Question: I have been searching for a place where I can study scriptures and more over find the truth about myself. I have been striving my best to lead a social life and find the truth about myself. But I am unable to find the answer. I am not able to fulfill my goal of learning the scriptures, I remain engaged with the worldly works, which to be frank, has not given me any peace of mind nor any satisfaction. Hence after a lot of thoughts and thinking I have been trying to find a place where I can fullfill my goals and learn scriptures. I know it requires dedication and sacrifice, I am sure I want to do it. So for achieving all this I need an able guru and a favorable environment which I have been searching. I have been going through the works done at your ashram and have been inspired by it. So I need your advice and sincere help to find out whether I can achieve the supreme knowledge at your ashram? For which I need to know more about the teachings taught there, I would also like to meet knowledgeable persons and ask for their valuable guidance. Hence I request you to please do guide me in this respect. I am hereby enclosing my bio-data with this mail for your kind reference. I would be very happy to clarify details required on my part.
Hoping for your favorable reply,
Answer: Ramakrishna Order is purely for monastics and for those who desire to become monks. Of course scriptural study classes are conducted for lay people who come from their residences. But, if you want residential accommodations & study scriptures then you may contact Swami Dayananda Saraswathiji’s institution, which conducts the same somewhere near Coimbatore. I do not know the exact address. If you can find out & get in touch with them, I hope your wish will be fulfilled.
Reply to the above response: Respected sir,
Hope you remember me. Anyway as per your advice I had sent letters and mail to Swami Dayananda Saraswathiji’s institution, but unfortunately I didn’t get any reply. Anyway sir, as you had mentioned in your mail that at Ramakrishna Ashram its for only monastics, so I have been thinking over it, I do want to detach myself from all the worldly affairs that keep holding me back to the same position, I want to learn about myself and about creator (GOD), I know he dwells within me, but for me to understand him more closely and deeply I need to detach myself from all other kinds of worldly attachments and devote my life to that sole purpose, this is what I want to do. And I hope I would get that kind of environment at your ashram. So I need to know more about Ramakrishna Ashram and I want to visit your ashram at Bangalore and discuss it in person. So can it be possible for me to come and meet you at sometime of your convenience early next month. I don’t know the formalities for meeting any learned persons at ashram, so I would be grateful to you if you could guide me in this.
Hoping for your kind reply. Have a good day.
Answer: I wish you make a trip to Coimbatore & meet in person swami Dayananda Saraswathi. If you are interested in monastic life & to become a monk, the first condition is you should be below 28 years, unmarried, & thoroughly conversant with the philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna. We have centers at Kerala in the following places. You can visit any one of them which is nearer to you. Of course if you are keen in coming to Bangalore, you are welcome. But you have to ascertain of my availability before hand as I am always on tour.
Addresses:
Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama
P.O. Kalady
Dr. Ernakulam 683 574
Kerala, India
Phone: 0484-246-2345, 246-1071
Ramakrishna Math
P.O. Vyttila, Kochi
Dt. Ernakulam 682 019
Kerala, India
Phone: 0484-230-1860
Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama Kallai, P.O. Arts & Science College (Calicut),
Kozhikode 673 018
Kerala, India
Phone: 0495-232-0191, 232-5345.
Ramakrishna Math
P.O. Arunapuram
Palai
Dt. Kottayam 686 574
Kerala, India
Phone: 0482-220-0700
Ramakrishna Math
Swami Vivekananda Road
P.O. Melur, Quilandy
Dt. Kozhikode 673 319
Kerala, India
Phone: 0496-263-0990
Ramakrishna Ashrama
Sasthamangalam
Thiruvananthapuram 695 010
Kerala, India
Phone: 0471-272-2125, 272-2453, 272-6603, 272-7393, 272-7607.
Ramakrishna Ashrama Nettayam,
P.O.- Katchani,Thiruvananthapuram - 695 013.
Phone: 0471-236-4936.
Ramakrishna Math
Vilangan, P.O. Puranattukara
Dt. Thrissur 680 551 Kerala, India
Phone: 0487-230-7719, 230-7492.
Ramakrishna Ashrama
Thukalassery
Tiruvalla
Dt. Pathanamthitta 689 101
Kerala, India
Phone: 0469-260-3125