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RAMAKRISHNA MATH, PUNE
GENERAL ENQUIRY
BECOME A DEVOTEE
BECOME A MONK / NUN
GENERAL ENQUIRY
There are no specific requirements for visiting and taking part in the various activities of the centres of the Ramakrishna Order. Many people volunteer their time and energy to aid the various service-oriented activities of the organization. The daily evening Arati and devotional singing is a part of most of the centres. Many centres also have a definite schedule of weekly/monthly discourses, spiritual-meets (Bhakta Sammelan), annual celebrations, seminars, retreats etc. You may seek out the head of the particular centre for spiritual counsel.
If especially interested in volunteering for some of the activities of the Math/Mission, you are encouraged to regularly visit the centre and get to know the monastics and other senior volunteers/devotees.

All the great personalities in the history about whom we remember, study and revere; were those who thought about themselves only minimally and served the world around without reservations with as much time, money, and energy then could gather – personalities like a Buddha, a Christ and a Vivekananda.

The joy in serving others without any selfish motive is infinitely greater than catering to only one’s own desires and needs because the latter can be and is done even by animals. It is a joy to be tasted personally. We invite every one to cultivate this habit of Service.

The Ramakrishna Math, Pune serves the society in many ways.  You could join us in one or more activities listed on activities pages of this website OR contact our office on number given as the end of every page.

  • You could also serve us by accepting our services in and through these institutes and grow yourselves and later help society in cultivating values and other essentials by leading an ideal life.
  • You could also serve in providing technical assistance or by giving suggestions to help improve this website. Contact rkmpune@gmail.com.
  •  You could donate money for all these various services conducted by the math. Contact our office or visit the ‘Donate’ section of this website.

BECOME A DEVOTEE
One wanting to become a Devotee of the Ramakrishna Math
    A) General Devotee

    1. Must have devotion for the spiritual ideal ( can belong to any religion, language, nationality etc).
    2. Must go through the life of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.
    3. Regularly visit the Ramakrishna Centre near to your area of residence and keep contact with the monks of the centre and take part in the activities.
    4. Must have liking for service ideal if he wants to serve poor and needy through the service activities of the centre.
     B. Initiated Devotee

    1. Must have devotion for Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekannanda ( can belong to any religion, language, nationality etc).
    2.  Must go through the life of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Karma yoga, Raja yoga, Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga of Swami Vivekananda.
    3. Accept all other religions as a path to God realization and all gods and goddesses as true.
    4. Must have desire to perform spiritual practices like Japa and Meditation etc.
    5. Could approach any monk or Monk in charge of the centre and get the details for initiation. Usually the initiation or Mantra Diksha or Guru Upadesam is given by a few selected very senior monks in the order like Rev. President Maharaj, Rev. Vice-president Maharaj etc. Get the details of initiation and express your willingness and the Monk in charge will help in arranging you to get spiritual initiation in the Sri Ramakrishna Mould of Spiritual practices.
    BECOME A MONK / NUN
    • Healthy, unmarried, educated young men (women are addressed in the footnote) with the below requirements can join the Ramakrishna Order to become a monk:
    • Age
      • 22 years for School Final/Matriculation or its equivalent passed with minimum 60% marks.
      • 25 years for Higher Secondary passed with minimum 50% marks.
      • 28 years for B.A. / B.Sc. / B.Com. / Diploma (2 or 3 years).
      • 30 years for M.A. / M. Sc. / M.Com. / B.E. / B. Tech./ M. Tech. /M.B.B.S. / M.B.A. / P.G. Diploma or its equivalent professional qualification.
      • Age limit for western candidates will be 36 years.
    • Who is attracted by the philosophy followed by the Ramakrishna Order, is eligible for admission into the Ramakrishna Order (marks sheets and degree certificates necessary).
    •  A thorough reading of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature is very necessary. Prior association with any centre of the Ramakrishna Order(Math, Mission, Ashram or Vedanta Society) will give him acquaintance with the associated lifestyle.
    • He should be initiated/arrange to get initiation (Mantra Diksha – मन्त्र दीक्ष) – from the Ramakrishna Order.
    • He must be physically fit and will have to clear medical tests before being accepted into the organization.
    • He must also be free from undischarged family duties that are likely to weigh on his conscience and which may act as a disturbing factor in his proposed monastic way of life.
    •  It should be noted that he shall not be any paid any monetary compensation as wages, salary etc., and he shall stay of his own freewill, following the rules and regulations of the Order.
    (Foreign nationals are requested to contact the centre closest to them. Passports, visa, travel-permits etc. are to be in order and to be procured by themselves.)

    One may join in any of the centres associated with the Ramakrishna Order, in India (If one wishes to join at BELUR MATH, please inquire about the Pre-Probationers Training Centre – PPTC at Belur Math). An aspirant is given a long period of nine years to examine his own fitness for his choice of the monastic way of life within the Order. On completion of nine years as a Brahmacharin, he may be ordained as a monk (Sannyasin) and full membership of the Order.

    Entry for women as nuns : 

    Women may kindly enquire at any branches of the Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna-Sarada Mission, headquarters at
    SRI SARADA MATH, DAKSHINESHWAR, KOLKATA 700 076. Pune has a branch of  Sri Sarada Math near Rajaram bridge.

    Further reading:
    For Enquirers about Ramakrishna Math And Ramakrishna Mission by Swami Tapasyananda, publ. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai
    The Glory of Monastic Life by Swami Bhajanananda, publ. Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata
    SPIRITUAL PRACTICE by Swami Ashokananda, publ. Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata


    TEN COMMANDMENTS For Sri Ramakrishna Devotees
                        By Revered Swami Ranganathananda ji Maharaj
    1. Be regular and steady in your spiritual practices. This is the best way of serving one’s Guru.
    2. Keep in touch with the Ramakrishna Sarada Devi Vivekananda literature as much as you can.
    3. Visit the Math regularly, at least once a week and take part in the prayers and discourses. Do not miss the important celebrations.
    4. Try to keep in personal touch with the monks by seeking interviews with them, once in a while, and make the best use of it and not fritter away the time in worldly talks.
    5. Kindly remember to keep a percentage of your income for the service activities of the Math and thereby help the Math in rendering its services effectively.
    6. Try to visit Belur Math, Dakshineshwar, Kamarpukur and Jayarambati at least once in your lifetime, if not more, by properly planning your pilgrimage.
    7. Though you are free to visit other religious centres and persons, please remember that it should be without prejudice to your own way of life adopted as per the Ramakrishna Vivekananda traditions. It is better, therefore, you consult the local Head before doing so.
    8. Avoid all occult practices and magic and miracles that will harm your spiritual life.
    9. Co-operate with the activities of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, as much as you can, whole heartedly.
    10. Make it a point to present only Ramakrishna–Vivekananda literature as gifts on happy occasions to your relatives and friends. This is the best form of spiritual practices for this age.
    The five commandments of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna for Householders

    A discourse by Swami Gokulanandaji Maharaj, Secretary Sri Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi

    The topic of my talk today is the ‘Five commandments of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa’ for householders. While you have all heard of ‘The Ten Commandments’ of The Bible, it is really interesting to note that it is probably the first time that we are talking of these ‘Five Commandments’ of Sri Ramakrishna. I shall read out the relevant portions from the fifth Chapter of the first volume of ‘Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’ (in English) or Vachanamrita (in Hindi) or ‘Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita’ (in Bengali).

    In this chapter, Master Mahashay (in short ‘M’) the author of Kathamrita raises four questions before Sri Ramakrishna. It is in the reply to the first two questions, that we find these ‘Five Commandments’.

    The first question is ‘How to keep the mind on God’. Our mind is so fickle that it is very difficult to keep it concentrated on God. It keeps wandering to worldly things, in extroversion rather than intro-spection. God resides in us, as Bhagavan Sri Krishna tells Arjuna in Gita – “Isvarah Sarvabhutanam, hrddeserjuna tisthati” – but we do not look inwards towards this God residing within; we are all the time engrossed in our family, friends, and worldly pleasures. God resides in us, but alas! We do not reside in Him. So the mind keeps wandering, and ‘M’ wants to know from Sri Ramakrishna how to keep the mind focused on God. In reply to this first question, Thakur gives the first four commandments.

    The First commandment
    ‘Keep on chanting the name of God all the time and talk of his Glory.’ In the words of Sri Ramakrishna in Bengali – ‘Ishwarer naam guna gaan sarbada korte hoy.’ So we must all the time keep remembering God’s name, his greatness and glory, to help us concentrate on him.

    The Second Commandment
    ‘Do Satsanga, Sadhusanga’. Go to Godly people, spend time with them, listen to their discourses, and spend time at places where people are engrossed in God?s name, in Kirtan etc.

    The Third Commandment
    ‘Spend time in solitude, and think of him’. We are all the while caught up in worldly thoughts, being surrounded completely by this materialistic world. It is therefore necessary once in a while to get away from all this and spend some time in solitariness, thinking about God, thinking about the purpose of life, thinking about what one is doing, and what one should do. It is the time when one is totally with oneself, without any distractions so that the mind can focus on the God within. Thakur further elaborates this by saying that when the plant is tender, It needs to be protected from cattle etc. by putting a fence around it. Likewise, we have to protect our nascent inclination towards God, by getting away from the things that distract us. Thakur is not saying that all must renounce the world and go to mountains or forests. No! you are householders and you must discharge your duties towards your family, society etc. as a father, mother, husband, wife, son or daughter and so on. What Thakur says is that it is important to spend some time amidst your all activities solitariness, to think about God, to meditate, to chant his name, do Japam. Thakur says that mediate on Him in your heart, in a corner, in a forest.

    The Fourth Commandment
    Continuously discriminate between Right and Wrong, Nitya and Anitya’. God alone is true, God alone is permanent. Everything else is untrue, impermanent. Whatever we see around is all untrue; all this is going to perish sooner or later. Nothing of this is going to accompany us when the eternal call comes. All this will remain behind. It is only the God’s name and our good deeds, that will go with us. You never know when the eternal call comes. So start on your journey towards God today itself, right away. Do not put it off for tomorrow. Who knows whether you or me would be there in the next moment or not.

    One of our devotees did a recording of my discourse on ‘Chhandogya- Upanishad’ on the 12th Dec. 2001 and promised to give me a transcript so that other devotees would benefit from it. She wrote it down too, but could not give it to me herself, as she died in a tragic car accident on the 24th Dec. 2001. This is an example of the uncertainties of life, as I was explaining earlier. So, do not wait for tomorrow, start rightaway on the path of God. While discriminating (Vichar), between the true and untrue, Nitya and Anitya, Sat and Asat, gradually detach yourself from the untrue, ‘Anitya’, ‘Asat’ and move towards ‘Nitya’, ‘Sat’, the truth, the God.

    The Fifth Commandment
    The Fifth Commandment of Thakur comes in response to the second question of ‘M’ – ‘How to spend our time in the household, in this world’. ‘M’ being a householder himself asks this question, that many house-holders keep asking. Do we have to leave everything, renounce the world and go to forests to realize God? Is it possible to realize God while remaining within our households? The apparent presumption is that only Monks have access to God. I am telling you that nothing could be farther from truth. And I am saying it with conviction because I have had the good fortune to come across at least two householders who realised God in this life, who were full of Brahmananda.

    There was a mother, an elderly lady, in Digboi (Assam), whom I used to visit often, because I loved to do so. Imagine an old lady, afflicted by paralysis, confined to her bed, reduced to a skeleton that she was. But every time I asked her “Mother, how are you?” Her face would get lit up with a divine glow and she would reply with a smiling face – “I am fine Maharaj, as Thakur has kept me. How are you Maharaj?” There was not an iota of self-pity or of any nagging or complaint towards God for her sorry physical state. She had surrendered completely to God and was therefore in that ever-blissful state, residing in Thakur.

    The other person I came across was when I once want to Cossipore Bungalow, even before I joined the Ramakrishna Order. A person was singing some devotional song which enchanted me. As I like songs very much, I approached him later and struck a friendship with him. I came to know that he was Sri Pramathanath Ganguli, who had composed about two hundred devotional songs, on the inspiration of Sri Ramakrishna as he used to say. Thereafter, I invited him several times to my place and enjoyed his singing. Towards the end of his life, he was ‘inspired’ to compose a song which prays to God that “O the Divine, when the call from the other world will come, I do not know whether I would be able to take your name. Even if I forget, you please do not desert me. Please be with me and take me with you”. After he composed this song, he was so enamoured with it that Pramatha Babu would on his own sing this song at the end of each of his recitals. And every time he sang this, tears would stream down his eyes and one would get a feeling as though Pramatha Babu was actually seeing God in front of him and singing out for Him from his heart. When he died in a hospital, he asked the nurse to prop him up on the bed saying that Sri Ramakrishna had come to take him, and he didn?t want to receive Him lying down. So he sat up and breathed his last chanting – ‘Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna —–‘. I even wonder how many of us would die such a glorious death.

    Therefore, I speak with full conviction that householders have as much claim over God realization as the monks who have renounced the world. In fact merely becoming a monk does not entitle one to a claim to Godliness, unless one practices spiritual disciplines. A householder can realise God if he or she is fully convinced of the utterly unreal character of the world. Thakur says – ‘Discharge all your duties but keep your mind on God. Consider all family members ? father, mother, spouse, children as your own, but remember in your heart of hearts that it is only God, who is your own, and none else’. I am reminded of a song that was a very favourite of Thakur- “O my mind, in this world no one is your own, so do not forget to remember Dakshina Kali by getting entangled into this Mayajal, this illusion of your world”. We are under the illusion that my beloved loves me so much but the moment one is dead, no one wants to spend time with the dead body, they want to dispose it off as soon as possible. So long as one is a big officer everyone salutes him. But the moment he dies, all that is reduced to ashes and everyone starts saluting the next person who occupies that chair. Today I am Secretary, Delhi Center – all of you come to my discourses, pay me your respects. As soon as I die, someone else will occupy this position, and all of you would start paying your obeisance to him. Gokulananda would become just a handful of ash and some distant memory.

    Therefore, all of us must learn to detach ourselves from these worldly strings, affections, bondages. These become a block between us and self realization, realization of God. As Thakur says, discharge your duties like the housemaid. She moves around with the master?s son in her lap, saying ‘My son, my darling! etc.’ but she knows in her heart of hearts that they are none of hers. The moment she is off the job, all this is forgotten and there are no strings that bind her to this house. We have to discharge our duties, with full responsibility, but always keeping in mind that God alone is true, God alone is permanent, God alone is ours, and all the other things are untrue, unreal, impermanent and not belonging to us.

    To recollect once again, the ‘Five Commandments’ of Sri Ramakrishna for householders are :
    1. Keep chanting the God’s name, thinking of his glory.
    2. Do Sadhusanga, Satsang, being with holy people; visit places where there are holy thoughts.
    3. Go to a solitary place once in a while and meditate. Protect and nurture your godly feelings and thoughts.
    4. Constantly deliberate and discriminate about right and wrong, true and untrue, real and unreal, right and wrong, ‘Nitya’ and ‘Anitya’, ‘Sat’ and ‘Asat’. God alone is true, ‘Nitya’, permanent, real, ‘Sat’, Right.
    5. Discharge your duties as a householder with full responsibility but always keep in mind that none of this belongs to you.

    If we can follow these ‘Five Commandments’ there is no doubt that we can realize God in this life itself. Time is running out every moment, so we must start immediately and continue practising these commandments all the time. May Lord Sri Ramakrishna help and bless us.