accompanied his mother to the nearby Shiva temple. The SWAMI RANGANATHANANDA kid loved to pick flowers and collect bilva leaves for his mother’s worship. He once said that, as a young boy, he One of the unique features of the Ramakrishna Math had a vivid dream that a bright light came out of the and the Ramakrishna Mission is that they trace their Shiva temple near his house and engulfed him. Growing origin to the Avatar of the present age–Sri Ramakrishna. up as he did on the bank of a river, he was a good The Avatar comes to revitalize religion and show a new swimmer. (Later, when at Belur Math, he used to spend a path suited to the times. His power and message are lot of time in the Ganga. Mahapurush Maharaj, Swami preserved by an unbroken Guruparampara (succession Shivanandaji, noticed this once and said: “Tell the of teachers). This is the holy tradition that sustains the fellow, this is not Kerala; he will catch cold if he stays succession of Presidents of Ramakrishna Math and too long in the water.)” Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Ranganathanandaji Water sports seemed to fascinate him throughout his th Maharaj was the 13 link in the unbroken chain of life. Once, during his Karachi days, while going by boat Presidents of the twin institutions. with several companions, he jumped into the Sindhu Shankaran, who was later to become the 13th river and disappeared! His companions heaved a sigh of President of the Ramakrishna Sangha, saw the light of relief only when, after some time, he surfaced and swam day on 15 December 1908, in Trikkur, a quiet village back to the boat. He repeated this feat a few years later in near Trichur (or Thrissur) in Kerala, on the bank of the USA at Lake Tahoe, a deep lake with temperatures near river Manalipuzha. (The day also happened to be Holy freezing point. Mother Sarada Devi’s birthday that year.) His parents, Shankar completed his High School education in the Neelakantha Shastri and Lakshmi Kutty Amma, who neighbouring village of Ollur. About these early days were quite well off with their substantial agricultural Maharaj said that though he was born and brought up in income, fondly called Shankaran, their second son, a village environment, he somehow succeeded in Kochappan. Neelakantha Shastri was a pious Brahmin. cultivating a broad outlook in life. He broke rules of Mother Lakshmi Kutty Amma also was very pious and a untouchability and caste superiority and did not hesitate woman of strong character who exerted much influence to eat fruit from the hands of a pariah tenant couple. on Shankaran (Shankar). During his boyhood Shankar Later when Shankar left home, this couple wept. 1 2 He makes this interesting comment about himself: came at the age of fifteen when he was in class 8. A “Though born and brought up in Kerala, my feeling of friend brought a book in English from the Thrissur town identification was never confined to that one state but library and asked him: “Would you like to read this became national and international. Whichever state I book?” “Oh yes!” The book happened to be The Gospel visited for a lecture programme, I felt I belonged to that of Sri Ramakrishna. He could put down the book only state. The same feeling I had in the international sphere after reading almost the first 100 pages. To quote him: also. For nearly fifteen years, I have gone every year to “The appeal of Sri Ramakrishna to my heart was simply countries like Holland, Germany, USA, Australia and instantaneous and tremendous.” He said that the reading Singapore. And the people there also treated me as of the book produced a deepening and broadening of his belonging to them....The one parting sentence after a view of life. Next came to his hands three or four programme in any town or city was—Please come again! volumes of Swamiji’s Complete Works; Sister Nivedita’s That is a blessing coming to a representative of Amar The Master as I Saw Him; and so on. It was around this Bhârat, Eternal India.” time that he also memorised Swami Abhedanandaji’s Once, when he was ten years old, his mother fell ill immortal hymn to Holy Mother beginning with Prakritim paramâm abhayâm aradâm and medicine had to be procured from an Ayurvedic v . The seeds for his doctor living a mile away on the other bank of the river. guiding philosophy of life “Godward passion transmuted ” It was raining heavily. The family cook agreed to go by into manward love (an expression that he himself boat if one of the older boys in the family went with him. coined) seem to have been sown around this time. Shankar volunteered, for two reasons as he clarified: love (After the first reading of the Gospel, Shankar for his mother and love of adventure. He said that it was developed a great love and respect for ‘M’, Mahendra play and fun for him to row the boat. This love of Nath Gupta, the chronicler of the Gospel. When he came adventure and dislike for an easy life, or as the German for brahmacharya diksha to Belur Math in 1929, he met philosopher Nietzsche expressed in his dictum, ‘live M and paid his loving respects to him. He also visited dangerously,’ had been his trait from boyhood. M’s residence once in the company of other sadhus. Since the village school had classes only up to class 3, They spent about three hours with M who, Maharaj remembered, spoke only about Sri Ramakrishna.) Shankar had to study in class 3 itself for three years! It was then gradually upgraded. A turning point in his life 3 4 When Shankar was 12 or 13 years old, once in his join the Order he consented but queried whether the boy mother’s presence, he used some foul words against a had the fare for the journey from Thrissur to Mysore (via person. His mother immediately reprimanded him, Ooty). As stated earlier, Shankar had just three rupees lovingly saying: “My boy, your tongue is the abode of with him. He also had his gold ear-rings (It was Vâni or Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge and customary even for boys to wear these in Kerala of those wisdom. Don’t soil it by using foul language against days.) He offered to sell this pair, but that day was a others.” The advice, he said, went straight to his head Sunday, and the shops were closed. But one person gave and heart. Little wonder then that the Goddess him two rupees and Swami Siddheshwaranandaji gave manifested so tangibly through his blessed tongue for him two more. In all he was left with Rs.7. Since even over eight decades. this sum was not enough for the journey, he was greatly It did not take long for the urge to renounce all for the disturbed. sake of Sri Ramakrishna to dawn in the heart of Shankar. To continue with his narration: “I was very young He said about this later: “That was in 1924. I was only then, only seventeen and a half years old. I went to Sri fifteen and a half years old then, and was waiting for an Ramakrishna shrine in Thrissur Vivekodayam High opportunity to join the Ramakrishna Order. In 1926, after School to pray for Thakur’s grace. I often used to bring finishing my school final examination, I joined a flowers from my house for worship in that shrine. With typewriting Institute in Thrissur to learn shorthand and tears in my eyes, I prayed to Thakur to arrange for my typewriting. Some fee had to be paid. I took Rs.3 from renunciation and departure to Mysore with Swami home and came to Thrissur. From there I wrote to Siddheshwaranandaji. Even now after 70 years (Maharaj Ramakrishna Math, Madras, that I wanted to join the was talking about this in Belur Math in 1995 when he Ramakrishna Order. A brahmachari replied that since was a Vice President of the Sangha) the memory of the there was no room in the Madras Math then, I should join event in that shrine stirs me.” the newly started Ashrama at Mysore.” Undoubtedly the boy’s tears moved Thakur. At 8.30 Shankar accordingly wrote to Gopal Maharaj (Swami pm that day Swami Siddheshwaranandaji and Shankar Siddheshwaranandaji), head of the Mysore Ashrama. got into the train and reached Ooty the next morning. Fortunately, this Swami himself came to Thrissur on Another milestone was reached at Ooty. Mahapurush personal work. When Shankar told him of his intention to Maharaj, Swami Shivanandaji, was then staying there in 5 6 a rented house. The present Ooty Math was being built. offered them back to him, made pranams to him, and Shankar would have his breakfast in Mahapurush came out of the room.” Maharaj’s room, but had to buy his own lunch and dinner A couple of days later when the newly initiated outside. This continued for a week. disciple went to make pranams to his Guru before On 30 June 1926, he got his mantra diksha from leaving for Mysore, the only instruction that Mahapurush Mahapurush Maharaj. This is what he said about his Maharaj gave him was, “Serve Gopal”, meaning Swami initiation: “I entered the room in which Mahapurush Siddheshwaranandaji. At his Guru’s behest, Shankar Maharaj was sitting for the ceremony. To his left was my served the Swami at Mysore (and later at Bangalore) for seat.