Monastic Name : Swami Adbhutananda
[ - 1920]


"Latu is the greatest miracle of Sri Ramakrishna", Swamiji once said with reference to Swami Adbhutananda. "Having absolutely no education, he has attained to the highest wisdom simply at the touch of the Master". Yes, Latu Maharaj, by which name Swami Adbhutananda was popularly known, was the peer of the Master in this respect that he was entirely innocent of the knowledge of the three R's. Nay, he even surpassed the Master in his ignorance; for whereas the Master could some how manage to read and write, with Latu Maharaj any reading or writing was out of the question.

Once Shri Ramakrishna attempted to teach young Latu how to read and write. But in spite of repeated attempts, Latu pronounced the Bengali alphabet in such a distorted way that the Master, out of sheer despair gave up the attempt to educate Latu. It did not matter, however, that Latu had no book learning. Books supply us knowledge by proxy, as it were. Latu Maharaj had direct access to the Fountain-head of knowledge. The result was that great scholars and philosophers would sit dumb at his feet to hear the words of wisdom that dropped from his lips. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that when a ray of light comes from the great source of all light, all book-learning loses its value. His own life bore testimony to his fact.

The early name of Swami Adbhutananda was Rakhturam, which was shortened to Latu. He was born of humble parents in a village in the district of Chhapra in Bihar. His early life is shrouded in obscurity. It was very difficult to draw him out on that point. As a sanyasin he was discreetly silent on matters relating to his home and relations. If anybody would ask him any question about his early days he would sharply answer, "Giving up thought about God, will you be busy about these trifles?". Once a devotee expressed a desire to write a biography of Latu Maharaj. To this he raised objection saying, "What is the use of writing my life? If you want to write a biography, just write a biography of the Master and of Swamiji. That will be doing good to the world". From details that fell from the lips of Latu Maharaj in his unguarded moments it was known that his parents were very poor-they could hardly make both ends in spite of their hard labour. Scarcely was Latu Maharaj five years old when he lost both parents. His uncle then looked after him.

Latu Maharaj left with his uncle his home village for Calcutta and got employment in the house of Ram Chandra Datta, who was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. At Ram Chandra's house, Latu heard of Sri Ramkrishna and naturally he felt eager to see him. At the very first meeting, brought about in this way, the Master was greatly impressed with the spiritual potentiality of the boy, and Latu felt immensely drawn to the Master even without knowing anything about his greatness.

The Master went to Kamarpukur for about eight months. When the Master returned back, he felt the necessity of an attendant. When he proposed the name of Latu to Ram Chandra, the latter at once agreed to spare him. Thus Latu got the long-wished-for opportunity of serving Sri Ramakrishna.