Tribute to Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramhansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda was of tremendous inspiration in my early spiritual seeking. It was my good fortune that one of my first spiritual books was “Autobiography of a Yogi”. This book is rightly regarded as a spiritual classic and has inspired many across the world to pursue a spiritual life based on the ancient lofty Vedic ideals. The book is a treasure trove of illumined saints and sages, it manages to convey profound spiritual truths whilst also being most enjoyable to read. More than anything the most powerful effect the book had was to impart a real spiritual vibration from each page. Intuitively I felt that the writing embodied a genuine spiritual consciousness. It was quite different to the dry intellectual texts I was used to reading [1]. Yogananda never sought to convert or argue he merely wrote with great humility about the most illumining spiritual experiences. It was this vibration, this consciousness which gave me a faith in the spiritual life I had never had before.

Many Christians had tried to persuade me of the divinity of Jesus Christ, I remember being nonplussed by their arguments and perhaps I used to waste many hours disputing their assertions with my proud arguments. It was perhaps ironic then that it was a Hindu Guru who was able to convey the true spiritual realisation of Jesus Christ. It was quite an eye opener that a Hindu had such love and devotion for a Master of another religion. His love and devotion to Christ was symbolic of his universal appreciation and respect for other religions. In the west religion has often been the cause of separation, with each religion claiming to be right. The message of the universality of religions strikes a deep chord. Yogananda has ably reinforced the immortal message of that Vivekananda brought to the World Parliament of Religions in 1893 [2]. I feel the world is much more receptive to the ideal of religious tolerance and mutual appreciation of religion. It was of the significant achievement of the 20th Century.

It is no easy task to write about spiritual experiences. By nature spiritual experience goes far beyond the domain of mind and form, such a sublime consciousness is impossible to translate into words. To describe the ecstasy of meditation is like trying to describe music to someone who is deaf. Yet despite this obvious difficulty, Yogananda still manages to convey an inkling of his spiritual realisations. Like a finger pointing to the moon he gives us entrancing insight into a realm of bliss. These passages are unique in literature and will always remain treasured by aspiring seekers.

“The flesh was as though dead, yet in my intense awareness I knew that never before had I been fully alive.”

“An oceanic joy broke upon calm endless shores of my soul. The Spirit of God, I realized, is exhaustless Bliss; His body is countless tissues of light. A swelling glory within me began to envelop towns, continents, the earth, solar and stellar systems, tenuous nebulae, and floating universes. The entire cosmos, gently luminous, like a city seen afar at night, glimmered within the infinitude of my being. The sharply etched global outlines faded somewhat at the farthest edges; there I could see a mellow radiance, ever-undiminished. It was indescribably subtle; the planetary pictures were formed of a grosser light.

The divine dispersion of rays poured from an Eternal Source, blazing into galaxies, transfigured with ineffable auras. Again and again I saw the creative beams condense into constellations, then resolve into sheets of transparent flame. By rhythmic reversion, sextillion worlds passed into diaphanous luster; fire became firmament” [3].

Yogananda travelled to America in the early 1920s and became a real pioneer for spreading the teachings of yoga and meditation in the West. His impeccable character and spiritual realisation gave an added force to the regeneration of spiritual values in the West. Through his foundation the Self Realisation Fellowship and others, many have come to practise meditation and yoga.

Yogananda was also a gifted poet. It is often through poetry that a Spiritual Master can most effectively share their experience of the higher worlds. Each poem is not just excellent poetry it is an embodiment of a spiritual consciousness.

“Vanished are the veils of light and shade,
 Lifted the vapors of sorrow,
 Sailed away the dawn of fleeting joy,
 Gone the mirage of the senses.
 Love, hate, health, disease, life and death –
 Departed, these false shadows on the screen 
     of duality.
 Waves of laughter, scyllas of sarcasm, whirlpools
     of melancholy,
 Melting in the vast sea of bliss.”

From: Samadhi

In particular I feel in the poetry of Yogananda his pure devotion. Yogananda was not a yogi of dry asceticism he was primarily a God lover. His approach was the embodiment of love, devotion and surrender. He made yoga seem easy, aspire sleeplessly for God and everything else is not important. Alas Westerners are not used to such simplicity, we often wish to complicate!

From the depth of slumber,
As I ascend the spiral stairway of wakefulness,
I whisper
God, God, God!

Thou art the food and when I break my fast
Of nightly separation from Thee
I taste thee and mentally say
God, God, God!

No matter where I go, the spotlight of my mind
Ever keeps turning on Thee;
And in the battle dim of activity my silent war cry
Is ever;
God, God, God!

From: God God God

Yogananda gives a fascinating portrayal of many great Saints and Sages such as his strict but loving master Sri Yukteswar, Lahiri Mahasaya, the immortal Babaji and many others. However, although Yogananada was groomed in the traditions of Hindu yoga he was also adaptable to the sensibilities of the Western. He said in the West, seekers preferred a loving and forgiving master, rather than the strictest standard of his own Guru. Yogananda also suggested a path of moderation and balance. He had a good sense of humour and would often make innocent jokes with his disciples. The spiritual path is sometimes like walking on a tightrope a sense of balance and humility are almost vital ingredients especially for those in the West.

Paramahansa Yoganada successfully brought the ancient yoga tradition of Kriya yoga to the west. His writings and exemplary life will always be treasured by God lovers and God seekers whatever there spiritual path and religion.