Ramakrishna Paramahansa was a humble and gifted individual, devoted to serving living beings and worshipping the goddess Kali. He played a pivotal role in revitalizing Hinduism, and his teachings deeply influenced the previously atheist Swami Vivekananda, who became his devoted disciple. In this article, we will explore the life, philosophy, and mission of Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
| Detail | Information |
| Born | 18 February, 1836 |
| Place of Birth | Kamarpukur village, Hoogly district, Bengal Presidency |
| Father | Khudiram Chattopadhyay |
| Mother | Chandramani Devi |
| Wife | Saradamoni Devi |
| Guru | Totapuri |
| Philosophy | Shakto, Advaita Vedanta, Universal Tolerance |
| Death | 16 August, 1886 |
| Place of Death | Cossipore, Calcutta |
| Memorial | Kamarpukur village, Hoogly District, West Bengal, Dakshineshwar Kali Temple Compound, Kolkata |
| Books | – The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Mahendranath Gupta |
| – Ramakrishna the Great Master by Swami Saradanananda | |
| – The Great Swan: Meeting with Ramakrishna by Lex Hixon | |
| – Life of Ramakrishna by Romain Rolland | |
| – Ramakrishna and his disciples by Christopher Isherwood |
Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa was born on February 18, 1836, in the small village of Kamarpukur, a few miles away from Kolkata, into a poor Brahmin family. His childhood name was Gadadhar, and he was beloved by the villagers. Known as one of the greatest saints of the nineteenth century, he was an ultimate mystic and a true yogi. A devout worshipper of Goddess Kali, Ramakrishna was believed to be a modern-day incarnation of Lord Vishnu, although he never claimed this himself. During a time when Bengal was experiencing an intense spiritual crisis and a severe decline in humanism, he emerged as a central figure in the revival of Hinduism. His teachings deeply influenced the atheist Swami Vivekananda, who later became his devoted disciple. In this article, we will explore more about Ramakrishna Paramahansa, his philosophy, and his mission.
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Below are the 10 interesting facts about Ramakrishna Paramahansa-
From an early age, Ramakrishna showed little interest in formal education or worldly affairs. Gifted in singing and painting, he preferred serving holy men and listening to their discourses. Frequently found in spiritual states, he first experienced ecstasy at six years old while watching white cranes against a backdrop of black clouds. This tendency for ecstatic experiences grew stronger over time. During a school play where he portrayed Shiva, he once lost all awareness of the outer world. Ramakrishna enjoyed studying Sanskrit and Mathematics and cherished the folk tales his mother told him. After his father’s death, his elder brother, Ram Kumar, became the priest at the Dakshineshwar Temple. Upon Ram Kumar’s retirement, Ramakrishna succeeded him in this role.
Ramakrishna was inspired by a wandering monk named Totapuri, who initiated him into Advaita Vedanta at the Dakshineshwar temple. Following this initiation, it is said that Ramakrishna remained in a state of meditation for approximately six months.
Dakshineshwar Temple was founded by the esteemed philanthropist Rani Rashmoni, the Queen of Janbazar in Calcutta. Ramakrishna served as the priest at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar. At the age of 23, he married 5-year-old Saradamoni Mukhopadhyay. Later, Saradamoni joined Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar.
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One of the remarkable aspects of Ramakrishna’s greatness is his belief in the inherent holiness of every man and woman. He never claimed to be superior, considering himself just an ordinary man who saw the goddess Kali as a common woman, both playful and kind.
Ramakrishna emphasized that one could achieve godliness not through salvation but through dedicated work. He often stated that kindness to humans is equivalent to kindness to God, as God resides within every person. Did you know he declared his wife to be the embodiment of the Divine Mother and performed the Shodashi Puja with her in the seat of Goddess Kali? This act was indeed revolutionary.
Some of the followers of Ramakrishna are playwright, poet, theatre director Girish Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda, Zamindar Rakhal Chandra Ghosh etc.
One of Ramakrishna’s remarkable qualities was his belief in the inherent holiness of every man and woman. He never claimed to be greater than anyone else, considering himself a common man who viewed the goddess Kali as an ordinary woman, both playful and kind. He emphasized that achieving godliness was not through salvation but through work. Ramakrishna often said that being kind to humans was equivalent to being kind to God because God resides in every person. Notably, he proclaimed his wife as the embodiment of the Divine Mother and performed the Shodashi Puja with her in the seat of Goddess Kali, showcasing his revolutionary views.
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Swami Vivekananda, a devoted disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, established the Ramakrishna Mission to disseminate his Guru’s teachings. The headquarters of this mission is located at the Ramakrishna Ashram in Belur. The primary objective of the mission is to assist individuals in achieving salvation. Essentially, it operates as a non-profit organization.
Ramakrishna taught that
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Let us inform you that he neither wrote any books nor delivered public lectures. Instead, he chose to communicate using simple language, drawing observations from nature and everyday objects. Did you know that these conversations were recorded by his disciple, Mahendranath Gupta, who published them as the book “Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita” in Bengali? In 1942, its English version, “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna,” was released.
In 1885, Ramakrishna developed throat cancer. He was then moved to a spacious suburban villa where his young disciples cared for him tirelessly. During this time, they established the foundation for what would become the Ramakrishna Math, a future monastic brotherhood. On August 16, 1886, Ramakrishna passed away, uttering the name of the Divine Mother and entering Eternity. Following his death, Saradamoni emerged as a prominent religious leader in her own right.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is famous for his deep spirituality, mystical experiences, and teachings that emphasized the unity of all religions. He inspired the Ramakrishna Movement and the Ramakrishna Mission.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886) was a renowned Indian mystic and saint, known for his devotion to the goddess Kali and his teachings on the harmony of religions.
The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, focuses on spiritual development, social service, education, healthcare, and disaster relief, promoting the principles taught by Ramakrishna.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is often referred to as Thakur by his devotees.