SWAMI ADVAITANANDA
Swami Advaitananda in his pre-monastic days was known as Gopal Chandra Ghosh. He was the oldest of the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, being older than even the Master by a few years. Besides, as there were two Gopals, Sri Ramakrishna would address Swami Advaitananda as ‘aged Gopal’ while others would call him Gopalda or Gopal the elder brother. His father was Govardhan Ghosh, and he was born in a village called Jagadal in 24 Parganas, but usually he lived in Sinthi near Calcutta. Gopal was an employee in a shop in Chinabazar, Calcutta, belonging to Beni Pal of Sinthi. Beni Pal was a devout Brahmo, and in the religious celebrations which he performed at his place, the Master would also occasionally be present on invitation. Perhaps it was at these meetings that Gopal first met the Master. Gopalda was a married man. At the death of his wife, he received such a great shock that he did not know what to do. A friend, who was a devotee of the Master, asked him to go to Dakshineswar, which he did he find anything very remarkable in the Master. But his friend insisted on his repeating the visit, for holy men do not often reveal themselves at
