Ramakrishna
Mystic and saint of nineteenth-century Bengal, guru of Swami Vivekananda
- Lived
- 50 yrs
- 1836 – 1886
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 0
- Awards & distinctions
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Ramakrishna was a Bengali mystic and saint who served as a priest of the Kali temple at Dakshineswar near Calcutta. He taught that all religions lead to the same truth, and his disciple Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in his name. He died in 1886.
Biography
Village boy
Gadadhar Chattopadhyay grew up in a poor Brahmin family in the village of Kamarpukur. He had little formal schooling but loved devotional songs and plays and had intense spiritual experiences as a child.
Dakshineswar
In 1855 he went to Calcutta and became a priest at the new Kali temple at Dakshineswar, built by the philanthropist Rani Rashmoni. His intense devotion to the goddess Kali, whom he saw as a living mother, led to states of ecstasy that some thought were madness.
Many paths
Ramakrishna practised Tantra under the guidance of the Bhairavi Brahmani and non-dual Advaita under the monk Totapuri, and also followed Islamic and Christian practices for periods. From these experiences he taught that different religions are different paths to the same God. He married Sarada Devi, later revered as the Holy Mother.
Disciples and legacy
Educated young men from Calcutta, including Narendranath Datta — later Swami Vivekananda — became his disciples. He died of throat cancer at Cossipore on 16 August 1886. His conversations were recorded by his disciple Mahendranath Gupta in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, and Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.
Timeline
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1836
Born in Kamarpukur, Hooghly district, Bengal Presidency (now West Bengal)
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1855
Becomes priest at Dakshineswar
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1859
Marries Sarada Devi
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1881
Meets Narendranath (Vivekananda)
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1886
Dies at Cossipore
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1897
Ramakrishna Mission founded
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1886
Died, aged 50
Notable works
-
1902
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Book
Recorded by Mahendranath Gupta.
Did you know?
-
1
He had very little formal schooling.
-
2
He practised Islam and Christianity for periods to experience their paths.
-
3
His sayings were recorded in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Ramakrishna?
Ramakrishna was a Bengali mystic and saint who served as a priest of the Kali temple at Dakshineswar near Calcutta. He taught that all religions lead to the same truth, and his disciple Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in his name. He died in 1886.
When did Ramakrishna die?
Ramakrishna died on 16 August 1886 at the age of 50.
Where is Ramakrishna from?
Ramakrishna was born in Kamarpukur, Hooghly district, Bengal Presidency (now West Bengal).
What is Ramakrishna known for?
Ramakrishna is best known for Teaching the harmony of religions; priest at Dakshineswar; guru of Swami Vivekananda.
References
- Ramakrishna — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ramakrishna — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ramakrishna — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ramakrishna (Q183126) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Ramakrishna”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Ramakrishna.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/ramakrishna
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