Swarupananda
| Swarupananda | |
|---|---|
Swarupananda, direct monastic disciple of Vivekananda
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| Native name | Ajay Hari Bannerjee |
| Born |
Ajay Hari Bannerjee 8 July 1871 Bengal, India |
| Died | 27 June 1906 (aged 34) Nainital |
| Cause of death | Illness |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Ajay Hari |
| Citizenship | India |
| Occupation | Monk, editor of Prabuddha Bharata |
| Known for | Vedanta |
| Home town | Calcutta |
Swarupananda (8 July 1871 – 27 June 1906) was a direct monastic disciple of Vivekananda and the first president of the Advaita Ashrama, set up by Vivekananda in 1899 at Mayavati, near Champawat. The ashram was a branch of the religious monastic order, Ramakrishna Math, also set up by Vivekananda on the teachings of his guru Ramakrishna.
Swarupananda remained as editor of Prabuddha Bharata, an English-language monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, when it shifted base from Chennai in 1898 and remained so till 1906.
Vivekananda exclaimed to Sara Bull and other friends about the young disciple whom he had initiated into the monastic order, "we have made an acquisition today."
Swarupananda's pre monastic name was Ajay Hari Bannerjee. He was born on 8 July 1871 at Bhawanipur in Calcutta, in a well to do Brahmin family. Early experiences with sorrows and tribulations in life and human misery inspired him to develop a spiritual outlook. He developed friendship with Satishchandra Mukherjee, who was in his later years a patriot and a scholar and together started a school for imparting knowledge of Indian scriptures and Sanskrit education. The aim of the school was spread noble ideas among student community. They also started a monthly magazine, named as Dawn and Ajay became its first editor. In 1897 Ajay inspired his friend Satishchandra to start the Dawn Society. The journal Dawn had made a lot of contribution to national education and to the freedom movement. Till Ajay Hari embraced monastic life, he and Satishchandra acted as joint editors.
Ajay first met Vivekananda after the latter's return to India, in April–May 1897, in Nilambar Mukherjee's Garden House in Belur. He met the Swami several times, before the latter initiated him into the monastic order. According to Swami Swarupananda's diary, he was initiated into the vow of renunciation on 29 March 1898, Tuesday.
Swarupananda was married early in his youth but continued to live as a Brahmachari or celibate at his parents' home in Calcutta. After three or four visits to the Belur Math, he decided to leave home and become a full-time disciple of Vivekananda, and within a few days of his stay at the Math, he was initiated into the monastic order, (sanyas), by Vivekananda on 29 March 1898.
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