Question

Write a short note.

Ramkrishna Mission

Answer 1

Ramakrishna Mission was one of the most important social reform organizations in the 20^th century. The mission is named after and inspired by the Indian saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on 1 May 1897.

1. Motives of the organization: The organization chiefly propagates the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta - Advaita Vedanta and four yogic ideals jnana, bhakti, karma, and Raja Yoga.
2. Principles of the organization:
   
   1. Entirely holy and humanitarian and has no connection with any politics.
   2. "Renunciation and service" -the work of the mission strive to practice and preach these.
   3. The service actions are based on the message of "Jiva is Shiva" from Ramakrishna and Vivekananda's message of "Daridra Narayana" to specify that service to the poor is service to God.
   4. The Principles of Upanishads and Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita, explained in the light of Ramakrishna's life and teachings, is the main source of inspiration for the mission.
   5. The service activities are rendered looking upon all like a real manifestation of the Divine. The motto of the organization is Atmano Mokshartham Jagad-hitaya Cha. It means ‘for one's own salvation and for the good of the world’.
3. Area of Social activities:

   1. The principal workers of the mission are the monks. The mission's actions cover the following areas

   2. schooling

   3. wellbeing and health care

   4. Cultural activities

   5. Rural support

   6. Tribal welfare

   7. Youth movement, etc.

4. The important social activities:
   1. Hospitals, charitable dispensaries, maternity clinics, tuberculosis clinics, and mobile dispensaries.
   2. Training centres for nurses.
   3. Orphanages and homes for the elderly are included in the mission's field of activities, along with rural and tribal welfare work.
   4. Renowned educational institutions in India, having its own university, colleges, vocational training centres, high schools and primary schools, teacher-training institutes, as well as schools for the visually handicapped.
   5. Disaster relief operations during scarcity, epidemic, fire, flood, earthquake, storm and communal disturbances.
   6. The installation of photovoltaic (PV) lighting systems in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal. The PV lighting was used to supply electricity to the people who were depending on kerosene and diesel.

The Ramakrishna mission was a part of religious and holy teaching. At the same time, the organization carries out extensive educational and charitable work in India. This aspect is the important feature of many other Hindu movements. The mission bases its work on the principles of karma yoga, the code of unselfish work done with dedication to God.