Sri Ramakrishna Ashram
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  1. About us

  2. Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Bailur or more popularly known among locals as "BAILUR MATH" is a spiritual retreat centre for the spiritual seekers, who seeks solitude, peace, joy and spiritual upliftment. "BAILUR MATH" is regarded as one of the important spiritual centres in Udupi District and is also close to famous spiritual and religious centres like Udupi Krishna Temple, Heritage town of Karkala, Moodabidre, Sringeri, Kollur Mookambika Temple, Dharmasthala etc., which is an added advantage to the spiritual seekers who visit the Ashrama.

  3. Institutions of "Bailur Math"

  4. Around the year 2004 the triple institutions of "Bailur Math" group emerged out dedicated to the twin ideals: 'for one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world' ( Atmano Moksartham Jagad Hitaya Ca) as set by Swami Vivekananda. The Three Institutions of Bailur Math are:

    1. Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama (the Men Monastic Wing)
    2. Sharada Foundation (the Women Monastic Wing)
    3. Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama (the Missionary & Service Wing)

    The Ashramas at Bailur, Karkala, Udupi (Popularly known as BAILUR MATH) are not branches of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur, Howrah, but precisely work on the same principles and closely follow the same ideas and ideology.

  5. Our Inspiration: Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj

  6. Maharaj
    Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj began his spiritual journey by joining Sri Ramakrishna Math, Basavanagudi, Bangalore in 1977 and received his Mantra Diksha and Brahmacharya Diksha from Most Revered Swami Veereshwarananadaji Maharaj, the 10th President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission and he was initiated into the Holy Order of Sannyasa in 1987 by Most Revered Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj, the 11th President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. After his joining the Order, for the next 14 years he patterned his life along the supreme ideals of Renunciation and Service.

    At the end of this period he was inspired to practice intense Tapasya in order to achieve the Supreme Goal of Human Life, God Realization as told by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Deva.

    Taking due permission and blessings from the Senior Monks of the Order, he entered into solitude in the dense Churna forest of the Satpura Ranges in Madhya Pradesh situated on banks of River Narmada. He got settled in a place of complete isolation free from any human inhabitation, surviving on the naturally available fruits and roots and a bag of beaten rice which would be delivered to him once in every 2 or 3 month by a generous forest officer. Having spent many years in such a manner he took to the life of a wandering monk travelling to the Himalayas and finally came to Udupi in the year 2001 as a part of his sojourns.

    Seeing the purity of life, and the noble desire to love and serve all beings manifested in his person, a group of devotees decided to renounce and lead their life along the twin Ideals of self-salvation and service of the world under his guidance. This lead to the genesis of the current Ashrama. He stands aloof as an uninvolved silent inspirer radiating pure spirituality correcting us when we err, and nursing and nourishing our spiritual infancy.

  7. Our Location: How to Reach

  8. It is a wonderful pleasant lap of Mother Nature - bank of a beautiful perennial river Swarna Ganga, a doom shaped sloppy mound (northern slope: 135 feet high reaching down to river) in the silent and calm retreats of the evergreen forest area of the Western Ghats of the South India, just 25 kms from Arabian sea the Ashrama is situated. The place is called Bailur in the famous Karkala Taluk of the Udupi District in the South Canara region of Karnataka. 23 kms to the North is Udupi and 21 kms to the South is Karkala.

    To come to Ashrama, reach Mangalore or Udupi or Karkala take any bus on the Udupi-Karkala route going via Manipal- Hiriyadka-Bailur and get down at Gudde Angadi Katte stop ( ) take an auto to the Ashrama. From Gudde Angadi Katte stop Ashrama is 4 k.m. Other nearby places being

    - Dharmasthala :84Kms - Sringeri :80Kms - Manipal :19Kms - Mangalore :56Kms - Bajpe Airport :62Kms - Udupi Railway Station :21Kms.

  9. Places of Interest in "Bailur Math" Campus

  10. Holy Mother's Rock
    In 1911 (March), Holy mother Sri Sharada Devi visited Bangalore and stayed in the Ramakrishna Math, Basavanagudi. One evening Mother climbed

    over a nearby hillock in the precincts of the temple and sitting there entered into Spiritual Ecstasy. To commemorate the incident, in the very spot where Holy Mother sat, a stone Mantap was erected.

    To have the living presence of Holy Mother eternally in the Bailur Ashrama and make the Ashrama a universal centre radiating Love, Light and Peace to all corners of the world, a piece of the stone from the place where Holy Mother had sat at Bangalore hillock was brought and enshrined in the top most point. For this purpose an identical rock was created by bringing huge rock blocks from neigh-bouring quarry. On it was erected a grand stone Mantap surrounding which stands a beautiful garden. This is the first stone monument in the Ashrama. The rising sun at dawn seen from here is exceptionally beautiful and an event worth witnessing.

    Shrine of The HOLY TRIO and Prayer Hall
    "The sublime spirit of the messages and prayers of those Sages, of their faith and love, of their dedication and efforts to have constant Communion with that Supreme Divinity can be experienced collectively in one of the India's priceless traditions - 'the Temple'.
    - Swami Vinayakananda

    A shrine that radiates Divinity and imparts holiness and awakens the innate Spiritual tendencies stand as an elegant edifice with Sri Ramakrishna Deva, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda as the preciding Deities. It contains a spacious art-strewn prayer hall and is surrounded by garden. The absolute silence and sublimity imparts transcendental joy.

    The living presence of the Holy Trio can palpably be felt even by a lay casual visitor. The worship and all other timely services to the Deities is being carried on daily with absolute precision in accordance to the Ramakrishna Tradition. All festivals and special occasions like Ramnaam on Ekadashi, birthday observances of all 16 Direct Disciples, and other celebrations too are carried on.

    The whole setup is lighted up by the special manifestation of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi as Her Holy Relics too are enshrined in the Sanctum Sanctorum. This makes the Temple a Shakti Peetha.

    Vivekananda Tyaga Mantap


    To uphold the ideal of Tyaga and Seva (renunciation /sacrifice and service); in order to meet the challenges of modernity; to infuse the higher ideals of Universal Love, Harmony and Peace in human heart as a social emergency; to dissolve all differences and destroy discord and to unite the entire human race by pointing to underlying Divinity and Spiritual Oneness - a remarkable stone Mantap with black stone image of Swami Vivekananda has been erected. Thus it has been named as 'Vivekananda Tyaga Mantap'. Both the Mantapa and the image are of South Indian traditional stone temple pattern.

    Buddha Mantap

    Buddha Mantap is another attraction for the spiritual seekers in the Ashrama. The beautiful statue of Buddha in a Meditative posture situated in calm atmosphere with evergreen forest as its background kindles the soul for meditation. Meditation precedes Enlightenment. Buddha's image stands as the Ideal. Swami Vivekananda says, 'Do not spend your energy in talking but meditate in silence and become a dynamo of spirituality'.

    One part is to make spiritual progress, the other part is to get rid of strain and stress of working in the buzzles of the world and to replace tension, depression, frustrations by peaceful living in the society with family and friends and be the instruments of spreading love and peace to all around. This is the purpose of meditation. Buddha's image always inspires the soul and kindles the desire to get immersed in meditation.

    Swarna Ganga

    The Ashrama is located on the bank of a graceful perennial river, the Swarna Ganga, which never dries even in summer. It adds beauty, serenity and Divinity to the Ashrama's atmosphere.

    Ganesha Guha

    Ganesh Guha is a hexagonal shaped single solitary room with glass windows on all sides. It stands opposite to Mother's Rock. An idol of Lord Ganesha has been placed in that room. It is surrounded by trees which provide a cool atmosphere even in summer days. It can be used for meditation or studies or spiritual discussions or tiny Satsangha gatherings.

    Old Shrine and Library

    The Old Shrine right on the river bank was built by inmates of Ashrama itself under the guidance of Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji with very little or no help from external labour. It enshrines the beautiful small white marble images of the Holy Trio and also a Ganesh Idol made by Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj himself. It's a calm place where one can spend time in meditation and Japa. It also houses a small library in which the literature of Ramakrishna Tradition, and many other scriptures are there.

  11. Origin/About Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama

  12. The Divine Will, Divine work and Divine mission or even the functioning of this Nature has its own way of working and has been found to be beyond human understanding. When science and our reasoning cannot account for an event or a happening we call it a miracle. Similarly, when people work away from the normal course or away from normal human tendencies : for eg., sacrificing one's all for others, or to found or create a base, a home, where truth, righteousness, goodness, nobility, more than anything spirituality (that finds no difference between man and man) and the supreme ideal of spiritual realisation - to flourish, is, to be sure, possible if commissioned or so willed by the Power that Governs this universe, whom people generally call as 'The God'. It is there that the Divinity freely expresses itself without any resistance. It is being told that such people come to this world only to fulfil that mission and, the rest part of their life is a programme, a divine play, filling the gaps - for the fulfilment of that mission. They remain unstained by their actions because they are mere agents of the Divine in this world.

    This Ashrama too had its origin from such a Divine source, Divine grace! The germ of idea appears in the Divine, descends to earth and takes roots. We do not know from when the preparations go on behind the screen, a soul might have had many lives of training before he/she can do noble work beneficial to mankind and the pride of humanity; it is only in the final stages that it comes to light. Thus, about a decade ago with the very beginning of this millennium, the seeds started gathering together centring a divine personality. The Supreme ideal of God Realisation and service to humanity, the core of Sri Ramakrishna's Teachings, pulled the hearts of a few pious souls endowed with Satvic mettle. Response too came from the Divine; under the guidance and encouragement from the Swamis of the Ramakrishna Order, the group derived strength to love and live a pure spiritual life. They met frequently. Absolutely purity was maintained by not allowing gossips or secular or family matters to come up for conversations or for discussion. One of the Swamis took personal interest in guiding the group. Amidst them was a boy by name Gautham Nayak, he was in his teens studying in Pre-university. Embodiment of purity, love and equanimity, he had all divine qualities that we find in a saint. Brilliant and merited, he was loved by all. The blessed parents who had him as their child too were extremely pious, all loving and noble. Attractions of the world, bodily pleasures and comforts could not capture the family. Renouncing the world of enjoyment is entering the world of Joy and Freedom; Joy is un-abating joy and Freedom is freedom from one's inner enemies. Four years passed, the boy's education was nearing completion. The group had no place of its own. Mother, Smt. Savitha Nayak had conceived and idea of building an Ashrama for those who renounce the world and strive for spiritual attainments and service of mankind. So, she bought a land at Bailur. The boy,having completed his education, now a youth wanted to renounce and join Ramakrishna Math and Mission. But before he leaves he wanted to build up the Ashrama in the land purchased by his mother. Work started and first thing to come up was a beautiful stone Mantapa of Holy Mother Sharada Devi. Soon well educated three Brahmacharins left their home and hearth and joined the Ashrama. Thus started, the Ashrama. A few women too wanted to renounce, and a separate women wing 'Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama' came up. A compassionate at heart, enthusiastic, gifted and competent woman from Manipal, Smt. Sumatha Nayak, came forward to take the responsibility of building an Ashrama and looking after the needs of renunciates of the Ashrama. She is the present founder president of the Sharada Ashrama.

    The first batch of souls dedicated to the ideals

    Both the Ashramas, like clusters of stars, were joyfully dedicating to build-up their lives individually and build up the infrastructure of the Ashrama for living and serving. On one side it was like an oasis for those who were scorched in the world of Samsara and on the other a training centre to transcend personality and manifest divinity. Regular classes/study of scriptures, physical exercises, spiritual practices - Japa, Dhyana etc., daily pujas, prayers and bhajans, and some service activities were going on. Compulsory Sanskrit speaking was introduced. Festivals and celebrations were going on from time to time. The whole set up received a thunderbolt jolt: Gautham, who was the pioneer, builder who toiled all through encountered Leukaemia. First time he fully recovered, four months later in a relapse he was chosen by the Lord of the universe to be His for ever. He had lost his father 3 years back. On the last day of his holy life he received Sannyasa, his life's cherished aim, under the name Swami Chitprabhananda and peacefully lay on the lap of the Divine Mother. He was just 24. He remains in every heart of the inmates and devotees circle as a perfect human ideal. Every bit of the Ashrama, every grain in it reflects his glory, especially the Holy Mother Rock and Swami Vivekananda Tyaga Mantap which he had established with his own hand. He wanted to have huge Stupa of Swami Vivekananda proclaiming Swami Vivekananda and his Master's message to the world. It is his wish that has materialised as the present project of having the Global Monument. Giving herself to an ascetic life of self negation, Mother Savitha continues to be the mother of the Ashrama, shouldering all responsibilities of maintenance of Ashrama and its inmates. We owe our life and attainments to Gautham (Sw. Chitprabhanandji Mj) and his parents.

    Swami Chitprabhanandji

  13. Our vision, mission and objectives

  14. It is mainly a retreat centre dedicated to the twin ideals: "for one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world "( - Atmano Moksartham Jagad Hitaya Ca). They are the twin ideals set by Swami Vivekananda in forming Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission in1897, which have been responsible in pioneering and leading the Ramakrishna Movement. Under the banner and canopy of the Global Ramakrishna Movement, ours is an independent private organisation. It is a trust recognised by and registered under non-profit making, non-commercial public charitable trust by the IT Dept of the Govt. of India. To be more specific, in our own humble and limited way we are servants of this world and of God, seeking Him and His support in serving this world while trying to see Him in every being.

    To realise in one's own life the message of Sri Ramakrishna (is specially meant for modern times) and help it flow on and reach others. It is the ancient WISDOM, the essence of all ethical, religious and spiritual accomplishments of entire mankind of all times. They contain Eternal values for the constantly changing human nature and society. They ensure everlasting Peace, eternal Bliss and Eternal Freedom, which are realisable by every individual in one's own life. They give Light to the society at large, establish social equality and radiate love, peace and harmony at every level of human existence. They are universal, applicable to entire humanity irrespective of time, place, caste, creed, race, nationality, religion and conditions of living.

  15. Genesis

    1. The Ramakrishna Movement :

    2. The Ramakrishna Movement needs no introduction, being the most significant movement on the world platform that has been influencing all sectors of human life. Its uniqueness and speciality is that it can be adopted and owned by any and every person without any need to leave one's own path, principles and way of life. And, once owned he/she finds oneness with the rest of the world and one's spiritual evolution begins - from animal-hood to divine-hood.

      This movement is named after Sri Ramakrishna, the celebrated Spiritual Eminence, renowned as 'Prophet of modern times' and is worshipped by Hindus as an Incarnation of God. Sri Ramakrishna lived the whole gamut of the spiritual evolution in all possible ways that makes man a 'GOD' in reality. He practised all honoured paths to Perfection that man could evolve, reached the common End, giving validity to all paths and showing their common base and common end. Thus his life lived in the broad day light of history is as much valid and valuable as any scriptures on this earth. Apart from spiritual life and spiritual attainments he emblazoned the absolute necessity of ethical and all human values and developments for a peaceful and joyful living in this earth. Many eminent people of that time were astonished by his life and were charmed by his teachings. Hundreds of people received his teachings, got transformed, lived his teachings and gave it to others around. Thus began the Ramakrishna Movement. His message to mankind, of peace, universal love, spirituality and Oneness, was proclaimed and broad cast to the world at large by his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda who, for its implementation and promulgation founded the twin organisations Sri Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. With the formation of twin organisations, the Ramakrishna Movements took a concrete form and got spread in an organised way. Presently they are having 173 branch centres spread all over the world.

      Read more...

      Following their footsteps, thousands of private Ashramas and organisations have come into existence. With the ever-widening circle of private Ashramas, service units, followers, devotees, admirers and well-wishers, the Ramakrishna Movement is gaining momentum. Apart from the branch centres of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, there are more than 3000 private Ashramas/units working in India.

      This world wide Ramakrishna-Vivekananda-Movement has made substantial progress in achieving its objectives of establishing universal peace and oneness bound by universal love. The world is responding to the call as an immediate necessity. The basic principle governing peace is harmony. The Movement is trying through its ideology to build up the harmony of science and spirituality, harmony of ancient and modern, harmony of spiritual and secular, harmony of the East and the West, harmony of all religions and religious paths of the world. It is striving to impart spiritual fulfilment and give an impetus to the development of human faculties. Above all, the Movement is committed to serve man and all beings as manifestations of God, totally dissolving all distinctions of caste, creed, race, religion, nationality and linguistic differences.

      The eternal and universal principles of ancient Indian philosophy are brought down to the common man's reach in such a way that it can be applied in practical life to solve social problems and problems of life. In the world torn by political, religious, sectarian, ethnic, racial and linguistic conflicts/differences, the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda-Movement remains as fountainhead of Spirituality that dissolves all differences and showers peace, harmony and joy.

      The whole Movement collectively has been contributing to the welfare and progress of humanity by serving the poor, the needy, the sick, the downtrodden, by running schools, collages, orphanages and dispensaries, hospitals, relief and rehabilitation work for the victims of natural and manmade calamities and rural development works. This is the Ramakrishna Movement, and is the driving force behind our Ashrama, the Bailur Math, and is moving along the same current with the same goal. The Ramakrishna Movement has both monastic and non-monastic organisations. Of the twin organisations (the pioneers of the Ramakrishna Movement) the Ramakrishna Math is purely a monastic order, while the Ramakrishna Mission is a public association or society open to monks as well as lay people. The Movement contains purely non-monastic organisation like the Vivekananda Kendra. This Ashrama, the Bailur Math is a monastic organisation.

    3. The Ramakrishna monastic Order (Sri Ramakrishna Sannyasa Sampradaya) :

    4. Vivekananda came to Sri Ramakrishna as Narendra Nath Dutta when he was 18. Under the loving guidance of the Master, he bloomed into a spiritual eminence. Many youngsters had gathered round the Master. After the Master's passing away sixteen disciples of the Master headed by Swami Vivekananda formed a monastic brother-hood known as the Ramakrishna Math. Formal monastic vows were taken according to traditional Sannyasa Sampradaya. The ideas and ideals lived and taught by the Great Master Sri Ramakrishna were incorporated and it was rejuvenation and modernisation of Hindu monasticism, it was one of the significant achievements of Swami Vivekananda.

      The monastery started at the dilapidated building in Baranagore in 1887 got finally shifted to its own premises in 1899 and became a registered institution as a Trust on 30th January 1901. Though rooted in the ancient monastic tradition of India of the vedic times and forming a part of the Dashanami (ten Orders established by Shankaracharya in 8th century AD), it was thoroughly revised to form a well organised body. Now, at present, the Ramakrishna Order of Sannyasa bears a distinct identity with new pattern of monastic life and disciplines which combines the best elements of the monastic traditions of the East and the West.

      Of late, the Ramakrishna Order of Sannyasa has expanded beyond the limits of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, and the Brahmacarya diksha (investiture of formal vows of celibacy) and the Sannyasa Diksha (investiture of formal vows of monasticism) according to the Ramakrishna Sampradaya (Ramakrishna Order) can be had from other external sources.

      This Ramakrishna Ashrama at Bailur, popularly called 'Bailur Math' is a monastic organisation of the Ramakrishna Tradition of Sannyasa.

  16. "B ailur Math" - An Abode of Spirituality and Service

  17. Ashrama Information Brochure - Download

    Download Brochure
  18. Ashrama Introduction Video

Note : This Ashrama at Bailur, Karkala, Udupi, (Popularly known as BAILUR MATH) is not a branch of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur, but it works on the same principles and closely follows the same ideals and ideology.