“Smaranananda Ji was a pioneer of spiritual consciousness in India.”

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the grand festivities of the Lok Sabha elections, my heart paused for a moment when I heard the news of the death of Shrimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj. Shrimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj was a pioneer of spiritual consciousness in India and his death is like a personal loss. A few years ago, many people passed away due to the passing away of Swami His Atmastananandaji and now Swami His Smaranandaji has embarked on an eternal journey. My heart is deeply saddened, as are the hearts of millions of devotees, saints and followers of Ramakrishna’s Mathematics and Mission.

During a visit to Kolkata earlier this month, I went to the hospital to inquire about Swami Smaranananda Ji’s health. Like Swami Atmastanandaji, Swami Maranandaji also dedicated his life to spreading the ideas of Acharya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Mata Sharada Devi and Swami Vivekananda throughout the world. As I was writing this article, memories of meetings and conversations with him came flooding back to my mind.

In January 2020, while staying in Belur Math, I meditated in Swami Vivekananda’s room. During that visit, I had a long conversation with Swami Smaranananda Ji about Swami Atmastanananda Ji.

It is widely known that I was closely associated with Ramakrishna Mission and Belur Math. As a spirituality seeker, I have met various saints and mahatmas and visited many places for over 50 years. Even within Ramakrishna Mathematics, one can learn about saints who dedicated their lives to spirituality, including notable figures like Swami Atmastanananda Ji and Swami Smaranananda Ji. Their sacred thoughts and knowledge gave satisfaction to my heart. At the most important times in my life, such saints taught me the true principle of ‘Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva’.

The lives of Swami Atmastanananda Ji and Swami Smarananda Ji are unforgettable examples of the motto of the Ramakrishna Mission: ‘Atmano Mokshartam Jagadditaya Cha’.

We are all inspired by the work that Ramakrishna Mission is doing to promote education and rural development. Ramakrishna Mission is dedicated to spiritual enlightenment, educational empowerment and humanitarian service in India. When the disastrous floods struck Bengal in 1978, the Ramakrishna Mission won the hearts of the people with its selfless service. I remember when the earthquake hit Kutch in 2001, Swami Atmastanandaji was the first to call me and offered all assistance in disaster management on behalf of His Mission of Ramakrishna. . Under his direction, Ramakrishna Mission helped many people affected by the earthquake.

Over the past few years, Swami Atmastanananda Ji and Swami Smaranananda Ji have focused on social empowerment while serving in various capacities. Those who know the lives of these great men will undoubtedly remember how serious these saints were about modern education, skills, and the advancement of women.

Among his many inspiring qualities, what impressed me most was Swami Atmastanada Ji’s love and respect for all cultures and all traditions. The reason was that he traveled a lot and spent a long time in different parts of India. While he lived in Gujarat, he learned to speak Gujarati. He even spoke to me in Gujarati and I loved hearing his Gujarati.

At various points in India’s development journey, our motherland has been blessed by many saints and seers like Swami Atmastanananda Ji and Swami Smaranananda Ji who sparked social change. . They motivated us to work in a spirit of unity and tackle all the challenges facing society. These principles are eternal and serve as our source of strength as we embark on the development of ‘Vikshit Bharat’ during ‘Amrit Kaal’.

Once again, on behalf of the entire nation, I salute such a holy soul. I am confident that all those involved in the Ramakrishna Mission will continue to move forward on the path they have set out.

Om shanti.