Swami Niranjanananda’s Birthday
Niranjanananda left no writings or any recorded reminiscences; but on 18 December 1946 Swami Achalananda described some of the important characteristics of Niranjanananda’s life:
Swami Niranjanananda believed that Sri Ramakrishna was the infinite God incarnated in human form; and he who took refuge in him would not have to worry in his life. He had a similarly high estimation of Holy Mother. He believed that by the grace of the Mother, he could do anything. About Sri Ramakrishna he said: “If anybody came to the Master and said that he wouldn’t marry, the Master would dance with joy.” He had tremendous faith in the doctrine of service as established by Swami Vivekananda and he encouraged people to serve human beings as manifestations of God. He was a man of truth and wanted others to adhere to the truth. He did not care for people who did not keep their word. He was extremely generous. Without any misgivings, he would take care of anyone who asked for help from him. He would inspire young people to follow the path of renunciation and again caution them, saying that the path is indeed a difficult one. He said, “It is important for a monk to live on alms, or madhukari.” [As a bee collects honey from different flowers, so a monk is supposed to live by begging for food from door to door. This is an ancient monastic custom in India.] He himself would collect food like the traditional monks, and then eat it after offering it to the Master. He used to do physical exercise regularly and he encouraged the young men to keep their bodies strong and active.
–God Lived with Them, Swami Chetanananda