When Niranjanananda was in Kankhal, a young man from Varanasi named Kedarnath (later Swami Achalananda), expressed his desire to become a monk. At first the swami discouraged him, saying that the life of a monk is very difficult. He quoted the passage from the Katha Upanishad: “Like the sharp edge of a razor is that path, so the wise say — hard to tread and difficult to cross” (1.3.14). But it is equally difficult to stay at home when the fire of renunciation burns in one’s heart: Kedarnath gave up his job and left home. With Niranjanananda’s permission he went to Kankhal in August 1899. Niranjanananda received him cordially, taking him to a dilapidated house where he lived (which is across from the present Mahananda Mission). The next day Niranjanananda gave him an ochre cloth and asked him to repeat the name of Sri Ramakrishna. He taught Kedarnath the basic rule of monastic life: One must live on alms, without possessions, depending on God alone.