32 Facts About Swami Virajananda

Swami Virajananda, born Kalikrishna Bose, was an initiated disciple of Sarada Devi and the sixth president of the Ramakrishna Order.

Swami Virajananda is recognised as a monastic disciple of Vivekananda.

Swami Virajananda was responsible for successful completion of compilation and publishing of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Virajananda then edited and published a biography of Vivekananda in 1906 under the title The Life of Swami Vivekananda by his Eastern and Western Disciples.

Swami Virajananda was appointed the president of the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati in 1913.

Swami Virajananda was the main source of inspiration behind the founding of two educational institutes of that mission, known as Vidyamandir and Sarada Pith.

Swami Virajananda had his early education from Hembabu's training academy and passed his matriculation from Ripon School in 1890.

Swami Virajananda was adept in extracurricular activities like handicrafts, fine arts, cooking and gardening from an early age.

Swami Virajananda was inspired by his friend Khagendranath, later Vimalananda, a disciple of Vivekananda, to lead a spiritual life.

Swami Virajananda had a group of young friends who later became renunciates and who joined the Ramakrishna order.

Swami Virajananda was intimate with Mahendranath Gupta or M and another prominent householder disciple of Ramakrishna, who was at that time a professor of English at Ripon college.

Swami Virajananda served all the prominent monastic disciples like Ramakrishnananda, Niranjananda and Saradananda.

Swami Virajananda went to Jayrambati to attend the Jagaddhatri Puja conducted by Sarada Devi's family, along with Saradananda.

Swami Virajananda stayed in the house of Hariprasanna Chatterjee, later Vijnanananda to recoup his health.

Swami Virajananda went to Deoghar for famine relief activities, but he was largely involved in serving Vivekananda.

When Vivekananda visited Mayavati in December 1900 to January 1901, Swami Virajananda made all arrangements for his travel and personal comfort.

In 1901 Swami Virajananda went for a pilgrimage to Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Swami Virajananda visited the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama Kankhal and stayed with his brother disciple Swami Kalyanananda.

Swami Virajananda immersed himself in spiritual pursuits like meditation and austerities and his health broke down.

Swami Virajananda became a personal attendant to Brahmananda, the then President of the Ramakrishna Order.

From 1906 to 1913 Swami Virajananda was the president of the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati.

Swami Virajananda took up the task of compiling the Complete works of Swami Vivekananda in five volumes.

Swami Virajananda worked on editing the Life of Swami Vivekananda, by his Eastern and Western disciples, the first such comprehensive biography.

Swami Virajananda was appointed as a trustee of Ramakrishna Math and a member of the governing body of Ramakrishna Mission in 1906.

Swami Virajananda served as the secretary of the organising committee of the first convention of the monks of the Ramakrishna order in 1926 in Belur Math.

Swami Virajananda helped the Ramakrishna Order to tide over a major crisis in 1929 and temporarily took charge of Ramakrishna Math at Baghbazar and Sister Nivedita Girls' School.

Swami Virajananda served as a secretary of the Ramakrishna Order for a year in 1930 and was again appointed Secretary in 1934.

Swami Virajananda was elected as the vice-president of the Ramakrishna order in 1938 and was elected as the President in December 1938 when his brother disciple Shuddhananda died in October 1938.

Swami Virajananda used to call himself the Chief Monastic Servant of the order.

Swami Virajananda dreamt of a Vivekananda University and was the inspiration behind the founding of the two educational institutions in Belur Math, Belur Vidyamandir and Sarada Pitha.

Gambhirananda, in his book History of Ramakrishna Math and Mission writes that Swami Virajananda, besides having his spiritual training at the feet of Sarada Devi, had served Vivekananda personally and had long served in the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities.

Swami Virajananda proved to the most successful president who lived long enough to guide the organisation, all its members, as well as the lay devotees whom he initiated.