Monastic Name: Swami Akhandananda

Pre-Monastic Name: Gangadhar Gangopadhyay

September 1864
Born on 30th September 1864 in western Kolkata to Srimanta Gangopadhyay- a priest and Sanskrit teacher who also practised yoga and Tantra. His mother Vamasundari was a devout woman who prayed to God for a son (after having 3 daughters), and thus Gangadhar was born.

1876 - 77
Met Sri Ramakrishna for the first time at Dinanath Basu's house in Kolkata along with his friend Harinath (later Swami Turiyananda)

At the age of 12
Met a monk, and left home with him without informing his parents. The monk later suggested that he return home as he was too young for monastic life, and his parents were overjoyed to have him back.

May 1883
Visited Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar and was initiated into a mantram by the Master.

January 1886
The Master distributed ochre cloth (monastic robes) and rosaries to 12 of his disciples. Gangadhar and Harinath got them from the Master on another day.

December 1886
Took the vows of renunciation guided by Swamiji, alongwith seven other brother disciples at Antpur on Christmas eve.

February 1887
Took the monastic robes given to him by the Master, and left the monastery without telling anyone. Only his noble father came to the station to see him off with the blessing "Go, my son. Fulfil your mission in life. This world is unreal. I bless you: May you attain unflinching devotion to God."

Travelling - from 1887 onwards
Travelled to Gaya, Varanasi Hardwar, Rishikes, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath and such other places. He depended wholeheartedly on Sri Ramakrishna, and boldly travelled on routes where others would fear to go. He served people however he could along the way.

Tibet
Visited Tibet three times - the last visit being in 1889. He learnt the language in 15 days, and spoke on behalf of the poor to the luxury loving lamas. For this he loved by the poor and kept captive, and tortured by the lamas. During his last visit, since he was familiar with the Tibetan people, their language, customs etc., the British Govt. offered him a consul's post which he refused.

June-July 1890
After being away for 3½ years, came back to Baranagore Monastery where his other brother disciples were extremely happy to have him back. In the first week of July, on Swami Vivekananda's advice, he took the final monastic vows before Sri Ramakrishna's picture and then became Swami Akhandananda (undivided bliss).

Mid-July 1890-1892
Swamiji wanted to practise austerities in the Himalayas, and so in mid-July took him as companion. Later, in June 1892 he reached Jamnagar after extensive travels through UP, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.

1893 - service of God in man
In Khetri, he started his mission - the service of God in man. He wrote a letter to Swamiji in America asking him for guidance for his mission. Swamiji replied -

"Go from door to door amongst the poor and lower classes of the town of Khetri and teach them religion. Also, let them have oral lessons on geography and such other subjects. No good will come of sitting idle and having princely dishes, and saying 'Ramakrishna, O Lord!' unless you can do some good to the poor …. It is preferable to live on grass for the sake of doing good to others. The ochre robe is not for enjoyment. It is the banner of heroic work…. The poor, the illiterate, the ignorant, the afflicted - let these be your God. Know that service to these alone is the highest religion."

The life of service
Akhandananda's activities are so vast and far-ranging that it is almost impossible to record all of them. He worked for the famine afflicted, for the poor, during earthquakes, etc., in all parts of the country. He also continued his preaching and distributed the Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna among the villagers.

1897 - 98 Sargachi - the permanent orphanage
Started a permanent orphanage and stayed there almost all the time till the end of his life.

1934
Became President of the order after the passing away of Swami Shivananda, but lived at Sargachi most of the time.

7 February 1937
Passed away at Belur Math at the age of 72

A few years before his passing away, he told a monk his life's philosophy: "The Master has still kept me alive for his work. Distribute your Self among others and bring other souls within yourself. You will see how much joy you will get from it. On the other hand if you are always busy about yourself, you will be entangled within yourself, you will kill your Self, and you will die. The more you disseminate yourself among the people, the more you will attain bliss and that will lead you to Self-realization."

Compiled from various sources

| Top | The life story | His teachings |