Introduction
Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" is a captivating account of one man's spiritual journey and his mission to bring the ancient practice of Kriya Yoga to the West. This book has touched the lives of millions, including notable figures like Steve Jobs, who read it annually and even arranged for copies to be distributed at his funeral. It's a story that bridges Eastern and Western spirituality, offering profound insights into the nature of consciousness, reality, and the divine.
The Early Years of a Spiritual Prodigy
A Child with Extraordinary Gifts
Mukunda Lal Ghosh, later known as Paramahansa Yogananda, was born in 1893 in Gorakhpur, India. From a young age, he displayed remarkable spiritual gifts and an unquenchable thirst for divine knowledge. One of the earliest signs of his unique abilities came when he accurately predicted the appearance of a boil on his own arm and the worsening of his sister Uma's existing boil.
These early incidents were just the beginning of a life filled with mystical experiences and spiritual revelations. Mukunda's devotion to the divine was evident in his daily life, often manifesting in ways that astonished those around him.
The Prophetic Amulet
Before Mukunda's birth, a revered Bengali guru named Lahiri Mahasaya had prophesied his coming. This connection to the great yogi would play a significant role in Mukunda's life. In his childhood home, Mukunda kept a picture of Lahiri Mahasaya, to which he paid intense devotion. He claimed to have been healed of Asiatic cholera simply by gazing at this image, and he frequently experienced visions of the saint.
Lahiri Mahasaya had also foretold that Mukunda's mother would receive an amulet for her son. This amulet, he said, would appear in her hand at the right time and should be given to Mukunda after her death. True to the prophecy, Mukunda's mother received the amulet and passed it on to her older son Ananta before her death. Ananta then gave it to Mukunda, marking a significant step in the young boy's spiritual journey.
A Restless Seeker
Growing up in late 19th century Hindu society, Mukunda was deeply influenced by the concept of guru-disciple relationships. His passion for spiritual enlightenment was so intense that he often attempted to run away from home, seeking his guru or hoping to find enlightenment in the sacred Himalayas. However, these attempts were always thwarted, as if by some invisible force that knew it wasn't yet time for his journey to begin.
Mukunda's father, a railway administrator with a disciplined approach to life, was both puzzled and concerned by his son's fervent spiritual inclinations. Despite his worries, he recognized and respected Mukunda's devotion, often indulging the boy's spiritual pursuits.
The Path to Discipleship
The Vanishing Amulet
The amulet that Mukunda had received became his most prized possession. He kept it in a safe box, frequently opening it to admire the talisman before carefully locking it away again. However, one day, Mukunda discovered that the amulet had mysteriously vanished from its secure location. Distraught, he searched the ashram where he was staying, but to no avail.
Meeting the Guru
Still reeling from the loss of his amulet, Mukunda was sent on an errand outside the ashram. As he walked the streets, he felt an inexplicable magnetic force drawing him towards a particular presence. This force led him to his destined guru, Sri Yukteswar Giri. Despite never having met before, there was an instant, profound connection between them.
Mukunda immediately recognized Sri Yukteswar as his "Gurudeva" or "Luminous Guru." The meeting was filled with joy and reverence, marking the beginning of a spiritual relationship that would last for over a decade. Sri Yukteswar, in turn, promised Mukunda his everlasting devotion and offered his service and possessions to the young disciple he had long awaited.
Lessons from Sri Yukteswar
Under Sri Yukteswar's guidance, Mukunda (now known as Yogananda) learned not only the intricacies of Kriya Yoga and personal union with God but also the importance of engaging with the "human drama" of everyday life. Sri Yukteswar was a living embodiment of Hindu scriptures, yet he emphasized the importance of finding true meaning through inner meditation rather than mere scriptural study.
Sri Yukteswar's teachings often challenged traditional norms. For instance, he organized and fed people at his mother's funeral, an act typically forbidden for priests and Brahmins. He could heal the sick but encouraged the work of doctors. These actions demonstrated his belief in balancing spiritual pursuits with practical engagement in the world.
The guru often spoke about the futility of seeking absolute truth in a world of relativity. He taught that worldly distractions, or Maya, led people away from God. The practice of Kriya Yoga, he believed, was the best way for people of all faiths to reconnect with the divine.
The Path to Self-Realization
Sri Yukteswar emphasized the importance of self-mastery and overcoming the ego. He taught that true spiritual progress comes through fervent devotion, leading to a state called samadhi - a superconscious experience of all-encompassing vision and blissful union with the divine.
Samadhi, as described by Sri Yukteswar, is a state of pure, unadulterated bliss. It allows the practitioner to see in all directions, experience everything, and feel the divine presence of God. While followers need guidance to reach this state, a true master can summon samadhi at will.
Becoming Yogananda
The Impatient Disciple
Despite his deep devotion, Yogananda often grew impatient during his years of education at Sri Yukteswar's ashram. His burning desire to make direct contact with God led him to make several attempts to reach the holy mountains of the Himalayas. However, his discerning guru thwarted these attempts, knowing that the time was not yet right.
The Pilgrimage and the Vision
Finally, Yogananda was permitted to make his long-awaited pilgrimage to the Himalayas. During this journey, he experienced a profound vision of the future headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship on Mount Washington in Los Angeles. This vision would later play a crucial role in shaping his mission in the West.
Developing Extraordinary Abilities
Years of meditative practice and spiritual discipline under Sri Yukteswar's guidance led Yogananda to develop extraordinary abilities. He could easily receive and transmit telepathic messages with both the living and those in other realms. He gained a deep understanding of man's oneness with nature, recognizing that all things, animate and inanimate, consist of the same life particles.
This realization explained the abilities of self-realized masters to perform seemingly miraculous feats, such as passing through walls, communicating with plants and animals, manifesting in two places simultaneously, and even materializing living cells to restore failing organs. Yogananda also developed the ability to look into the future and make prophecies.
The Final Initiation
After years of discipleship, Sri Yukteswar performed the final rites of initiation for Yogananda. In a rare honor, he allowed Yogananda to choose his own yogi name. Mukunda chose "Yogananda," meaning "bliss through union with the divine spirit."
Academic Challenges and Spiritual Triumphs
Throughout his formal education, Yogananda's intense focus on spiritual matters often led to academic challenges. He was a passive student who seemed to pass exams through inexplicable interventions. In his final year at Calcutta University, he claimed that his books would mysteriously open to the exact passages that appeared in his exams.
In one memorable instance, Yogananda was asked to write about someone he admired in an exam. He wrote about his beloved guru, Sri Yukteswar, and received top marks. These experiences further reinforced his belief in the power of spiritual guidance and divine intervention.
The Mission Begins
A Gentle Nudge
Despite his spiritual prowess, Yogananda initially showed little interest in organizational work, preferring to focus on his personal spiritual development. However, during one of their enlightening conversations, Sri Yukteswar gently reminded Yogananda of the importance of sharing knowledge. He pointed out that Yogananda wouldn't be the self-realized being he was if generations of masters hadn't generously shared their wisdom.
The First School
Heeding his guru's advice, Yogananda began his missionary work by establishing a liberal boys' school in Ranchi, near Calcutta. This school was unique in its approach, teaching students not only academic subjects but also the art of living in both spiritual and physical domains. The curriculum included meditation, outdoor studies, and practical subjects like agriculture, commerce, and industry.
Yogananda believed that teaching meditation would help students find answers from within themselves. This innovative educational model gained popularity, leading to the establishment of more schools following the same principles.
The Call to the West
In 1920, Yogananda received an invitation to represent India as a delegate at the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston. This invitation marked the fulfillment of the long-held prophecy about his mission to the West.
Overcoming Challenges
However, Yogananda faced a significant challenge: he didn't speak English. His first attempt to give a talk on the ship to America resulted in stuttering and laughter from the audience. Undeterred, Yogananda tapped into the wisdom of the saints and gurus who had guided him, allowing their teachings to flow through him.
Success in America
Yogananda's talk in Boston was a resounding success. This marked the beginning of a 15-year stay in America, during which he gave lectures, published books, and initiated thousands into the practice of Kriya Yoga.
Fulfilling the Vision
After years of dedicated work, Yogananda finally built the temple he had seen in his vision in Kashmir. The Self-Realization Fellowship headquarters in Los Angeles, established in 1925, became the flagship of an organization that would grow to include over 500 centers, temples, ashrams, and schools worldwide.
Bridging East and West
The Karmic Connection
Yogananda saw his mission to the West as part of a larger karmic transaction between East and West. He drew a parallel to Christopher Columbus's journey in 1492, suggesting that Columbus's mistaken landing in America while searching for India was part of this cosmic plan.
Spiritual Diplomacy
Upon arriving in America, Yogananda set about creating connections between Eastern and Western mystics. He met and exchanged ideas with various religious and public figures, founding a magazine called "East-West" to publish articles on the subject of spiritual unity.
Notable Encounters
Luther Burbank: Yogananda formed a close friendship with the renowned American botanist. Burbank was deeply impressed by Yogananda's teachings and his approach to educating youth.
Therese Neumann: During a visit to Europe, Yogananda met this Catholic stigmatist in Bavaria. Neumann displayed extraordinary abilities, including speaking languages she had never learned and experiencing the Passion of Christ every Friday. Yogananda entered a trance state to share in her experience of Christ's suffering.
Mahatma Gandhi: Back in India, Yogananda was invited to Gandhi's hermitage in Wardha. He initiated Gandhi into Kriya Yoga and engaged in lengthy discussions with the civil rights activist. During these conversations, Yogananda shared his views on India's caste system, arguing that it was originally intended to create a perfect society based on natural abilities but had become corrupted over time.
Return to America
When Yogananda returned to America in 1938, he was pleasantly surprised to find that his followers had secretly built another beautiful ashram at Encinitas, on a coastline facing East. This new center became another important base for his work in the West.
The Legacy of Kriya Yoga
A Universal Message
Yogananda's mission was to spread the message of Kriya Yoga, an ancient form of scientific meditation that he believed could connect individuals to God and, by extension, to each other. He saw this practice as a means of uniting people of different faiths under one spiritual fellowship.
The Self-Realization Fellowship
The organization Yogananda founded, the Self-Realization Fellowship, continues to carry his message to this day. With hundreds of centers worldwide, it reaches millions of people, offering teachings on meditation, spiritual living, and the unity of all religions.
Impact on Western Spirituality
Yogananda's work had a profound impact on Western spirituality. He introduced many Westerners to Eastern concepts of meditation, karma, and reincarnation, presenting these ideas in a way that was accessible and relevant to modern life. His teachings influenced numerous spiritual seekers and even some scientific thinkers, contributing to the growing interest in mind-body-spirit connections in the West.
Final Thoughts
Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" is more than just a personal memoir; it's a roadmap for spiritual seekers and a bridge between Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. Through his extraordinary life experiences and teachings, Yogananda invites readers to explore the depths of their own consciousness and the possibility of direct communion with the divine.
The book challenges readers to look beyond the material world and consider the reality of spiritual dimensions and supernatural phenomena. At the same time, it emphasizes the importance of balancing spiritual pursuits with engagement in the world, as exemplified by Yogananda's own life of service and teaching.
Yogananda's message of universal spirituality, transcending religious boundaries while respecting diverse traditions, continues to resonate with people around the world. His emphasis on the scientific basis of spiritual practices, particularly meditation, has helped to bring ancient wisdom into dialogue with modern thought.
The enduring popularity of "Autobiography of a Yogi" speaks to its timeless wisdom and the universal appeal of its message. It continues to inspire new generations of readers to embark on their own spiritual journeys, to seek a deeper understanding of themselves and the universe, and to strive for direct experience of the divine.
In a world often divided by religious and cultural differences, Yogananda's vision of spiritual unity and his practical methods for achieving inner peace and self-realization offer a beacon of hope and a path toward greater harmony among all people. His life and teachings stand as a testament to the potential for spiritual growth and transformation that lies within each individual, waiting to be awakened through sincere seeking and dedicated practice.