On the event of the seventieth anniversary of Paramhansa Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi
Yogananda’s final speech, delivered on the Biltmore Lodge in Los Angeles on 7 March 1952, was quick. It lasted lower than 10 minutes we’re advised. He completed his speech with a number of strains from his poem, My India. “Then, his eyes lifted, he turned barely to his proper and sank quietly to the ground…”. That is how the second of his mahasamadhi (his aware leave-taking of the bodily physique) is described for us by these disciples who have been current (See: In Memoriam, Self-Realization Fellowship 1958, p. 57).
It’s fascinating that of all his fantastic teachings, the one factor he selected to emphasise in his last speech is the necessity for world unity and peace, the necessity to unite one of the best of East and West, the necessity for a united world with God guiding the consciences of peoples and nations. Maybe this emphasis on peace is as a result of with out peace it’s tough to think about the presence of some other divine high quality like pleasure or love or calmness or, certainly, the potential of attaining self-realization. We’d recall how Christ, too, all the time gave nice significance to peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be known as the youngsters of God” (Matt. 5:9) and “… have peace with each other” (Mark 9:50) and “Peace I go away with you, my peace I give unto you” (John 14:27).
So after addressing and welcoming these current, the very first phrases of Yogananda’s speech confer with Gandhi and world peace: “I bear in mind my assembly with Mahatma Gandhi. The nice prophet introduced a sensible technique for peace to the warring trendy world. Gandhi, who for the primary time utilized Christ ideas to politics and who received freedom for India, gave an instance that ought to be adopted by all nations to unravel their troubles.” (In Memoriam, p. 68)
Gandhi’s sensible technique was, in fact, the observe of ahimsa or non-violence (the primary of Patanjali’s 5 Yamas and an idea made well-known by Gandhi) and recollects Christ’s teachings of loving one’s enemy[1], of turning the opposite cheek when confronted with aggression[2], and of avoiding taking over arms.[3] These teachings of Patanjali and Jesus would require an excessive amount of dialogue as to their deeper meanings, however even on a primary degree of interpretation they go away little doubt as to the necessity for radiating love moderately than aggression, for selecting peace moderately than warfare.
“allow us to all get collectively and unselfishly work out our issues”
Nevertheless, Yogananda elsewhere talks of the distinction between righteous warfare and aggressive warfare and we all know that in earlier incarnations he had engaged in warfare (as Arjuna, as William the Conqueror and -probably- as King Ferdinand III of Castile), however he additionally provides that it will be higher if all nations have been to place up their swords and say: “allow us to all get collectively and unselfishly work out our issues”, and he refers to Christ’s teachings of Love and Peace as the one actual armament (see: The Divine Romance, Self-Realization Fellowship 1986, pp. 80-81).
The burning query, nevertheless, for all non secular seekers and for all disciples (whether or not of Christ or Yogananda) is how to answer the “warring trendy world” that Yogananda refers to. Extra particularly, if we have been inhabitants in Ukraine at the moment, would we take up arms to guard our households and family members, our houses and our livelihoods? Or would we resort to prayer and attempt to repel the Russian invaders not with bombs however by chanting the sound of Aum? Yogananda counsels that “…the primary line of motion ought to be to make use of all non secular and ethical energy doable to counter evil, and to try to vary the world’s inclination to warfare and violence by eradicating the causes that strengthen evil – poverty and starvation, illness, injustice, greed, and egocentric pursuits.”
Nevertheless, he makes it clear that it isn’t unrighteousness to defend ourselves in opposition to wars of aggression. “To guard one’s nation and its helpless residents in opposition to evil,” he says, “is righteous motion” (see: Journey to Self-Realization, Self-Realization Fellowship 1997, p.196). Personally, I thank God that I’m not in such a place and I pray to God to not be examined on this method.
And for all of us who should not confronted with this dilemma, the query stays: what can we do?
Jyotish (Non secular Director of Ananda Worldwide) wrote in his weblog this week (dated March 4), that we now have to attempt to counterbalance the adverse and darkish vitality being emitted by the occasions in Ukraine with optimistic vitality, with mild. As a result of when wars or disasters or pandemics happen, they accomplish that due to an imbalance of vibrations on this planet (and there are numerous references by Yogananda and different masters to this reality).
So let’s pray, sure; chant Aum, sure, however above all let’s attempt to radiate goodness, kindness, peace and concord in our personal lives, in our ideas, phrases and deeds.
Allow us to be the peace that we want to see prevail. Allow us to be the change we want to see on this planet (to as soon as once more confer with Gandhi and his now well-known saying).
We shouldn’t await the world leaders or world organizations to revive peace, to revive the imbalance in vitality, however ought to restore peace in our personal minds and hearts and let it unfold in ever-widening circles to all these round us.
Nayaswami Jyotish: “Will you be part of me?”
We have to develop our hearts and lift our consciousness if we need to see an finish to warfare. There’s no different method. Jyotish ends his weblog with these phrases: “I’m making a pledge to do my finest to behave all through every day with peace and concord, and to strongly radiate these vibrations to the entire planet.” He asks: “Will you be part of me?”
And I ask: “Will we be part of him?”
Yogananda’s final speech opens, as was stated, with the reference to Gandhi and the warring trendy world. It ends, earlier than the strains from his poem “My India”, with phrases regarding peace on earth; phrases which can be ever related and resound at the moment greater than ever. Addressing himself to the Indian Ambassador and, certainly, to all who have been current on the banquet, he says: “I do hope and pray […] that you’ll all the time emphasize the airplanes of mercy from one nation to a different as an alternative of airplanes that carry bombs to destroy. Allow us to work for peace on earth as by no means earlier than. We wish a congress of scientists, of ambassadors, of non secular males who will continually suppose how you can make this world a greater dwelling, a non secular dwelling with God as our Information.” (In Memoriam, p. 69)
And we ought to be optimistic that this may in the future be the case and never be full of concern (essentially the most surreptitious of Maya’s weapons, extra harmful even than weapons and bombs) as a result of in the long run, it’s all the time Good that triumphs. Reality triumphs. Mild triumphs. Love triumphs. Evil is vanquished.
“The world just isn’t happening to destruction…”
Yogananda assures us of this in a chat given in 1948 at a dinner once more in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and the reason for world peace (see: Journey to Self-Realization, pp. 195-196). “The world,” he says, “just isn’t happening to destruction. So don’t be frightened. Imagine in your Father. He’ll shield you should you bear in mind His beliefs, should you maintain religion in Him… It doesn’t matter what occurs, the Spirit will win, I predict this… Anyone who makes use of the bomb, motivated by aggression, will fall by the bomb… As Hitler with all his energy fell, so any dictator, wherever he’s, shall be downed. This I predict.”
Aum…Peace…
[1] “However I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 6:44).
[2] “… however I say to you That ye resist not evil; however whosoever shall smite thee on thy proper cheek, flip to him the opposite additionally” (Matt. 5:39).
[3] “Put up once more thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52).
Authentic Submit: Sanjaya Connolly, 3/27/22 | anandaeurope.org
