Swami Virajananda (10 June 1873 – 30 May 1951), born Kalikrishna Bose, was an initiated disciple of Sarada Devi and the sixth president of the Ramakrishna Order. Born as the son of Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkalidevi, Virajananda was the first person to join the Ramakrishna Order after the direct disciples of Ramakrishna. In 1897, he was initiated into sannyasa by Vivekananda. From 1899 onward he served in Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati and became its president in 1906. He is recognised as a monastic disciple of Vivekananda.
Along with Swarupananda, Virajananda played a great role in popularising the monthly magazine of the order, Prabuddha Bharata. He was also responsible for successful completion of compilation and publishing of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. He then edited and published a biography of Vivekananda in 1906 under the title The Life of Swami Vivekananda by his Eastern and Western Disciples. He was appointed the president of the Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati in 1913. In 1934, he became the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order. In 1938, he became the 6th President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
He was the main source of inspiration behind the founding of two educational institutes of that mission, known as Vidyamandir and Sarada Pith.
Pre-monastic life
Kalikrishna, as he was called in his pre-monastic life, was born on 10 June 1873 to Trailokyanath Bose and Nishadkali Devi on the Hindu festival day of bathing festival (snan yatra) of Jagannath. M inspired him to visit Baranagar Math and meet the direct monastic disciples of Ramakrishna. After spending many days there in company of the monks, Kalikrishna renounced his worldly life and joined the Baranagar Math as an inmate.
His voice
A 4-minute historic recording from the archives of Vedanta Society of Southern California, of his voice in January 1950, reading from Swami Vivekananda can be heard here
Works
- The Life of the Swami Vivekananda, by His Eastern and Western Disciples, by Advaita Ashrama, (self-published) Himalayas, 1912
- Towards the Goal Supreme – Virajananda
- Strive to attain God – Virajananda
- The Story of an Epoch: Swami Virajananda and His Times – Shraddhananda
- Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (8 volumes),