Holy Birth-place of Swami Vishuddhanandaji
(1883 – 1962)
Jitendranath Roy (monastic name – Swami Vishuddhananda) was born on Sunday, June 13, 1883, (the 8th day after the new moon in the month of Jyaishhtha according to Bengali Calendar) in his maternal grandmother’s house at Gurap, a small village in the district of Hooghly, West Bengal. Jitendranath was the son Hemchandra Singha Roy and kironbala Singha Roy of Abujhati village in the district of Barddhaman.
Jitendranath lost his parents at his early childhood, and was brought up by his maternal grandmother, kulabala Devi with great love and affection.
Jitendranath appeared at the Entrance Examination in 1901. He spent most of his times in studies and in deep spiritual practices. He got a job in the then Bengal Nagpur Railway office at Shalimar, Howrah; but cold never concentrate on office-work. He became restless to realize the goal of his life and to have the feeling of the presence of God in his heart.
On Summer day, Jitendranath was in the Imperial Library with a restless mind and tired body. Suddenly his eyes fell upon a book written by Frederick Max Muller, “Ramakrishna : His Life and Sayings.” He read the book a number of times and finally realized that he had found what he had been seeking so long.
He, the, began his visits to Dakshineswar,. One day he heard from Ramlal-dada (nephew of Shri Ramakrishnadeb), about the Holy Mother Sarada Devi. He knew nothing, so far about her. He inquired about her, reached Jairambati and felt her motherly love. From the very moment of his meeting with Shri Shri Sarada Devi, he had the good fortune of having her sacred blessings.
On December 16th, 1906, Jitendranath got the initiation (mantra-diksha) from Shri Shri Sarada Devi. As a result, smouldering fire of renunciation in his hearts burst into a blaze. On July 28th, 1907, Jitendranath had his head shaven, received Ochre (gairika) dhotis to wear as a mark of his sannyasa (monastic vows) life. Following the instructions of Shri Shri Maa, Jitendranath started out on foot for Kashi in order to build up his life as a Sannyasin under the guidance of Swami Shivananda (Mahapurush Maharaj). Jitendranath received his monastic name : Swami Vishuddhananda from Swami Shivananda. Swami Vishuddhananda later performed the prescribed rituals and took the formal monastic vows in the presence of Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj in Kashi.
From 1907 to 1921 Swami Vishuddhanandaji Maharaj served at Kashi Advaita Ashrama, Madras (Chennai), Bangalore Math and Mayavati. In 1922, Swami Vishuddhanandaji was elected a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and a member of the Governing Body of Ramakrishna Mission. In 1925, he was sent to Bhubaneswar as Head of the Math. In 1927 he was sent to Ranchi where he spent twenty-five years. In 1947, he was elected a Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. On the 6th March 1962 he was elected the 8th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission at the age 79 years.
Various old age ailments were troubling him. As the days slowly passed, his physical condition started getting even worse. On June 13, 1962 he was operated on his prostate gland at Park Nursing Home. But, unfortunately making all the efforts of the surgeons in vain, Swami Vishuddhanandaji Maharaj finally left this transient world for Ramakrishnalok on the same day (13thJune 1962).