Draft:Swami Chetanananda

Swami Chetanananda
Swami Chetanananda
Born	1936 (age 89–90); Khulna, Bengal Presidency, British India
Occupations	Monk, author, translator, spiritual teacher
Years active	1960–present
Title	Minister-in-charge, Vedanta Society of St. Louis

Swami Chetanananda (born 1936) is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, an author and translator of Vedantic literature, and the Minister-in-charge of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis and Kansas City. Recognized for documenting the lives of Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi, and their disciples, his full biographical and publication details can be found in the referenced sources.

Early life and monastic career

Born in Khulna (now Bangladesh), Chetanananda moved to Kolkata in 1950, joined the Ramakrishna Order in 1960, and received initiation from Swami Shankarananda in 1961. He took final vows in 1969 under Swami Vireswarananda after serving in Advaita Ashrama departments.

Ministry in the United States

Sent to the U.S. in 1971, he assisted at the Vedanta Society of Southern California before transferring to St. Louis in 1978. He became Minister-in-charge in 1980.

Selected bibliography

Swami Chetanananda has written, translated, and edited numerous foundational volumes on Advaita Vedanta and the historical figures of the Ramakrishna movement.

English Books

Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play (2003), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356811
Ramakrishna as We Saw Him (1990), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356644
God Lived with Them: Life Stories of Sixteen Monastic Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna (1997), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356804
They Lived with God: Life Stories of Some Devotees of Sri Ramakrishna (1989), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356613
How to Live With God: In the Company of Ramakrishna (2008), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356927
See God with Open Eyes: Meditation on Ramakrishna (2020), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-1951593063
Ramakrishna: A Biography in Pictures (With Biographical Introduction by Swami Smaranananda, 1998), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175051416
Sri Ramakrishna: A Divine Life in Pictures (1998), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356828
Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play (2012), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356996
Holy Mother: A Biography in Pictures (With Biographical Introduction by Swami Smaranananda, 2011), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175051997
Sri Sarada Devi: A Divine Life in Pictures (2016), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-1951593100
Meditation and Its Methods According to Swami Vivekananda (Editor, 1976), Vedanta Press. ISBN 978-0874810301
Vedanta: Voice of Freedom (Editor/Compiler of Swami Vivekananda's teachings, 1986), Philosophical Library. ISBN 978-0802224910
Vivekananda: East Meets West (1994), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356798
A Guide to Spiritual Life: Teachings of Swami Brahmananda (Translator, 2002), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356866
Spiritual Treasures: Letters of Swami Turiyananda (2003), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8185301242
How a Shepherd Boy Became a Saint—Teachings and Reminiscences of Swami Adbhutananda (2020), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-1951593025
Swami Akhandananda As We Saw Him (Translated by Swami Swahananda, 2004), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175052611
Swami Subodhananda: Life, Teachings, Reminiscences, Letters (Co-author: Swami Vimohananda, 2016), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175054516
Mahendranath Gupta (M.) (2004), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356880
Girish Chandra Ghosh: A Bohemian Devotee of Sri Ramakrishna (2009), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356941
Stories of Vedanta Monks – Part 1 (Translated by Pravrajika Prajnaprana, 2022), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-1951593148
Stories of Vedanta Monks – Part 2 (Translated by Pravrajika Prajnaprana, 2023), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-1951593162
Avadhuta Gita: The Song of the Ever-Free (Sanskrit into English Translation, 1992), Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356705
Enlightening Stories (Co-author: Swami Vimohananda, 2019), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175054776

Compilations and Anonymous Works (Edited/Compiled)

Ramakrishna and His Message by Swami Vivekananda, Vedanta Society of St. Louis. ISBN 978-0916356675
Swamiji and His Message by Sister Nivedita, Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175052116
Vivekananda and His Call to the Nation (2003), Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-8175052444

Bengali Books (Written, Edited, and Translated)

Dhyanaloke Sri Ramakrishna [ধ্যানালোকে শ্রীরামকৃষ্ণ], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Sri Ramakrishner Sannidhey [শ্রীরামকৃষ্ণের সান্নিধ্যে], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Sri Ramakrishnake Jerup Dekhiachi [শ্রীরামকৃষ্ণকে যেরূপ দেখিয়াছি], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Kalpataru Ramakrishna [কল্পতরু রামকৃষ্ণ], Vedanta Society of St. Louis / Udbodhan.
Matri Darshan [মাতৃ দর্শন], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Ya Devi Sa Sarada [যা দেবী সা সারদা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Dhyanaloke Sri Ma Sarada Devi [ধ্যানালোকে শ্রীমা সারদা দেবী], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Devitirtha Jairambati [দেবীতীর্থ জয়রামবাটী], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Bahurupe Vivekananda [বহুরূপে বিবেকানন্দ], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Vedanta O Muktir Vani [বেদান্ত ও মুক্তির বাণী], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Brahmanander Smritikatha [স্বামী ব্রহ্মানন্দের স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Shivanandake Jerup Dekhiachi [স্বামী শিবানন্দকে যেরূপ দেখিয়াছি], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Premanander Jivan O Smritikatha [স্বামী প্রেমানন্দের জীবন ও স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Turiyanander Smritikatha [স্বামী তুরিয়ানন্দের স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Saradanander Smritikatha [স্বামী সারদানন্দের স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Ramakrishnanander Smritimala (Co-author: Swami Vimalatmananda) [স্বামী রামকৃষ্ণানন্দের স্মৃতিমালা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Akhandanandake Jerup Dekhiachi [স্বামী অখণ্ডানন্দকে যেরূপ দেখিয়াছি], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Vijnanander Smritikatha [স্বামী বিজ্ঞানানন্দের স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Swami Subodhanander Smritikatha [স্বামী সুবোধানন্দের স্মৃতিকথা], Udbodhan Karyalaya. ISBN 978-8180404993
Srima Samipe: Reminiscences of M. [শ্রীমা সমীপে], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Girish Chandra Ghosh [গিরিশচন্দ্র ঘোষ], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Prachin Sadhuder Katha – Volume 1 [প্রাচীন সাধুদের কথা - ১ম খণ্ড], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Prachin Sadhuder Katha – Volume 2 [প্রাচীন সাধুদের কথা - ২য় খণ্ড], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Vedanter Aloke Christer Sailopadesh [বেদান্তের আলোকে খ্রিস্টের শৈলোপদেশ], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Galpa Malika [গল্প মালিকা], Udbodhan Karyalaya.
Ramakrishna Mission Adhibeshaner Itivritta [রামকৃষ্ণ মিশন অধিবেশনের ইতিবৃত্ত], Udbodhan Karyalaya.

Introductions and Forewords written by Swami Chetanananda

Josephine MacLeod and Vivekananda’s Mission – by Linda Prugh (1998), Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. ISBN 978-8171208517
The Ultimate Love Affair: Vedanta and the Search for God – by Leta Jane Lewis (2009), Vedanta Press. ISBN 978-0874819779
Remembering Ramakrishna: His Words – by Elva Nelson (2009), Vedanta Press. ISBN 978-0874819717
The ABCs of Spiritual Life: Essential Vedanta Teachings of Swami Aseshananda – by Terrence D. Hohner (2016), Vedanta Society of Portland. ISBN 978-0997184204
Illuminating Thoughts of Swami Gambhirananda (2024), Swami Gambhirananda Centenary Committee, Howrah.
Divine Life of Sri Ramakrishna in Paintings – by Ajoy Kumar Bandopadhyay (2025), Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata.
Swami Gambhirananda: Ek Mahajivaner Katha (Bengali) – by Sujata Sinha (2005), Swami Gambhirananda Centenary Committee.
Chintaloke Swami Gambhirananda (Bengali) (2024), Swami Gambhirananda Centenary Committee, Howrah.
Sri Ramakrishna Lilabetta – Indesher Gauri Pandit (Bengali) – by Nitai Nag (2010), Kolkata.

Media and Discography

Audio CDs

Echoes of the Eternal—Peace, Bliss, and Harmony (Sanskrit chants with English translation – 3 hours), Vedanta Society of St. Louis.
Breath of the Eternal—Awakening, Reflection, and Illumination (Sanskrit chants with English translation – 3 hours), Vedanta Society of St. Louis.

Documentary DVDs

Ramakrishna (A Documentary – 78 minutes), Vedanta Society of St. Louis.
Vivekananda as We Saw Him (A Documentary – 87 minutes), Vedanta Society of St. Louis.
Parables of Ramakrishna (55 minutes), Vedanta Society of St. Louis.

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