Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama (Bailur Math)
Our Origin

Our Origin

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 e.g., 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.

The Bailur Math group of institutions including 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, around year 2000 the very beginning of this millennium, the seeds started gathering together centring the divine personality of our Spiritual Inspiration – Most Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj. 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 Sattvic mettle. Response too came from the Divine; under the able spiritual guidance and encouragement of Most Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Order, the group derived strength to love and live a pure spiritual life. They met frequently. Two large hearted mothers from Udupi, Smt. Savitha Nayak and Smt. Sumatha Nayak took the lead in crystallization of this group of devotees. Absolutely purity was maintained by not allowing gossips or secular or family matters to come up for conversations or for discussion. 

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. His 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 on banks of River Swarna at Bailur. The boy, having completed his education, now a youth wanted to renounce and join Ramakrishna Math and Mission. But before he leaves to join the Ramakrishna Matha and Ramakrishna Mission, 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 Brahmacharis left their home and hearth and joined the Ashrama. Thus started, the Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama (Bailur Math). Parallely Two Brahmacharinis too joined along with a few women who 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 for women and looking after the needs of renunciates of the Ashrama. She became the founder president of the Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama.

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 e.g., 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.

The Bailur Math group of institutions including 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, around year 2000 the very beginning of this millennium, the seeds started gathering together centring the divine personality of our Spiritual Inspiration – Most Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj. 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 Sattvic mettle. Response too came from the Divine; under the able spiritual guidance and encouragement of Most Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Order, the group derived strength to love and live a pure spiritual life. They met frequently. Two large hearted mothers from Udupi, Smt. Savitha Nayak and Smt. Sumatha Nayak took the lead in crystallization of this group of devotees. Absolutely purity was maintained by not allowing gossips or secular or family matters to come up for conversations or for discussion.

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. His 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 on banks of River Swarna at Bailur. The boy, having completed his education, now a youth wanted to renounce and join Ramakrishna Math and Mission. But before he leaves to join the Ramakrishna Matha and Ramakrishna Mission, 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 Brahmacharis left their home and hearth and joined the Ashrama. Thus started, the Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama (Bailur Math). Parallely Two Brahmacharinis too joined along with a few women who 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 for women and looking after the needs of renunciates of the Ashrama. She became the founder president of the Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama.

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 jol in the year 2009. 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 Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama (Bailur Math), 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 Viveka Darshana – The Cultural, Spiritual and Educational Center and The Global Monument of Swami Vivekananda which will come up at Nakre area of Karkala. Mother Sumantha Nayak has been given the responsibility of Viveka Darshan, and Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama Trust has taken up the task. 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. Sharada Foundation, dedicated women’s organization under Bailur Math group of Institutions was registered as public charitable trust in the year 2015 with Mother Savitha Nayak becoming The Founder President. She was ordained the vows of Sannyasa by Most Revered Swamiji in the year 2015 and the name Mataji Ramakrishna Prana. We owe our life and attainments to Swami Chitprabhanandaji Maharaj (Gautham).