Sri Sarada Math

Sri Sarada Math is a convent named after Sri Sarada Devi,^[1][2] the consort of Sri Ramakrishna, founded on 2 December 1954.^[3] Headquartered at Dakshineshwar, Kolkata, the organisation has branch centres in other parts of India, and in Sri Lanka and Australia.^[4] The nuns use the title "Pravrajika" before their ordained name, and are usually addressed as "Mataji" meaning 'revered mother'.^[5][6][7]

Overview

Sri Sarada Math is the monastic order for women established as an independent counterpart to Ramakrishna Order. The main aim of the organisation is to fulfill the mission of Swami Vivekananda, that is 'Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva' serving God in Man, irrespective of caste, creed, and nationality as well as the upliftment and empowerment of women.^[8][9]

The organisation mainly propagates the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta–Advaita Vedanta and four yogic ideals–jnana, bhakti, karma, and Raja Yoga.^[10]

Apart from religious and spiritual teaching, the organisation carries out educational and philanthropic work in India. The Sri Sarada Math and its sister organisation, the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, publish many Vedanta and Ramakrishna-Vivekananda texts. Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, its sister organisation^[11] also shares the same headquarters at Dakshineshwar, Kolkata.^[12]

History

2 December 1954, the Sarada Math was inaugurated.^[13]

From 1954 to 1958 Sri Sarada Math was a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math at Belur.^[14] The Trustees of Belur Math assumed the responsibility of its administration.^[15]

In 1958 eight Brahmacharinis of the women's Math were ordained into formal Sannyasa and given new names prefixed by 'Pravrajika' and ending with 'prana'.^{[citation needed]}

On 26 August 1959, the Sri Sarada Math was recognised as an independent organisation and the full administration was handed over to the nuns. Seven of its nuns were elected to be the Trustees. The Trust deed was registered on 9 September 1959 and it was officially registered as a non-government trust on 11 September 1959.^[16] With this an independent Order of Sannyasinis was created.^[17]

Sankaracharya did not sanction sannyasa for women.^[10]

Following the legal establishment of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, the two institutions run by the Ramakrishna Mission for women, the Matri Bhavan (maternity hospital) in south Kolkata and the Entally Ashrama, Women's Welfare Centre in central Kolkata were handed over to Ramakrishna Sarada Mission in 1961.^[18]

In 1963, the Ramakrishna Mission authorities handed over the Sister Nivedita Girls' School^[19] to the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission.^[18]

Motto

The motto of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, 'Atmano Mokshartham Jagad Hitaya Ca' is also shared by Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission.^[20]

Presidents

1. Pravrajika Bharatiprana^[21][22]
2. Pravrajika Mokshaprana^[23]
3. Pravrajika Shraddhaprana ^[24][25]
4. Pravrajika Bhaktiprana^[26][27]
5. Pravrajika Anandaprana^[28]

Branches

There is a branch centre in New South Wales, Australia.^[29]

Publications

Nibodhata,^[30] is its Bengali journal^[31] published every two months.^[32]

Samvit is its English journal, first published in 1980.^[33][34]