“Inner peace is the birthright of every human being"
" There are many books and many lectures about simultaneously cultivating body, mind and soul. But life is very short. This is why one should learn or rather experience the true meaning of all religions”
“Breath control is self-control. Breath mastery is self-mastery”
Paramahamsa Hariharananda was one the greatest realized Kriya Yoga masters, He was a fountain of love, strength, purity and self-discipline for thousands of student he personally trained all over the world.
Paramahamsa Hariharananda was well versed in the holy scriptures of India, the Holy Bible, Torah, Koran, Buddhist scripture and teachings of all religions. He made comparative studies of the Bible and the Gita and the Bible and the Upanishads to show that there is only one common message.
His attitude of harmony in all religions was most remarkable. Many scholars in the West, even priests and nuns were amazed to see his love for Lord Jesus and Mother Maria. He was a bridge between the East and the West.
Many people asked him: ”What is your religion?” He would usually say: “My religion is the religion of the breath” The breath is the link. Through this link of breath, one can achieve calmness, peace and divinity. When one speaks of breath, there is no sectarian belief. There is no religious boundary, which obstructs, because everyone breathes!
It was always his love and compassion to help and serve the poor an sick. Many health centres had been started in his name as well as a residential school for the most destitute children in India has been established.
Sometimes he even had to listen to the remarks of orthodox priests that he was the Master of the untouchables. He said “I can see holy divine beings in everyone, one should not be judged by the outside, by the colour of the skin or the family into which one was born.” His love for humanity was immensely great!
His writings include “Kriya Yoga: The Scientific Process of Soul-Culture”, “The Bhagavad Gita In the Light of Kriya Yoga: A Rare Metaphorical Explanation for God-Realization” and numerous other publications.
He was born on May 27th, 1907 in West Bengal, India and his name was Rabindranath Bhattacharya.
In 1932, he went to meet the great Kriya Yoga Master, Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri who later on ent
reated him to take charge of his famous Karar Ashram in Puri, Orissa.
In 1935, he met Paramahamsa Yogananda, and received the second Kriya initiation from him.
In 1947, after spending more than a decade in strict silence and deep meditative seclusion he attained, the highest goal of a realized yogi, nirvikalpa samadhi, at the relatively young age of 41.
In 1949 he obtained the vision of the eternal yogi Babaji Maharaj who blessed him and prophesised that his mission would be to spread the message of Kriya Yoga to the East and West.
In 1951, he was empowered by Paramahamsa Yogananda to initiate sincere seekers into Kriya Yoga.
On May 27, 1959 he took formal monastic vows from the Shankaracharya of Puri, as Swami Hariharananda Giri.
In 1974, after many students insistently requested him to go to the West, he could not longer deny his destiny and came to Europe, South America, the United States, and Canada.
On the day of 3 December 2002, he peacefully left his mortal body in Florida, USA. After t his body reached his Motherland of India, he received the state guard of honor, an honor never before bestowed on a monk.
Between 2006 and 2007, the 100 Birthday year of Paramahamsa Hariharananda will be celebrate in 100 cities all over the world, to continue his work to spread his universal message for more peace and Love in the world.
Interview with Prajnananandaji
My master was, from his early childhood on, motivated and inspired to study the Bible and to love Christ. By his wise father and later on by Sri Yukteshwas, who also lived in Puri. He fulfilled a life full of discipline, devotion and humility. And finally by practising Kriya Yoga, he had reached the ultimate condition of realization. His love is unique, his compassion extraordinary and his love for humanity and for all of God’s creation gave everyone who had visited him a deep intensive affection. His teachings are of universal nature, exempt from any dogmatism and without limits. His teaching with subject to the spiritual life is the teaching of pure love and how it is meant to love inner divinity; divinity everywhere, in each breath in each single step of life. One cannot separate life from spirituality, one cannot make two out of one; it all in one, two sides of the same coin. It all depends on the perspective and the point of view.
The message of my master for mankind is to lead a life within the awareness of God and manifested love in each phase of our lives. He loved Jesus Christ and Mother Mary with all his heart. Wherever he stayed, in Puri or in the United States, there was always a picture of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary in his room. His teachings also comprehend the following: if one cannot find access to the virginity of Mary, then one should find access to Jesus Christ through the Bible. Mother Mary as symbol for virginity and Jesus as a symbol of enlightenment and the spiritual wisdom, both came together, like Mother Mary holding Baby Jesus.
The teachings of my master are referred to in his books: “Experiences of The Bhagavad Gita” in three volumes or in the well-known book “Kriya Yoga” There are also many abstracted ideas in: ”The Tora, the Bible and Kriya Yoga” the book. His view taken from these scriptures and his intuitive knowledge have a remarkable power. In this way the same Holy Scriptures, be it the Bible or the Gita have brought forward a whole lot of light into the lives of the seekers. For him the Bible and the Gita were like two covers of the same book, yet the message is the same.
