Kathamrita Volume II - Swami Vivekananda

M. (Mahendra Nath Gupta)Mahendra Nath was born on Friday, 14 July, 1854, 31st ofAshadha, 1261 B.Y., on the Naga Panchami day in ShivaNarayana Das Lane of Shimuliya locality of Calcutta.Mahendra Nath’s father was Madhusudan Gupta and motherSwarnamayi Devi. Madhusudan was a bhakta (a pious man)and Thakur was aware of his bhakti. Mahendra Nath was thethird child of Madhusudan. It is said that Madhusudan got thisson after performing mental worships of Shiva twelve timesone after the other. For this reason, he had a special affectionfor this son and he was particularly careful that this child maynot come to any harm. The boy Mahendra was extremelygood -natured and had great love for his parents. Mahendracould recall many incidents of his early childhood. Forexample, he went with his mother to witness the Rathafestival of Mahesh when he was five. On their return journeythe boat touched the Dakshineswar ghat. When everybodywas busy having darshan of gods and goddesses in the temple,M. somehow got lost and found himself alone in the NataMandir in front of Bhavatarini shrine. And not finding hismother there he began to cry. At that moment somebodyseeing him crying consoled and silenced him. Mahendra Nathused to say that this incident remained always uppermost inhis mind. He would witness with his mental eye the brightradiance of the newly constructed and dedicated temple. Hewho came to console him was probably Thakur himself.As a boy Mahendra Nath studied in the Hare School. He wasa very bright student and always held first or second positionin his class. On his way to and from the school there was theshrine of Mother Sheetla of Thanthania. This shrine can now