RKM

One of the unique features of the Ramakrishna Math and the

Ramakrishna Mission is that they trace their origin to the Avatar of the

present age–Sri Ramakrishna.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-86) was the founder of this socio-

religious movement.

He had faith in all religions and performed religious exercises in

accordance with Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.
fully endorsed that all religions are paths to the same goal.

In his lifetime there grew about him a small but devoted band of
disciples, among whom the young Narendranath Datta (who later took
the name Vivekananda) was outstanding and was chosen by
Ramakrishna as his successor.

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On 1 May 1897 in Calcutta, Swami Vivekananda founded the
Ramakrishna Mission for social service.

in the house of Sri Balaram Basu, one of the chief lay disciples of Sri
Ramakrishna. It was here that Swami Vivekananda inaugurated
Ramakrishna Mission Association on 1 May 1897.

These disciples were also the nucleus of the Ramakrishna math

(“monastery”) established at Belur, on the banks of the Ganges near
Calcutta, and consecrated in 1898.

Two monasteries were founded by Swami ji , one at Belur, near

Calcutta, which became the Headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and
Mission and the other at Mayavati on the Himalayas, near Almora
called the Advaita Ashrama and later a third monastery was established
at Madras. Two journals were started, Prabuddha Bharata in English
and Udbhodan in Bengali. The same year, the famine relief work was
started by Swami Akhandananda at Murshidabad district.

In 1898, during the consecration of Ramakrishana Math monastery set up in the

house of Nilambar Babu, Swami Vivekananda wrote Khandana Bhava–Bandhana
during his stay there.

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Two objectives of the Mission are:

(1) To bring into existence a band of monks dedicated to a life of

renunciation and practical spirituality, from among whom teachers and
workers would be sent out to spread the universal message of Vedanta as
illustrated in the life of Ramakrishna; and

(2) In conjunction with lay disciples, to carry on preaching,

philanthropic and charitable works, looking upon all men, women and
children, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, as veritable
manifestations of the Divine.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa himself founded the Ramakrishna Math

with his young monastic disciples as a nucleus to fulfill the first
objective.

The second objective was taken up by Swami Vivekananda after

Ramakrishna’s death.

Swami Vivekananda in the formulation of the Ramakrishna Mission,

promote diversity and consider all religions, nations, and communities to
be equally valuable – both because, metaphysically, they are all in
search of the absolute truth of existence and because, socially, they are,
in their own ways, serving the world.

The Vedantic doctrine is its ideal.

“ekam sat, vipra bahudha vadanti” – “that which exists is One, sages
call it by different names”. This shloka from the Upanishads became the

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cornerstone of Swami ji’s thought. It promotes the idea of Advaita, and
implies that although individuals (atmans) are different externally, the
presence of a shared universal consciousness (brahman) in each of them
accounts for their sameness.
This is why differences among individuals are to be accepted and
respected – because this difference alone is what defines their
distinctness. But otherwise, all of them are identical, being part of the
same brahman.

The emblem of the Ramakrishna Order designed by Swamiji

Its universalism is embedded in the organisation’s motto: atmano

mokshartham jagat hitaya cha – for the salvation of our individual self
and for the well-being of all on earth. This verse derived from the Rig
Veda refers to the fact that the Ramakrishna Mission is meant to be an
international organisation, dedicated to the liberation of the individual
and the welfare of the world at large and not just India.

the term “Hindu,” Swami Vivekananda claimed, is outdated and

misleading. He wanted to replace it with “Vedanta.”

He wanted to make the Vedanta practical.

His mission was to bridge the gulf between paramartha (service) and
vyavahara (behaviour), and between spirituality and day-to-day life.

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Its ideals are based on Karma Yoga
Swami Vivekanand advocated the doctrine of service – the service of all
beings. The service of jiva (living objects) is the worship of Siva. Life
itself is religion. By service, the Divine exists within man.
Therefore apart from religious and spiritual teaching the organisation
carries out extensive educational and philanthropic work in India.

Swami Vivekananda was for using technology and modern sciences in

the service of mankind.

The Mission has been in existence for more than a century.

It has developed into a worldwide organisation.
The Mission is a deeply religious body
It is NOT a sect of Hinduism
this is one of the strong reasons for the success of the Mission.

It does not believe in conversion,

nor does it indulge in the occult or the sensational