0:00 CHAPTER XXXVI. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI. Paramahansa Yogananda. Babaji's Interest in the West Master, did you ever meet Babaji? It was a calm summer night in Serampore.
0:30 The large stars of the tropics gleamed over our heads as I sat by Sri Yukteswar's side
0:36 on the second-story balcony of the hermitage. Yes, Master smiled at my direct question.
0:43 His eyes lit with reverence. Three times I have been blessed by the sight of the deathless guru our first meeting was in allahabad at kumb thousands of sadhus yogis swamis and ascetics of all kinds many hermits who never leave their secluded haunts except to attend the melas I was not a swami at the time I met Babaji, Sri Yukteswar went on, but I had already received Kriya initiation from Lahiri Mahasaya.
1:29 He encouraged me to attend the Mela, which was convening in January 1894 in Allahabad.
1:35 It was my first experience of a Kumbha.
1:38 I felt slightly dazed by the clamour and surge of the crowd.
1:42 In my searching gazes around I saw no illumined face of a master passing a bridge on the bank of the ganges i noticed an acquaintance standing near by his begging bowl these idlers who profess religion but concentrate on alms my smouldering reflections on social reform were interrupted by the voice of a tall sanyasi who halted before me sir he said who is he come and see for yourself hesitantly following this laconic advice i soon found myself near a tree whose branches were sheltering a guru with an attractive group of disciples the master a bright unusual figure with sparkling dark eyes Sir, I replied emphatically, I am not a Swami. Those on whom I am divinely directed to bestow the title of Swami never cast it off.
2:49 The saint addressed me simply, but deep conviction of truth rang in his words.
2:53 I was engulfed in an instant wave of spiritual blessing.
2:57 Smiling at my sudden elevation into the ancient monastic order,
3:01 I bowed at the feet of the obviously great and angelic being in human form who had thus
3:06 honoured me. Babaji, for it was indeed he, motioned me to a seat near him under the tree. He was
3:12 strong and young, and looked like Lahiri Mahasaya, yet the resemblance did not strike me, even though
3:18 I had often heard of the extraordinary similarities in the appearances of the two masters babaji possesses a power by which he can prevent any specific thought from arising in a person's mind evidently the great guru wished me to be perfectly natural in his presence greatly disappointed sir i added hastily up until the time i met you somehow saints and this commotion don't seem to belong together child the master said though apparently i was nearly twice his own age for the faults of which seizes only the sugar and leaves the sand untouched though many sadhus here still wander in delusion yet the mela is blessed by a few men of god realization in view of my own intelligence than most people congregated here, living in distant Europe and America, professing different creeds, and ignorant
4:31 of the real values of such millers as the present one. They are the men who could benefit greatly
4:36 by meeting with India's masters. But, although high in intellectual attainments, many Westerners
4:42 are wedded to rank materialism. Others, science and philosophy do not recognize the essential unity in religion their creeds serve as insurmountable middle path of activity and spirituality combined he continued india has much to learn from the west in material development by which the West will be able to base its religious beliefs on the unshakable foundations of yogic science.
5:27 You, Swamiji, have a part to play
5:29 in this harmonious exchange between Orient and Occident.
5:33 Some years hence I shall send you a disciple
5:35 whom you can train for yoga dissemination in the West.
5:39 The vibrations thereof many spiritual-seeking souls
5:42 come flood-like to me.
5:43 I perceive potential saints in America and Europe waiting to to be awakened at this point in his story sri yuktaswar turned his gaze fully on mine my son to visualize myself in the remote west, away from my beloved guru and the simple hermitage peace.
6:11 Babaji then spoke of the Bhagavad Gita. Sri Yukteswar went on. To my astonishment,
6:16 he indicated, by a few words of praise, that he was aware of the fact that I had written
6:20 interpretations on various Gita chapters. At my request, Swamiji, please undertake another task,
6:27 the great master said.
6:28 Will you not write a short book
6:30 on the underlying basic unity
6:32 between Christian and Hindu scriptures?
6:34 Show by parallel references
6:36 that the inspired sons of God
6:38 have spoken the same truths,
6:40 now obscured by men's sectarian differences.
6:43 Maharaja, I answered diffidently, what what a command shall i be able to fulfil it babaji laughed softly
6:51 my son why do you doubt he said reassuringly indeed whose work is all this and who is the doer of all actions whatever the lord has made me say is bound to materialise as truth i deemed myself empowered by the blessings of the saint,
7:05 and agreed to write the book. Feeling reluctantly that the parting hour had arrived, I rose from my
7:11 leafy seat. Do you know Lahiri? The master inquired. He is a great soul, isn't he? Tell him
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