Paramahansa Yogananda is both a Sadguru, the personal guru of millions, and a Jagadguru, one who is not limited to any country or religion, but who has come to help uplift the world,” said Swami Smaranananda Giri, Vice President of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS), addressing over 2,500 attendees in an online satsanga live streamed from YSS Ranchi ashram on the occasion of Yoganandaji’s 129th Janmotsav (birth anniversary) on January 5, 2022.
Author of the bestselling spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, Yoganandaji has introduced millions of readers to the philosophy and practice of yoga meditation. Born in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh in 1893, Paramahansa Yogananda is revered today as a Jagadguru – a world teacher – renowned and venerated all across the globe. The birth of such a Jagadguru is a special occasion, and it was marked by online spiritual programmes led by YSS sannyasis — in English, and in Hindi, attended by over five thousand people from their homes.
In his satsanga, YSS General Secretary Swami Ishwarananda Giri described how best to celebrate the birth of such an avatar, “...the greatest gift we can give him is to make the resolution to give more time for meditation, develop more love for God, and spread the message of love and joy throughout the world through our own life example.” “The world is beginning to recognizeParamahansa Yoganandaji’s spiritual stature and the relevance of his teachings,” Swami Smarananandaji shared. Enumerating the gifts received from Yoganandaji and the ways in which he has influenced the world, he said: “Through his teachings, millions understood the real meaning of religion and more importantly the highest practice of religion; devotees are convinced that God can be experienced within, and God is no more an abstract concept; yoga-meditation is no more a monopoly of Himalayan yogis — being accessible to all sincere seekers worldwide at their doorstep; people understand the importance and role of a Sadguru; and the purpose of life has become clear to people.”
Addressing the devotees and friends of YSS in the “wall-less temple” of the YSS Online Dhyana Kendra (online meditation centre), Swamiji delved into the importance of what the guru does for the disciple in his role as ‘the eternal guide’: “The guru is a mirror, and as you enter the guru-disciple relationship sincerely, and meditate upon the guru, you suddenly begin to see yourself as you never have before. Circumstances will bring to the surface imperfections in your nature that you've not been willing to admit!” But, he added the reassurance that: “...in his love and compassion, the guru shows another picture, and says, ‘My child, this is how I behold you; this is what you must become.’” “The guru is an embodiment of ‘things unseen,’ helping the devotee develop faith through the experience of divine help and the experience of God’s presence within,” Swamiji described what help the disciple receives from the guru – who is also a manifestation of unconditional divine love, “...he is the one who, no matter what we do, never changes his love for us, and from whom we get guidance in all aspects of our lives.”
About Paramahansa Yogananda and YSS:
Widely recognized as one of the preeminent spiritual figures of our time, Yoganandaji made an indelible impression on the spiritual landscape of the world, contributing to a far greater awareness and appreciation of our country’s Vedic philosophy through his public lectures, writings and the spiritual organizations he founded, Yogoda Satsanga Society of India/Self-Realization Fellowship (YSS/SRF), which together include 800 ashrams, kendras and mandalis around the world.
For further info.: yssi.org Image credit: Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
