Rev. Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj

Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj

11th President of order Sri Ramakrishna Math and Misson

Swami Gambhiranandaji was born on 11^th February 1899 at Sadhuhati in the Sylhet district of present Bangladesh. His pre-monastic name was Jatindranath  Dutta. His father’s name was Dinanath Dutta and mother was Tarasundari Devi. During his education life he was greatly influenced by his teacher Swami Jagadananda who was a direct disciple of the Holy Mother.  Under the influence of his teacher he read the Works of Swamiji.  After completing his education Jatindranath joined the Army as Accounts Officer but the Works of Swamiji had influenced him so much that he quit the job and decided to join the Ramakrishna order. In 1923 he came to Belur Math and met Swami Shivananda under his guidance he joined the Ramakrishna order at the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith , Deoghar, and became the Principal of that  school. He received his Brahmacharya vows in December 1923 and was named Brahmacjhari Soumyachaitanya. He took his spiritual initiation from Rev.Swami Shivanandaji Maharaj. At his Brahmacharya stage he assumed the charge of Secretary of the Vidyapith at Deoghar. He took the monastic vows from his spiritual guru Rev.Swami  Shivanandaji Maharaj  in 1928 and was named Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj.  He was also popularly known as Gambhir  Maharaj  because of his philosophical and indrawn  nature. After serving at the Udbodhan  (Bagbazar) he was sent to the Advaita  Ashrom at Benaras.  Between 1942 to 1944 he served as the editor of ‘Probuddha Bharata’ an English Journal at Mayavati . In 1947 he became the Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and a member of the Governing Bodyof the Ramakrishna Mission. He was the Assistant Secretary of the Belur Math till 1963. He was then made In-Charge of the Advaita Ashrom at Mayavati, In 1963 he was brought back to the Belur Math to serve as an Assistant Secretary again. In 1966 he was made the General Secretary and on 1^st April 1979 he became the Vice President. He became the 11^th President of the order on 9^th April 1985 after the passing away of Rev. Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj. Swami Gambhiranandaji  Maharaj passed away on 27^th December 1988 at almost 90 years of his age.

Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj had insightful knowledge of the scriptures and had translated the main Upanishads in Bengali. He had translated eight Upanishads in English with the commentaries of Sankaracharya. He had also translated the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the Bhagavad Gita. He had many books in his credit also. His actual credit lay in composing authentic biographies of the Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda in Bengali. The compilation of the biographies of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna  ‘Sri Ramakrishna Bhaktamalika’ was one of the first gift to the Ramakrishna Movement.

His utmost sincerity in every field of work with remaining unattached was his special character. He was open hearted and strict in his Principles. Decisiveness, punctuality and orderliness made his personality charming to everyone.