Today was a remarkable day! We are in Puri, India, where Swami Sri Yukteswar had an ashram, and where his body is enshrined in a small samadhi mandir (shrine that holds the body of a great master). Paramhansa Yogananda used often to come here with his guru, and it was in Puri that Sri Yukteswar left his body in 1936.
This morning we had a wonderful meditation in this shrine. There is a remarkable presence in any place where a great saint has spent time, and an even more powerful effect if his body is still there. All religions recognize the spiritual power that lingers in such places, and often the vast temples or cathedrals that are built to honor them become important pilgrimage spots. But Sri Yukteswar’s shrine is small and modest, befitting the inward nature of the yogic path.
As a small group of us meditated there, I felt an aura of deep peace. It was easier to concentrate and to do Kriya and other techniques that had been practiced and taught by the great master. It was as if Sri Yukteswar was silently helping us to turn our minds inward.
In the stories in Autobiography of a Yogi Sri Yukteswar always seemed a stern disciplinarian, and I must confess that of all the masters of our path, he has been the hardest for me to approach. But last year I was leading a meditation at one of our centers in India, and as I prayed to him I felt a little twinge of sadness that I couldn’t seem to bridge that gap. Just then, the garland that was around his picture inexplicably fell off. As I lovingly placed it around his image once again, I knew that he had reached out to me, and I gave a silent prayer in thanks for this tiny miracle. Since then I have felt much closer to him.
After our time with Sri Yukteswar, we went to the samadhi mandir of Totapuri, the guru of the great master Ramakrishna. At one time Ramakrishna was struggling to attain the highest state of consciousness and to go beyond God in form. He regularly had visions of Divine Mother in the form of the goddess Kali, and would go into ecstasy, but in his worship of her he could not go into the formless state.
Totapuri instructed him to mentally take a sword and slice through the form of Kali when she appeared to him. That evening, as Ramakrishna began to worship her, Totapuri took a small piece of glass and ground it into the point between Ramakrishna’s eyebrows, saying, “Concentrate here! Take a mental sword and cut through her!” He did as Totapuri instructed, and went into the highest samadhi beyond all forms of maya.
We were also able to meditate for a long time at Totapuri’s ashram, and to meditate as well in his little bedroom. Again we felt a remarkable power enfolding us. As we were leaving, the resident monk took us to a banyan tree. Totapuri had instructed two disciples to meditate inside the hanging roots of this tree for three days, and both of them went into samadhi. The tree itself felt sacred, as if it too had participated in that event.
Such are the stories one hears in this remarkable country of India and in this holy city, the home from ancient times of the famous Jagannath Temple.
In joy,
Nayaswami Jyotish
24 Comments
This Touch of Light appeared while I was reading email. It is so interesting to me that Years In My Master’s Hermitage is my favorite chapter in the Autobiography. I have always thrilled to Master’s account of Sri Yukteswar’s words of wisdom in it. I guess it is because his words went beyond facts and came from the essence of Truth. For this reason I was, after Master, closest to him, even though I appreciate that his frequent outward sternness might make him a bit unapproachable. But Master did include moments where Sri Yukteswar’s heart and even his humanness was revealed. I enjoyed your reflection on Sri Yukteswar.
So nice to read the Ashram experience.
Dear Nayaswami Jyotish Ji,
Thank you for the blog :)
How inspiring and lovely to read about the Great Masters.
We are blessed to be connected with them and follow their teachings
Aum
Prem
Dear Sir,
Reading your email made me feel so pleasant. I got a feeling of how nice it would have been, if I had been with you in these spiritual places. Hope I will be blessed to visit these holy places at some point of time.
We are blessed for the opportunity to read this experience of yours.
You are really blessed.
I could understand and feel your experience.
Thanks and regards
Blessings and thank you for sharing your experiences.
Can’t hepl but feel they will deepen my kriyas. Sri Yukteswar has a special place in my heart. I love staring at his picture.
Jai Guru
Wish I could move to,or even visit India as you are able to do each year. Hopefully,God will make it possible soon.
Thank you for this beautiful story.
Anaashini
Dear Jyotishji,
Thank you for sharing this sacred experience. Four years back I also visited His shrine and felt very peaceful there .Its truly a holy place to visit.
Aum
Neela
How I wish I was there to experience this closeness with the Divine Masters. I pray someday they will ” escort me” there.
How I wish I was there to experience this type of closeness with the Divine Masters. I pray someday they will ” escort” me there.
I am grateful, as always for the reminder that we are God’s children. And all we need to do is improve our knowing of our oneness with him. Jai Guru
Thanks, as always, Jyotish. Great stuff.
Namaste swamiji, I am very much grateful to you for sharing with us your spiritual experiences.
Thank you Jyotish ji for sharing such a pleasant and blissful experience.
Aum Guru
This is so comforting and sweet how Sri Yukteswarji reached out to you.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful descriptions.
In Divine Love, Paula
Yes so true… It was an amazing retreat & we “drowned’ in that energy. I am very grateful to Mother& Gurus to have made this possible. Thank you Jyotishji & Deviji
Dear Jyotish,
Thank you for sharing your feelings about Sri Yukteswar, and the miracle of the garland. As you shared your experience, I too felt my heart opening to Sri Yukteswar. Thank you, bhajana
Very inspiring, thank you!
Dear Jyotishji,
You are blessed and you are a blessing!
Thank you and may your travels back be easy
and filled with Joy!
~~~Peace, Josette
Pranam Ji
I have no words to Explain ,The Peace and Love we enjoyed from All ,while We were in Puri during the Pilgrimage ,Ever New Joy Aum.
With Gratitude
R Sundararajan
Your posts are very soothing and very comforting. Thank you.
Highly inspiring to about Great Masters through your blog
Highly inspiring toknow about Great Masters through your blog