Editing Ramakrishna (section)

{{Short description|Indian Hindu mystic (1836–1886)}}
{{other uses|Ramakrishna (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English||date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
| name               = Ramakrishna
| image              = Ramakrishna.jpg
| caption            = Ramakrishna at [[Dakshineswar]], 1883–84{{Sfn|Beckerlegge|1996|p=321}}
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1836|2|18|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Kamarpukur]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[Company rule in India|Company India]]<br />(now [[West Bengal]], India)
| birth_name         = Ramakrishna <!-- See talk page topic: "Ramakrishna's Given Name" before making any change--> Chattopadhyay
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1886|8|16|1836|2|18|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Cossipore]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br />(now West Bengal, India)
| death_cause        = [[Throat cancer]]
| nationality        = [[India]]n
| spouse             = [[Sarada Devi]]
| guru               = Totapuri, Bhairavi Brahmani, and others
| school             = [[Vedanta]]
| lineage            = [[Daśanāmi Sampradaya]]
| founder            = [[Ramakrishna Order]]
| temple             = [[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]]
| disciples          = [[Swami Vivekananda]] and [[Disciples of Ramakrishna|others]]
| religion           = [[Hinduism]]
| philosophy         = [[Advaita Vedanta]]<br>[[Shaktism]]
| honors             = [[Paramahamsa]]
}}
{{Advaita}}
{{Hinduism}}
'''Ramakrishna''' (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886<ref name="belurmath.org">—{{Cite web |url=http://belurmath.org/kids_section/birth-of-sri-ramakrishna/ |title=(07) Birth of Sri Ramakrishna » Kid's Section |access-date=19 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220013919/http://belurmath.org/kids_section/birth-of-sri-ramakrishna/ |archive-date=20 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}<br />—{{cite web|title=Feature|website=pib.nic.in|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2002/ffeb2002/f260220021.html|access-date=19 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225130158/http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2002/ffeb2002/f260220021.html|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}<br />— {{cite web|url=https://www.ramakrishna.org/rmk_nik.htm|title=Sri Ramakrishna By Swami Nikhilananda|website=www.ramakrishna.org|access-date=19 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220020231/https://www.ramakrishna.org/rmk_nik.htm|archive-date=20 February 2017|url-status=dead}}<br />—{{cite book|title=Great Saints & Yogis|first=Dharam Vir|last=Mangla|date=1 April 2016|publisher=Lulu Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9781365013515|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6174CwAAQBAJ&q=ramakrishna+++17th+february+1836&pg=PT53|access-date=4 July 2019|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011191855/https://books.google.com/books?id=6174CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT53&lpg=PT53&dq=ramakrishna+++17th+february+1836&hl=en#v=onepage&q=ramakrishna+++17th+february+1836&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref>), also called '''Ramakrishna Paramahansa''' ({{langx|bn|রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস|Ramôkṛṣṇo Pôromohôṅso}}; {{IPA|bn|ramɔkriʂno pɔromoɦɔŋʃo|pron|Ramakrishna.ogg}}; {{IAST3|Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṃsa}}), born '''Ramakrishna''' <!-- See talk page topic: "Ramakrishna's Given Name" before making any change--> '''Chattopadhay''',<ref name="ReferenceA">M's original Bengali diary page 661, Saturday, 13 February 1886</ref><ref name="More About Ramakrishna' 1993, page 23">''More About Ramakrishna'' by Swami Prabhananda, 1993, Advaita Ashrama, page 23</ref>{{Sfn|Saradananda|2003|p=311}} was an Indian Hindu [[Mysticism|mystic]]. He was a devotee of the goddess [[Kali]], but adhered to various religious practices from the Hindu traditions of [[Vaishnavism]], [[Tantra#Śaiva and Śākta tantra|Tantric Shaktism]], and [[Advaita Vedanta]], as well as [[Christianity]] and [[Islam]]. His parable-based teachings advocated the essential [[Omnism|unity of religions]] and proclaimed that world religions are "so many paths to reach one and the same goal".{{sfn|Swami Prabhavananda|2019}} He is regarded by his followers as an [[avatar]] (divine incarnation).<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Ramakrishna |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ramakrishna |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=2 October 2021}}</ref>
{{quote box
| title = Epigraph
| quote = "I have practised all religions - Hinduism, Islam, Christianity - and I have also followed the paths of the different Hindu sects. I have found that it is the same God toward whom all are directing their steps, though along different paths. You must try all beliefs and traverse all the different ways once. Wherever I look, I see men quarrelling in the name of religion - Hindus, Mohammedans, Brahmos, Vaishnavas, and the rest. But they never reflect that He who is called Krishna is also called Siva, and bears the name of the Primal Energy, Jesus, and Allah as well - the same Rama with a thousand names. A lake has several Ghats. At one, the Hindus take water in pitchers and call it ' Jal ' ; at another the Mussalmans take water in leather bags and call it ' pani '. At a third the Christians call it ' water '. Can we imagine that it is not ' Jal ' , but only ' pani ' or ' water '? How ridiculous! The substance is One under different names, and everyone is seeking the same substance; only climate, temperament, and name create differences. Let each man follow his own path. If he sincerely and ardently wishes to know God, peace be unto him! He will surely realize Him."
| author = — Ramakrishna{{sfn|Gupta|1942|p=47}}
| width = 30em
| align  = right|salign=right
}}

Ramakrishna was born in [[Kamarpukur]], Bengal Presidency, India. He described going through [[religious experiences]] in childhood. At age twenty, he became a temple priest at the [[Dakshineswar Kali Temple|Dakshineshwar Kali Temple]] in [[Kolkata|Calcutta]]. While at the temple, his devotional temperament and intense religious practices led him to experience various [[Vision (spirituality)|spiritual visions]]. He was assured of the authenticity and sanctity of his visions by several religious teachers.

In 1859, in accordance with then prevailing customs, Ramakrishna was married to [[Sarada Devi]], a marriage that was never consummated. He was initiated into [[sannyasa]] in 1865 by Tota Puri, a [[vedanta]] monk. Ramakrishna gained widespread acclaim amongst the temple visiting public as a [[guru]], attracting social leaders, elites, and common people alike. Although initially reluctant to consider himself a guru, he eventually taught disciples and founded the monastic [[Ramakrishna Order]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=donationsbm|date=|title=About Us|url=https://belurmath.org/about-us/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211533/https://belurmath.org/about-us/|archive-date=2018-02-26|access-date=2021-01-21|website=Belur Math - Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission|language=en-US}}</ref> His emphasis on direct spiritual experience instead of adhering to scriptural injunctions has been influential. Ramakrishna died due to [[throat cancer]] on the night of 15 August 1886.{{Sfn|Rolland|1929|pp=201–214}} After his death, his chief disciple [[Swami Vivekananda]] continued and expanded his spiritual mission, both in India and the [[Western world|West]].{{sfn|Clarke|2006|p=209}}