View source for Swami Virajananda

{{Short description|Indian Hindu disciple (1873–1951)}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Virajanand Dandeesha]] (b.1778)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{religion primary|article|Hinduism|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
| name               = Virajananda
| image              = Swami Virajananda.jpg
| caption            = Virajananda, a direct monastic disciple of [[Vivekananda]] and sixth President of the [[Ramakrishna Order]]
| religion           = [[Hinduism]]
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=yes|1873|06|10}}
| birth_place        = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| birth_name         = Kalikrishna Bose
| death_date         = {{death date and age|df=yes|1951|05|30|1873|06|10}}
[[Belur Math]], [[Belur, West Bengal|Belur]], [[West Bengal]], [[India|Republic of India]]
| guru               = [[Sarada devi]]
|predecessor =[[Swami Shuddhananda]]
|successor  =[[Shankarananda (Ramakrishna monk)|Swami Shankarananda]]
| philosophy         = [[Vedanta]]
| disciples          = [[Swami Gahanananda]]<br>[[Pravrajika Mokshaprana]]<br>[[Pravrajika Shraddhaprana]] and others.
}}

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.<ref name="Swami Virajananda on Shyamla Tal Ashrama website">{{cite web|last=Ashrama|first=Shyamla Tal|title=Swami Virajananda|url=http://www.shyamlatalashrama.org/about_us.html|access-date=1 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820024908/http://www.shyamlatalashrama.org/about_us.html|archive-date=20 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Born as the son of Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkalidevi, Virajananda was the first person to join the [[Ramakrishna Math|Ramakrishna Order]] after the direct disciples of [[Ramakrishna]]. In 1897, he was initiated into [[sannyasa]] by [[Vivekananda]]. From 1899 onward he served in [[Advaita Ashrama]], Mayavati and became its president in 1906. He is recognised as a monastic disciple of Vivekananda.

Along with [[Swarupananda]], Virajananda played a great role in popularising the monthly magazine of the order, ''[[Prabuddha Bharata]]''. He was also responsible for successful completion of compilation and publishing of ''The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda''. He then edited and published a biography of Vivekananda in 1906 under the title ''The Life of Swami Vivekananda by his Eastern and Western Disciples''. He was appointed the president of the [[Advaita Ashrama]] at [[Mayavati]] in 1913. In 1934, he became the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order. In 1938, he became the 6th President of the [[Ramakrishna Mission]].
He was the main source of inspiration behind the founding of two educational institutes of that mission, known as Vidyamandir and Sarada Pith.

==Pre-monastic life==
Kalikrishna, as he was called in his pre-monastic life, was born on 10 June 1873 to Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkali Devi on the Hindu festival day of bathing festival (snan yatra) of [[Jagannath]].<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|54}} He had his early education from Hembabu's training academy and passed his matriculation from Ripon School in 1890.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|56}} He was adept in extracurricular activities like handicrafts, fine arts, cooking and gardening from an early age.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|56}} He was inspired by his friend Khagendranath, later [[Vimalananda]], a disciple of Vivekananda, to lead a spiritual life.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|56}} He also had a group of young friends who later became renunciates and who also joined the Ramakrishna order. Among them were Sudhir Chandra Chakravarty ([[Swami Shuddhananda]]), Sushil Chandra Chakravarty ([[Swami Prakashananda (Sushil Maharaj)|Swami Prakashananda]]), Govinda Shukul (Swami Atmananda) and Haripada Chatterjee (Swami Bodhananda).<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|56}} Kalikrishna joined Ripon college and came in contact with [[Ram Chandra Datta]], one of the foremost householder disciples of Ramakrishna, and the founder of [[Kankurgachi Yogodyan]]. He was also intimate with [[Mahendranath Gupta]] or '''M''' and another prominent householder disciple of Ramakrishna, who was at that time a professor of English at Ripon college.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda">{{cite book|last=Abjajananda|first=Swami|title=Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda|year=2003|publisher=Advaita Ashrama|location=Mayavati|isbn=9788175052468}}</ref>{{rp|58}} '''M''' inspired him to visit [[Baranagar Math]] and meet the direct monastic disciples of Ramakrishna. After spending many days there in company of the monks, Kalikrishna renounced his worldly life and joined the Baranagar Math as an inmate.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|62}} He served all the prominent monastic disciples like [[Ramakrishnananda]], [[Niranjanananda|Niranjananda]] and [[Saradananda]]. He also went on a pilgrimage to Bodhgaya. He went to Jayrambati to attend the Jagaddhatri Puja conducted by Sarada Devi's family, along with Saradananda.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|63}} In 1892, the monastery of the Ramakrishna Order was shifted to Alambazar and was called [[Alambazar Math]]. There Kalikrishna got an opportunity to meet and serve [[Gopaler Ma]], a woman disciple of Ramakrishna. Under instruction from Sarada Devi he went back home and stayed with his family to recuperate from a broken health and there he followed an intense spiritual routine.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|68}} In 1895, he went to Benaras and Vrindavan for performing spiritual austerities and stayed with direct monastic disciples of Ramakrishna like Brahmananda, [[Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda)|Baburam Maharaj]], [[Advaitananda]] and [[Swami Yogananda|Yogananda]].<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|72}} He also stayed in the house of Hariprasanna Chatterjee, later [[Vijnanananda]] to recoup his health.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|72}} However all this time he was greatly inspired by Vivekananda and his exploits in the West and was awaiting his return. In 1897, he reached Calcutta and met Vivekananda. Within a few days of their first meeting, Vivekananda granted sannyas to Kalikrishna who was renamed as Virajananda (Vi-rajas, without stain).<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|75}}

==Monastic life and contributions==
Virajananda went to Deoghar for famine relief activities, but he was largely involved in serving Vivekananda. He went to dhaka together with Prakashananda. In Barisal he met [[Ashwini Kumar Dutta]], the great philosopher, nationalist leader, educationist and freedom fighter, and in Deobhog he met [[Durga Charan Nag]], popularly called Nag Mahasaya, the direct householder disciple of sri Ramakrishna.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|78}} After returning from East Bengal, Virajananda was entrusted to serve Vivekananda as a personal attendant. When Vivekananda went to the West for a second time, Virajananda was sent to Mayavati to work for [[Prabuddha Bharata]] or Awakened India, together with [[Swami Swarupananda]]. When Vivekananda visited Mayavati in December 1900 to January 1901, Virajananda made all arrangements for his travel and personal comfort.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|80}} In 1901 Virajananda went for a pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath. After returning from the pilgrimage, he started working on popularising Prabuddha Bharata in Northern and Western India. He also visited the [[Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama Kankhal]] and stayed with his brother disciple [[Swami Kalyanananda]].<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|86}} During his canvassing tour he received the news of his master's demise and returned to Mayavati. He immersed himself in spiritual pursuits like meditation and austerities and his health broke down.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|88}} At this stage he received instructions on spiritual practices from the [[Sarada Devi]] in [[Jayrambati]] and returned to [[Belur Math]]. He became a personal attendant to Brahmananda, the then President of the [[Ramakrishna Order]].
From 1906 to 1913 Virajananda was the president of the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati. Under his stewardship the ashrama got over the financial difficulties that it was in and the circulation of Prabuddha Bharata also increased. He also took up the task of compiling the ''Complete works of Swami Vivekananda'' in five volumes. He also worked on editing the ''Life of Swami Vivekananda, by his Eastern and Western disciples'', the first such comprehensive biography.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|90}} On this work he was congratulated by [[Akhandananda]], [[Saradananda]], [[Abhedananda]] and his brother disciple [[Shuddhananda]].<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|91}} He was also appointed as a trustee of [[Ramakrishna Math]] and a member of the governing body of [[Ramakrishna Mission]] in 1906.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|92}} In 1913 he set up a retreat in the Himalayan foothills and named the place as Shyamala Tal. He set up the Vivekananda Ashrama there. Here he continued his spiritual practices and also worked on the biography of Vivekananda. He also established the Ramakrishna Home of Service here. He also served as the secretary of the organising committee of the first convention of the monks of the Ramakrishna order in 1926 in Belur Math.<ref name="History of Ramakrishna Math and Mission"/> He helped the Ramakrishna Order to tide over a major crisis in 1929 and temporarily took charge of Ramakrishna Math at Baghbazar (Mother's House or [[Udbodhan House]]) and [[Sister Nivedita]] Girls' School. He served as a secretary of the Ramakrishna Order for a year in 1930 and was again appointed Secretary in 1934.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|95}} During his secretaryship he helped in organising the [[Sri Ramakrishna Birth Centenary Celebration]] and the Parliament of world Religions in Calcutta in 1937.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|95}}
He was elected as the vice-president of the Ramakrishna order in 1938 and was also elected as the President in December 1938 when his brother disciple [[Shuddhananda]] died in October 1938. He used to call himself the Chief Monastic Servant of the order. He dreamt of a Vivekananda University and was the inspiration behind the founding of the two educational institutions in Belur Math, Belur Vidyamandir and Sarada Pitha.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|99}} The foundation for the first college of Ramakrishna Mission was laid on 31 January 1940 under his guidance. Even after becoming president of the order, he would spend a few months every year in Shyamal Tal in the Himalayas. The last year of his life was spent at Belur Math.

==Last years==
After assuming the responsibility of the Presidency, he suffered from heart and liver problems, and various ailments of old age.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|105}} He died on 30 May 1951.

==Legacy==
[[Gambhirananda]], in his book ''History of Ramakrishna Math and Mission'' writes that Virajananda, besides having his spiritual training at the feet of Sarada Devi, had served Vivekananda personally and had long served in the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities. All these qualifications marked him out as an outstanding personality in the Ramakrishna Order. He proved to the most successful president who lived long enough to guide the organisation, all its members, as well as the lay devotees whom he initiated. During his tenure India marked famines, the [[Second World War]], political instability and the [[partition of India]], which also adversely affected the Ramakrishna Math and Mission.<ref name="History of Ramakrishna Math and Mission">{{cite book|last=Gambhirananda|title=History of Ramakrishna Math and Mission|year=1957|publisher=Advaita Ashrama|location=Mayavati}}</ref>{{rp|278}}

==His voice==
A 4-minute historic recording from the archives of Vedanta Society of Southern California, of his voice in January 1950, reading from Swami Vivekananda can be heard [http://www.vedanta.com/soundsamp/Sw_Virajananda.mp3 '''here''']

==Works==
* ''The Life of the Swami Vivekananda, by His Eastern and Western Disciples'', by [[Advaita Ashrama]], (self-published) Himalayas, 1912 {{OCLC|417441315}}
* Towards the Goal Supreme – Virajananda {{ISBN|0-87481-029-9}} 
* Strive to attain God – Virajananda {{ISBN|81-85301-99-9}} 
* The Story of an Epoch: Swami Virajananda and His Times – Shraddhananda {{OCLC|10057893}}
* Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (8 volumes), {{OCLC|369748}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

===Books===
* {{cite book |title=Svāmījira padaprānte, Svāmī Bibekānandera sannāsi-śishyagaṇera jībanacarita |author=Abjajananda |language=bn |location=Beluṛa Maṭha |publisher=Ramakrishña Miśana Saradāpīṭha |year=1964 |oclc=19980842}} 
* {{cite book |author=Abjajananda |language=bn |author2=Chhaya Ghosh (tr.) |location=Kolkata |publisher=Advaita Ashrama |title=Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda : Inspiring life stories of some principal disciples of Swami Vivekananda |year=2003 |orig-year=1964 |oclc=60454130}} {{religion primary|date=November 2013}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Swami Vivekananda}}
{{Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virajananda, Swami}}
[[Category:Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order]]
[[Category:1873 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian spiritual writers]]
[[Category:Monastic disciples of Swami Vivekananda]]
[[Category:Monks of the Ramakrishna Mission]]
[[Category:Activists from West Bengal]]