Book review: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. 1946 First Edition, First Printing Published by THE PHILOSOPHICAL LIBRARY, INC. 15 East 40th Street, New York, N. Y. 1995 Reprint of the 1946 First Edition Published by Crystal Clarity Publishers, USA.
A fantastic book. Recommended for everybody who wants to become aware of the reality of this world, of what lies behind the shroud of the mist that prevents us seeing beyond the moronic daily grind.
I decided to read this book sometime in 2012 C.E., but somehow read a few other Yoga books before I could start with this most famous of all Yoga and spirituality book. It was probably in the list of the favourite book of some celebrity business entrepreneur, although I dont clearly remember now when I first came to know about this book.
I did not always like the author's prose, the usage from his age often sounded cliché, and at some places thought it repetitive [which can be forgiven considering the eagerness the author felt in succeeding in conveying his message]. At one point towards the end where the writer explains his position regarding Indian Nationalism, a much controversial topic in the then colonial India, I thought he was not straight forward to say the least, or worse, that his thinking lacked clarity.
Having said that, the book presents the reality of a world that is unknown to most of us, literally and figuratively. It shows how little the conventional education system teaches us and how little the conventional knowledge contains about the reality of the universe, of what is important, of what is preferable. It makes you aware how blissfully ignorant we remain and waste the valuable life in the pursuit of the false, valueless, illusory objectives, forgetting our purpose in this world.
Paramhansa Yogananda quotes:
“So long as the soul of man is encased in one, two, or three body-containers, sealed tightly with the corks of ignorance and desires, he cannot merge with the sea of Spirit. When the gross physical receptacle is destroyed by the hammer of death, the other two coverings—astral and causal—still remain to prevent the soul from consciously joining the Omnipresent Life. When desirelessness is attained through wisdom, its power disintegrates the two remaining vessels. The tiny human soul emerges, free at last; it is one with the Measureless Amplitude.”
-Autobiography of a Yogi (Reprint of Original 1946 Edition), Yogananda, Paramhansa, page 391 | location 5984-5988
The book also shows through the personal experiences of the author and his Guru and other Yogis the ever-present love of the Allah Subhanahu Tayala, the God, throughout the universe, the love that sustains the universe, sustains the devotee.
It is above all things that I said, a book of love.
