SWAMI NIRANJANANDA

Nityaniranjan Ghosh, who later became Swami Niranjananda, was born on 1862 (probable in August) at Rajarhat-Vishnupur; district 24- Paraganas, a few miles from Kolkata.

When Niranjan was in his teens, he as sent to his uncle’s house at Ahirtola, West Kolkata, for higher education. There he was attracted by the group of spiritualists headed by his uncle, Prearychand Mittra. This group used Niranjan as a medium.

In the early part of 1882, this group of spiritualists went to Dakshineshwar, and expressed a desire to use their power to mesmerize Sri Ramakrishna. After trying hard for an hour, they failed. Then Master got up and said privately to Niranjan, “Come here often.”

In his second meeting with Master, Master said, “My boy if you allow your mind to dwell on ghosts, you will become a ghost yourself. If you fix your mind on God, your life will be filled with God. Now which of these are you going to choose?” “Well, of course, the latter,” replied Niranjan. Sri Ramakrishna advised him to sever his connection with the spiritualists, and Niranjan agreed to this.

In September 1885 Sri Ramakrishna had to move to Shyampukur, Kolkata, for his cancer treatment. Niranjan left home and became the Master’s Gatekeeper, as he was strong and heroic by nature.

Maharaj, worked hard to spread the message of Sri Ramakrishna in Sri Lanka. In 1897 Maharaj went to Colombo to receive Swami Vivekananda and received him on 15 January 1898. Afterwards he travelled with Swamiji all across southern India as well as in various parts of North India.

In 1898 Swami Niranjananda went with Swamiji to Almora, then remained there in order to practise further spiritual disciplines. In Varanasi, Maharaj encouraged a group of young men to enter spiritual life and to practise the ideal of service. In 1899 this group observed Sri Ramakrishna’s guidance. Niranjananda inspired them to sacrifice their lives for the good of many and the welfare of all. This group later founded the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service.

Swami Niranjananda’s devotion to Holy Mother was indeed remarkable. Swami Vivekananda used to say, “Niranjan has a militant disposition, but he has great devotion for Mother so I can easily put up with all his vagaries.” It was partly as a result of Swami Niranjananda’s active preaching that many devotees came to recognize the spiritual greatness of Holy Mother.

Towards the end, he was stricken with cholera. Like a hero, he took shelter on the banks of the Ganges ( Hardwar) and surrendered himself to God. When his attendant offered to serve him, Niranjananda declined. When the attendant nevertheless insisted, he said, “Don’t you want me to die in peace?”

Sri Ramakrishna recognized Niranjan as one of his inner circle, an Ishwarkoti - a godlike soul who is perfect from his very birth and is never trapped by Maya. Once in a vision Sri Ramakrishna saw the luminous form of Niranjan playing with a bow and arrows. Later he remarked that Niranjan had been born as a partial incarnation of Ramachandra.

Swami Niranjananda, a heroic monk of Sri Ramakrishna, passed away in Samadhi on 9 May 1904.

Sayings of Swami Niranjanandaji

Niranjananda left no writings or any recorded reminiscences; but on 18 October 1946 Swami Achalananda described some of the important characteristics of Swami Niranjananda’s life:

“Swami Niranjananda believed that Sri Ramakrishna was the infinite God incarnated in human form; and he who took refuge in him would not have to worry in his life.”

“He believed one should sincerely serve the Master- thinking of him as living, conscious being, and our very own. This is supreme worship. The swami did not put too much stress on rituals and mantra.”

“He had tremendous faith in the doctrine of service as established by Swami Vivekananda and he encouraged people to serve human beings as manifestation of

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