Sacred tears
I was travelling with Swami Gitananda Maharaj from Jamshedpur Ashrama to Ranchi Sanatorium Ashrama. His Personal Secretary Swami too was with us. For some years Gitanandaji had served Ranchi Sanatorium Centre as its Secretary. As I was the current Secretary I often conveyed to him the pranams of the old employees, especially of the tribals, for whom he had great love. I knew that Maharaj was fond of stories connected with Bhagawan Sri Rama. So, I picked up the subject of his then recently released Bengali book on Sri Rama, titled Sri Ramer Anudhyan. The discussion was on the relationship between Sri Rama and Sri Hanuman. I asked him whether he knew that once Sri Rama was about to ‘kill’ his greatest devotee Sri Hanuman.
I was watching his face reflected in the rear-view mirror. When I asked this question, his face became pensive. “Tell me, tell me” he asked, and also loudly exclaimed how Sri Rama could even think of killing his servant-devotee Sri Hanuman! It was impossible!
I then dramatically narrated the story and came to the climax scene when Sri Rama had strung the brahmastra onto his bow and was ready to aim on his ‘dearest’ target. As I described this scene, tears welled up in Maharaj’s eyes and he could not stop sobbing! His Secretary and I were amazed at Maharaj’s power of empathising with the condition of Sri Rama and Sri Hanuman. Of course the story, as usual, had a happy ending with Sri Rama embracing Sri Hanuman. Maharaj was deeply relieved at the final turn of the story and greatly appreciated the story.
— Swami Vimokshananda
Truthfulness in work
When Gitananda Maharaj was serving in the Headquarters Office at Belur Math, he would train new sannyasis and brahmacharis on how to work. Once a brahmachari who had just finished his training at the Probationers’ Training Centre, was posted to serve in the Headquarters Office. He went from one swami to another seeking their blessings. When he came to Swami Gitanandaji, Maharaj advised him, “You will be working in the General Section of the Headquarters Office. Often, many people will ask you about confidential matters. It will not be proper for you to disclose such matters. At the same time, you should not tell that you do not know, for it will be a lie, because you know everything. So, you should rather say, ‘Kindly do not ask me about it.’”
— Book on Swami Gitananda published by Belur Math
Self-reliance
Once Swami Gitananda Maharaj, before becoming a Vice President of the Order, had come to Deoghar on the occasion of the unveiling of Swami Vivekananda’s Statue. I was given the opportunity to render personal service to him like carrying his food, spreading his clothes under the sun for drying, and massaging the upper part of his back with ayurvedic oil (as he suffered from rheumatic pain). But he washed his clothes and even the cup-plate after taking tea. When I prayed to him for allowing me to do these things, he consoled me by saying, “See, let me do things that I am able to do till now, whatever I am unable to do myself, you can do those things for me.” It was a lesson to me in self-reliance.
— Swami Tattwasarananda
Seamless transition
Swami Gitananda Maharaj was then Assistant General Secretary of the Order. He lived in a room on the ground floor of the Trustees’ Building. Maharaj was very sincere in his practice of japa and dhyana; and when he sat for japa he would keep his door closed but not bolted. As the Treasurer, he had to sign many cheques. Once, I was present when an office staff member brought many papers for his signature. The staff knocked on the door and entered the room. Maharaj kept his japa mala on the table, signed all the papers and cheques, and then resumed his japa even before the staff could leave the room!
— Swami Devapriyananda
Power of empathy
Gitananda Maharaj was once residing at Udbodhan. It was winter and he had just returned from Belur Math after finishing some work. When he got down from the car, he saw some old ladies standing there shivering in the cold. Maharaj simply glanced at them and did not utter a word. He entered his room and began to remove his socks, sweater, etc. His monastic attendant asked him, “What is the matter? Why are you removing them? You will catch cold.” Maharaj then replied, “Is it enough if I alone am protected from cold? Go below and see how many old ladies are shivering in the cold.” The attendant said, “We shall provide them with shawls. We have shawls in stock.” With great feeling Maharaj asked, “Do we have?” Maharaj was immensely pleased when the attendant gave the shawls to those old ladies. He thereupon agreed to wear his woollen clothes.
— Book on Swami Gitananda published by Belur Math
Prayer is what I can do
Once Gitananda Maharaj was travelling from Digboi Ashrama in Assam to Narottam Nagar Ashrama in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way, the vehicle had to pass through the village of Mapaya inhabited by many adivasis. As soon as Maharaj’s vehicle entered that village, people standing on both sides shouted victory slogans with folded hands and showered flowers. When this caught the attention of Maharaj, he looked at them for a short while and then closed his eyes. The senior swami in Maharaj’s company felt that if Maharaj looked at the assembled devotees for a while and waved his hands in benediction, the devotees would derive immense satisfaction. Maharaj’s attendants too entreated Maharaj to look at those people or to wave his hands. But Maharaj continued to sit with eyes closed, counting his beads. Later the senior swami asked Maharaj if he was then praying to Sri Ramakrishna for the good of the villagers. Maharaj simply replied, “I cannot do anything other than that.”
— Book on Swami Gitananda published by Belur Math
Related Articles: