Autobiography yogananda paramahansa

Summary "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda is a spiritual memoir written in the midth century. This influential work recounts Yogananda's journey towards self-realization, offering insights into the philosophy and practice of yoga, the dynamics of the guru-disciple relationship, and the lives of various spiritual figures in India. At the start of this memoir, Yogananda reflects on his early life and family, detailing his experiences growing up in a spiritually oriented Bengali household.

He shares poignant memories of his parents, especially his mother, and discusses their devotion to spiritual practice, particularly the effects of their relationship with the renowned yogi, Lahiri Mahasaya. The opening chapters also introduce themes of spiritual awakening, the significance of divine experiences, and Yogananda's desire to understand higher states of consciousness, setting the stage for his later encounters with various saints and significant figures in his quest for enlightenment.

This is an automatically generated summary. Retrieved 14 August Elvis: His Spiritual Journey - p. Walsworth Pub Co. Archived from the original on 8 December Retrieved 8 December Finding My Balance. Recipes for Life: My Memories. Vanguard Press. Andrew Eating Well for Optimum Health. Random House Large Print. Princeton University Press.

Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes. Omnibus Press. Archived from the original on 6 January Retrieved 30 May Library Journal: Autobiography of a Yogi. Cahners Magazine Division of Reed Publishing. The Life of Yogananda. Carlsbad, California: Hay House. Retrieved 22 September October Archived from the original on 20 December Retrieved 23 October Further reading [ edit ].

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Autobiography of a Yogi. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Autobiography of a Yogi. Free online editions of first edition [ edit ]. Paramahansa Yogananda. India Yogachara Japan Tendai Zazen. Stopping thought. Categories : non-fiction books Books about religion Books about spirituality Paramahansa Yogananda Religious autobiographies yogananda paramahansa Books about yoga Indian autobiographies American autobiographies American memoirs.

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Internet Arcade Console Living Room. Open Library American Libraries. Search the Wayback Machine Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. Sign up for free Log in. It appears your browser does not have it turned on. Upon his return to the United States at the end ofhe began to spend autobiography yogananda paramahansa of his time at the hermitage that had been built for him in his absence, in Encinitas on the southern California coast.

It proved to be an ideal place to concentrate on completing the book he had begun years before. And full time it was — from early morning until early morning! A small group of us disciples — Tara Mata; my sister, Ananda Mata; Sraddha Mata; and myself — were present to assist him. After each part was typed, he would give it to Tara Mata, who served as his editor.

As he wrote he relived inwardly the sacred experiences he was recording. Often he would pause for a time, his gaze uplifted and his body motionless, rapt in the samadhi state of deep communion with God. The whole room would be filled with a tremendously powerful aura of divine love. For us disciples, merely to be present at such times was to be lifted into a higher state of consciousness.

Paramahansa Yogananda had met Tara Mata while conducting a series of lectures and classes in San Francisco in Possessed of rare spiritual insight, she became one of the small circle of his most advanced disciples. He held her editorial abilities in highest esteem, and used to say that she had one of the most brilliant minds of anyone he had ever met.

Tara Mata took the manuscript to New York City. But finding a publisher was not an easy task. As can often be observed, the true stature of a great work may not at first be recognized by those of a more conventional cast of mind. For a year, Tara Mata lived in a sparsely furnished, unheated cold-water flat while making the rounds of publishing houses.

At last she was able to write with news of success. The Philosophical Library, a respected New York publisher, had accepted the Autobiography for publication. The book was greeted by readers and by the world press with an outpouring of appreciative praise. It is a fascinating and clearly annotated study of a religious way of life, ingenuously described in the lush style of the Orient.

A second edition was quickly prepared, and in a third. In addition to revising and updating portions of the text, and deleting some passages describing organizational activities and plans that were no longer current, Paramahansa Yogananda added a final chapter — one of the longest in the book — covering the years — In response to requests made by a number of readers of the first two editions, I have answered, in this chapter, various questions about India, yoga, and Vedic philosophy.

Readers of Autobiography of a Yogi sometimes inquire about the differences between the current edition and the first edition published in Some further revisions made by him after the third edition could not be incorporated until the publication of the seventh edition, which was released in Besides new material in the last chapter, I have added a number of footnotes in which I have answered questions sent me by readers of the American edition.

At that time the rights in Autobiography of a Yogi were vested in a New York publishing house. In in New York each page of the book had been made into an electrotype plate. Consequently, to add even a comma requires that the metal plate of an entire page be cut apart and resoldered with a new line containing the desired comma.

Autobiography yogananda paramahansa

The work, however, has been accomplished in time for the seventh edition. Other editorial revisions — which were in all cases quite minor — were made later, according to guidance given by him before his passing to his longtime editor, Tara Mata, who had worked closely with him for over 25 years and in whom he placed his full trust for the posthumous publication of his writings in accord with his instructions.

Because Paramahansaji clearly foresaw that this book would continue to reach wider and wider audiences as the years went by, he instructed his editors to add — in the way of incidental footnotes, pictures, captions, etc. Changes made since have consisted of what any publisher would normally do in the way of editorial adjustments in subsequent editions of a book that has remained continually in print for many decades e.

They were among the first to experience the divine wisdom, love, and transforming vision of life emanating from its pages — pages that since then have changed the lives of millions. When I came to Mt. Washington inhe had already begun work on it. However, the greatest portion of his autobiography was composed during the period — Paramahansaji had so many responsibilities and commitments, he was not able to work on his book every day; but in general, he devoted the evenings to it, as well as whatever other free time he was able to put his mind on it.

A small group of us — Ananda Mata, Shraddha Mata, and myself — were around him much of that time, helping to type the manuscript. After each part was typed, Gurudeva would give it to Tara Mata, who served as his editor. When the manuscript was finished, Tara Mata went to New York to find a publisher for it. Paramahansaji had great respect for her knowledge and for her editorial abilities, and often praised her publicly.

Before she was to go to New York she fell violently ill. She left for New York just the same. But for her, the book would never have gone through. He inscribed my copy, as he did for many of the autobiography yogananda paramahansa devotees who were here in the ashrams. When I received it, I knew, having helped to type the manuscript, that this was an immortal book — one that for the first time revealed hidden truths which had never before been presented in such a clear and inspirational way.

He would be humbly touched that Autobiography of a Yogi has reached into all corners of the earth to people of every culture, race, religion, and age, and that it has been received with tremendous acclaim and enthusiasm throughout these fifty years. Though Guruji never dwelt on his own importance, he certainly did believe in the great value of what he wrote — because he knew he was writing Truth.

All faggots of difficulties are burning in the everlasting flame of joy. One evening in the Encinitas hermitage, late inwe younger devotees were busily engaged with our kitchen duties when Gurudeva came through the door. All activity stopped and our attention was fully concentrated on his broad smile and an even more beautiful than usual twinkle in his eyes.

Then he displayed before us the hidden treasure — an advance copy of his book, Autobiography of a Yogi. He opened to a few pages, saving for last the illustration of Mahavatar Babaji. Almost breathlessly we offered our reverence and absorbed the blessing we felt to be among the first to glimpse the likeness of our Param-Param-Paramguru.

In early December, we were all summoned to Mt. Washington to participate in the arrival of parcels of books from the publisher, and in preparing them for posting to the many eager devotees — hundreds of back orders. Weeks ahead of time when any of us had free moments we were engaged in typing address labels on one of our old manual typewriters. Huge tables flat boards on sawhorses were set up in the office, ready for assembly-line wrapping of each individual book in brown mailing paper off a huge roll, hand-cutting it to just the right size, affixing labels and postage stamps moistened first from wet sponges.

No automation or mailing machines in those days! But oh what joy to participate in this momentous autobiography yogananda paramahansa in Self-Realization Fellowship history. The world would know our blessed Master through this sublime ambassador. In the third-floor sitting room, Gurudeva sat at a desk for hours without a break, autographing every book.

It was late when he summoned me to come upstairs. He was still autographing books. The senior disciples urged him to take some rest, but he refused even to consider it until every book in that shipment was signed with his blessings.