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{{religion primary|date=August 2014}}
{{one source|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
'''Vimalananda''' (also called '''Khagen Maharaj''') (1872–1908) was an Indian spiritual writer who was one of the monastic disciples of [[Vivekananda]] and an early monk of the [[Ramakrishna Order]]. He was involved in the publication of [[Prabuddha Bharata]]. He was actively involved in running day-to-day operations of the [[Advaita Ashrama]] at [[Mayavati]] during the early days of the Ashrama. He also inaugurated the [[Ramakrishna Math]] at Ulsoor in [[Bangalore]] in 1906.<ref>{{cite web|author=Vimalananda|title=Disciples of Swami Vivekananda|url=http://www.vivekananda.net/pplheknew/svdisciples/Vimalananda.html|website=Swami Vivekananda|accessdate=19 August 2014|archive-date=19 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819050349/http://www.vivekananda.net/pplheknew/SVDisciples/Vimalananda.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He died in 1908 at the Mayavati Ashrama.

==Early life==
Vimlananda was born Khagendranath Chatterjee in a Hindu [[Brahmin]] family in 1872 at Baganda village of [[Howrah district]]. His father, Benimadhav Chatterjee, was an engineer.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|108}} His cousin Haripada Chatterjee, later Bodhananda, was also a monastic disciple of Vivekananda. He was interested in philosophy and spirituality from an early age and by the time he joined [[Surendranath College|Ripon College]], he was the leader of a group actively pursuing a spiritual life.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|109}} Also in the group was Kalikrishna, later [[Swami Virajananda|Virajananda]], another monastic disciple of Vivekananda and a president of the [[Belur Math]].

In 1890, he passed his [[matriculation]] examination and won a scholarship. He continued with his First Arts studies at Ripon College.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda">{{cite book|author=Abjajananda|title=Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda|year=2003|publisher=Advaita Ashrama|location=Mayavati|isbn=9788175052468}}</ref>{{rp|110}}

===Monastic beginnings===
Khagen was initiated to Ramakrishna's ideals by reading a collection of his teachings by [[Sureshchandra Dutta]] and a biography of [[Ramakrishna]] by [[Ram Chandra Datta]]. They visited [[Kankurgachhi Yogodyan]] on the occasion of celebrating Ramakrishna's birth festival by Ramchandra Dutta. In Ripon College he came in close contact with [[Mahendranath Gupta]], (called "M"), the author of ''[[Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita]]'', who was then a professor in the same college.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|112}} M inspired them to visit the monastic disciples of Ramakrishna in [[Baranagar Math]].
In 1892, he went to Jayrambati and met [[Sarada Devi]]. He was later initiated by her into spiritual life.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|113}} He gave up his studies on account of poor health and spent more time in the monastery in the company of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|113}}

==Monastic life==
In 1897, he met [[Vivekananda]] when the latter returned from the West and became a disciple. In 1898, he was sent to [[Mayavati]] to manage the affairs of the Advaita Ashrama. Vimalananda joined [[Swami Virajananda]] as one of the workers of the Mayavati Ashrama.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|117}} Swami Vivekananda was full of praise for Vimalananda's command of English language.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|117}} He was involved in editing ''Prabuddha Bharata''. Vimalananda became engaged in work as well as spiritual practices. His health, which was generally sickly, improved in the hilly climate.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|118}} Swami Vivekananda visited Mayavati in 1901 after the demise of Capt. Sevier. During this period a small shrine was set up by Vimalananda and others for worshiping [[Sri Ramakrishna]] with rituals, flowers, incense and other offerings. Swami Vivekananda disapproved of ritualistic worship in [[Advaita Ashrama]] which was in his ideal a non-dualistic institution.<ref name = "Life of Swami Vivekananda">{{cite book|last1=Virajananda|first1=swami|title=Life of Swami Vivekananda by his Eastern and Western Disciples|publisher=Advaita Ashrama|page=702}}</ref>
Vimalananda wrote to the Holy Mother [[Sri Sarada Devi]] seeking her opinion in this matter. However, she confirmed that Advaitism was the highest ideal of the Ramakrishna Order, that every member of the order was Advaitin and what Swami Vivekananda did or said in this matter was right.<ref name="Life of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|702}} Vimalananda's doubts were thus put to rest.

He came to [[Allahabad]] together with his brother disciple [[Swami Swarupananda]] and gave some lectures on [[Vedanta]]. He came back to Mayavati as his health broke down. He went to [[Chennai]] to stay with [[Swami Ramakrishnananda]] for a few months. He went to Bangalore to help Swami Atmananda (Shukul Maharaj) helping him run the newly-established Bangalore Ashrama.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|120}} In 1906 Swami Swarupananda died. Vimalananda therefore returned to Belur Math and turned down offers to visit Vedanta Societies of [[New York City|New York]] and [[San Francisco]].<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|121}} In the later part of 1906 he returned to Mayavati with [[Charlotte Sevier|Mrs. Sevier]]. Returning there, he started editing the ''Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda''.

==Illness and death==
In February 1908 Vimalananda was found to have [[tuberculosis]] which was then incurable.<ref name="Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda"/>{{rp|122}}

After a brief illness he died on 24 July 1908. Eulogizing him after his death, [[Swami Saradananda]], the then secretary of [[Belur Math]] wrote in [[Udbodhan]],
<blockquote>Oh Man! Will you be able to comprehend this offering by a faithful and devoted disciple of his heart's blood to the lotus feet of his chosen Ideal, this offering of spontaneous love completely devoid of selfish motive or hope of reward, his silent and unassuming worship from his heart away from the public gaze? <ref>Swami Vimalananda, a tribute, by Swami Saradananda, Udbodhan Patrika (Bengali), 1908</ref></blockquote>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |author=Abjajananda |language=Bengali |author2=Chhaya Ghosh (tr.) |location=Kolkata |publisher=Advaita Ashrama |title=Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda : Inspiring life stories of some principal disciples of Swami Vivekananda |year=2003 |orig-date=1964 |oclc=60454130}}

{{Swami Vivekananda}}

[[Category:1872 births]]
[[Category:1908 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian spiritual writers]]
[[Category:Monastic disciples of Swami Vivekananda]]
[[Category:Monks of the Ramakrishna Mission]]

Vimalananda - Revision history

Acharyak182: New Details