An introduction:
Paramahansa Yogananda began his Autobiography of a Yogi with these words: “The characteristic features of Indian culture have long been a search for ultimate verities and the concomitant disciple-guru relationship.”
Paramahansaji’s own search for divine Truth led him to Swami Sri Yukteswar — the illumined guru who trained him with infinite care in the ancient, life-transforming teachings of yoga, and prepared him to bring the liberating soul-science of Kriya Yoga to the world. “I never found true happiness and freedom until I met my Guru,” Paramahansaji said of Sri Yukteswar, “he who was spiritually interested in me and who had the wisdom to guide me.”
Below we present inspiration from Paramahansaji on the inestimable value of learning from one who knows the Infinite Self and can lead others to that same awareness.
From the talks and writings of Paramahansa Yogananda:
The guru-disciple relationship is the highest expression of friendship, for it is based on unconditional divine love and wisdom. It is the loftiest and most sacred of all relationships.
I sought all over India to find a true master. I searched in books; I journeyed from temple to temple, from one holy place to another; but my doubts followed me everywhere. But when I found that one who had realization — my guru, Sri Yukteswarji — and saw that spirit divine in his eyes, all doubt went away. Through his blessing my whole life changed. That is why I stress to you the importance of following a true guru and his teachings….By following Guru unconditionally, I found God.
Scriptural truths that we know only by reading them are like little, insignificant-looking seeds: their power and wisdom-yielding qualities are manifest only when we see them grown into huge trees of saintly human lives, laden with fruits of divine love, in the garden of Self-realization.
The path followed by a saint of Self-realization may confidently be followed by any spiritual aspirant. One who earnestly emulates a guru’s life-example and teachings will certainly reach the same goal of Self-realization.
Divine communion is the criterion of religion. That is what my Guru taught me, and that is why I have followed him unconditionally and wholeheartedly. As a result of his teaching I am enjoying that sacred communion with the Lord every moment of my existence. That is what religion must be.
Many people say it is wrong to worship personalities, but that is not necessarily correct. If you worship only the physical form and characteristics of a great soul without attunement with the meaning and inspiration of his life, then that is idol worship. But how can you develop love for God if you are not first introduced to some of His divine qualities in those who knew and manifested God, such as Lord Jesus and Lord Krishna?
Behind the wave is the ocean. Reverencing the waves of godly lives, we come to behold the ocean of Spirit behind them. That is the role of the guru: God sends someone to show you the way. The whole purpose of such a one is to point your attention toward God.
We invite you to also read an excerpt from the chapter “Years in My Master’s Hermitage” in Autobiography of a Yogi, where Swami Sri Yukteswar takes the opportunity of the intrusion of mosquitoes in the ashram setting to teach Paramahansaji key lessons during his early training as a young disciple.
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