Pragyananda Saraswati

Pragyananda Saraswati
Born	12 August 1887 Galachipa, Patuakhali, Bengal, British Raj
Died	5 February 1921 Calcutta, Bengal, British Raj
Other names	Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyay
Known for	preached Vedanta, wrote The History of Vedanta, and participated in Indian independence movement

Swami Pragyananda Saraswati (Bengali: স্বামী প্রজ্ঞানন্দ সারস্বতী) (12 August 1887 – 5 February 1921), born Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyay, was an Indian freedom fighter, monk and scholar from Bengal who played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement. Born in Galachipa, Patuakhali (now in Bangladesh), he joined the Swadeshi movement against the Partition of Bengal while teaching at Brojomohun College in Barisal. As co-secretary of the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti, he helped organize over 150 branches of nationalist activity and built close ties with the Jugantar revolutionary group.

To evade British surveillance, he adopted a spiritual path and founded the Shankar Math near Brojomohun College in 1910, which served both as a centre of Vedantic study and a safehouse for revolutionaries. He later took monastic vows in 1919 in Gaya under Shrimat Shankarananda Saraswati, becoming Swami Pragyananda. Despite his spiritual life, he continued revolutionary engagement, influencing figures like Rash Behari Bose, Sachin Sanyal, and others.

He was repeatedly arrested and interned by British authorities, most notably at Mahishadal, where he gained widespread local respect. After suffering from recurrent Malaria, he died in 1921. Institutions such as the Saraswati Library, Saraswati Press, and Shrimat Swami Pragyananda Saraswati Vidyalaya were later established in his memory.

Early life & education

Satish Chandra was born on 12 August 1887 in Galachipa Upazila, in the Patuakhali District, Undivided Bengal (present-day Bangladesh), under British India. His father, Shashthi Charan Mukhopadhyay, was a police officer (Daroga), and his mother was Khetramohini Devi The family hailed from Ujirpur, Barisal District. He passed the Entrance Examination in 1901 and pursued Faculty of Arts studies in Dhaka.

Entry into Nationalist politics

Satish Chandra began his career as a teacher at Ujirpur School, but his involvement in the anti-partition movement—protesting the 1905 Partition of Bengal—soon drew him into active politics. He later joined the Brojomohun College in Barisal, established by Ashwini Kumar Dutta, a leading figure in the Swadeshi movement.

Datta founded the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti, a powerful nationalist organization promoting indigenous industry and self-reliance. Satish Chandra served as co-secretary of the Samiti alongside Professor Satish Chattopadhyay. In 1906, largely due to his efforts, a Jugantar revolutionary base was established in Barisal.

Revolutionary activities

Revolutionary organizing and suppression

In 1908, the British government invoked Regulation III of 1818 to imprison several leaders, including Ashwini Kumar Dutta and Satish Chattopadhyay. The task of overseeing the Samiti operations across its 150 branches then fell upon Satish Chandra.

After the government declared the Samiti illegal in 1909, he intensified underground activity and in 1910 established Shree Shree Shankar Math near Brojomohun College and also set up a Ramakrishna Mission center. While outwardly promoting Vedantic ideals, the math also functioned as a strategic base for revolutionary activity. Young activists were trained there, and fugitives sheltered.

Among those closely associated with him during this period was Debendranath Ghosh, who played a significant role in sustaining revolutionary work in the Barisal region.

Spread to Kashi and wider networks

From 1909, Satish Chandra began frequent visits to Kashi, where he founded a second revolutionary base. He forged links with revolutionaries such as Rash Behari Bose and Sachin Sanyal, while simultaneously studying Sanskrit and engaging in philosophical discussions.

While staying in Kolkata in 1915 at the residence of Professor Satish Chattopadhyay, he engaged with prominent political leaders. One of his disciples from this time was Yogesh Chandra Mukhopadhyay, who would later carry forward his legacy. His influence also spread across Barisal, Kolkata, and Kashi.

Embracing Sannyasa

Sannyasa and spiritual identity

In 1919, Satish Chandra embraced monastic life, taking sannyasa under Shrimat Shankarananda Saraswati in Gaya, and adopted the name Swami Pragyananda Saraswati. Even after renouncing worldly life, he remained closely involved with revolutionary networks and spiritual upliftment.

British internment and continued influence

In 1916, Swami Pragyananda was arrested under the Defence of India Act and interned first in Ujirpur, then permitted to live in Shankar Math. Despite state surveillance, revolutionaries such as Jadugopal Mukherjee and Nalini Kar visited him for strategic discussions.

Later, the British authorities relocated him to Mahishadal, in Midnapore district, where he continued to attract a wide following—ranging from villagers and civil servants to the Raja of Mahishadal.

Literary works

Swami Pragyananda Saraswati authored several books like History of the Vedantas (4 volumes) in Bengali that reflect his engagement with Vedantic thought and political philosophy.

Declining health and death

During his internment in Mahishadal, Swami Pragyananda contracted Malaria. He was released in 1920, briefly returned to the math, but again fell seriously ill. He moved to Kolkata, where he was cared for by his disciple Yogesh Chandra Mukhopadhyay, and passed away on 5 February 1921.

According to his last wish, his body was transported to Barisal, where he was laid to rest at Shree Shree Shankar Math.

Legacy

His disciples and admirers carried forward Swami Pragyananda’s revolutionary and spiritual impact. Major commemorative institutions include:

• Saraswati Library, Kolkata (founded in 1920)
• Saraswati Press (established in 1923) by Shailendranath Guha Ray
• Shrimat Swami Pragyananda Saraswati Vidyalaya, established by Yogesh Chandra Mukhopadhyay in Shibpur, Howrah, in 1950

Shree Shree Shankar Math, Barisal

Established in 1910 by Satish Chandra Mukhopadhyay, Shree Shree Shankar Math became both a spiritual sanctuary and a hub of revolutionary planning in southern Bengal. Located in the Natun Bazzar area on the western edge of Barisal city, the math spans 3.5 acres and was instrumental in politically awakening the youth, many of whom were initiated with the “Vande Mataram” mantra.

The structure has three domes crowned with a metallic “Om” symbol and a trident. The complex includes:

• A black-stone Shiva Linga in the main sanctum
• An idol of Shankarananda Saraswati
• The samadhi (memorial shrine) of Swami Pragyananda Saraswati

Even during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the math served as a safe haven for freedom fighters, extending its legacy of resistance.

Influence on Monoranjan Gupta

Swami Pragyananda’s influence extended to numerous revolutionaries, among whom Manoranjan Gupta, a student of Brojomohun College, was notable. Under his leadership and spiritual guidance, Monoranjan formed a clandestine group dedicated to Indian independence.

Though Gupta later undertook daring actions—such as the 1915 assassination of Inspector Girindra Mukherjee and a robbery at Corporation Street—his work is remembered in the broader context of the revolutionary atmosphere inspired by Swami Pragyananda. Gupta’s later political role as an MLA and MLC further demonstrated the long reach of Pragyananda’s ideals.

See also

• Swami Prajnananda
• Indu Bhusan Roy (independence activist)
• Ullaskar Dutta
• Kanailal Dutta
• Barindra Kumar Ghosh
• Hemchandra Kanungo

Bibliography

• Hemendranath Dasgupta, Bharater Biplab Kahini, II & III, Calcutta, 1948;
• Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, History of the Freedom Movement in India, III, Calcutta 1963;
• Abishmaraniya by Ganganarayan Chandra