Revered Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, once said: 'Getting Swamiji so near us, we also tried to hold him back, thinking that he was "our Swamiji". We forgot that he was someone who belonged to a much higher sphere of existence. That is why we suffered great anguish at his demise. However, we are blessed that he chose to remain with us for at least some time as one of us.' If this be the conviction of a knower of Brahman like Swami Turiyananda, then one can imagine how difficult it must be for ordinary persons to fathom even slightly the extraordinary genius of Swami Vivekananda. The brother-disciples and other associates of Swamiji did not consider him to be different from Sri Ramakrishna.
They used to become overwhelmed at the very mention of his name. If such were the feelings of those who come to earth m every age with an Incarnation to take part in his divine play, one can imagine how difficult it is for ordinary mortals to get some insight into Swamiji's extraordinary character. We come in contact with the sun only through its rays which reach us from such a great distance. In the same way, in order to understand Swamiji—who was a part and parcel of Sri Ramakrishna—a study of the lives of those who took shelter under him will also prove to be very useful, as they can be considered to be the rays of the sun that was Vivekananda. The Ramakrishna Order has certainly become more effulgent due to the lustre spread by the lives of Swamiji's monastic disciples. Their lives exemplified matchless devotion to the guru, and were also perfect expressions of Swamiji's twin ideals of renunciation and service. The life of each one of Swamiji's disciple personified, as it were, a facet of the ideal their Master stood for, and can be said to be a living commentary on Swamiji's teachings.
A study of Swamiji's life and personality will thus be incomplete without looking into the lives of these noble souls. Both short as also detailed biographies of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna have been published, but till now those of many of Swamiji's disciples have not seen the light of the day. There was a need for an authoritative book on the lives of these great souls. A hundred years have passed since Swamiji was born. It is but natural that on this holy occasion many people will pay homage to Swamiji by studying and analysing his life and message from various angles and in various languages. So the publication of the biographies of Swamiji's monastic disciples at this time is indeed appropriate. I am very happy to see that the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapith has taken the initiative to publish this book; their efforts are commendable. Swamijir Padaprante, by Swami Abjajananda, will certainly fulfil the aforementioned need. This book shows how each disciple of Swamiji personified a different aspect of his extraordinary personality in his character and work, and it also presents the story of their self sacrifice for the ever-expanding Ramakrishna Movement. Though written as a chronicle of the Movement, the book is in simple language. It is obvious that the author has spared no pains to make it accurate. I hope that it will draw readers, especially the youth, to the life-giving thoughts of Swamiji. May these biographies accomplish this purpose—this is my prayer.
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