Life in Indian Monasteries: Reminiscences About Monks of the Ramakrishna Order

Life in Indian Monasteries is a book of charming, inspirational anecdotes about many of the saintly monks of the Ramakrishna Order of India, founded in 1886 by Swami Vivekananda, in the name of his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna. The stories, written with an insiderÂ’s genuine understanding, reveal what Hindu monks do in their day-to-day lives, how they interact with one another, their humor, and their spiritual greatness.

A holy man behaves with outsiders in one way, hiding his inner spiritual personality—his true self. This book mainly recounts anedotes about the hidden, true sides of many of the monks of the Ramakrishna Order. It covers most of the 20th century.

Some of the anecdotes are the following:
Brotherly Love
To God-realized Souls the World is Divine Play
Who Can Know a Knower of Brahman?
The Importance of Not Asking for Anything
Saints are not Identified with Their Bodies
A Lesson in Obedience
Saints do not Crave Power and Position
God Answers Unselfish Prayers
Wisdom Versus Ethical Behavior
Sometimes it is Better to Take the Blame for Doing the Right Thing
An Important Lesson for Monastics
Everything Happens According to GodÂ’s Will
Perfect Reliance on GodÂ’s Will
Death-Defying Unsung Heroes
Absence of False Ego in the Spiritually Exalted
Monks Belong to the Entire World
What is a True Miracle?
Miracles Do Not Necessarily Convince
Four Stories about Truthfulness
A Missed Opportunity
Love of the Guru
Obedience
The Mysterious Fragrance
Holiness Always Wins
The Effect of Bad Karma
How to Comfort the Bereaved
A Ramakrishna Tradition
Wasted Advice
The Secret of Service
A Mysterious Incident and the Practice of Karma Yoga
Unique Methods of Training the Junior Monks
A Great Karma Yogi
Fun and Humor in Monastic Life
Dogs of the Belur Monastery
A True Karma Yogi
An Unforgettable Monk
The Story of Shabari
Two Smart Alecks from Calcutta
A Teacher Turned Monk
An Exemplary Monk
The Soothing Touch of Holiness
Work is Worship
What Monks Live By
How to Know if the Health of a Monk Living in a Monastery is All Right
Human Channels of Divine Grace
Advice on Karmayoga
Reaching Spiritual Enlightenment Through Chanting GodÂ’s Holy Name