2024/02/15

Swami Yogananda - Wikipedia

Swami Yogananda - Wikipedia

Swami Yogananda

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Paramahansa Yogananda.
Swami Yogananda
Swami Yogananda, a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna and the first vice-president of Ramakrishna Mission
Personal
Born
Yogindra Nath Choudhury

30 March 1861
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died28 March 1899 (aged 37)
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
ReligionHinduism
PhilosophyAdvaita Vedanta
Religious career
GuruRamakrishna

Swami Yogananda (Bengali: স্বামী যোগানন্দ, romanized: Sbāmī Yōgānanda) was a disciple of Ramakrishna, the 19th-century mystic. He took his formal initiation from Sarada Devi, the "holy mother" of Ramakrishna Order and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna. He was the first vice-president of Ramakrishna Mission. He belonged to the family of Sabarna Roy Choudhury,[1] an aristocratic family of erstwhile Bengal. He had a very short life, but he played a very important role during the formative years of Ramakrishna Mission. He was also a dedicated and devoted attendant to Sarada Devi during her stay in Calcutta after Ramakrishna's death. He was one of the disciples whom Ramakrishna referred to as "Iswarakoti" or the "ever perfect soul".[2][non-primary source needed]

Biography[edit]

Pre-monastic life[edit]

Yogindranath Roy Choudhury was the eldest son of Navin Chandra Choudhury and was born near Dakshineswar village on 30 March 1861. Navin Chandra was a poor descendant of the local aristocrat Sabarna Roy Choudhury family, who once owned the present metropolis of Kolkata and its adjoins.[3] Yogindranath was contemplative in nature from his childhood. He was simple in his habit and did not hanker after any luxury. He spent much of his time in meditation and worship.[4] Yogin met Ramakrishna when he was seventeen years of age. He was then studying for his school-leaving examination, then under the University of Calcutta. Ramakrishna recognised the spiritual potentiality of Yogin and asked him to come more often, which impacted his studies and made his parents, who had high aspirations about him, concerned. To financially help his parents, he went to Kanpur in search of a job, as one of his relatives stayed there. However, he was unsuccessful in getting employment and instead devoted his time to a contemplative life. He shunned the company of people. Therefore, his parents decided to marry him off, in order that he might resume the life of a householder and take more responsibility.[5]

Influence of Ramakrishna[edit]

After his marriage, Yogin met Ramakrishna again when the latter called him, and he once again began to frequent Dakshineswar to further his spiritual aspirations. Even after his marriage, Yogin was indifferent to worldly affairs, and hence that became the prime focus of the teaching of Ramakrishna towards him. Once, when Yogin bought a faulty cooking pan from market by trusting the shopkeeper, he was severely reprimanded by his master. Another time, Ramakrishna rebuked him when he heard that Yogin had not protested against a group of fellow passengers on a boat when they maligned Ramakrishna.[6] On another occasion he asked Yogin to return the goods bought from a shop which had given him lesser quantity. This was a part of Ramakrishna's method to develop his disciples holistically, as he often said, "A man may aspire to be religious, but he need not be a fool."[7]

Yogin also tested Ramakrishna in his own way as he was critical and analytical in nature, but every time he was proved wrong and these incidents finally established his unwavering faith on his master.[8] Afterwards when Ramakrishna was ill, he was one of the regular attendants by his bedside.

Influence of Sarada Devi[edit]

After the passing away of Ramakrishna, Yogin accompanied the widow Sarada Devi, the holy mother and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna, to Vrindaban. There he was initiated by her in Kalababu's Kunja, an ashrama established by Balaram Bose, a householder devotee of Ramakrishna, and thus he became the first disciple of Sarada Devi. After coming back to Bengal he became an attendant to the holy mother and her women disciples, including Yogin Ma and Golap Ma. He accompanied Sarada Devi to Puri along with Swami Brahmananda and looked after her when she stayed in various places in Calcutta, from 1888 to 1899. Sarada Devi used to call him affectionately as "Chhele Yogen" or the "boy Yogen".[9]

Monastic life[edit]

Yogin took the monastic vow along with his other brother disciples under the leadership of Swami Vivekananda in 1887, and took the name "Swami Yogananda" (Yoga – communion (with God), ananda – bliss), signifying his love for contemplation and meditation. He traveled to Varanasi in 1891 and stayed in a solitary garden house, living an austere life. His health broke down with the severe strain of the austerities and spiritual practices, and he came back to Calcutta, to the newly formed Baranagar Math.[10] He was at this stage permanently sick, suffering from stomach related ailments. He stayed in the house of Balaram Bose, a householder devotee, and he was engaged to serve the holy mother devotedly when she was staying in the same house in Calcutta. At this stage he inducted young men to the Ramakrishna order and attracted others to the ideology.

Activities and organizational skills[edit]

Yogananda was the first to organise the public celebration of Ramakrishna's birthday anniversary on a large scale in Dakshineswar temple premises. Yogananda was also instrumental in providing a grand reception to Swami Vivekananda when he returned to Calcutta in 1897. On both occasions he influenced many young men and organised and coordinated the activities.[11] Yogananda was elected as the vice-president of the Ramakrishna Mission upon its formation in 1897, and he successfully steered the organisation through its formative years. In 1898 Yogananda organised the birthday anniversary of Ramakrishna in the newly formed Belur Math. He served as the office bearer till his death in 1899.

Death[edit]

Yogananda died on 28 March 1899 after prolonged illness. He was the first to pass away among the direct monastic disciples of Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi. During his illness he was served by Kalyanananda, a direct disciple of Vivekananda.[12] Sister Nivedita was one of the witnesses to his death, and she had described the moments of his passing away in one of her letters to Josephine MacLeod. During his last days he was nursed by Yogin Ma and his death affected Sarada Devi.[13]

Character and legacy[edit]

While soft-spoken and gentle, he was strong and independent minded. He was often direct with his criticisms, and in this matter he did not even spare Vivekananda. When the latter introduced the ideology of selfless philanthropic work, Yogananda objected to the concept because, according to him, it was not in tune with the ideology put forward by Ramakrishna. His contention was that the energy of a monk should be spent wholly for the perusal of spiritual practices.[14] However he loved and respected his leader and hence these incidents never became a bone of contention. He respected and admired Sarada Devi, whom he served devotedly whenever she was in Calcutta. Despite his preference for a contemplative life, he had great organizational skills. Thus, he formed a deep impression on many young generation monks of the Ramakrishna Order.

The buildings and dormitories of residential schools under Ramakrishna Mission are named after the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and in many cases other monks also.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa disciple Swami Yogananda". newstrend.news. Newstrend. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. ^ Monastic Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
  3. ^ Savarna Roy Choudhuri Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, publisher Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, page 108
  5. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, publisher Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, page 111
  6. ^ Sri Ramakrishna Leela Prasanga, by Swami Saradananda, volume 2, Udbodhan publishers
  7. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, publisher Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, page 114
  8. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, publisher Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, page 116
  9. ^ Gospel of the Holy Mother
  10. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, published by Advaita Ashram, Mayawati, page 119
  11. ^ The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, publisher Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, page 120
  12. ^ Abjajananda, Swami (2003). Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda. Mayavati: Advaita Ashrama. p. 231. ISBN 9788175052468.
  13. ^ Asamanya Patralekika Nivedita, by Pravrajika Shraddhapraana, published by Sarada Math, 2008, page 40
  14. ^ Swami Yogananda, RMIC Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]

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Hinduism in America | The Harvard Pluralism Project

Hinduism in America | The Pluralism Project


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Hinduism in America

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  1. Trade and Transcendentalism
  2. Vivekananda at the Parliament
  3. The Vedanta Society
  4. Yogananda and American Yoga
  5. The Rush of Gurus
  6. The New Hindu Immigrants
  7. The Temple Builders
  8. American Hinduism

The Hindu Experience
Issues for Hindus in America





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Trade and Transcendentalism


Hindu influence in the United States likely started with trading ships that traveled between ports in India and New England in the early 19th century. Prominent transcendentalist writers and thinkers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, were also influenced by Hindu teachings and sacred texts.... Read more about Trade and Transcendentalism

Vivekananda at the Parliament


Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu religious reformer who spoke in Chicago at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions, made an impression in America as one of the first Hindus to speak for his own religious tradition before a large audience. Vivekananda traveled across the country and spoke in various public and religious contexts, including two speaking engagements at Harvard.... Read more about Vivekananda at the Parliament

The Vedanta Society


Swami Vivekananda opened the first American Vedanta Society in New York in 1894, and the second Vedanta Society in San Francisco in 1899. Vivekananda’s teachings through these societies focused on Vedanta and on yoga practice. The Vedanta society contributed to yoga’s later rise in popularity.... Read more about The Vedanta Society

Yogananda and American Yoga


Paramahansa Yogananda was a Hindu teacher who came to America to attend the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston in 1920, and stayed to found a religious movement. Yogananda promoted yoga as an intersection of science and religion that emphasized the mind-body relationship. Yogananda wrote The Autobiography of a Yogi, which was published in 1946; at the time of his passing in 1952, his organization the Self-Realizaiton Fellowship was the most prominent Hindu organization in the United States.... Read more about Yogananda and American Yoga

The Rush of Gurus


The 1960s and 1970s mark the popularity of the guru or swami movement in the United States. In the late 1960s and 1970s, new streams of Hindu religious life came to the United States with the arrival of new gurus or spiritual teachers. ... Read more about The Rush of Gurus

The New Hindu Immigrants


Increasing numbers of students and professionals immigrated from diverse regions in India during the 1960s and 70s. Once in the United States, they often formed associations based on their regional origins—associations that later became the basis for collaborations between different immigrant groups.... Read more about The New Hindu Immigrants

The Temple Builders


Hindu “temple societies” were non-profit associations dedicated to building the first generation of temples in the United States. The first Hindu temples were built in the 1970s. The organizations behind the temples blended Hindu traditions with American values like volunteerism.... Read more about The Temple Builders

American Hinduism


The number of Hindu temples in the United States has grown rapidly in the last decades, creating a landscape of varied expressions and structures within American Hinduism that parallels both the sites and histories of India and the value of pluralism in the United States.... Read more



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Vivekananda at the Parliament
Vivekananda at the ParliamentSwami Vivekananda, a Hindu religious reformer who spoke in Chicago at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions, made an impression in America as one of the first Hindus to speak for his own religious tradition before a large audience. Vivekananda traveled across the country and spoke in various public and religious contexts, including two speaking engagements at Harvard.

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Despite more than fifty years of interest in Indian thought, few Americans at the close of the 19th century had yet met a Hindu. So in the late summer of 1893, when a handsome, young Hindu reformer, Swami Vivekananda, arrived in Boston before the opening of the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, he attracted a great deal of attention.

Vivekananda had taken a ship from Calcutta to Vancouver and then traveled by train to Chicago, arriving more than a month early for the Parliament. He quickly ran out of money. Fortunately, on the train from the west coast he had met a Boston woman, Kate Sanborn, who had graciously invited him to her house in the country outside Boston. It was at her estate, Breezy Meadows, that Swami Vivekananda was introduced to a number of Bostonians, including Harvard Classics professor J.H. Wright. At Professor Wright’s invitation, Vivekananda came to Annisquam on Boston’s North Shore, where he delivered his first public lecture at the Universalist Church. He subsequently spoke at Wesley Chapel in Salem and caused a stir wherever he appeared on the North Shore in his silk tunic and turban.

At the Parliament, Vivekananda was received with enthusiasm. He was surely the first Hindu most Americans ever heard speak in his own voice, on behalf of his religious tradition. Influenced by modernizing religious currents in India, he called for a universal religion “which would have no place for persecution or intolerance in its polity, and would recognize a divinity in every man or woman, and whose whole scope, whose whole force would be centered in aiding humanity to realize its Divine nature.”

In the two years following the Parliament, Vivekananda toured the United States, speaking in Madison, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Detroit, and many other places. At a summer encampment called Green Acre in Eliot, Maine he taught daily lessons in Vedanta, sitting cross-legged under a large pine tree. Swami Vivekananda also returned to Boston and Cambridge, where he discussed everything from spirituality to women’s suffrage, developed a friendship with William James, and lectured twice at Harvard. In 2013, the Center for the Study of World Religions and the Hindu Students Association at Harvard University commemorated Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birthday by hosting a conversation on campus in the very room in which he lectured over a century before.
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The Vedanta Society
The Vedanta Society

Swami Vivekananda opened the first American Vedanta Society in New York in 1894, and the second Vedanta Society in San Francisco in 1899. Vivekananda’s teachings through these societies focused on Vedanta and on yoga practice. The Vedanta society contributed to yoga’s later rise in popularity.

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In 1894, Swami Vivekananda founded the first American Vedanta Society in New York. The following year, after an intensive training retreat held on one of the islands of the St. Lawrence River, he initiated two Western followers as sannyasis, or “renouncers.” They, too, came to be called “swamis.” In 1896, Vivekananda returned to India and sent Swami Abhedananda, a brother monk from Calcutta, to take over the reins of the small New York community. Abhedananda was a vigorous organizer and a fine lecturer who taught Vedanta three times a week at New York’s Mott Memorial Hall.

Back in India, Vivekananda launched the Ramakrishna Mission, named after his renowned mystic teacher, Ramakrishna. Its “mission” was to revitalize the Hindu tradition for the task of service, education, and nation-building. When Vivekananda returned to the United States for a second stay in l899, he concentrated his efforts in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In San Francisco, he formed America’s second Vedanta Society. Vivekananda returned to India after a lecture tour to many major cities, leaving two Indian Ramakrishna monks in charge of the two major centers of the Vedanta Society, Swami Turiyananda in San Francisco and Swami Abhedananda in New York. After Vivekananda’s death in 1902, the Ramakrishna Mission in India continued to take the lead in sending swamis to lead the growing number of American Vedanta Society centers.

The Vedanta Society appealed greatly to nominal, liberal Christians, who came to see Christianity anew in the context of the Hindu claim to the equality of all religious traditions. It also appealed to secular seekers with no previous stake in any religious tradition. 
Vivekananda emphasized both Vedanta philosophy and the practice of yoga, especially raja yoga, which he described as a “psychological way to union” with the Divine. It involves bodily postures, breath-centered meditation, and the cultivation of concentration so that the mind does not fritter away its energies in the rush of thoughts. The Vedanta Society did not gain wide attention; by l930, its membership probably numbered only in the hundreds. Nonetheless, it was influential as America’s first form of Hinduism and it laid the groundwork for a much wider and more popular knowledge of yoga.
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Yogananda and American Yoga
Yogananda and American Yoga

Paramahansa Yogananda was a Hindu teacher who came to America to attend the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston in 1920, and stayed to found a religious movement. Yogananda promoted yoga as an intersection of science and religion that emphasized the mind-body relationship. Yogananda wrote The Autobiography of a Yogi, which was published in 1946; at the time of his passing in 1952, his organization the Self-Realizaiton Fellowship was the most prominent Hindu organization in the United States.

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Paramahansa Yogananda was another Hindu teacher who came to America for a conference and stayed to found a religious movement. The title Paramahansa, “The Great Wild Swan,” was bestowed by his teacher in India, Swami Yukteswar. The wild swan is the symbol of the liberated soul, and it is the title given to those rare teachers who have achieved this state of freedom. Yogananda was from Bengal and came to the United States to attend a meeting of the International Congress of Religious Liberals held in Boston in 1920. After the conference, Yogananda, like Vivekananda, stayed in the United States, launching the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in 1925. While Vivekananda returned to India after a few years, Yogananda spent the rest of his life in the United States, returning to India only to visit.

Yogananda used the language of science to teach yoga and saw the Self-Realization Fellowship as uniting science and religion through realization of the unity of their underlying principles. Yogananda was among the first to emphasize the “mind-body” relation, especially for health and healing. Decades later, the yogic knowledge that the focus of the mind can alter the state of the body would become a presupposition of the “new age” and of new perspectives in medicine. Yogananda’s teachings foreshadowed this development. His short collection of “Scientific Healing Affirmations” stresses the role of mental affirmation in the healing of the body.

Yogananda made Los Angeles the center of the Self-Realization Fellowship. He had a knack for organizing and promoting yoga and “self-realization” through dozens of local centers and through a correspondence course available to those who did not live near a center. The popularity of the movement and of Yogananda was enhanced with the publication of his book, The Autobiography of a Yogi (l946). At the time of Yogananda’s death in 1952, the SRF was the most important and extensive Hindu organization in the United States.
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