Swami Amitabhananda ji ( who passed away on 11 Sep. 2013) - My Homage - Keep this if this comes for the second time
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Swami Sampurnananda
Sep 12, 2013, 10:35:24 AM9/12/13
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Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Swami Amitabhananda ji - My Homage
Swami Amitabhananda ji, a senior monk of Ramakrishna Math, passed away
today at 8.53 p.m. at the Ramakrishna Ashrama at Sasthamangalam. He
was 83 years old. He was suffering from Prostate Cancer and its
complications for the last few years and was bed ridden for about two
months.
As a teenager in the 1940s he was keenly interested in the momentous
happenings that was playing out before him in India and was caught in
the altruistic spirit that the country was then full of. He ran away
from his home near the present Kochi Airport to meet Sri Ramana
Maharishi. He had a great adventure though he could not meet the
Maharishi. However soon his quest yielded fruits when he discovered
that his Spiritual Home is Ramakrishna Math. He came into contact with
its Kalady Centre and served there for a few years.
He joined the Ramakrishna Order as a Brahmachari in its branch at
Madras in early 1850s. He had Mantra Diksha from Swami Shankarananda
and had his Sannyasa in 1963. He lived his life of Service in Madras
Math, Belur Math, Gol Park Institute of Culture, Kalady Ashrama and
finally in Trivandrum Ashrama. He was a guide to many batches of
students at Kalady and was warden of the hostel there for many years.
In Trivandrum he was for some years the monk-in-charge of the Nettayam
Ashrama and then served in its Sasthamangalam hospital in various
capacities. He was well known for his austere habits, versatile
knowledge and no-nonsense attitude. He has written several articles in
magazines and some poems too and has some translations to his credit.
Several years back he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He
fought it with an iron will and managed to live quality life,
maintaining his regular walks, reading and office tasks till a couple
of months back. Even on his death bed, in the midst of great pain, he
wanted religious books like Conversations with Ramana Maharishi,
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, etc. to be read out to him and devotional
songs to be sung in his hearing. He loved to talk. If you are on your
saintly best, you get the most benefit of the store of information
that he stocked in his mind. I was on a sort-of, journalistic
headline hunting expedition, so I had to constantly steer his
wandering deliberations to the point of my particular interest. But
there was always the possibility of striking gold when you talk with
him. You may not get the dime you seek but suddenly end up with gold.
It was from him I learnt a new detail about how Swami Ramakrishnananda
was able to afford to invite Holy Mother to South India. I had many
character traits he didn’t like but we stuck up a good friendship for
the last one and a half years mainly because I heard him out. But I
was only his second best hearing companion, the first place going to
another saintly brother who walked with him and heard his words of
wisdom and experience, day after day, year after year, almost quietly
with some ‘um’ and ‘yes’ in between. Swami Amitabhananda carried his
habit of communication to his death bed. He was most happy when he had
people, especially monks, around him to hear him and occasionally give
him a few drops of water or read books for him. He kept up a running
commentary of his death pangs along with comments about the subjects
read out and making correction if the reader made a mistake. Several
times he expressed the sentiment that suffering is the only truth in
life and that Buddha is so right about it. The monks who visited him
kept up the conversation and he cracked jokes now and then.
The visits of some monks who were his old acquaintances brightened his
mood. He blessed them all. Whatever little we did, it was great
consolation to him, a proud man confined to bed. He blessed the people
who gently poured drops of water into his mouth. He blessed the monk
who gave him a shave. His regular scolding too is remembered as a
blessing now. During the last few days he often quoted ‘prana prayana
Utsavam’ (the festival that is when Life Forces leave a body in which
they were housed; from Vivekachudamani if people heard him right).
On Sept. 11 evening, after the new bronze statue was inaugurated at
Kowdiar Park in Trivandrum, some of us told him about the successful
completion of the programme and showed him a book. He acknowledged
with a sign. After some time, he started having breathing trouble.
Oxygen was given. The pressure was stable for some time but then it
started decreasing and the breaths were getting fewer and far between.
He wanted the oxygen to be discontinued but we didn’t oblige. As he
was nearing death, Bhagavat Gita, Vedic Mantras, and Vishnu
Sahasranama were chanted. He asked Vishnu Sahasranama to be repeated
again and he continued to open his mouth to have spoonsful of Tulasi
scented water. It may be remembered that he was named Narayana by his
parents. His eyes were fixed on the wall where the photos of Sri
Ramakrishna, Mother, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Shankarananda,
Sankaracharya and Sri Krishna of Guruvayur were installed. The end
came at 8.53 p.m. He was fully alert and was wearing a peaceful
expression when he met Death.
Amitabha is a very beloved name of Buddha. Swami Amitabhananda did
justice to his name. He had taken his Sannyasa during the Centenary
year of Swami Vivekananda and left the world as the celebrations of
the 150th year was in progress.
It is owing to him that we now know more of the details about Swami
Vivekananda’s historic visit to Kanyakumari. It was he, who as a
monastic assistant at Belur Math office then, suggested to Swami
Vireswarananda to write to Ramaswami Shastri, (son of Sundararama
Iyer, in whose house, Vivekananda spent all his nine days in
Trivandrum), to ascertain the day Swami Vivekananda left Trivandrum.
As a consequence we have a clearer record of those events. It shows
how a conscientious person working behind the scenes can do a great
good and it shows too that a leader stands to gain if he gives due
attention to earnest inputs from his juniors.
It drizzled this evening, but still did not disturb the programme
much. Swami Amitabhananda's passing too came that way, tonight, at
Wednesday, a day special to Sri Ramakrishna, to whom his life was
dedicated.
Hari Om Ramakrishna
http://swami-myhomage.blogspot.in/2013/09/swami-amitabhananda-ji-my-homage.html
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Swami Amitabhananda ji - My Homage
Swami Amitabhananda ji, a senior monk of Ramakrishna Math, passed away
today at 8.53 p.m. at the Ramakrishna Ashrama at Sasthamangalam. He
was 83 years old. He was suffering from Prostate Cancer and its
complications for the last few years and was bed ridden for about two
months.
As a teenager in the 1940s he was keenly interested in the momentous
happenings that was playing out before him in India and was caught in
the altruistic spirit that the country was then full of. He ran away
from his home near the present Kochi Airport to meet Sri Ramana
Maharishi. He had a great adventure though he could not meet the
Maharishi. However soon his quest yielded fruits when he discovered
that his Spiritual Home is Ramakrishna Math. He came into contact with
its Kalady Centre and served there for a few years.
He joined the Ramakrishna Order as a Brahmachari in its branch at
Madras in early 1850s. He had Mantra Diksha from Swami Shankarananda
and had his Sannyasa in 1963. He lived his life of Service in Madras
Math, Belur Math, Gol Park Institute of Culture, Kalady Ashrama and
finally in Trivandrum Ashrama. He was a guide to many batches of
students at Kalady and was warden of the hostel there for many years.
In Trivandrum he was for some years the monk-in-charge of the Nettayam
Ashrama and then served in its Sasthamangalam hospital in various
capacities. He was well known for his austere habits, versatile
knowledge and no-nonsense attitude. He has written several articles in
magazines and some poems too and has some translations to his credit.
Several years back he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He
fought it with an iron will and managed to live quality life,
maintaining his regular walks, reading and office tasks till a couple
of months back. Even on his death bed, in the midst of great pain, he
wanted religious books like Conversations with Ramana Maharishi,
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, etc. to be read out to him and devotional
songs to be sung in his hearing. He loved to talk. If you are on your
saintly best, you get the most benefit of the store of information
that he stocked in his mind. I was on a sort-of, journalistic
headline hunting expedition, so I had to constantly steer his
wandering deliberations to the point of my particular interest. But
there was always the possibility of striking gold when you talk with
him. You may not get the dime you seek but suddenly end up with gold.
It was from him I learnt a new detail about how Swami Ramakrishnananda
was able to afford to invite Holy Mother to South India. I had many
character traits he didn’t like but we stuck up a good friendship for
the last one and a half years mainly because I heard him out. But I
was only his second best hearing companion, the first place going to
another saintly brother who walked with him and heard his words of
wisdom and experience, day after day, year after year, almost quietly
with some ‘um’ and ‘yes’ in between. Swami Amitabhananda carried his
habit of communication to his death bed. He was most happy when he had
people, especially monks, around him to hear him and occasionally give
him a few drops of water or read books for him. He kept up a running
commentary of his death pangs along with comments about the subjects
read out and making correction if the reader made a mistake. Several
times he expressed the sentiment that suffering is the only truth in
life and that Buddha is so right about it. The monks who visited him
kept up the conversation and he cracked jokes now and then.
The visits of some monks who were his old acquaintances brightened his
mood. He blessed them all. Whatever little we did, it was great
consolation to him, a proud man confined to bed. He blessed the people
who gently poured drops of water into his mouth. He blessed the monk
who gave him a shave. His regular scolding too is remembered as a
blessing now. During the last few days he often quoted ‘prana prayana
Utsavam’ (the festival that is when Life Forces leave a body in which
they were housed; from Vivekachudamani if people heard him right).
On Sept. 11 evening, after the new bronze statue was inaugurated at
Kowdiar Park in Trivandrum, some of us told him about the successful
completion of the programme and showed him a book. He acknowledged
with a sign. After some time, he started having breathing trouble.
Oxygen was given. The pressure was stable for some time but then it
started decreasing and the breaths were getting fewer and far between.
He wanted the oxygen to be discontinued but we didn’t oblige. As he
was nearing death, Bhagavat Gita, Vedic Mantras, and Vishnu
Sahasranama were chanted. He asked Vishnu Sahasranama to be repeated
again and he continued to open his mouth to have spoonsful of Tulasi
scented water. It may be remembered that he was named Narayana by his
parents. His eyes were fixed on the wall where the photos of Sri
Ramakrishna, Mother, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Shankarananda,
Sankaracharya and Sri Krishna of Guruvayur were installed. The end
came at 8.53 p.m. He was fully alert and was wearing a peaceful
expression when he met Death.
Amitabha is a very beloved name of Buddha. Swami Amitabhananda did
justice to his name. He had taken his Sannyasa during the Centenary
year of Swami Vivekananda and left the world as the celebrations of
the 150th year was in progress.
It is owing to him that we now know more of the details about Swami
Vivekananda’s historic visit to Kanyakumari. It was he, who as a
monastic assistant at Belur Math office then, suggested to Swami
Vireswarananda to write to Ramaswami Shastri, (son of Sundararama
Iyer, in whose house, Vivekananda spent all his nine days in
Trivandrum), to ascertain the day Swami Vivekananda left Trivandrum.
As a consequence we have a clearer record of those events. It shows
how a conscientious person working behind the scenes can do a great
good and it shows too that a leader stands to gain if he gives due
attention to earnest inputs from his juniors.
It drizzled this evening, but still did not disturb the programme
much. Swami Amitabhananda's passing too came that way, tonight, at
Wednesday, a day special to Sri Ramakrishna, to whom his life was
dedicated.
Hari Om Ramakrishna
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