Swami Vivekananda once declared that Latu ( the premonastic name of Swami Adbhutananda ) was the greatest miracle of Sri Ramakrishna. If an orphan servant boy who had absolutely no knowledge of even the alphabets could rise to such a state of sainthood that the scholars of great book-learning would sit at his feet and listen spellbound to his words of wisdom, it was nothing short of a miracle that Sri Ramakrishna brought about. Hence the appropriateness of his name ( adbhuta = wonder ).

The early life of the Swami is shrouded in mystery. Born in a remote village of Bihar, and orphaned at a tender age, the boy was later brought to Calcutta by his uncle. Good fortune favored him by getting him the job of a servant in the house of Sri Ramachandra Datta, a great devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. The religious atmosphere in the house helped unfold his religious temperament. The frequent errands to Dakshineswar brought him into close contact with Sri Ramakrishna who graciously accepted him as a disciple. Later on, as Sri Ramakrishna felt the need for an attendant, Latu started living with him and serving him. Since the guru was all in all for him, his service was exceptionally devoted.

After the demise of the Master, Latu embraced monastic life and became `Swami Adbhutananda.' Though he lived a mendicant's life, he seldom moved away from Dakshineswar, his holiest place of pilgrimage. Through hard austerity and long bouts of meditation he was able to live constantly in God.

He lived for an unusually long period of nine years at the house of Balram Bose, another great devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. It was during this period that many earnest seekers would meet him and get their doubts resolved.

He spent his last days at Varanasi where he breathed his last on April 24, 1920.

Teachings

What is the use of prayer and meditation if you have no dependence on Him ? Everything else is useless if you lack this.

It is a great sin to find fault with others. You will invariably find that it is such people as never do a good act themselves who easily see defects in others and energetically spread rumors.

It is better to continue calling on the Lord devotedly than to know, speak, and preach thousand and one religious cants and shibboleths.