“Go on working at top speed. Never fear! I, too, have determined to work. The body must go, no mistake about that. Why then let it go in idleness? It is better to wear out than rust out. Don’t be anxious even when I die, my very bones will work miracles. We must spread over the whole of India in ten years, short of this it is no good. To work like an athlete! Victory to the Guru! Money and all will come of themselves, we want men, not money. It is man that makes everything, what can money do?– men we want, the more you get, the better. . .”
(p.405, V.6, Complete Works of SwamiVivekananda, Swamiji’s letter to Sw Akhandananda dt 30th July 1897)
When Saradananda came from Udbodhan, Premananda said to him, “You know, I have a great desire to put on a cloth of pure yellow and to eat rice white as jasmine.” Saradananda understood. That is the symbolic description of Radha – the aspect of God of which Sri Ramakrishna had said he was a part. The next day Premananda asked for his attendant to call Brahmachari Jnana (a disciple of Swamiji) from Belur Math, who was then supervising the monastery. In a feeble voice, Premananda asked, “Jnana, could you do one thing for me?” “Anything sir.” “Will you be able to serve the devotees?” “Yes, sir, I promise I shall do it.” “Remember, let there be no negligence towards the devotees!” Premananda entreated….after a while Brahmananda returned again and said loudly, “ Brother Baburam, Brother Baburam, do you remember the Master?” Premananda opened his eyes, looked with a smile at the oil painting of the Master hanging on the wall, and saluted him with folded hands. He uttered feebly “grace, grace, grace”, and then passed away. Brahmananda told the devotees, “Belur math has lost its mother”
(p.218, God Lived With Them, Swami Premananda passed away on 30 July 1918)