4a.m. Today is 7thof Mar. It is the mahasamadhi day of Sri Paramhansa Yogananda. I reverentially dedicate this post in his remembrance at his Lotus Feet.
As 7th March was approaching, I was remembering Sri Paramhansa Yogananda’s life or Guruji, as he was lovingly addressed, and was wondering how did he manage to accomplish so much in such a little time. That too in such a chaotic and unpredictable world? He was born for and worked towards the world wide mission of reviving the long lost, ancient science of Kriya Yoga of God-union. He united the Eastern philosophy with the western culture and ideology by showing similarities and propagated the conviction of oneness of both religions. He stressed the unity and brotherhood of mankind which is the only way to open the door of permanent peace in the world.
It was no mean a task for him as an Indian in the 30’s to land up all alone on the soil of America, a foreign country with no resources in hand. He knew nobody in America and had no trace or any idea as to how he could approach anyone and begin his spiritual work where no-one understood his language or when in those days one was not even exposed to the western world and its converse culture? Yet, by the time he took mahasamadhi in 1952, he was a well known spiritual figure and one of the pioneers of spiritual sciences on the world stage. He had initiated 1 lakh devotees into Kriya Yoga Deeksha in U.S. alone apart from so many others in India including Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and others. He established the SRF and YSS centres in Washington and California as well as in Ranchi and Dakshineshwar, India. He toured and visited many cities and towns in USA, Mexico, U.K, and also India lecturing on spiritual subjects and topics giving answers to questions, healing their bodies, souls and minds.
He conceived and designed many essential and informative spiritual lessons and life skills in the form of home lessons (Yogoda Satsanga Lessons in Self-realization. They are still in circulation and can be obtained from the YSS centres for aspiring devotees and practitioners of Yoga and Self-realization. He undertook the formidable task of translating and interpreting the Geeta and the Bible from the standpoint of Kriya Yoga. And so much more spiritual contribution was made by him that it is not possible for us to assess his gigantic reserve and enrichment to the existing pool. Now this is not an easy task if you really ask me. Recalling and recounting all this, I thought to myself…
In what way and manner do the great ones lead their lives?
How do they add so much value to a normal human life?
How do they accomplish so much in an average span of human life?
Are their minds very extra ordinary and special? If so, then how?
Can I too, enhance and escalate my present life by choosing and picking and then acting upon some special kind of actions or karmas which will attach added value, purpose and depth to my life also? I am wondering, really wondering??
I also thought of Lord Krishna. How could He compose and create the perennially new, ocean of wisdom ‘Bhagwad Geeta’ then?
I was extremely fascinated by great figures like Krishna, Arjuna and some other Mahabharat characters. More so when I used to watch the serial Mahabharat on TV. When I watched this engrossing epic, I really became ponderous and was very curious to know-
How could Krishna remain so unperturbed and composed in spite of the ongoing mass killing and ghastly scenes at the battlefield of Kurukshetra? How could he inspire the despondent Arjuna to resume the fight of dharma or righteousness? How was it possible at all for Arjuna to realize God and have a glimpse of the Divine nature of Krishna in such a disrupting and blood shedding times?
How did Krishna still retain peace, which he transferred to Arjuna and resolved his mental turmoil erupting in his mind?
Why did stalwarts and good souls like Bhishma pitamaha, Karna, Dronacharya not leave Duryodhana? He was depending mainly on these three great fighters who were also great people and were noble at heart.
Why could they not forsake the sinful men, the Kauravas? Had they done so, there would have been no war at all.
How can anyone have peace of mind when he is all the time surrounded by egoism, antagonism, unrest, disagreement, discord, jealousy and rivalry?
In short, I mean I need to know, is it possible for us to maintain peace and still surge ahead with our aspirations and intentions with existing conflict and antagonistic elements around us?
To be continued…….
(Read ‘Autobiography of a Yogi and ‘Whispers from Eternity’ among his best known work & Paramahansa Yogananda-In memoriam. Personal Accounts of the Master’s Final Days)