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Pre-monastic name
:
Sarada Prasanna Mitra
Date of Birth : 30 January 1865
Place of Birth : Naora, a village in 24-Parganas, W.B.
Born in an aristocratic family, Sarada studied in the school of which
Mahendranath Gupta (popularly known as M.) was the headmaster. After
Sarada passed the school final examination, M. one day took him to Sri
Ramakrishna. Owing to his parents’ opposition Sarada could not visit
the Master frequently.
When the Baranagar Math was established, Sarada joined it and
underwent sannyasa ordination assuming the name, Swami
Trigunatitananda. He spent a few years visiting the holy places and
doing tapasya. He was endowed with strong physique and indomitable
courage. In 1896, at the behest of Swami Vivekananda, he bought a
press and started the monthly journal Udbodhan in a rented room. This
is the first journal of the Ramakrishna Order and is the oldest
surviving religious journal of its kind in India. After Swami
Yogananda’s passing away, he served the Holy Mother for three years
until he left for America.
At the behest of Swami Vivekananda he went to America in 1902 and took
charge of the San Francisco centre. His holy life, selfless love and
unmistakable marks of spirituality attracted a large number of
students and disciples. He was, however, a strict disciplinarian. One
of his main achievements in San Francisco was the construction of a
new building for the centre. Incorporating certain unique
architectural features, this building, known as ‘Hindu Temple’, still
stands as a monument to the eternal truths of Vedanta and the immortal
spirit of man.
One day when he was conducting a spiritual discourse, a former student
of his who had become mentally deranged, threw a crude bomb at him,
killing himself and seriously wounding Swami Trigunatitananda. The
Swami remained calm and enquired about the student. However, he
finally succumbed to the injuries on 10 January 1915.
For further reading
: Swami Trigunatitananda by Marie Louis Burke
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