Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

AVATÄRAof Vi•æu. His story is told at

great length in the RÄMAYAŒA. He is

one of the most popular deities of India,

considered the ideal ruler. Repeating his

name, even wearing cloth on which his

name has been printed, is a favourite

religious exercise. In the countryside

people use ‘Räm, Räm’ as a greeting.

Räma Tïrtha, Swämi

(1873–1906)

A professor of mathematics at Forman

College, Lahore, he became a SAMNYÄSI

in 1901 and went as a preacher of

Vedänta to Japan and the United States

(1902–04), where he gathered a large

following. His Collected Works,con-

sisting mainly of his lectures, have been

published in 12 volumes by the Rama

Tirtha Publishing League in Lucknow.

Ramakrishna ‘Paramahamsa’

(1834–86)

Possibly the best-known modern Ben-

gali Hindu saint, who became known

worldwide through the Ramakrishna

Mission. He spent most of his life as

temple priest in Dak•iæeÿvara, a new

Kälï–Durgä temple outside Calcutta,

where he experienced frequent trances

in front of the image of the Goddess

(DEVÏ). A circle of devotees gathered

around him and one of them began not-

ing down his utterances and conversa-

tions held over the years. The work

became known in its English translation

as The Gospel of Ramakrishnaby M.

One of his disciples, Swami VIVEKÄ-

NANDA, began to form a religious order,

the Ramakrishna Mission, after his

death, which engaged in education, dis-

aster relief, publication of religious

books and preaching.

Ramana Mahar•i (1879–1950)

A widely recognized modern Hindu

mystic, visited by seekers from both

East and West. He experienced death as

a boy of fourteen while fully conscious,

and experientially understood the dif-

ference between the conscious, undying

self and the body, the ‘not-self’. Shortly

after he left home and went to

Tiruvanammalai to become a SAMNYÄSI.

In spite of his vow of silence, people

came to him, asking for his advice. He

set up an ashram, and a group of per-

manent followers began to form. Soon

he became a celebrity and was visited by

many important personalities. His teach-

ing remained the same: seek the true self.

After his death his followers continued

to operate his ashram and to publish

journals and books reflecting his

teachings.

Rämänanda (1400–70)

Founder of the Ÿrï saƒpradäya(sect), in

which Rämä and Ÿita are prominently

worshipped. Rämänanda accepted peo-

ple from all CASTESas well as WOMEN

into his order. His twelve principal disci-

ples formed twelve subsects, called

dvaras. The headquarters of the Ÿrï

Räma Tïrtha, Swämi 148

Shrine at the birthplace

of Ramakrishna.

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