The Ramakrishna Math is an order of renouncers that was established by the nineteenth century Bengali mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his dynamic disciple Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda dedicated the community to social service. True to that mandate, the monks of the Ramakrishna order in Kankhal, just outside Hardwar, run one of the largest hospitals in the area. It was on the grounds of the hospital that a meeting of sadhus was held on 8 April 1998. This gathering (which was attended by some five hundred sadhus) was the concluding event in a year of celebrations to commemorate the founding of the Ramakrishna Math a century ago (in 1897). There was an impressive line-up of speakers, about ten of them, including a number of Mahamandaleshwars, but each one was only given from five to ten minutes. The meeting concluded with the a more substantial address by Swami Ranganathananda. Ranganathananda is an elderly Ramakrishna swami, quite well respected for his learning.
OFFERINGS ARE MADE TO AN IMAGE OF RAMAKRISHNA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING
Ranganathananda said that Vivekananda came along at a time when Indian culture was in danger of being lost altogether after a thousand years of foreign domination. Vivekananda reinvigorated Hindu culture and inspired a generation of young people to fight for Indian independence. Yet, Ranganathananda said, once independence was achieved, people forgot about Vivekananda's message. Ranganathananda emphasized that there is a urgent need for that message now, as there is a great deficiency of character in contemporary India.
RANGANATHANANDA WITH RAMAKRISHNA IN THE BACKGROUND
Vivekananda taught that one of the great problems in India in his time was that people had come to see God as residing in a temple, and they had forgotten that God can be found in every person, even though the Upanishads teach this. This had allowed for an increase in casteism, and these divisions made India an easy prey for foreign powers. Vivekananda had preached love for India, love for India's people, and a commitment to serving them. This was worship of God as far as Vivekananda was concerned.
Ranganathananda insisted that this teaching was necessary now, when corruption is spreading in society. In place of greed people need to embrace the self-sacrifice that Vivekananda advocated. Politicians particularly must work for the good of the people, recognizing God in them. And this is what sadhus should preach. Ranganathananda ended his speech by saying: "Let us spread the message of love for the people and service to the people. We have not done it in the past. Let us do it from now."
Source: My own observations of the Sadhus' Meeting at the Ramakrishna Mission in Kankhal, 8 April 1998.
Copyright J. E. Llewellyn 2001. Updated 4 September 2002.