We recently heard a remarkable story about Sri Yukteswar. Many devotees have a little difficulty relating to him, since he seems a bit forbidding. Perhaps it is because in Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda writes about him in his role as both teacher and disciplinarian, a job he took very seriously, especially knowing that he was preparing Master for a world-changing role.
But the grandson of Tulsi Bose, Master’s close friend, told us that when Sri Yukteswar visited their home he was completely different. He was a kind, lovable, grandfatherly figure who usually had sweets to offer to the many children who gathered around him. I, myself, had an experience where I felt his sweetness.
We were about to begin a Kriya Initiation in Chennai, India, and the pictures on the altar were all garlanded. As I was bowing to each of our Masters, I mentally prayed to Sri Yukteswar to help me relate to him more deeply. The instant the prayer formed in my mind, the garland around his photo fell off, and I was given the opportunity to lovingly re-garland him.
Here, then, is the remarkable story related to us by Nayaswami Aditya, our center leader in Pune:
Mr. Bhuvan Pal Singh joined the online classes in Pune during the first wave of Covid and became a Kriyaban. I immediately recognized him as someone who felt like an old friend. He was sincere, with deep yearning and humility, and asked many questions to refine his spiritual practices.
Mr. Bhuvan’s lifelong yearning had been to leave everything and go to the Himalayas, but he found himself supporting his entire extended family of thirty-five people, something he did quite happily and very well. During the first wave of the pandemic he took retirement from his successful corporate career.
Soon after Bhuvan began his Kriya practice, he was diagnosed with a rare malignant cancer of the muscles of his right forearm. Expert advice from the best doctors in the country informed him that little could be done.
With tears in his eyes Bhuvan related this story: “One day I was undergoing a PET scan to assess the spread of the tumor in my body and found myself alone in a hospital room. As I sat there I prayed to the Masters, “I am feeling very alone.” I instantly had a vision of the form of Sri Yukteswarji in front of me. As his life-size form slowly moved towards me, it shrunk in size until he became very small and entered into my body through my spiritual eye. From within I heard Swami Sri Yukteswarji say, ‘Bhuvan, don’t feel alone or afraid, for I am in every cell of your body.’”
Bhuvanji continued his daily Kriya practice, and although he followed the suggested treatments, his health deteriorated over the months and on 26 January 2022 he left his body.
Two days later, his wife, Anupama, had the following experience:
“I was awakened early one morning by the sound of the main door of our house being unfastened. As I opened my eyes, I saw a bright yellow light falling on the door, and curious to see what this light was, I moved towards it. Just then I heard and saw my husband, in physical form, seated in the living room in meditative pose, his gaze uplifted. He said to me, ‘Anupama, don’t move. I’m exiting now.’
“I stood still, and watched my husband exit into that light. A couple of hours after this experience I got a call from my niece in New Delhi. She told me that the previous night she had dreamt that she saw a bright yellow light fall on our house, especially on the main door. In the dream she saw her uncle Bhuvan enter that light.”
Anupama has kindly given Nayaswami Aditya permission, and we thank her for allowing us to share this sacred experience.
Soon after Swamiji’s passing Devi and I had a “Nadi” reading from an ancient book of prophecy. During that reading we were told that Yogananda was watching out for us minute by minute and second by second. This applies to all of us who have opened our hearts to this great line of masters. Yoganandaji, as Swami Kriyananda explained,* was a Blissavatar (incarnation of divine joy). Yoganandaji described Sri Yukteswar as a gyanavatar (incarnation of wisdom). In fact, in God’s light all His qualities merge into one, and in our hour of need we, too, will find that God’s light is in every cell of our body.
In God’s light,
Nayaswami Jyotish
*In his essay “Bliss-Avatar” in Religion in the New Age and Other Essays for the Spiritual Seeker, available from Crystal Clarity Publishers.
Listen to Jyotish as he reads the blog, then expands on it, often adding special behind-the-inspiration stories and answers to common spiritual questions. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:07):
35 Comments
Thank you for this lovely message. Sri Yukteswar is special to me, so it was a wonderful start to my da to receive this message from you.
Aum Guru.
I feel overwhelmed with joy and bliss while reading your wise note on Guru Yukshwar Giri ji.
Thank you for this story 🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️😇😇😇
Very inspiring to read and thinking of strengthening my devotion more
Thank you very much.
In gratitude,
Ankur
Thank you so much for sharing this story. 🙏❤️🙏
Dear Jyotish, what an inspiring story of Swami Sri Yukteswar. It touched me deeply! Om Guru Om, Ram
Our Guru’s Guru is my Grandfather in Heaven, this is my feeling.
Thanks for this lovely story,
Roberto
wonderful stories ! Lovely
This was very helpful. Thank you for sharing☺️
It was beautiful reading your message this morning
It also help us to understand our souls continue to live after our bodies die
Namaste
Patsy Ali
Thank you.
Thank you Jyotish for sharing this beautiful event. The 3rd day after my mother passed away I felt a very strong impression of her letting me know she fine and would “be leaving now”. I felt great calmness at that moment after a very difficult week leading to her death.
Sri Yukteswar has become very dear to me since the Indian pilgrimage I went on 5 years ago. I feel him as “Grandfather Guru” and address him that way. I feel much sweetness and tenderness from him as I ask for his help in strengthening my will power and discipline as a disciple of Yoganandaji.
Blessed to have heard this today, grateful. Thank you.
Divinely inspiring,soo wonderful,total surrender and faith in the guru ,can work wonders
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story – it brought tears of joy to my eyes.
An inspiration to follow the path towards our Great Masters.
Thank you for this deeply moving story that uplifts my consciousness.
I love this inspiring story! Early on my spiritual path here at Ananda Village, I was always attracted to the picture of Sri Yukteswar on the altar and felt he was making contact with me through his eyes. That spiritual connection was filled with a sweetness and a knowing that we knew each other in previous lifetimes. At some point, the intensity of the connection waned, but my love for Sri Yukteswarji is ever constant. I feel he was making sure I stayed on this path, and I am eternally grateful for his love.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful and powerful story with us. I was just talking with a classmate yesterday about our mutual devotion to Sri Yukteswar, and how it was him that I was initially drawn to, even before Master Yogananda. I have also been studying the teachings on death and dying from a yogic understanding this past year, primarily through the Bhagavad Gita. This story beautifully exemplifies what the Holy Scriptures and Master have promised us.
Jai Guru!
I enjoyed this story. I have always felt an affection for Swami Sri Yukteswar, and from him as well! Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing this deeply inspiring story Jyotish.
It’s interesting… The past couple of weeks, I have been using Yoganandaji’s affirmation:
“Thou art in every cell of my body!” I have felt so deeply calmed and comforted by these very words. And here you are sharing a much bigger story of their true message!
You have completed the circle of why these simple words feel so very powerful. At the feet of our great Masters, I bow down.
Jai Guru!
Thank you for sharing these Sacred Moments! It’s so beautiful to know what His stern exterior was taking care of!
HOW much these personal encounter stories enrich out Lives! THANK you from my heart.
Thank you. I am having difficulty with figuring out who I am right now, mostly particularly in how I think the Divine wants me to be. This story has brought me some peace.
Thank you Jyotishji for sharing with us. Really feels Master’s presence with all of us.🙏🙏🙏
It is a true blessing to receive such wonderful intimate stories. Thank you for sharing
Thank you Jyotish for sharing this beautiful story with us. I especially love hearing about Sri Yukeswar, he is
very special to me, I somehow can feel his presence with me at times, which is a lovely blessing.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story and the touching reaction of the devotee’s wife.
How wonderful! Thank you, Jyotish.
Thank you for sharing this… very deep.
Dear Nayaswami Jyotish Ji,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful blog. It’s very heartening to read when Swami Sri Yukteswar says Don’t feel alone.
What a beautiful story. Aum.
Joy,
Prem
Dear Jyotish, I also thank you for this wonderful message. Last December I attended the pre-Christmas retreat at Ananda Village. On the final day, Sunday, I was sitting quietly in the Temple of Light waiting for Sunday service to begin, gazing at the pictures of our gurus on the altar. Suddenly Sri Yukteswar’s face moved and became alive. A beam of energy emanated from his picture right into my heart. It was so intense and powerful, nearly unbearable. My being recognized it as the purest, most divine energy of love. It lasted just a few seconds, but the connection with him has continued in my heart. I often feel such deep, profound love from and for him during my meditations. This experience entirely changed my understanding of him as stern and aloof. I have wanted to share it with others so they too can sense his divine love. We are truly blessed.
WOW!
Whoops. I almost missed this blog/article. I’m really grateful to be redirected to the wonderful stories of love, joy, and support. I especially appreciate the tuning into Sri Yukteshwar more deeply as I have often seen him as stern yet powerful, kind and brilliant. I feel that though this blog (I have a bit of trouble with that word)/sharing, I can feel the love of this great soul more deeply and inspiringly in my heart. In deep gratitude dear soul for your love, compassion and wisdom, shared so freely and honestly. NAMASTE.
Thanks so much for the enlightening tale. Our masters are always near us – only our consciousness cannot perceive them. I have a small story to share – when I was in Microsoft, I sent a letter to the Microsoft email, on moral values from the Bible, from Buddha, from the Bhagwat Geeta.
After some days that I sent the mail, I was sitting in my office – and I saw a white light engulfing me.
To this day I cannot make out what was the white light. But after reading your blog, I am undoubtably sure, that it was the light of the masters.
May God bless everyone – from the tiniest of amoeba, to the highly evolved homo sapient.