Paramhansa Yogananda began his Autobiography of a Yogi with these words: “The characteristic features of Indian culture have long been a search for eternal verities and the concomitant disciple-guru relationship.” For the Master to introduce his spiritual classic in this way shows the vital importance, in fact the inescapability, of discipleship in the search for God.
Sept. 12, 1948 was the day that Swami Kriyananda met his guru, Yoganandaji, for the first time. He knelt at the Master’s feet, and with a heart filled with deep reverence and yearning said to him, “I want to be your disciple.”
Thank you, beloved Swamiji, for showing us the way.
For the next sixty-five years until his passing in 2013, Swamiji lived the life of a devoted disciple: ever meditating on his guru’s words and teachings, ever serving his guru’s mission, and ever offering up all that he had or was at his guru’s feet.
As we, in turn, came to Swamiji for his spiritual training as Master’s disciples, we watched his discipleship deepen over the years, until it reached the point towards the end of his life when Swamiji said, “I no longer know where Kriyananda ends and Yogananda begins.” As his attunement to Master grew, the vestiges of separation dissolved, and what remained was oneness in Spirit.
Discipleship involves many things: discipline, training and practice in the guru’s teachings, service, self-offering—all of these and more. But ultimately, the guru-disciple relationship is rooted in divine love, a love unlike that found in any other human association. Master called it the “divine romance.”
Those of us who knew Swamiji came to see that his relationship with Master was love brought to its highest expression. It was personal, but at the same time vast and all-embracing; precious, but meant to be shared with all. It changed the life of anyone who caught a glimpse of it, and enabled us to see our own potential capacity for limitless love. It was a yardstick of love and self-offering with which we could measure every aspect of our life.
Towards the end of his life Swamiji wrote an essay entitled, “Why I Love My Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda,” which later was published in his book Religion in the New Age. There he wrote:
His friendship for each of us was deeply personal, yet he was, for each of us, like a window onto infinity inviting us to ‘come outside’ and merge in vastness.
I love my Guru, as he himself wrote about his own guru Swami Sri Yukteswar, ‘as the spoken voice of silent God.’ He was ever, and is now more than ever, my nearest, dearest companion.
Thank you, beloved Swamiji, for showing us the way to God through perfected discipleship.
With gratitude,
Nayaswami Devi
24 Comments
Dear Nayaswami Devi Ji,
How joyful it is to read on the discipleship . We consider Swamiji is a role model on how to be a true disciple.
This morning I was thinking about a talk that Swamiji gave on the Discipleship day , where Swami mentions that at the end of his life, he would like to hear Master Say “Good Job Walter”. It is so touching and could feel the divine love :)
We Sincerely thank Swamiji for showing us the path and introducing us to Master and his teachings :)
in Master’s & Swamiji Love
Prem
No Words !
Truly a blessed dialogue between master and pupil
To love is to be blessed
Om
Dear Devi ji,
Beautifully expressed “True discipleship” by giving Swami ji’s example.Swami ji was the epitome of discipleship.Thank you!Thank you!!
In Swami ji’s love,
Thank you.
I eternally love Swami, and that love isn’t like anything I’ve known so far as a human.. it is a glimpse of my lost divine home and a sure way back. Each step in earnest, he is there to nudge me along, and more and more it is as he said; the line is blurred as to whether it is Swami or Master’s wing I find myself under in any given moment.
Jai Guru!
AUM,. The path that awaits us perfected in love by our dear guide. Following in his footsteps with gratitude and devotion, joy and wonder, the horizons are limitless and gloriously lit in Bliss. We are blessed with that transmission of the Masters through each of us in Satsang and Kriya Sadhana. We go on in God realization . Swami gave us the freedom of expressing our soul nature as we pursue and recognize Spirit. And he gave us the living companions as friends and guides to walk alongside us in that light. Truly blessed are we because of his Attunement and Guidance he still imparts to us who seek, find and love our Divine Mother and Guru. AUM
beautiful, Devi. thank you for the way you and Jyotish have followed in Swamiji’s footsteps to show us the way of fiscipleship.
AUM AUM AUM
Pat
SO BEAUTIFUL, DEVI. MANY, MANY THANKS ——-
Beautiful Devi. Thank you.
Thank you so much for those inspirational words and sharing a little of Swamiji’s complete devotion to our Master; and, thank you and Jyotish and all the ministers for continuing Swamiji’s and Master’s mission.
Wonderfully expressed, Devi! Thank you!
Thank you Devi as Swamiji is now my dearest friend as he only has Yogananda in him.
Peace and joy,
Aumkara
I currently live in Chicago. Back in 2008, when I was in Syracuse,NY, sick on my bed, alone in the house, I reached out to my store room, and find a Divine Romance book that my wife had bought in India. Until that time, I had know clue about spiritual life, about god etc. I started reading the book; and suddenly realized after reading few chapters that how foolishly I was living my life. At that time, I didn’t know about SRF, Ananda, Kriya Yoga Institute etc. But after that point, all of a sudden, it seemed like all the channels of spiritual paths were wide open for me. At that time, I had a strong desire to visit SRF headquarters. And that desired got fulfilled yesterday – I visited Masters bedroom – it was full of intense vibration to the extent I started sweating. Just thought of sharing so I shared. Love, Joy, Peace…
What a brilliant piece of divine expression , opens windows for us ,to visualize supreme spiritual feelings and it’s sublime beauty !
Thanks for enlightening us !
Kalpna
Thank you dear Devi for sharing this beautiful feeling.
I am beginning to see and and feel that loving God and Guru first,
is what brings happiness to my heart.
All else gets adjusted and solved, if I can just hold the hand of Master and of Swamiji all of the time.
with love ~ your friend in God ~ bhajana
Devi, that was beautiful—thanks!
Grazie dal Cuore Devij…
Dear Deviji, I am grateful, beyond words for Swamij’s example of Divine Discipleship. I am Eternally grateful to Master for flowing through Swamiji so exquisitely. I am grateful to you and Jyotish for the Eternal sequel. In Divine Friendship, NAVI
A beautiful expression, Jotish. Kriyananda’s expression touched my life and the lives of my children deeply. When I first heard of the Autobiography I recognized in it a truth I had searched for all my life. That remains true today in my life, my family and in my daily existence.
Behind everything is the guru and behind the guru is the Supreme Being, the Bhraman. Thanks so much for giving voice to carry on this message of goodness, love and truth.
Dearest Devi,
Thank you.
So Beautifully expressed.
We are blessed to have Swamiji as a living example
for this age of what discipleship really is!
He is missed and at the same time, he’s closer than ever!
God and Guru bless you.
~~~Peace, Josette
Dear Devi,
Your words of wisdom and sharing the experiences of Swami and Master are a joy to receive. Thank you.
Blessings from Colorado, Mary Jo
beautiful