at him by a mentally deranged former student and he succumbed to the injury in January 1915.
, better known as M, the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
or Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita in Bengali. Sarada was a bright student but he did not do well in the Entrance (school leaving) examination as he was dejected over losing his gold wrist watch
"M" took young Sarada to Dakshineswar
temple to meet Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa on 27 December 1884.
At a very young age Sarada showed religious disposition and this was reinforced with his coming in contact with Sri Ramakrishna, whom he visited very frequently after he joined the Metropolitan college.
When his parents decided to marry him off as per the prevailing Indian customs, he left his house for Puri
in January 1886, but was brought back by his parents. He appeared for his First Arts examination and duely passed the examination He dedicated himself to the service of Sri Ramakrishna when the latter was terminally ill in Cossipore Garden House. After the Master passed away, Sarada began to stay with Narendranath Dutta (later Swami Vivekananda
) and a group of dedicated direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, who renounced worldly life, in Baranagar Math.
In 1895 he set out for Kailas Manas Saravar. Despite risks inherent in such a trek he undertook the journey on foot and was saved from life threatening situations on several occasions
He came back to Calcutta and stayed in the house of a devotee and led a contemplative life for sometime. He underwent a surgery without the application of chloroform. He loved to study and was immersed in books during this period. After some time he went to stay in the newly formed Alambazar Math of the Ramakrishna order.
He was also greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda
's ideal of service and philanthropic activities.
In 1897 when the district of Dinajpur in Bengal was in the grip of a terrible famine, the Swami went there and organized relief work. He laboured very hard in distributing food to the starving population.
For spreading the message of Vedanta
among the masses Swami Vivekananda
had planned for a magazine. For this purpose a press was bought and Swami Trigunatita was put in charge of publishing the magazine 'Udbodhan'. He worked very hard to get the Udbodhan published every month He also never missed any opportunity to serve persons who were ill. He himself took special care of a worker in Udbodhan press when the latter was down with cholera.
After Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)
's death, Swami Tigunatitananda became a personal attendant to the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi for sometime. His own brother Ashutosh Mitra, later a monk of the Ramakrishna Order
, also served the holy mother diligently for a considerable period of time.
returned from America prematurely on account of his ill health, Swami Trigunatitananda was sent to replace him. On January 2, 1903, Swami reached San Francisco and was greeted by a group of loyal friends and students of vedanta
. He was taken to the house of Mr. T.H. Logan, president of the San Francisco Vedanta society. A few weeks later he went to the home of Mr. and Mrs C.F. Peterson where he was to make his Head Quarters. Classes and lectures were held regularly for a large number of audience. Before long the flat became too small for the Society's operations, and they all moved to another flat at 40 Steiner Street.
In 1904 because of the work involved, Swami Trigunatita felt that a new building for Vedanta Society of San Francisco was needed. Funds were collected from different segments of the society. "The cornerstone of this temple," to quote a pamphlet the Swami printed, "was laid by the San Francisco Vedanta Society on 21st August, 1905, for the good of humanity." In January 1906, the building in Webster Street, which came to be known as the first Hindu Temple in the western world, was established and opened to the public. The Swami published a pamphlet explaining each tower and detail of the structure. "This temple," the pamphlet began, "may be considered as a combination of a Hindu temple, a Christian church, a Mohammedan mosque, a Hindu math or monastery, and an American residence." Then it goes on to explain the fascinating array of symbolism he built into the temple.
About this temple Swami Trigunatita had said, Believe me, believe me, if there is last tinge of selfishness in building this temple, it will fall, but if it is the Master's work, it will stand.
An article in the September 1906 Prabuddha Bharata marvels at the fact that this new building had survived unscathed the San Francisco earthquake which practically destroyed the city.
Soon after this an idea of constructing a monastery occurred to the Swami. About ten of the young men attending to the lectures and classes became the regular inmates. The inmates had to undergo a strict discipline, of rising early, meditating and doing all the household activities in the spirit of worship.Swami himself set examples of a Sannyasin life, by sleeping on bare floor, cooking pure food for all inhabitants of the Ashrama, besides punctually carrying out his daily work.
Swami also started a convent as a separate community on earnest request of some women disciples.
In 1909 the Swami also started a monthly magazine called the voice of freedom based on the ideals of Vedanta
. The magazine continued successfully for seven years after which it was stopped.
Every year the Swami would lead a selected group of students to Shanti Ashrama, in the San Antone valley in California, a spiritual retreat which was established by Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)
, his predecessor and a brother disciple. The inmates spent their time in meditation, prayer and other intense spiritual practices.
He passed away in January 10, 1905. A large number of people attended his funeral service.
In 1916, his relics were installed on the top of the highest hill, Siddha Giri, the "Hill of Realization" at Shanti Ashrama.
Swami Trigunatita was cheerful, loving and strong in carrying out his own ideas and was having an abundance of energy, which he used esp. in setting up the first Hindu temple of the West. The Swami was exceedingly active and this quality combined with his loving and cheerful nature, drew the admiration of some men and women who became his staunch disciples. He was fond of forceful maxims for motivating people. During his stint in the West, his life was an example to the others in terms of adhering to a spiritual and disciplined life sans any worldy enjoyments
Everyone he encountered knew and loved Swami Trigunatita, from the firemen in the station next door to the temple, to the mayor and officers in City Hall. Not just in San Francisco, but wherever he went he made friends. Once he went with a party of Vedantins to the Lake Tahoe area. They had a two-hour wait for the train in Truckee. It was a Sunday evening with a church nearby, so the swami said, ‘Let’s go to the sermon.’ They sat in the back. At the end of the sermon slides of famous cathedrals and churches were shown. Lo and behold, the last slide was the Hindu Temple of San Francisco. When the minister came down the aisle to shake hands with people he spotted the swami. They both were delighted to meet each other. They became friends then and there, and the minister used to visit the swami in San Francisco.
Mrs. Edith Allan wrote in a 1924 Vedanta Kesari article entitled ‘With the Swamis in America’ these words of praise about Swami Trigunatita as a guru: ‘His energy was untiring, nothing was too small to demand his attention. He was interested in all the little details and daily occurrences in the lives of his students. He was like a fond mother always looking out for the welfare of her children, training them in various ways as their nature required, now by strict discipline, now gently taking them by the hand and leading them into paths of peace and blessedness.’
Ramakrishna Math
Ramakrishna Math is a religious monastic order, considered part of the Hindu reform movements. It was set up by Swami Vivekananda to follow the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna...
and later at the behest of Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
, he went to America in 1902 and took charge of the San Francisco centre. One of his contributions was the construction of a new building in San Francisco which came to be known as the Hindu Temple. He was mortally injured by a bomb thrown at him by a mentally deranged former student and he succumbed to the injury in January 1915.
Early life
Swami Trigunatitananda was born as Sarada Prasanna Mitra, on January 30, 1865. He was born in an aristocratic family in the village of Naora in 24 Paraganas near Calcutta. For education Sarada was sent to Calcutta and got himself enrolled in Metropolitan Institution in Shyampukur, which was a school of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the well known social reformer, educationist and scholar of 19th century India. In this school the headmaster was Mahendranath GuptaMahendranath Gupta
Mahendranath Gupta , , was a disciple of Ramakrishna—a 19th century mystic and the author of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita,a Bengali classic...
, better known as M, the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna translated by Swami Nikhilananda is an English translation of the Bengali religious text Sri Sri Rāmakrishna Kathāmrita...
or Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita in Bengali. Sarada was a bright student but he did not do well in the Entrance (school leaving) examination as he was dejected over losing his gold wrist watch
"M" took young Sarada to Dakshineswar
Dakshineswar
Dakshineswar is a town in Barrackpore subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal.-History:In 1847, Rani Rashmoni of Bengal began the construction of the famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Rani, who was a rich and pious widow of colonial Bengal had a divine revelation ordering her to...
temple to meet Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa on 27 December 1884.
At a very young age Sarada showed religious disposition and this was reinforced with his coming in contact with Sri Ramakrishna, whom he visited very frequently after he joined the Metropolitan college.
When his parents decided to marry him off as per the prevailing Indian customs, he left his house for Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
in January 1886, but was brought back by his parents. He appeared for his First Arts examination and duely passed the examination He dedicated himself to the service of Sri Ramakrishna when the latter was terminally ill in Cossipore Garden House. After the Master passed away, Sarada began to stay with Narendranath Dutta (later Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
) and a group of dedicated direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, who renounced worldly life, in Baranagar Math.
Monastic Life
In January 1887 Sarada took the vows of complete renunciation or Sannyas along with his brother disciples, and came to be known as Trigunatitananda (One who has surpassed the three Gunas or attributes and have attained supreme bliss, an enlightened one. Triguna - the three Gunas or attributes of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas or the attributes of contemplation, activity and darkness or passivity resp.). Swami Trigunatita had a great hankering for pilgrimage and in 1891 he started for Vrindaban, Mathura, Jaipur, Ajmere, Kathiawar. At Porbandar he met Swami Vivekananda. After that he returned to Baranagar Math.In 1895 he set out for Kailas Manas Saravar. Despite risks inherent in such a trek he undertook the journey on foot and was saved from life threatening situations on several occasions
He came back to Calcutta and stayed in the house of a devotee and led a contemplative life for sometime. He underwent a surgery without the application of chloroform. He loved to study and was immersed in books during this period. After some time he went to stay in the newly formed Alambazar Math of the Ramakrishna order.
He was also greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
's ideal of service and philanthropic activities.
In 1897 when the district of Dinajpur in Bengal was in the grip of a terrible famine, the Swami went there and organized relief work. He laboured very hard in distributing food to the starving population.
For spreading the message of Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
among the masses Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
had planned for a magazine. For this purpose a press was bought and Swami Trigunatita was put in charge of publishing the magazine 'Udbodhan'. He worked very hard to get the Udbodhan published every month He also never missed any opportunity to serve persons who were ill. He himself took special care of a worker in Udbodhan press when the latter was down with cholera.
After Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)
Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)
Swami Yogananda was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the 19th century saint and mystic, although he took his formal initiation from Sarada Devi, the holy mother of Ramakrishna Order and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna. He was the first vice president of Ramakrishna Mission...
's death, Swami Tigunatitananda became a personal attendant to the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi for sometime. His own brother Ashutosh Mitra, later a monk of the Ramakrishna Order
Ramakrishna Order
The Ramakrishna Order is the monastic organization founded by Sri Ramakrishna and his disciple Swami Vivekananda. It encompasses the twin organizations Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, both headquartered at Belur Math near Kolkata, India....
, also served the holy mother diligently for a considerable period of time.
Work in America
In 1902 when Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)
You are Hari-das, the servant of Hari . Is it possible for you to exist without remembering the Lord? -- Sri Ramakrishna to HarinathHe is a Yogi according to the Gita -- Sri Ramakrishna...
returned from America prematurely on account of his ill health, Swami Trigunatitananda was sent to replace him. On January 2, 1903, Swami reached San Francisco and was greeted by a group of loyal friends and students of vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
. He was taken to the house of Mr. T.H. Logan, president of the San Francisco Vedanta society. A few weeks later he went to the home of Mr. and Mrs C.F. Peterson where he was to make his Head Quarters. Classes and lectures were held regularly for a large number of audience. Before long the flat became too small for the Society's operations, and they all moved to another flat at 40 Steiner Street.
In 1904 because of the work involved, Swami Trigunatita felt that a new building for Vedanta Society of San Francisco was needed. Funds were collected from different segments of the society. "The cornerstone of this temple," to quote a pamphlet the Swami printed, "was laid by the San Francisco Vedanta Society on 21st August, 1905, for the good of humanity." In January 1906, the building in Webster Street, which came to be known as the first Hindu Temple in the western world, was established and opened to the public. The Swami published a pamphlet explaining each tower and detail of the structure. "This temple," the pamphlet began, "may be considered as a combination of a Hindu temple, a Christian church, a Mohammedan mosque, a Hindu math or monastery, and an American residence." Then it goes on to explain the fascinating array of symbolism he built into the temple.
About this temple Swami Trigunatita had said, Believe me, believe me, if there is last tinge of selfishness in building this temple, it will fall, but if it is the Master's work, it will stand.
An article in the September 1906 Prabuddha Bharata marvels at the fact that this new building had survived unscathed the San Francisco earthquake which practically destroyed the city.
Soon after this an idea of constructing a monastery occurred to the Swami. About ten of the young men attending to the lectures and classes became the regular inmates. The inmates had to undergo a strict discipline, of rising early, meditating and doing all the household activities in the spirit of worship.Swami himself set examples of a Sannyasin life, by sleeping on bare floor, cooking pure food for all inhabitants of the Ashrama, besides punctually carrying out his daily work.
Swami also started a convent as a separate community on earnest request of some women disciples.
In 1909 the Swami also started a monthly magazine called the voice of freedom based on the ideals of Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
. The magazine continued successfully for seven years after which it was stopped.
Every year the Swami would lead a selected group of students to Shanti Ashrama, in the San Antone valley in California, a spiritual retreat which was established by Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)
Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)
You are Hari-das, the servant of Hari . Is it possible for you to exist without remembering the Lord? -- Sri Ramakrishna to HarinathHe is a Yogi according to the Gita -- Sri Ramakrishna...
, his predecessor and a brother disciple. The inmates spent their time in meditation, prayer and other intense spiritual practices.
Last Days
Swami Trigunatita suffered a lot from chronic rheumatism and Bright's desease but that did not deter him from carrying on with his work. In December 1914, three days after Christmas, Swami Trigunatita was holding a Sunday service when a live bomb was thrown to the pulpit by a deranged formal student. The student died and the Swami suffered serious injuries. On his way to the hospital he was only concerned about the student. A nurse who had attended on him made a comment: “I have never seen such a calm, uncomplaining, and enduring patient in my life.”He passed away in January 10, 1905. A large number of people attended his funeral service.
In 1916, his relics were installed on the top of the highest hill, Siddha Giri, the "Hill of Realization" at Shanti Ashrama.
Quotes
- Keep on praying to God with your whole heart; if the need arises for you to have a Guru, God will send somebody for you who will be just the man you want
- People talk of finding out the proper kind of guru. But that is not a reasonable position in all cases. Whoever the guru may be, everything will progress nicely if the disciple is earnest and sincere.
- People of all castes can be initiated by a good guru who has attained perfection. What caste can a true devotee or the perfect soul have? When the individual soul merges in God (like rivers in the sea), they can no more have any individuality. So how can there be then, the distinction of caste, as Brahmin, Shudra etc., belonging to the body and never to the soul?
Character
The Swami had a strong constitution and was a dare-devil. During his itinerant days, he had often been on the brink of disaster and was miraculously saved. It is said that he once underwent surgery for fistula without anesthetics. He never cared for his personal comforts but was eager to serve others. The famous relief work he organized at Dinajpur (now in Bangladesh) bears testimony to this.Swami Trigunatita was cheerful, loving and strong in carrying out his own ideas and was having an abundance of energy, which he used esp. in setting up the first Hindu temple of the West. The Swami was exceedingly active and this quality combined with his loving and cheerful nature, drew the admiration of some men and women who became his staunch disciples. He was fond of forceful maxims for motivating people. During his stint in the West, his life was an example to the others in terms of adhering to a spiritual and disciplined life sans any worldy enjoyments
Everyone he encountered knew and loved Swami Trigunatita, from the firemen in the station next door to the temple, to the mayor and officers in City Hall. Not just in San Francisco, but wherever he went he made friends. Once he went with a party of Vedantins to the Lake Tahoe area. They had a two-hour wait for the train in Truckee. It was a Sunday evening with a church nearby, so the swami said, ‘Let’s go to the sermon.’ They sat in the back. At the end of the sermon slides of famous cathedrals and churches were shown. Lo and behold, the last slide was the Hindu Temple of San Francisco. When the minister came down the aisle to shake hands with people he spotted the swami. They both were delighted to meet each other. They became friends then and there, and the minister used to visit the swami in San Francisco.
Mrs. Edith Allan wrote in a 1924 Vedanta Kesari article entitled ‘With the Swamis in America’ these words of praise about Swami Trigunatita as a guru: ‘His energy was untiring, nothing was too small to demand his attention. He was interested in all the little details and daily occurrences in the lives of his students. He was like a fond mother always looking out for the welfare of her children, training them in various ways as their nature required, now by strict discipline, now gently taking them by the hand and leading them into paths of peace and blessedness.’
Legacy
- Swami Trigunatitananda established the first Hindu Temple of the West in San Francisco.
- He started the monthly Bengali magazine and publishing house Udbodhan which was later shifted to a new house by Swami Saradananda (Sarat Maharaj)Swami Saradananda (Sarat Maharaj)Swami Saradananda, born as Sarat Chandra Chakravarty in 1865, was one of the direct monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and was the first Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, a post which he held till his death in 1927...
- He established the first nunnery in the West for Ramakrishna Order and Vedanta Society
- Responding to Swami Vivekananda's call for philanthropic activities he started relief operations in Dinajpur in 1897
- One of the earliest and long serving teachers of VedantaVedantaVedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
philosophy in the West, he moulded the lives and characters of many sincere disciples in the ideals of VedantaVedantaVedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
External links
- Swami Trigunatitananda visits Southern California
- Swami Trigunatitananda, RK Mission Fiji
- Chennai Math
- Buddhist Library
- God Lived with Them, by Swami Chetanananda, Udbodhan publishers
- Swami Trigunatitananda by Marie Louis Burke
See also
- Swami Advaitananda (Buro Gopal)Swami Advaitananda (Buro Gopal)Swami Advaitananda, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, the mystic saint from Bengal in late nineteenth century, was also known as Buro Gopal or the aged Gopal. He was senior to Sri Ramakrishna in age and took monastic vows at an advanced age...
- Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)You are Hari-das, the servant of Hari . Is it possible for you to exist without remembering the Lord? -- Sri Ramakrishna to HarinathHe is a Yogi according to the Gita -- Sri Ramakrishna...
- Swami RamakrishnanandaSwami RamakrishnanandaSwami Ramakrishnananda is one of 16 apostles or direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna* Pre-monastic name : Shashi Bhushan Chakravarty* Date of Birth : 13 July 1863* Place of Birth : Ichapur in Hooghly district, West Bengal...
- Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)Swami Yogananda was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the 19th century saint and mystic, although he took his formal initiation from Sarada Devi, the holy mother of Ramakrishna Order and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna. He was the first vice president of Ramakrishna Mission...
- Swami AdbhutanandaSwami AdbhutanandaSwami Adbhutananda , born Rakhturam, was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna, a mystic of nineteenth century Bengal. He is familiarly known as Latu Maharaj among the followers of Ramakrishna. Swami Adbhutananda was the first monastic disciple to come to Ramakrishna...
- Swami Brahmananda
- Swami Niranjananda (Niranjan Maharaj)
- Swami AbhedanandaSwami AbhedanandaSwami Abhedananda was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, who Swami Vivekananda sent to the West to head the Vedanta Society, New York in 1897, and spread the message of Vedanta, a theme on which he authored several books through his life, and subsequently founded the Ramakrishna Vedanta Math,...
- Swami Vijnanananda
- Swami SubodhanandaSwami SubodhanandaSwami Subodhananda , born as Subodh Chandra Ghosh, was a direct monastic disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the 19th century saint and mystic from India. Being youngest of all direct monastic disciples, he was affectionately known by his brother monks, whose leader was Swami Vivekananda, as "Khoka"...
- Swami NirmalanandaSwami NirmalanandaSwami Nirmalananda, born as Tulasi Charan Dutta in Calcutta, was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the 19th century mystic and saint from India, and Swami Vivekananda, the great philosopher monk from India who established the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission...
- Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda)Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda)Baburam Maharaj was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the 19th century saint and mystic from Bengal, India. He was born in Antpur in the Hoogly district of Bengal in the year 1861. Baburam, as he was called in his pre monastic days, was also related to Balaram Bose, a leading householder...
- Swami Akhandananda
- Swami Saradananda (Sarat Maharaj)Swami Saradananda (Sarat Maharaj)Swami Saradananda, born as Sarat Chandra Chakravarty in 1865, was one of the direct monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and was the first Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, a post which he held till his death in 1927...
- Swami Shivananda