Durga Charan Nag was born on 21 August 1846 at Deobhog, a small village in present Bangladesh. His father was Dindayal Nag. His mother passed away when he was eight, and he was brought up by an affectionate aunt. The latter used to narrate to the boy tales from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In later years, he studied homeopathy under Dr. Behari Lal Bhaduri, a renowned physician of Kolkata. He was very successful as a homeopath. However, he remained unattached, and lust and greed, name and fame, did not taint him.

As years passed, the desire to realize God possessed Nag Mahashay , and one day, with his friend, Suresh, he visited Dakshineswar. The saint of Dakshineswar received them cordially, and at the time of parting said, “Come again. A relationship grows through frequent visits.” Soon after, he felt a tremendous urge to renounce the world, but the Master said in an ecstatic mood, “Remain in the world like the ancient king Janaka unattached. Your life will be an example of how a householder should live.”

During Sri Ramakrishna’s last days, when he was stricken with throat cancer, Durga Charan rarely went to visit him because he could not bear to see his beloved Master suffer. One day when he did go to pay his respects to him, Sri Ramakrishna said: “Oh, you have come. Look, the doctors have failed. Can you do anything to cure me?” Durga Charan reflected for a moment and then resolved to transfer the Master’s Disease to his own body. He said in an inspired mood: “Yes, sir, I know how to cure you. By your grace I will do it right now. “But as he approached, the Master understood his motive and pushed him away, saying, “Yes, I know you have that power to cure the disease.”

Durga Charan could not tolerate worldly talk and his austerity was extreme. After the Master's death, Nag Mahashay spent most of his time in Deobhog, managing the household and looking after his aged father. He lived a simple, unassuming life, concealing his glowing spirituality under a veil of great humility. 

His reputation as a holy man spread. However, he did not initiate anybody. Barely three years after his father's death Nag Mahashay came down with colic and dysentery which proved to be fatal. The last few days of his life, he frequently he used to be in samadhi. On 27 December 1899 he passed into maha samadhi.

An amusing incident took place one day when Swami Nishchayananda, (a direct disciple of Swami Vivekananda) visited Girish Ghosh’s house. Swami Adbhutananda (a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna), whom Nishchayananda had never seen was also present there. Girish Ghosh introduced Nishchayananda to the Swami by humorously saying:  ‘Please meet this soldier. He is swamiji’s (Swami Vivekananda's) disciple.’ At this Adbhutananda, with the intention of teasing Nishchayananda, said: ‘Becoming Swamiji’s disciple has become a sort of a craze now! Couldn’t he find a better person?’ Turning to Nishchayananda, he continued in a mocking tone: ‘You have become Swamiji’s disciple? What do you know about him? What good qualities did you see in him? You didn’t find anyone else, so you chose him to be your guru?” Hearing this, Nishchayananda angrily said to Adbhutananda: ‘Whom have you chosen for your guru? You have committed a great mistake in not choosing Swamiji as your guru!’ Girish Ghosh was enjoying the fun but did not allow it to go too far. He then revealed Swami Adbhutananda’s identity to Nishchayananda. At this Nishchayananda fell prostrate at the venerable Swami’s feet and repeatedly begged his pardon. Adbhutananda blessed him with all his heart and said: ‘ You are indeed a true disciple of Swamiji! This kind of spirit is what is needed!’ Recalling this incident later, Nishchayananda said, “Swami Adbhutananda would sometimes act this way in order to test us.”

Swami Akhandananda faced terrible provery in the Sargachi where he later started an Ashrama to help the orphans. He wrote letters to some of his old acquintances asking for financial help. Pramadadas Mittra, a great scholar of Varnasi wrote back to him mentioning that it is better for a monk to travel, study and practise meditation than to get involved in social service.

Swami Akhandananda replied: "I am delighted that you have reminded me about my olden days. Those days are gone, and now a new era has sprung up. The Atman never changes, but life changes. Now I don't enjoy travelling anymore.When I first went to Himalayas, I was a different person. Now I wonder upon seeing myself. At that time, I would avoid seeing human beings, and leaving the village, I loved to live the secluded caves of the Himalayas surrounded by ferocious animals. In this way, I lived for some years. Now I see God living in all human beings, and I have realized that the service to man is service to God. God, as it were, is whispering in my ears, "Verily these human beings are the Vedic sages; they are divine incarnations like Rama and Krishna - they are everything."

Source: God Lived With Them by Swami Chetanananda

Source: God Lived With Them by Swami Chetanananda