Vimalananda (also called Khagen Maharaj) (1872–1908) was an Indian spiritual writer who was one of the monastic disciples of

Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda () (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figure in th ...

and an early monk of the

Ramakrishna Order The Ramakrishna Order ( Bengali: রামকৃষ্ণ সংঘ) is the monastic lineage that was founded by Ramakrishna Paramhansa, when he gave the ochre cloth of renunciation to twelve of his close disciples, in January 1886 at the Cossip ...

. He was involved in the publication of

Prabuddha Bharata ''Prabuddha Bharata Or Awakened India'' is an English-language monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, in publication since July 1896. It carries articles and translations by monks, scholars, and other writers on humanities and social science ...

. He was actively involved in running day-to-day operations of the

Advaita Ashrama Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Math, founded on 19 March 1899 at the behest of Vivekananda,Mayavati during the early days of the Ashrama. He also inaugurated the

Ramakrishna Math Ramakrishna Math is the administrative legal organization of the Ramakrishna Order, of Daśanāmi Sampradaya. It was set up by sanyasin disciples of Ramakrishna Paramhansa headed by Swami Vivekananda at Baranagar Math in Baranagar, a place ne ...

at Ulsoor in

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

in 1906. He died in 1908 at the Mayavati Ashrama.

Early life

Vimlananda was born Khagendranath Chatterjee in a Hindu

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

family in 1872. His father, Benimadhav Chatterjee, was an engineer. His cousin Haripada Chatterjee, later Bodhananda, was also a monastic disciple of Vivekananda. He was interested in philosophy and spirituality from an early age and by the time he joined Ripon College, he was the leader of a group actively pursuing a spiritual life. Also in the group was Kalikrishna, later

Virajananda Swami Virajananda (10 June 1873 – 30 May 1951), born Kalikrishna Bose, was an initiated disciple of Sarada Devi and the sixth president of the Ramakrishna Order. Born as the son of Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkalidevi, Virajananda was the ...

, another monastic disciple of Vivekananda and a president of the

Belur Math Belur Math () is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located in Belur, West Bengal, India on the west bank of Hooghly River. Bel ...

. In 1890, he passed his

matriculation Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used no ...

examination and won a scholarship. He continued with his First Arts studies at Ripon College.

Monastic beginnings

Khagen was initiated to Ramakrishna's ideals by reading a collection of his teachings by Sureshchandra Dutta and a biography of

Ramakrishna Ramakrishna (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886——— —), also called Ramakrishna Paramahansa (; ; ), born Ramakrishna Chattopadhay,M's original Bengali diary page 661, Saturday, 13 February 1886''More About Ramakrishna'' by Swami Prab ...

Ram Chandra Datta Ram Chandra Datta (30 October 1851 — 17 January 1899) was a householder disciple of Ramakrishna and a writer. Datta was a relative of Indian monk and social reformer Swami Vivekananda. After completing his graduation, he took job of a Governmen ...

. They visited Kankurgachhi Yogodyan on the occasion of celebrating Ramakrishna's birth festival by Ramchandra Dutta. In Ripon College he came in close contact with

Mahendranath Gupta Mahendranath Gupta () (14 July 1854 – 4 June 1932), (also popularly known as Shri M and Master Mahashay), was a disciple of Ramakrishna and a mystic himself. He was the author of '' Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita'' (5 vols.), a Bengali class ...

, (called "M"), the author of ''

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita ''Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita'' (, , ''The Nectar of Sri Ramakrishna's Words'') is a five-volume Bengali work by Mahendranath Gupta (1854–1932), which recounts conversations and activities of the 19th century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. ...

'', who was then a professor in the same college. M inspired them to visit the monastic disciples of Ramakrishna in

Baranagar Math Baranagar Math (Baranagar Monastery) or Ramakrishna Math, Baranagar was the first monastery of Ramakrishna Order. In September 1886, after the death of Ramakrishna, when his devotees stopped funding, Swami Vivekananda (then known as Narendranath ...

. In 1892, he went to Jayrambati and met

Sarada Devi Sri Sarada Devi ( Bengali: সারদা দেবী; ; 22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920), born Kshemankari / Thakurmani / Saradamani Mukhopadhyay, was the wife and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a nineteenth-century Hindu ...

. He was later initiated by her into spiritual life. He gave up his studies on account of poor health and spent more time in the monastery in the company of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.

Monastic life

In 1897, he met

when the latter returned from the West and became a disciple. In 1898, he was sent to Mayavati to manage the affairs of the Advaita Ashrama. Vimalananda joined

Swami Virajananda Swami Virajananda (10 June 1873 – 30 May 1951), born Kalikrishna Bose, was an initiated disciple of Sarada Devi and the sixth president of the Ramakrishna Order. Born as the son of Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkalidevi, Virajananda was the ...

as one of the workers of the Mayavati Ashrama. Swami Vivekananda was full of praise for Vimalananda's command of English language. He was involved in editing ''Prabuddha Bharata''. Vimalananda became engaged in work as well as spiritual practices. His health, which was generally sickly, improved in the hilly climate. Swami Vivekananda visited Mayavati in 1901 after the demise of Capt. Sevier. During this period a small shrine was set up by Vimalananda and others for worshiping

Sri Ramakrishna Ramakrishna (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886——— —), also called Ramakrishna Paramahansa (; ; ), born Ramakrishna Chattopadhay,M's original Bengali diary page 661, Saturday, 13 February 1886''More About Ramakrishna'' by Swami Prab ...

with rituals, flowers, incense and other offerings. Swami Vivekananda disapproved of ritualistic worship in

Advaita Ashrama Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Math, founded on 19 March 1899 at the behest of Vivekananda, Vimalananda wrote to the Holy Mother

Sri Sarada Devi Sri Sarada Devi (Bengali language, Bengali: সারদা দেবী; ; 22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920), born Kshemankari / Thakurmani / Saradamani Mukhopadhyay, was the wife and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a nineteent ...

seeking her opinion in this matter. However, she confirmed that Advaitism was the highest ideal of the Ramakrishna Order, that every member of the order was Advaitin and what Swami Vivekananda did or said in this matter was right. Vimalananda's doubts were thus put to rest. He came to

Allahabad Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...

together with his brother disciple Swami Swarupananda and gave some lectures on

Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; , ), also known as ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six orthodox (Āstika and nāstika, ''āstika'') traditions of Hindu philosophy and textual exegesis. The word ''Vedanta'' means 'conclusion of the Vedas', and encompa ...

. He came back to Mayavati as his health broke down. He went to

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

to stay with

Swami Ramakrishnananda Ramakrishnananda (13 July 1863 – 21 August 1911) was one of the direct disciples of Ramakrishna. Known for his "Gurubhakti" ervice to the Guru he served the Baranagore Math for 12 years without missing a single day. Biography Ramakrishn ...

for a few months. He went to Bangalore to help Swami Atmananda (Shukul Maharaj) helping him run the newly-established Bangalore Ashrama. In 1906 Swami Swarupananda died. Vimalananda therefore returned to Belur Math and turned down offers to visit Vedanta Societies of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

and

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

. In the later part of 1906 he returned to Mayavati with Mrs. Sevier. Returning there, he started editing the ''Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda''.

Illness and death

In February 1908 Vimalananda was found to have

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

which was then incurable. After a brief illness he died on 24 July 1908. Eulogizing him after his death,

Swami Saradananda Saradananda (23 December 1865 – 19 August 1927), also known as Swami Saradananda, was born as Sarat Chandra Chakravarty in 1865, and was one of the direct monastic disciples of Ramakrishna. He was the first Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math ...

, the then secretary of

wrote in

Udbodhan ''Udbodhan'' is the only Bengali language, Bengali publication of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, started by Vivekananda in January 1899, with Trigunatitananda as its founding editor Over the years, it also grew into a publishing ...

Oh Man! Will you be able to comprehend this offering by a faithful and devoted disciple of his heart's blood to the lotus feet of his chosen Ideal, this offering of spontaneous love completely devoid of selfish motive or hope of reward, his silent and unassuming worship from his heart away from the public gaze? Swami Vimalananda, a tribute, by Swami Saradananda, Udbodhan Patrika (Bengali), 1908

Notes

References

* {{Swami Vivekananda 1872 births 1908 deaths Indian spiritual writers Monastic disciples of Swami Vivekananda Monks of the Ramakrishna Mission