Swami Prameyananda - Belur Math

He cherished great shraddha for the elders of the Order, and so also for the
holy traditions of the Sangha. Rather than giving his own solution to a
vexed problem, he would narrate an incident from the life of the Sangha’s
stalwarts, especially Swamis Premeshananda, Saumyananda, Yatiswarananda,
Vishuddhananda and, above all, Swami Vireswarananda, to shed light thereon.
Those who had the privilege to work closely with Swami Prameyananda
could not fail to marvel at his forbearance. When faced with any challenge
or a differing viewpoint, he would never give vent to his frustration or
anger but would deal with it as a matter of routine. An incident that occurred
at Shillong is worth recalling in this respect. A sannyasin at that centre
had once not done the work assigned to him at which Prameyananda
expressed his displeasure. After a little while, the concerned monk went
to Prameyananda’s room and was surprised to find the swami who had
been upset just a little while ago, quietly reading Dharma Prasange
Brahmananda (The Eternal Companion). Seeing him Prameyananda simply
remarked, “Come, come,” as if nothing had happened.
Gifted with a keen sense of humour, he could easily wriggle out of unpleasant
situations and mix freely with the young and old alike. As manager of Belur
Math he saw to it that all sadhus and brahmacharins closed the office in
time and attended the evening aarti. If anyone was found at his job or
in the pantry, Maharaj would ask, “Have you given up your religious
aspirations?”
Once a sadhu was going for Ganga-bath with a towel thrown over his
shoulder. Maharaj was coming from the opposite direction. The sadhu
asked Maharaj, “Won’t you go for Ganga-snan?” And immediately Maharaj
replied, “I have not committed any sin.” The sadhus present burst out
laughing. This notwithstanding, on special occasions he would bathe in the
Ganga, especially before and after a lunar or solar eclipse. He once joked
with a monk of almost his own age, “Dada, you do receive a lot of Pranami!
Let me make a suggestion. Deposit all your pranami in a box and lock it,
but keep the keys with me!”
During Swami Vireswarananda’s tenure as President of the Sangha, many
of the branches of the Math and Mission were not financially strong. So,
before visiting any branch for giving mantra diksha, he would instruct
Ramgopal Maharaj to carry necessary items from Belur Math. Accordingly,
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Ramgopal Maharaj would even carry items like tea leaves, sugar, etc from
the Math; while returning from such centres Prabhu Maharaj would donate
some amount from his personal pranami. Prameyananda also followed this
practice during his Vice-Presidentship.
We have seen above how Swami Prameyananda stuck to his daily routine.
Meeting the President of the Sangha daily and enquiring about his welfare
was part of this routine. He would also daily meet the office-bearers (the
General Secretary and the four Assistant Secretaries) to exchange notes.
A daily walk from Swamiji’s room to Swamiji’s temple was part of his
afternoon routine.
As manager of Belur Math, he saw four Presidents of the Order attain
Mahasamadhi; such events would make him indrawn and he would seem
to lose all interest in work. After Gambhirananda’s Mahasamadhi he
remarked, “It was as if he had brought the military discipline from the army
to the Sangha.” (It was well known that Swami Gambhirananda was a
strict disciplinarian.) Again after Swami Bhuteshananda’s departure he
commented, “It seems I have lost my mother for the second time!” After
Swami Ranganathananda’s passing away, a youth from Digboi came and
requested Prameyananda for late President Maharaj’s footprints. At this
Prameyananda remarked in a sorrowful voice, “I have lost interest in
everything now.” The words were uttered with so much of feeling that all
could sense that they had indeed lost their guardian angel. And lastly, after
Swami Gahanananda’s passing he remarked, “From him one should learn
how to love the Sangha.”
Swami Prameyananda knew the details and intricacies of Thakur Seva and
kept himself well informed in this regard. He would very often talk of the
one-pointed dedication of an earlier Thakur bhandari, Swami Diptananda
(Prabodh Maharaj, a disciple of Mahapurush Maharaj). Once he asked a
brahmacharin engaged in Thakur Seva, “How is your work going on? Do
you get some prasad daily?” On getting no reply from the brahmacharin,
he instructed the monk in charge of prasad distribution to give some prasad
daily to all sadhus and brahmacharins engaged in Thakur Seva in the shrine.
For the past several years he was the acharya for the brahmacharya and
sannyasa ceremonies. He would take the brahmacharya classes with deep
feeling.
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