Sri Ramakrishna
A spiritual colossus in the form of Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) arose in the midst of chaos and confusion to stem the rot and steer India to a bright and glorious future. He resuscitated the ancient truths enshrined in the scriptures through his stupendous spiritual practices. He did not merely preach but demonstrated to the world by his exemplary life that religion was not talk, or matter of mere belief but realization of God. Sri Ramakrishna is the personification of all religions. He said about his spiritual realizations ” I had to practise the various religions once, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity and I have walked the paths of the different sects of the Hinduism. I have found that it is the same God towardswhom all are traveling, only they come through diverse ways. All religions are true - as many faiths so many paths.”
Sri Ramakrishna’s down-to-earth religion includes both material and spiritual welfare of humankind. His philosophy embraces the energetic action in the world and calm meditation. Religion does not mean leading an inactive and socially unproductive life. That was the orthodox old idea of Indian tradition. Sri Ramakrishna struck a new note and combined dynamic action and calm withdrawal. Thus we find the wonderful synthesis of two powers – economic prosperity and spiritual enlightenment. In a significant statement he said; “Religion cannot be taught on an empty stomach”. That shows poverty and religion cannot go together.
These truths realized and taught by Sri Ramakrishna are for the well being of human society. Sri Ramakrishna was pining to bequeath his findings and teachings – universal in their sweep, to worthy young aspirants who would be able to follow them in their purest form and communicate to humanity at large. The historical meeting of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, his foremost disciple, ushered in a new era. Vivekananda assimilated both the currents of the Western dynamism and of Eastern tranquil spirituality. It was the need of the hour. Later he instilled the virtues of energetic action and the ideal of spirituality in the Indian minds. He showed to the Indians that material prosperity and spiritual excellence could go hand in hand. Human excellence requires harnessing of these two great powers.

Books on Sri Ramakrishna:

** The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Mahendranath Gupta

** Life of Sri Ramakrishna (Foreword by Mahatma Gandhi) by Advaita Ashrama

** Life of Sri Ramakrishna by Romain Rolland

**Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master by Swami Saradananda