Preface

TH E Vedanta Philosophy includes the

ff Yo a di erent branches of the Science of g . Four of these have already been treated at length by the Swami Vivekananda in his

” ” w a a o orks on Raj Yoga , Karm Y ga ,

” o Bhakti Yoga , and Jnana Y ga but there existed no short and consecutive sur vey of the science as a whole . It is to meet this need that the pre sent volum e has been w re ritten . In an introductory chapter a set forth the true province of religion and the full significance of the word spirituality

ow as it is understood in India . Next foll s a comprehensive definition of th e term cc ’ o w h Y ga , it short chapters on each of 5 P refac e

w the five paths to hich it is applied , and their respective practices . An exhaustive exposition of the Science of Breathing and its bearing on the highest spiritual develop ment shows the fundamental physiological principles on which the whole training of w Yoga is based ; hile a concluding chapter, under the title Was Christ a Yogi ! ” makes plain the direct relation existing between the lofty teachings of Vedanta and the religious faiths of the West . An

ff b to e ort has een made , so far as possible , keep the text free from technical and San sk rit terms ; and the work should there fore prove of equal value to the student of Oriental thought and to the general reader w h as yet unfamiliar it this , one of the greatest philosophical systems of the w orld .

TH E D I OR E T . Contents

IN TR OD UCTOR Y

WHA T IS YOG A !

I at a o a . H h Y g z aa o a . R j Y g

K arma o a 3 . Y g

B ak i o a 4 . h t Y g uan a o a 5. J Y g

SCIE N CE OF B R E A TH IN G

WA S CH R IST A YOG I !

Introdu ctory

Introdu ctory

TR U E religion is extremely practical ; it is , indeed , based entirely upon practice , and n ot upon theory or speculation of any

for o w r kind , religion begins nly here theo y

r ends . Its object is to mould the cha acter , unfold the divine nature of the soul , and make it possible to live on the spiritual plane , its ideal being the realization of Absolute Truth and the manifestation of

th D ivinity in the actions of e daily life .

Spirituality does n ot depend upon the

in reading of Scriptures , or upon learned ter retation s of o p Sacred Bo ks , or upon fine

n theological discussions , but upo the reali zation of unchangeable Truth . In India 11 H ow to be a Yogi a man is called truly spiritual or religious

w o n ot not because he has ritten some bo k , because he possesses the gift of oratory

be and can preach eloquent sermons, but cause he expresses divine pow ers through

w s illiter~ his ords and deed . A thoroughly ate man can attain to the highest state of spiritual perfection without going to any .

universit an d w school or y, ithout reading m any Scripture , if he can conquer his ani al nature by realizing his tru e Self and its

to relation the universal Spirit ; or, in other w the ow of ords , if he can attain to kn ledge

w d-w w him that Truth hich ells ithin , and which is the same as the Infinite Source of h nc . w o existence , intellige e , and bliss He

d hiloso has mastere all the Scriptures , p

an d ma phies , sciences , y be regarded by society as an intellectual gian t ; yet h e cannot be equal to that unlettered man who , having realized the eternal Truth , has 12 I ntrodu ctory

w who become one ith it, sees God every w r who on a he e , and lives this e rth as an m e bodiment of Divinity . The writer had the good fortune to be acquainted with such a divin e man in In dia . His name was Ramakrishna . He w never ent to any school , neither had he read any of the Scriptures , philosophies, or

c w s ientific treatises of the orld , yet he had reached perfection by realizing God

through the practice of Yoga . Hun dreds of men and women came to see him and w ere spiritually awakened and uplifted by the divine powers which

man - this illiterate possessed . To day he is revered and worshipped by thou sands all over India as is Jesus the Christ

e d o in Christ n om . He could exp und with extraordinary clearness the subtlest prob lems of philosophy or of science , and answer the most intricate questions of 13 H ow to be a Yogi clever theologians in such a masterly way as to dispel all doubts concerning the mat H ter in hand . ow could he do this with out reading books ! By his wonderful i n sight into the true nature of things , and by that Yoga power which made him directly perceive things which cannot be revealed w by the senses . His spiritual eyes ere open ; his sight could penetrate through the thick veil of ignorance that hangs be

f o fore the vision o rdinary mortals , and which prevents them from knowing that which exists beyond the range of sense perception .

These powers begin to manifest in the soul that is awakened to the ultimate

h e Reality of t e univers . It is then that the sixth sense “of direct perception of

higher truths develops an d frees it from dependence upon the sense powers. This sixth sense or spiritual eye is latent in each 14 I ntrodu c tory

v f w indi idual , but it opens in a e only among

w as millions, and they are kno n Yogis .

With the vast majority it is in a ru dimen

a d t ry state , covere by a thick veil . When ,

w e ho ever, through the practic of Yoga it unfolds in a man , he becomes conscious of th e higher invisible realms and of every

n thing that exists o the soul plane . What ever he says harmonizes wi th the sayings and writings of all the great Seers of Truth

of every age and clime . He does not study

do so books ; he has no need to , for he knows all that the human intellect can con

i of ce ve . He can grasp the purport a book without reading its text ; he also under stands how much the human mind can ex w press through ords , and he is familiar with that which is beyond thoughts and

which consequently can never be expressed

by words . B efore arriving at such spiritual illu 15 H ow to be a Yogi mination he goes through divers stag es of

in n mental and spiritual evolution , and co sequence knows all that can be experienced

. h ow by a human intellect He does not,

a n w the ever, c re to remai confined ithin

not con limit of sense perception , and is tented with the intellectual apprehension of

a r relative re lity, but his sole aim is to ente w into the realm of the Absolute , hich is the beginning and end of phen omenal objects and of relative knowledge . Thus striving d for the realization of the highest , he oes not fail to collect all relative knowledge pertaining to the world of phenomena that

wa c w d comes in his y, as he mar hes on to ar

the d his destination, unfol ment of his true

Self.

Our true Self is all - knowing by its

th w nature . It is e source of infinite kno l w i edge ithin us . Being bound by the lim tations of o we time, space , and causati n , 16 Introdu ctory cannot express all the powers that w e pos sess in reality . The higher we rise above

w e these limiting conditions , the more can manifest th e divine qualities of omniscience

o . on w e and omnip tence If, the contrary, keep our minds fixed upon phenomena and devote the w hole of our energy to acquit ing knowledge dependent entirely upon

w e c sense perceptions , shall ever rea h the

w w e end of phenomenal kno ledge , shall ever be able to know the real nature of the things of this universe ! No ; b ecause the senses cannot lead us beyond the super

or ficial appearance of sense objects . In der to go deeper in the realm of the invis

w e m w ible invent instru ents, and ith their help w e are able to penetrat e a little fur

e m n e ther ; but thes instru ents , agai , hav

on e i n stru their limit . After using kind of

w e w re ment , become dissatisfied ith the sults and search for some other which may 17 H ow to be a Yogi

reveal more and more , and thus w e strug

gle on , discovering at each step how poor and helpless are the sense powers in

w the path of the kno ledge of the Absolute .

At last we are driven to the conclusion that an how can y instrument , no matter fine , n ever help us to realize that which is b e

- c l yond the reach of sense per eption, inte lect , and thought .

we co w So , even if uld spend the hole of our time and energy in studying phe n omen a we , shall never arrive at any satis factory result or be able to see things as

T h ow they are in reality . e kn ledge of

- in to day , gained by the help of certain stru men ts w be , ill the ignorance of tomor

row if w e . , get better instruments The kn owledge of last year is already the ig no rance of the present year ; the knowledge of this century will be ignorance in the light of the discoveries of a n ew century . 18

H ow to be a Yogi

Sir Isaac N ewton after a life of tir eless t e

s h l c o l s on earch , I ave col e ted nly pebb e ” c n of k n ow e If the shore of the o ea ledg .

a genius like N ewton could not even reach

the w a cean how the edge of ater of th t o , can we expect to cross the vast expan se from shore to shore in a few brief years!

Thousands of generations have passed

w t o sa w a m th e a ay, h u nds ill p ss , yet ust knowledge regarding the phenomen a of

m il r the universe re ain imperfect . Ve afte

m v v r wi veil may be re o ed , but eil afte veil ll

a w rem in behind . This as understood by

e of u who the Yogis and S ers Tr th in India , said : Innumerable are the branches of

w an d kno ledge , but short is our time many are the obstacles i n the way ; there fore wise men should first struggle to k n ow that which is highest . H ere the question arises : Which is the highest knowledge ! This question is as N Introdu ctory old as history ; it has puzzled the minds of the philosophers , scientists, and scholars of all ages an d all countries . Some have

d n w to foun an a s er it, others have not .

The same question was voiced in ancient

s w w n to times by Socrate , hen he e t the

D elphic oracle and asked : Of all knowl

” edge which is the highest ! To which

”

n w w . came the a s er, Kno thyself

We read in one of th e Upan ishad's that a

r o g eat thinker, after studying all the phil s

O hi es an d wn m p sciences kno at that ti e,

m an d : ca e to a Seer of Truth said Sir, I am tired of this lower knowledge that can be gained from books or through the study

of the world of phenomena ; it no longer

for e satisfies me , scienc cannot reveal the

ultimat e Truth ; I wi sh to kn ow that which w is the highest . Is there anything by kno

ing which I can know the reality of the universe ! 21 H ow to be a Yogi

: The sage replied Yes , there is ; and

w n w that kno ledge is the highest , by k o ing which you can know the true nature of everything in the universe . And he con

n w . tin ed , Kno thyself If thou canst

e own learn the tru nature of thine self, thou wilt know the reality of the universe . In thy true Self thou wi lt find the Eternal

Truth, the Infinite Source of all phe n m n w o e a. By knowing this thou wilt kno

” God and His whole creation . As by knowing the chemical propertie s of one

w we w drop of ater , kno the properties of w w w all ater herever it appears , so by kno

who and w w e we ing hat are in reality , shall realize the final Truth . Man is the e o n t w pit me of the u iverse . Tha hich exists in the macrocosm is to be found in the microcosm . Therefore the knowledge of

’ one s true Self is the highest of all knowl

on wi h edge . Our real Self is divine and e t 22 In trodu c tory

m God . This may see to us at present a

we mere theory, but the nearer approach the ultimate Truth , the more clearly shall w e understand that it is not a theory but

n ow we a fact , that are dreaming in the sleep of ignorance and fanc ying ourselves

or this that particular person . But as all experience gained in dreams afterwards

w appears of little consequence ; so , aking

we up from this sleep , shall find that the

w kno ledge of phenomenal nature , upon w w e a t hich pl ce so much value at presen , is of littl e importance . We shall then realize that all research in the various branches of science depends upon Self

w - w kno ledge , and that Self kno ledge is the foundation upon which the structure of w phenomenal kno ledge is built . Know ledge of the Self or Atman is f there ore the highest of all . It is the ideal

of a an d the the Science of Yog , should be 23 H ow to be a Yogi

u r aim of our life . We should hold it as o

first duty to acquire this Self- kn owl edg e before we try to kn ow anything concerni ng

f e- n H ow can the objects o sens perceptio .

a ! m s n ot h g in it Not fro book , throug

n a b ut the study of exter al phenomen , by

own an d studying our nature , by practicing the diff erent branches of Yoga. 24 What i s Yoga!

H ow to be a Yogi

an d gifts , tried to explain them by attri buting them to the influence of external w Beings, hom they called by various — names gods , angels , good or evil spirits . Some among them even fancied that they w ere especially chosen to be the in stru men ts of thes e higher powers and sought to be worshipped as the elect of

God or of their particular deity, just as the leaders of certain sects in this country to d ay desire to be adored by their followers .

m who In so e instances, those possessed these unusual pow ers w ere looked upon as divine exceptions , as Jesus by the Chris

tians, Mahomet by the Mahometans, and

th e Buddha by e Buddhists . Oth rs again w or w ere condemned as sorcerers itches , and the fear aroused by such persecutions led to the secret practice of divers methods which resulted in still further ex traordi

n nary ma ifestations . 28 What is Yoga!

Th ese methods w ere never written w w m do n , but ere passed orally fro the

who master to the disciple , in turn care

e fully guarded th m as sacred mysteries .

This is the reason why among ancient

nations there grew up so many secret

w h w as societies , the object of hic to develop certain powers through various

kinds of discipline and practices . The

a Egypti ns , the Essenes , Gnostics , Mani

chean s - -ists C , Neo Platon , and the hristian

mystics of the middle age s all had their

of m secret organizations , and some the

still exist , as , for example , the Masonic

e the m Lodge . Non of embers of these

societies ever gave out their secret instru c w ff tions , nor did they rite any books o er ing a logical or scientific explanation of w their practices . Therefore, hile there w ere some among them who advanced far m w in the attain ent of higher po ers , the 29 H ow to be a Yogi u nusual manifestations resulting therefrom were never understood by Western n a

w o tions, neither ere they generalized int a

system or science .

t In ancient India , on the con rary , as

w as s there no fear of persecution , the ca e was o ff alt gether di erent . Every Hindu w as obliged , as a part of his religious duty, to develop through daily practice certain powers and to strive to attain to the reali z ation of higher truths . In the streets , on

- s on the market place , in the court , and the battle - fi eld were many who had not only

wh a reached such realization , but o had c re fully classified their experiences and dis covered those laws which govern our hig her nature and upon which was gradu ally built u p the profound Science of Yoga .

w e Thus see that this science , like all

t was a w o hers , b sed on experience ; hile the method used in it w as the same as that 30 What is Yoga ‘4

employed by modern science in making all — its discoveries of natural law the meth

od ex ei'im of observation and p ent. This method is regarded in the West as a dis

tin ctl o o y m dern inn vation , but as a matter

of fact it was adopted in India in very

” ancient times by the Rishis, or Seers of

Truth . Through the process of close ob servation and constant experiment they

discovered the finer forces of nature , as

w r s also the la s that gove n our phy ical ,

S . mental , and piritual being The truths thus gained through their own experience

v w ow and in estigations , they rote d n in

o bo ks , preached in public , and expounded w to their pupils . Before , ho ever , they affirmed anything about the nature of the soul or God , they had realized it . Before they asked a disciple to practice anythin g they had practiced it themselves , and had obtained definite results from that practice . 31 H ow to be a Yogi

w a In this y, as the outcome of ages of

research in the realms of nature , carried on by a succession of earnest seekers after w light , there g re up in India various sys

m o te s of science , phil sophy, psychology, metaphysics , and religion , both speculative

w w r and practical , hich ere g ouped under

” m r the one com on name , A yan Religion .

The term religion was used to include

o a all , because at no ep ch in Indi has relig ion been separated from these diff erent branches or from the general conduct of every- day existence ; and the methods by which these scientific truths were applied in the daily life of an individual to further his w spiritual development , ere called by the

” general term Yoga . Yoga is a Sanskrit word commonly f u sed to signify the practical side o re

ligion ; and the first concern of the train ing for which it stands , is to enforce proper 32 What is Yoga! obedience to the laws of our moral and

w at physical nature, upon hich depend the tai n men t of perfect health and of moral

n and spiritual perfectio . In Western coun tries the word has been grossly mi sun der

an d w who stood misused by many riters ,

r have employed it in the sense of juggle y, h n i m v ot s r . p , tricke y, and fraud Whenever

w w u people hear the ord Yogi , hich sig i

who fies one practices Yoga , they think of

o of d n s me kind juggler, or charlatan, or i e tify him with a fakir or one who practices black magic . The Theosophists have been

' more or less responsible for this abuse oi the term ; but those who have studied the

Sacred Books of India, as , for instance ,

B ha avad the g Gita or Song Celestial , as

i r S Edwin Arnold calls it in his translation , will remember that each chapter of that Celestial Song is devoted to some kind of

a n U I Yog , or method of realizi g the 33 H ow to be a Yogi timate Truth and of attaining the highest wisdom ; and that a Yogi is one who through various practices reaches the i highest ideal of relig on . This highest

to B ha avad ideal , according the g Gita , is the union of the individual soul with the

Universal Spirit .

w w Hindu riters , ho ever , have used the w ord Yoga in various other sen ses . I will mention a few of them in order to gi ve some conception of the vastness of the field m covered by this ter . First , Yoga

n means the union of two exter al objects .

o m wi an Sec nd , the ixing of one thing th

of other . Third , the interrelation the ff causes which produce a common e ect .

Fourth , the orderly equipment of a soldier or of any person in any profession . Fifth ,

n n the application , discrimi atio , and reason ing that i s necessary for the discovery of a

a w of certain truth . Sixth , th t po er sound 34

H ow to be a Yogi

r i n ifi same root . O iginally the literal s g ca

tw as m tion of the o words w al ost the same .

The root- verb Yuj signifies to join

oneself to something , or to harness oneself

for some task . Thus in its primary mean ing it conveys the same idea of preparing for hard work as the common English ex

” pressions to go into harness , or to

buckle to . The effort required is mental w or physical , according to the object in vie .

If the object be th e acquirement of perfect ff health or longevity , then the e ort of both mind and body to accomplish this through certain practices is called Yoga . So is it again if the object be the development of w psychic powers . The same ord is used likewise to indicate the me ntal training necessary for the attainment of self- con trol , of the union of the individual soul w n or ith God , of divine commu ion of spi

u n s ritual perfection . Volumes po volume 36 What is Yoga! have been written in India describing the diff erent branches and methods of this ap

’ plied science of Yoga , and the various ideals that can be attained through its practice ; also what qualifications fit a be ginner for undertaking any of these w methods , hat stages he must pass

w through in order to reach the goal , hat

an in wa how obstacles st d the y, and they can be overcome .

Patience and perseverance are abso lu tely necessary for any on e w ho desires to enter upon the path of Yoga ; those who are not patient cannot hope to arrive at

who true realization . Those , again , take it up out of curiosity or through an impulse

r m of tempora y enthusiasm , ust not expect

mu st ' n ot th e to get results , and blame teacher for their failure to do so, since the fault is en tirelv their own . The same w w teachings , hen carried out ith under 37 H ow to be a Yogi

and w standing in the right spirit , ill bring wo T . w o nderful results hey ill nly come ,

w who w ho ever, to the student follo s strictly the instructions of a living mas

who w ter, ill direct him in the practice of both physical and mental exercises . Aspirants to the study of Yoga can be

v c a : s who di ided into three l sses First , tho e

. m who are born Yogis There are so e , having practiced Yoga in a previous incar

c w nation , ome here as a akened souls, and as such manifest remarkable powers from their very childhood . Their natural ten

e den y is to lead a pure life , for right living and right thinking are their sole concern , and they possess wonderful powers of self control and of concentration . Sense pleas ures and those things which fascinate the ordinary mind have n o charm for them. Even when they are surrounded by all the comforts of life and have every material 38 What is Yoga!

resource at their command , they yet feel F like strangers in a strange land . ew there are who can understand properly the men

tal a condition of these char cters . Phy

sician s may be brought to them , but med

ical treatment may only make them w orse ;

the writer knows of cases where harm has

been done in this way. By the law of at

ow to traction , h ever, they are bound be drawn sooner or later into the companion f i ship o some Yog . Here they find exactly w e v hat their inner nature has be n cra ing, m and at once they feel happy and at ho e .

Th e instructions of the Yogi appeal to their minds ; they begin the practice of

an d Yoga under his direction , proving easy

to and natural them , they soon obtain ex m cellen t results . Thus fro youth they take up the thread of the practice at the very point where they dropped it in their past existence ; and through a firm determina 39 H ow to be a Yogi

tion to overcome all obstacles in their

wa r y, they progress apidly and gradually

n attai to the highest ideal of spiritual life .

Nothin g in the world can prevent their ou w n ard march , so intense and stro g is their longing for realization .

Th e second class includes those who are

n as - wa bor half a kened souls . In need of

n r further experie ce , they go th ough vari

ous paths wi thout finding the right one .

n ew n They take each step te tatively , and i n w this constant experimenting, they aste a great deal of energy and a large portion

w of their lives . If such partially a akened

w n e in souls , follo ing out a tende cy creat d

their previous existence , have the good fortun e to come in contact wi th a Yogi and

u a take p the practice of Yog , they may ,

a d r through perseveran ce n ea nestness ,

h th ev achieve much in t is life , although will necessarily advan ce more slowly in the 40 What is Yoga!

path of spirituality than those who belong

to the first class . In the third class are to be found all those unawakened souls who begin their search after Truth and the practice of Yoga for the first time in this life Even from childhood they are irresistibly drawn

towards sense objects and sense pleasures ;

and if they take up the practice of Yoga , they find great diffi culty in following its teachings and meet numerous obstacles

along the way. Their environment is not w favorable for the practice , and even hen they try, they cannot easily conquer it .

Their health is not good , their mind is scat tered f , and they suf er from various kinds of disease and mental disturbance . They w also lack determination , find it ellnigh impossible to control the senses , and have to fight hard to adjust their mode of living h to the n ew requirements . With so muc 41 H ow to be a Yogi to contend against they n aturally obtain but small results even after long practice .

w v If, ho ever, such persons can perse ere and strengthen their wi lls through a slow and regular practice of Hatha Yoga , struggling manfully to overcome the many obstacles in their way by the practice of breathing exercises and by following the

who directions of a competent teacher , u nderstands them , they may in this life be able to control in a large measure their physical health and acquire a certain w amount of Yoga po er . Hatha Yoga is especially useful for this class of aspirants . Through the practice of breathing ex er cises they will gradually gain control over w their bodies , and ill , in course of time , be

a w prepared for the study of Raj Yoga , hich will arouse the powers latent in their souls . 42

H ow to be a Yogi

a life he looked like boy of eighteen . Not

was only his physical condition perfect ,

but through practice he had mastered

- eighty four postures of the body . He

could bend his limbs in so astonishing a way that it seemed as if his joints must b e w w unattached , hile his bones ere as though made of some elastic substance . Many

English physician s and surgeons came to see him and were amazed a t the extra

n of ordinary positio s his limbs . They brought a skeleton and tried to fix its

n bo es in the same positions, but could not

n w do so without breaki g them . After ards they reached the conclusion that if the bones were once fixed in those positions the limbs would be unfitted for any kind of work Yet the example of the Yogi openly contradicted their statements . His limbs w ere strong and of good use to w wa . him in every possible y He could alk , 44 Hatha Yoga

v w w lift hea y eights , and move about ith w absolute ease . The riter himself saw

so him in India , and al other Hatha Yogis who could accomplish equally wonderful feats . Th e primary object of these various postures described in Hatha Yoga is to gain control over the involuntary muscles w of the body, hich is impossible to the W ordinary man . e all possess this power w w latent ithin us , but the Hatha Yogis ere the first to discover a scientific method by which it could be developed . i All Hatha Yog s eat very little , but they can also g o entirely without food for days and even for months , and succeed in con w quering sleep . The author kne of one who w who had not slept for t elve years , and w as nevertheless in perfect health . He has

who also seen a Hatha Yogi usually ate ,

for instance , a piece of unleavened bread

w - who in t enty four hours , and refused to 45 H ow to be a Yogi w ear warm clothin g in the coldest winter w Who i w eather, and yet voluntar ly orked hard as a street laborer without showi ng m the least sign of fatigue . It may seem i

of who possible to the majority people , have made themselves such slaves to sleep and food as to imagine that if they do not sleep eight or nine hours out of the

w - t enty four and eat pounds of flesh , they

cannot live . Hatha Yogis are the living

n contradiction s of such opi ions . Perhaps the reader is familiar with the account of that Yogi w ho was buried alive for forty

an w days in hermetically sealed box , ith a g uard of English offi cers to watch the spot

night and day . During these forty days the Yogi could neither eat , sleep , nor

was breathe , yet at their expiration he brought back to consciousness without

! an y ill eff ects and he lived for many years .

“ " For fuller a ou nt see Law of s i enomena cc P ych c Ph , T omas a ud son a e 1 by h J y H , p g 3 3 . 46 Hatha Yoga

Then again these same Yogis who do

n ot eat , sleep , or drink for a long period , w can, if they ish , eat as much as ten per

sons at one time without suff ering any u n

pleasant consequences . Of course they

do not eat any kind of meat . They digest w their food consciously , as it ere They

so claim that by a third eye they can , to w speak , see hat is going on in their inter

m in nal organs . Why should this see credible to us when the discovery of the

Roentgen rays has proved everything to be transparent !

Some of the Hatha Yogi s have ex tra‘or

n ot o din ary eyesight . They can nly per

ceive objects at a great distance , but can

also see clearly in complete darkness , even being able to pick up a pin from the floor without the least g limmer of ordinary light

w n ot to guide them . This ill appear so

strange when w e remember that there is in 47 H ow to be a Yogi visible light in the atmosphere of a per~ fectl y dark room . If we can learn to use this atmospheric light , imperceptible to the common eye , and can develop our eye

wh we n t sight , there is no reason y should o see things in the dark . The Yogis under stand this and know the method by which f the power o eyesight can be developed . As regards distinguishing objects at a f great distance , this is not so di ficult to believe since we know that there are per

who sons living, not Yogis , can see the moons of Jupiter without the help of any instrument . This branch of optical science in Hatha “ ” Yoga is called in Sanskrit Tratak a

Yoga . It teaches , among other things , how , through gazing on one object and at the same time performing certain special

n breathi g exercises , many optical maladies can be cured as well as the power of sight 48 Hatha Yoga

h strengt ened . The authentic records of Hatha Yogis vouch for the fact that it pro duces many beneficial eff ects when prop erly practiced under the direction of a competent master of Hatha Yoga . A Yogi who is expert in this science of optics can fascinate or madden another by his optical powers . The process of hyp n otism or mesmerism verifies this claim .

A Yogi can likewise read the thoughts of another by looking at his eyes ; for accord ing to the Yogi the eye is the index of the

how mind . Here it may be asked , do the

Yogi s acquire these powers ! They do not

w s get them from outside . These po er are h dormant in every individual , and throug practice the Yogis bring them out . They say : Whatever exists in the universe (the macrocosm) exists also in the human body

s (the That is , the finer force

own i exist potentially in our organ sm , and 49 H ow to be a Yogi if w e study our nature carefully w e shall be able to know all the forces and the laws w hich govern the universe .

th e Hatha Yoga , again , teaches cure of disease through breathin g exercises and the regulation of diet and of the general habits of the daily life . But it does not claim that physical health is the same as

u s spirituality. On the contrary , it tells that if a healthy body w ere a sign of spirit u alit w i who y, then ild an mals and savages enjoy perfect health would be exceedingly

w e w. spiritual ; yet they are not , as kno The principal idea of these Yogis is that physical maladies are obstacles in the path

w a of spiritual progress , hile healthy body furnishes one of the most favorable con dition s for the realization of the highest

a who do spiritu l truths in this life . Those n ot h r possess good health should, t erefo e ,

Y a begin to practice Hatha og . 50

H ow to be a Yogi the laws of h vgi en e regarding cleanlin ess

d r r s an e wa . of the body , fre h air , pu te

They should not li ve in over-heated houses ; neither should they indu lge i n

u w artificial stim lants , especially beer, ine , ff ff and co ee . The habit of excessive co ee drinking is a serious men ace to the Amer

r a suf ican nation . Many people a e lready fering from nervou s prostration as a result of n and indulgence in this directio , there are very few cases in which the n ervou s system will not be aff ected by it to some ex e t nt .

H e who wishes to practice Hatha Yoga should first of all find a Hatha Yogi

a h r who his te c e , has perfect control over

vi he physical body ; and ha ng found him , should lead a life in strict accord with his instructions. He should live in a secluded spot and where the changes of weather are n d ld either su den nor extreme . He shou 52 Hatha Yoga

be a rigid vegetarian and abstain from all k inds of drinks that stimulate the system . H e should never fill the stomach with a large quan tity of food . H e should observe the moral laws and practice absolute

continence . He should learn to con

trol his senses , keep his body clean , and purify his mind by arousing feel ings of kindness and love towards all

v li ing creatures . The beginner in this branch of Yoga should gradually conquer the diff erent pos

tures of the body and limbs . These pos f A scma tures are called in Sanskrit . There

are altogether eighty- four of them de

in scribed the science of Hatha Yoga .

w a w Each of these , hen pr cticed ith spe

cial breathing exercises , develops certain

pow ers latent in the nerve centers and the

diff erent organs of the system . Another

‘ object in practicing A sana is to remove the 53 H ow to be a Yogi

Tamas element which causes heaviness of m the body, and to free the system fro the ff e ects of cold , catarrh , phlegm , rheu m ti m a s . , and many other diseases Some of the exercises increase the action of the

v w stomach and li er , hile others regulate f the activities o the other organs . Tremor

of the body and restlessness of the limbs , which are such frequent obstacles in the wa y of gaining control over the mind , may easily be removed by the practice of 4 1 5 0 710 .

The reader may get an idea of the f i scna from the following descriptions

- I . Sit cross legged on the floor , placing the left foot on the right thigh and the

on right foot the left thigh , and keeping

th e . body , neck , and head in a straight line

II . After sitting in this posture , hold the right great toe with the right hand and the left great toe with the left hand (the hands 54 Hatha Yoga coming from behind the back and crossing

a e ch other).

. III Sit straight on a level place , firmly inserting both insteps betwee n the thighs

c and the alves of the legs .

IV . Assuming posture No . I , insert the

w a hands bet een the thighs and the c lves , and , planting the palms firmly on the

r g ound , lift the body above the seat .

V. Sitting on the floor , stretch the legs w straight in front , hold the great toes ith

s the hands w ithout bending the knee .

r VI . Having accomplished this postu e ,

touch the knees with the forehead . This

Alsana s rouses ga tric fire , makes the loins

e an d . l an , removes many diseases

as r VII . Holding the toes in postu e V , keep on e arm extended and with the othe r draw the othe r toe towards you r ear as you would do with the string of a bow .

l r VIII . Plant hands firm y on the g ound, 55 H ow to be a Yogi support the weight of the body upon the w elbo s , pressing them against the sides of the loins . Then raise the feet above the f ground , keeping them sti f and straight on wi a level th the head .

T zfsana his , according to Hatha Yoga,

of cures diseases the stomach , spleen, and liver, and all disorders caused by an excess w of ind , bile , or phlegm . It also increases w the po er of digestion . IX . Lie upon the back on the floor at

full length like a corpse , keeping the head

Asana on a level with the body. This removes fatigue and brings rest and calm n of ess mind .

v The student of Hatha Yoga , ha ing per fected himself in controlling some of these postures , should next take up the breath n i g exercises . He should carefully study the scien ce of breathing in all its aspects .

Posture No . I is one of the easiest and best 56 Hatha Yoga

‘ A sanas for one who wishes to control the

a bre th . It favors a tranquil circulation w and slo respiration . A beginner should first practice ab

dominal breathing through both nostrils , keeping a measured time for inspiration

and expiration . Gradually he should be directed by his master to hold the breath

and in out . Practicing this internal and

external suspension of breath for a few w eeks , he should next take up alternate breathing . He may inspire through the left nostril for four seconds and expire

e through the right for four s conds, then reverse the order, breathing in through the right and out through the left . The alter nate breathing exercises will purify the nerves and will make the student well

fitted for higher breathing exercises . The student should then breathe in through on e fo nostril for ur seconds, hold the 57 H ow to be a Yogi

an d breath counting sixteen seconds , breathe out through the other nostril

counting eight seconds . This exercise , if

w practiced regularly for three months , ill generate n ew nerve - currents and develop the healing power that is latent in the sys m te .

The Yogi w ho wishes to cure organic

trouble or disease of any kind , should com bine the higher breathing exercises with the diff erent postures of the body which

bear direct relation to the disturbed organ .

He should arou se the healing power stored up at the base of the spine and direct it to

the diseased part . Hatha Yoga describes various methods

n for cleansing the internal orga s . Some of them are extremely beneficial to those

ho ff m w su er fro chronic headache , or cold

r i n in the head , catar h , dyspepsia , or

mn so ia. 58

H ow to be a Yogi

of the rectimu scles of the abdomen , he throws out the water throug h the same

w s passage . An expert Yogi can a h the whole of the alimentary canal by drinking a large quantity of water an d letting it pass through the Opening at the lower ex tremi ty. Thus he becomes free from stomach or intestinal disorder . These exercises are especially recommended for

who a those are flabby , phleg m tic , or cor

al n t p e . He cures insomnia by assuming posture

IX few No . , at the same time taking a deep breaths and holding them after each inspiration .

A Hatha Yogi can swallow his tongue .

It is said that he who can swallow his up turn ed tongue is freed from old age and

and death , conquers sleep , hunger thirst , Th and rises above time . e powers of a Y d d w d perfect Hatha ogi are in ee on erful . Hatha Yoga

d and d hi He can o un o anything at s will .

He is the master of all physical laws . Thus we see that perfect health and longevity are the immediate results of the

r Hatha Yoga practices . To the real seeke w after Absolute Truth , ho ever, they have small value except as they become a means of attaining superconscious realization .

s According to him , if a man live five hun dred years and yet in that time does not

the a G od - he reach st te of consciousness , is little better than an oak tree which may outlast many gen erations and grow to great size , but is in the end only an oak

h . who . o o tree T at man , n the c ntrary , dies

a e of at the g thirty , having realized his o s w D i n nenes ith ivinity , has achieved finitely more than he who possesses perfect w health , longevity, psychic po ers , or the gift of healing ; for he has become a living God in this world and can point the way of 61 H ow to be a Yogi

salvation to all mankind . Therefore the exercises of Hatha Yoga should be prae ticed only so far as the earnest truth

n ot w seeker does attain Raja Yoga , hich alone will lead the soul to God - conscious ness and perfect freedom . 62 R aj a Yoga

T OG w e HA HA Y A , as have already seen , is wholly devoted to the control of the

functions of the body and to the mastery of i ts the physical forces , ideal being a

w - fitted m sound constitution , ell to overco e those physical and environmental condi tions which stand as obstacles in the path of spiritual progress . Raja Yoga , on the w m contrary , deals entirely ith the ind an d psychic power and may be called the science of applied psychology . Its aim is to remove all mental obstructions and to

r . gain a perfectly cont olled , healthy mind

The main purpose of its training is to develop and strengthen the will as well as

w an d the po er of concentration , to lead the seeker after Truth through the path 63 H ow to be a Yogi of concentration and meditation to th e u a ltim te goal of all religion .

This path is called Raja Yoga or th e Royal method (Raja means king b e cause the power Of concentration and will power are not only greater than any phy sics l f orce , but are essential to the acquisi t on o w i f all other po ers . The man who possesse s a vigorous mind con trolled by a we - de w w ow r ll veloped ill , ith strong p e of c n en a b m o c tr tion , can easily eco e the mas ter of physical nature and in a short time attain the realization of Truth ; and it is the special province Of Raja Yoga to teach

h Its d how t is can be accomplished . stu y has been encourag ed by all those who have come in contact with the Raja Yogis of

s I ndia eithe r in ancient or modern time .

was b h s o It extolled y Pyt agora , by Plat and the Neo-Platonists like Plotinus and l h Proc us . by the Gnostics and the C ristian 64 Raja Yoga

mystics of the middle ages ; and even tu »

day it is in some measure practiced by

some of the Roman Catholic monks an d

nuns of the higher orders . Spinoza , Kant ,

Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson ,

in spoke praise of it , declaring its object to be the unravelling of the mystery of the

nature of the human soul an d the unfold ment of the latent powers existing in each

individual . It has been proved by the living example of Yogis that through its practice that power can be acquired by which all other forces in the universe may be controlled ; and Raja Yoga claims that w ’ hoever has gained mastery over his mind , can govern all the phenomena of nature . It teaches that mind is the sovereign

w th e w po er of universe , and that hen its forces are properly concentrated upon any

a particular object , the true nature of th t

object will be revealed . Instead of using 65 H ow to be a Yogi

w e an instrument, if properly utilize the

w w we mental po ers hich already possess,

t and focus them absolutely upon one poin , w e can easily know all the particulars t e garding the thing upon which they are directed . This object may be physical , mental , or spiritual . The concentrated min d of a Yogi may be compared to an

- w electric search light . By thro ing the converged rays of his mind toward a dis

n c w ta t obje t , hether gross or subtile , all the details of that object are illumined and

d ma e known to him . The vision of ordin ary persons is n ot so penetrating because their mental forces are dissipated like the scattered rays of an ordinary light In the

wa same y, if the mind can be concentrated upon internal objects or upon truths that m exist in the real of the universal , perfect kn owledge of those things can be acquired . Thus it becomes evident that the power 66

Raja Yoga

d ments . He oes not depend upon his

- w sense po ers , but endeavors to gain all knowledge through the power of coneen f The ration . science of Raja Yoga gives the various steps which lead to the attain ment of this ideal . It explains clearly and scientifically the processes and methods by w hich concentration can be developed . It

w ac does not , ho ever, ask the student to cept anything on hearsay, or to believe anything on the mere authority of script ures or of writers . But it states certain facts , requests the student to experiment ,

w own experience the results , and dra his conclusions . There is nothing mysterious in the sys h . t e tem of Raja Yoga On contrary, it points out the laws which govern so called mysteries and explains under what conditions the phenomena of mysteries are w produced . It sho s that so long as the 69 H ow to be a Yogi

real cause of an event is unknown it ap

pears mysterious to us . Standing upon

the solid ground of logic and reason , the science of Raja Yoga unravels the riddles of the universe and directs the individual soul toward the attainment of the final end of all religions . Its principles are highly m oral and uplifting . It helpsthe student to understand the true purpose of life and describes the way by which it may be ful

n filled here and ow . Raja Yoga tells us that w e should not think so much of what w we d ill happen after death , but that shoul make the best use of the present and unfold

w w w e the latent po ers hich already possess , while it reminds us again and again of the fact that the advancement made in this life w ill be the foundation of future progres s.

If we gain or develop certain powers be

we w w fore die , those po ers ill not be lost , but wi ll remain with us wherever we go 70 Raja Yoga

w o after death ; hile external p ssessions , we w kno , cannot accompany us in the grave . The only things that w e can carry

ex eri out of life are our character , our p ence and the knowledge gained therefrom .

They are our real possessions ; and it i s these which Raja Yoga will help us to develop ; since its chief object i s to mould the character and lead the student to the knowledge of the divine nature of the soul .

The methods which it teaches can be prac ticed wi thout joining any secret organiza

, w ce tion but merely. by follo ing the dir

who tions of a true Raja Yogi , is pure and w simple , hose mind is free from doubts , and who is unattached to the objects of the phenomenal plane . The practice of Raja Yoga is divided into eight steps . The first four are the same as those of Hatha Yoga . The first and second , Yama and Niyama , include all 71 H ow to be a Yogi

the ethical laws that govern our moral n a

r of w ture . The strict obse vance these la s is necessary to the practice of the other

a steps of Raja Yoga . All the fundament l principles of ethics expounded by Buddha and all the truths proclaimed in the Ser

mon on the Mount are contained in these

e first two steps . A beginner in the pra tice of Raja Yoga should live a strictly m w w oral and pure life , other ise he ill not

n n or w adva ce in this path , ill he reach the highest Truth or realize the Divinity that

w w t t e d ells ithin him . A neophy e must

member that purity, chastity, and morality are the very corner- stones of the structure

of the Science of Yoga . In the require

e - ments of the first step w find non killing,

- non stealing, truthfulness , continence , for

givingness , firmness of character, kindness

to all living creatures , simplicity, modera

- s. tion in diet , and cleanlines Non killing 72 Raja Yoga

w must be in thought , ord , and deed , so w an - ith truthfulness d non stealing . The

character must be firm , for the student must persist in the face of all obstacles

until spiritual perfection is reached . He must not take up the study as a passing

fad , only to satisfy his momentary curi osit w an d y, but must continue ith patience perseverance until the highest ideal is

realized .

The second step includes austerities , for

Su bearance , contentment , faith in the preme Being, charity, study, and self

surrender to the Divine will . All the phys ical exercises necessary for keeping the body in perfect condition are to be found

! in the third step . Health is essential to the attainment of the highest knowledge .

Those who are suffering from disease can

It i s alle 2 mm i n an sk rit It has een es ri c d S . b d c bed mor full i n th e a ter on at a o a e y ch p H h Y g . 73 H ow to be a Yogi

fix not make their mind steady, cannot their attention upon truths existing on the

r spiritual plane , because naturally thei minds will be centered on the diseased

i who parts of the body . A beg nner, pos sesses a healthy body and a well- balanced

d isarm e mind , should choose any or postur of the body in which he can sit firmly for a long time without feeling pain in the

how limbs . In the practice of Raja Yoga ,

so d ever , one need not be particular regar ing the posture of the body . The student should simply observe that the spinal column is kept perfectly straight while practicing breathing lessons in a sitting

posture .

Pranayama , or breathing exercises , con stitu t e the fourth step . The practice of certain breathing exercises will remove

many obstacles like dullness , laziness , and

o w w i n b dily eakness , and ill be helpful 74

H ow to be a Yogi

centration . Before the student is able to concentrate on any particular object he must learn to gather up his scattered men w tal po ers . This process of collecting the powers of the mi nd and of restraining it from going out to external objects is what

P r har the Yogis designate as atya a.

Concentration follows next . After g o

ing through the five preliminary steps,

if one takes up concentration , the results

w . achieved ill be extraordinary Those ,

w who in ho ever, have not practiced the troductory steps will find this one ex tremel ffi y di cult , for the ground must be prepared before good results can be

gained .

! en an d Meditation is the sev th stage , through it one passes into Samadhi or the w state of superconsciousness , hich is the

For further ex plan ation s concern in g concentration and ” m ditation see i ritu al U nfol m nt the sam e , Sp d e , by e aut or h . 76 Raja Yoga

eighth and last step . In this state the

sixth sense of finer perception is developed ,

o the spiritual eye is pened , and one comes face to face with the Divine Being dwell w ing ithin . In it the student realizes that his true Self ‘ is one with the universal

Spirit , and he receives all the revelation and all the inspiration that can possibly m come to the hu an soul . It may be thought by many that revelation pro

ce ds e from some external source , either through the favor of some angel or bright

- spirit or the extra cosmic personal God ,

but a Yogi knows that revelation or i n spiration is the disclosure of the higher

Self within , and that the realization of spiritual truths comes to that soul Which has reached the eighth step of Raja Yoga . ff Ceaseless e ort , persistence , and persever ance in practice are necessary to attain to

the state of superconsciousness . That 77 H ow to be a Yogi

w hich is realized in it cannot be revealed by

intellect or by any other mental faculty ; therefore it is said that Truth cannot be

attained by reading books or Scriptures ,

- or by intellect or sense perception , but by reaching the state of superconsciousness .

who w Those are longing to kno the Truth , wh o are searching for the ultimate Reality w h of the universe , and are not satisfied it th e knowledge gained through the senses

or through the aid of instruments , should

o strug gle hard to go int Samadhi , because through it alone will they discover their ideal and reach the abode of happiness . w Before , ho ever , they can arrive at this st w w faithfu llv ate , they ill have to follo the diff erent steps already enumerated and with patience and perseverance overcome

all the obstacles which beset the way.

There are many obstruction s to Sa m r e adhi , such as g i f , disease , mental lazi 78 Raj a Yoga n s d t e s , oubt , cessa ion of the struggle to a ttain Samadhi, heaviness of body and m w w ind, thirst for orldly things , false kno l

- edge , non attaining concentration , falling w a ay from the state once attained , irreg u lar breathing, etc . They can be easily avoided by regular practice under the guid ance of a Yogi teacher . If a student try to practice by himself any of the exercises as

! g iven in Raja Yoga , he may have some unpleasant experiences which may disturb his mind or nervous system ; bu tif he have an experienced Raja Yogi to direct him , then he will have n o difli culty in conquer ing all the obstacles and dangers , and in r eaching the right destination . Some of the powers generated by these practices are too dangerous to be handled by an i n experienced student ; they may not only

See R aa o a ami Vi vek an an a Pub j Y g , by Sw d . lished The B ak r and Ta lor Co N ew ork . by e y . Y 79 H ow to be a Yogi injure him but may even drive him to ln

. e sanity There have , inde d , been many such cases among those who have tried to practice without the help of a well - qu alified

Guru or spiritual teacher . Having removed all obstructions in this

th e path , student should be confident that he is approaching the final goal of Raj a W Yoga . hen the superconscious realiza tion is acquired all doubts will cease for

of ever , all questions concerning the nature w w the soul ill be ans ered , the search after

w w e Truth ill stop , the mind ill b come tran w m quil , and the soul ill be emancipated fro

- the bondage of ignorance and self delusion . The Yogi will never again fall a victim to the attractions of the world or be dis w tracted by objects of sense . The hole universe will appear to him as the play ground of the Divine Being ; and he will constantly feel that his body and mind are 80 Raja Yoga like instruments moving under the di rec tion of the Almighty Will which is mani festing through all forms . Thus , having gained spiritual strength and illumination , he wi ll become the conqueror of himself and the master of nature even in this life . He alone has reached happiness on this

has w earth , he alone conquered the orld , who has gained perfect control over his w l mind and body, hose sou rests in tran w quillity, and hose eyes behold Divinity in everything and everything in that Eternal

w Being, hich is the Infinite Abode of exist

w and . ence , kno ledg e, bliss absolute 81 Karma Yoga

ON E of the sig n ificati on s of the word

” “ ” Yoga is Dexterity in work . To

render this meaning still more specific , the

Sanskrit term Karma , derived from the

” root verb Kri , to act , is added . Taken

in its literal sense , therefore , Karma sig

n ifie s action , and refers to all actions w hether of mind or body . Wherever there

a. is activity of any kind , it is Karm In this

n w se se devotion , love , orship , medita

are tion , concentration , discrimination all

Karma ; as are also , for the same reason ,

n w eati g , drinking, alking, talking, or per

forming any organic function .

n we w Again , every actio , as are a are , is

n followed by reactio . No action can be

separated from its result , as no cause can ff be absolutely disconn ected from its e ect . 82

H ow to be a Yogi

Hence the character of an individual , which is the aggregate result of the works of his previous life may be called Karma .

wa w In the same y, the future life ill be the sum- total of the results of the mental and

physical actions of the present life .

o Karma Yoga is , theref re , that branch of the Science of Yoga which discusses the three ideas conveyed by the word

” Karma , explains the philosophy of w w ork , describes the method by hich the individual soul can extricate itself

w o from the heel of action and reacti n , and havi ng escaped from the irresistible law of causation by which every one is bound , can attain to perfect freedom ,

an d fulfill the highest purpose of life , thus through right action alone reach the h ultimate goal of all religion . It is the pat

best fitted for those who believe in no

who an d who do creed , are not devotional , 84 K arma Yoga not care to worship or pray to a personal

God . Karma Yoga teaches that the cause of

ff misfor the su ering, misery , disease , and w w tune, hich overshado our earthly life , lies

wn in our o actions . We reap the fruit of w w that hich e ourselves have sown . These causes are within us . We should blame neither our parents n or any evil spirit for ff w our su erings, but should look ithin our selves to discover the source thereof. This branch of Yoga likewi se describes the

w w w we secret of ork, by kno ing hich can remove all causes Of bondage and suff er ing, and enjoy freedom , peace , and happi ness both here and after death . It tells us that every action inspired by the motive of desire for results attaches the soul to these results , and consequently becomes a w source of bondage . The secret of ork consists in working for work’s sake and not 85 H ow to be a Yogi

for fruits . If this principle be applied to the actions of our daily lives, then every work done by us will h elp us to advance toward the perfect emancipation of the soul . Whoever performs his duties under w standing the secret of ork , becomes truly unselfish and eventually gains knowledge w of his real Self, hich is immortal and divine .

According to Karma Yoga , the true Self w hen it becomes identified with the limita tions of the mind and the physical form ,

” ” ” appears as ego , doer, or actor , and

w m re performing ork fro various motives , mains attached to its results . We thus feel as one with our body and endeavor to eu w “ ” rich the narro , limited self or I by getting something from that which is not ” m w I . This i perfect kno ledge of the

” or Self, rather this ignorance of the

”

s. true Self, is the cause of selfishnes 86 Karma Yoga

From selfishness in turn proceeds all that desire for results which forces us to live w and act like slaves . Karma Yoga sho s us the way by which w e can become con w scious of our true Self, and , by idening

” the range of the limited ego , can make it universal . When w e have accomplished

we v w w this , shall li e in the orld orking not

from selfish motives , but for humanity , yet with as much interest in heart as w e had w w w hen e orked for ourselves . Nor shall we then seek the comfort and pleasure of this little personality which is n ow the chief ff l center of our interest and e ort , but shal strive for the good of all . Anyone who wishes to become a true Karma Yogi should clearly understand the w philosophy of ork , and should remem ber that every action of body and mind must produce some eff e ct which will event

iloso of Work the same author. See Ph phy , by 87 H ow to be a Yogi uall y come back upon the doer ; and that , if for there be the smallest desire result , it will be the seed of future action of a like nature . He should also realize that every action produces similar reaction . If the action be in harmony with the moral and

w w v physical la s hich govern our li es , then the reaction which comes back upon the w w actor ill bring only that hich is good , i peace, rest , fortune , health , and happ ness . w If, on the contrary , these la s are violated , w then the result ill be evil , producing rest lessness , discomfort , loss of fortune , dis ease , and unhappiness .

A traveller in the path of Karma Yoga

be should not even think evil of another, cause ln the attempt to injure others we

first injure ourselves . Every thought puts the mind- substan ce in a certain state of vibration and opens the door to the influ ence of such minds as are in the same state 88 Karma Yoga

w we e of vibration . Therefore hen ch rish

w e i of evil thoughts , run the double r sk aff ecting other minds and of being in flu en ced by all evil - minded persons holding

w e o similar thoughts , nay , exp se our minds to all the evil thoughts that have been thought in the past and stored u p in the

of mental atmosphere the world . A cor responding result comes from the holding wh of good thoughts . This is the reason y evil - doers grow w orse and worse every day , and the doers of good deeds become better and better . A Karma Yogi should realize that there

on e is one Being , or Spirit , in the universe . Seeing this same Being or Spirit in all

h e living creatures , should recognize the rights of all and should not injure anyone

or either mentally physically . Such a

Yogi is truly unselfish ; he is a blessin g to the world and to humanity . 89 H ow to be a Yogi

He who wishes to practice Karma Yoga should abandon attachmen t to the fruit of

’ a w w his labors, and le rn to ork for ork s

t sake , keeping in mind the idea hat by his w ork he is paying off the debt which he

w and o es to parents , to society, to country,

wet he to all mankind . Like a nurse should take care of his children , realizing that they do not belong to him , but that they are placed in his charge in order that he and they may gain experience and u n fold their latent powers and feelings . m A true Kar a Yogi , furthermore , is he who recognizes that his real Self is not a

of doer action , but that all mental and phy sical activity is merely the result of the

forces of nature . Therefore he never w w claims that any ork , hether good or bad , ” H has been done by his true Self. e lets

- k his mind , intellect , and sense organs wor

w ad incessantly, hile in his soul he holds ste 90

H ow to be a Yogi

desire and passion and directs the force manifesting through these channels toward — the highest ideal of life freedom of the

soul . In fulfilling all the duties of life the

Karma Yogi takes refuge in love , making it the sole motive power behind every

action of body and mind ; and whenever he w performs any duty, it is al ays through

love . He understands that sense of duty

w w e is bondage , hile ork don through a feeling of love frees the soul and brings

peace, rest , and, in the end , everlasting

happiness . All the great spiritual leaders of w mankind , like Christ and Buddha, ere w Karma Yogis . They orked for human w h ity through love , and sho ed by t eir ex

ample how perfect freedom can be attain ed

n by right work . Buddha did ot preach

w he es the orship of a personal God , but 92 K arma Yoga tablished the truth that those who do not believe in a personal God and who are not devotional, can reach the highest goal of

a all religions by the path of Karm Yoga . 93 B hak ti Yoga

BHAK TI YOG A teaches that the final end of all religions can be reached through

w who love and orship of the personal God , is the Creator and Governor of the phe n m n l o e a universe . It leads to the same destination as all the other b ranches of

as Yoga , but is especially suited for such are emotional in their nature an d have the feeling of love and devotion highly h . w o developed It is for those devotees ,

conscious of their own weakness arising

- w from lack of self control and of kno ledge ,

who seek help from outside ; and , taking H im refuge in the Supreme , pray to for

forgiveness and for pardon of sins com

mi tted through ignorance of the moral and

u spirit al laws that govern our lives . 94 Bhak ti Yoga

All dualistic systems of religion , like

Mahome tani sm Christianity, Judaism , and , which advocate the worship of a personal w w God , kno ingly or unkno ingly preach Bhakti Yoga and direct their adherents along this path .

Th e w ord Bhakti means devotion , while Yoga in this case signifies union of the individual soul with God . Hence Bhakti Yoga is the method of devotion by which true communion of the soul with the Supreme Deity is accomplished . It shows what kind of devotion and love for

God will bring the soul into the most ln timate relation with the Divine Being ; and how even the ordinary feelings of a human w w heart, hen directed God ard , can become the means of attaining spiritual oneness w ith the Soul of the universe . Raja Yoga t tells us that desire , passion , love , ha red , i pr de , anger , must be completely con 95 H ow to be a Yogi

e can qu red before perfection be reached . A student of Rfl ja Yoga must not only w keep constant atch over his mind , but he must also faithfully practice the eight steps w already described , if he ould achieve his highest ideal ; while in Bhakti Yoga w e

n w lear that all desires and passions , hether

w . good or bad , can be directed to ards God w Then , instead of binding the soul to orld lin ess b e and earthly attachment , they come a means of attaining God - conscious ness and absolute freedom from selfishness wi and ckedness . A follower of Bhakti Yoga should feel God as closely related to his soul as he pos sibly can ; and regard Him not only as the

Lord of the universe , but as father, mother , brother , sister, friend , or child . Even the relation existing between hus band an d wife may be cultivated and developed in the heart of a lover of 96 Bhak ti Yoga

- w God , intoxicated by the soul stirring ine w of Divine Love . When the hole heart and soul of a Bhakta or lover of God flow like the unbroken current of a mighty river, surmounting all barriers and dashing

w n headlong to ard the ocean of Divi ity , he w finds no other attraction in the orld,

o holds no ther thought , cherishes no other w desire, speaks no other ord , and sees no

other thing than his most Beloved , the

Omnipresent Deity . He resigns himself entirely to H im and surrenders his will to w w the ill of the Almighty One . He orks, w but ithout thinking of results . Every action of his body and mind is performed simply to please his Beloved One . His motive power is love alone and by this he k brea s asunder the chain of selfishness ,

law transcends the of Karma , and becomes free . Thus a true Bhakti Yogi , being con stan tl w y in tune ith the Infinite , loses the 97 H ow to be a Yogi

” “ ” “ n of i se se I , Me , and M ne , Th ” “ ” makes room for ou , Thee ,

“ ” Thine . A Bhakta never forgets his relation to i his Beloved . His m nd is concentrated an d one - pointed consequen tly meditation

c be omes easy for him . True devotion or continuous remembrance of the Divine

Ideal leads to unceasing meditation , and ultimately lifts the soul into Samadhi, where it realizes God and communes wi th

Him undisturbed by any other thought ,

feeling , idea , or sensation . Becoming

dead to sense phenomena , it lives on

- the spiritual plane of God consciousness .

h e Wherever such a Yogi casts his eyes, sees the presence of the A ll- pervading

Divinity and enjoys unbounded peace and

happiness at every moment of his life . It is for this reason that Bhakti Yoga is considered to be th e easiest of all 98

H ow to be a Yogi

and sincere . He should seek the company w of a true lover of God , hose life is pure

who w and spotless , has renounced all orld l who y connections , and has realized the true relation which the individual soul

bears to the Universal Spirit . If, by good

fortune , he meets such a real Bhakta , he

o should receive fr m him the seed of Bhakti ,

an d plant it in the g round of his heart , by faithfully following the instructions of

the master , take special care to keep it

w alive and make it g ro , until it becomes a large tree bearing the fruit of Divine Love .

He should have respect , reverence , and

who w l love for his master, il open his spiritual eye and transmit his ow n spiritual w powers to his soul . When these po ers

wo w w begin to rk , the soul ill be a akened from the deep sleep of ignorance and self delusion .

Th e r - w Gu u , or spiritual eye opener, kno 100 Bhak ti Yoga

r ten den cv ing the natu al of the disciple , wi ll advise him to look upon God as his

n d Master, or as his Father or Mother, a wi ll thus establi sh a definite relation b e

w n d n t een his soul a God . He ceforth the disciple shoul d learn to worship or pray to the Supreme through this particular rela

. a r tion At this st ge symbols , ituals , cer emon i es may appeal to his mind ; or he may repeat some n ame of the Lord that signifies the special aspect of the Divinity corresponding to the relation which he

bears to Him . Constant repetition of such a name will help the mind of the neophyte to become concentrated upon the Divine

Being. During this period he should avoid

such company, such places , and such amusements as make him forget his chosen

Ideal . He should live a chaste and pure

w m life , al ays discriminating right fro wrong and strugglin g to control his pas 101 H ow to be a Yogi

sions and desires by directing them God

ward . He should be angry with himself

for not realizing his ideal ; he should hate his sinful nature because it keeps him away from the path of Bhakti and prevents him from remembering his Beloved . Thus he will gradually succeed in correcting his faults and in gaining control over his

animal nature . A traveller on the path of Bhakti should observe cleanliness of body and mind ,

r l should be t uthful , and lead a simp e life , wi thout injuring any living creature men l tally or physically . He shou d not kill any l animal for his food , neither shou d he covet

that which does not belong to him . He w should , furthermore , obey the la s of health which tend to make him physically

w w the strong , as ell as those moral la s

violation of which weakens the mind . So long as the devotee thinks of God 102

H ow to be a Yogi

His parts . The Bhakta then reaches that state which is called qualified

- non dualism . He sees that from the minutest insect up to man all living creatures are related to the Iswara w as a part is related to the hole . There fore he cannot kill or injure any living being . Understanding that everything pertaining to any part belongs in reality to w the hole , he says , Whatever is mine is Thine and it is from this moment that absolute self- resignation and self- surrender to the will of the Iswara begin to reign

n supreme in the soul of the Yogi . The he l is ab e to say from the bottom of his heart ,

w ” Let Thy ill be done , and never again can he forget that his soul is a part of the

c Iswara . His devotion hen eforth consists

n ew in remembering this relation , and his

The most appropriate San sk ri t word for God who is the all- erva in internal R u ler of th e u ni verse. p d g, 104 Bhak ti Yoga

w a n ew orship t kes a form. Whatever he does wi th mind or body becomes an act of w orship of the Supreme Whole , for he

realizes that he possesses no power that

n i does not belong to God . Eati g, dr nking, w i i n w alk ng, talk g, and every other ork of

his daily life become acts of devotion , and the entire exi stence of such a Bhakta is a w continuous series of acts of orship . Then the heart is purified and selfishness is dead . The devotee thus rises to the second grade of Bhakti Yoga and begi ns to taste that Divine Love which is the fruit of the

tree of Bhakti . Here all distinction b e tween lover and Beloved disappears ; the lover , the Beloved and Love all merge into

one ocean of Divinity . The soul of the

Bhakta is transformed , and manifesting

- omniscience , God consciousness , perfect

freedom , and all other Divine qualities , it

n attai s to the highest ideal of Bhakti Yoga . 105 Jnana Yoga

TH E wis last is Jnana Yoga , the path of

w u ana n dom . The ord J , bei g derived

“ ” na w from the Sanskrit root J , to kno ,

means knowledge ; and the ideal which it holds up before its followers is the realiza w tion of that Absolute Truth , hich is the one common source of all subjective and

It objective phenomena in the universe .

teaches that there is one life , one Being ,

one Reality, and that all notions of dis ff tinction and di erentiation , that all beliefs in the permanent duality or multiplicity of

existence are unreal and illusory . Jnana Yoga is based entirely upon the monistic principles of the A dvaita or non

s dualistic system of Vedanta . Its purpo e is to show that subject and object are but 106

H ow to be a Yogi in the ocean of that Absolute Substance

e Brahman . Brahman is described in V danta as That of which all animate an d w inanimate objects are born , by hich they

o w live , and int hich they return after dis

n It w solutio . should be kno n and realized

” by all . It is the essence of Divinity . It is like the eternal canvas upon which the

Creator or the Cosmic Ego and the created or individual egos are painted by Maya, the inscrutable creative power of the In

finite Being. The chief object of Jnana Yoga is to unify God and the individual Soul and to show the absolute oneness that exists b e

n tween them o the highest spiritual plane .

The individual ego; being the reflection or

image of Divinity or Brahman , in its true n n w ature is divi e , and this true Self is kno n in Sanskrit as the 14}m Th e knowledge of this oneness of the Atman or subjective 108 Jnana Yoga

w reality ith Brahman , the Universal Truth , is described in Jnana Yoga as the only

means of attaining to complete liberation from the bondage of selfishness and from w attachment to body and senses , hich are w the causes of all orldliness , unhappiness ,

w and misery . The light of the kno ledge of the Atman and of its unity with Brah man alone will dispel the darkness of ignorance which prevents us from reaching

the abode of Absolute Existence , Intel

li en ce w n ow g , and Bliss , and hich deludes us into identifying the individual Self with

modifica the body, senses , mind , and their

tions . This ignorance is designated in

' A vid ci n e- Sanskrit y or science , and is the

all w at source of false kno ledge, egotism , tachmen t to the lower self and to the

world . Being deceived by the illusive

w A vid d w e po er of y , mistake body for soul

and soul for body , matter for spirit and 109 H ow to be a Yogi s n pirit for matter . In ignora ce of our true

we w Self, ork solely to gratify selfish motives and to reap some result from our actions . But Jnana Yoga would waken us w from this sleep of ignorance , by sho ing us t hat the Atman is immortal , unchangeable ,

- w own all kno ing, and free by its nature from eternity to eternity ; that through

’ ’ th e A wd ei influence of y , the individual ego thinks of itself as changeable and subject

to birth and death , and forgetting that the

- ow fountain head of freedom , kn ledge , and e e w v rlasting happiness is abiding ithin , it se eks knowledge and happiness from out side and becomes the slave of desires and

a w p ssions . It further reminds us that hat ever w e think or perform mentally or phy si cally is like a dream in the sleep of self delusion caused by the power of A vidyci ; that these dreams of the sleep of ignorance

w can be removed neither by ork, nor by 110

H ow to be a Yogi

w The path of isdom , therefore , is best

fitted for those earnest and sincere seekers after Truth who have no leaning towards

who active life , are not devotional in their

who e nature , but are pre minently intel

wh o lectual , and , having realized the tran

si tory and ephemeral character of phe

n omen al are objects , no longer contented w - wh o ith sense pleasures . It is for those wish to be free from all fetters and attach

who o ments , and care n thing for earthly prosperity , success , social honor , fame , or the fulfilment of personal ambitions ; but whose sole desire is to know who they are

w in reality , hat is their true nature , and w w hat relation exists bet een their soul ,

God , and the universe . A traveller along this path should be philosophical in tendency, should have a sharp intellect and a keen power of an alyz ing the true nature of things . He should 112 Jnana Yoga also have a firm conviction that the ulti mate Truth or Reality of the universe is unchangeable . Using the sword of right discrimination between the Self and the

- o non self, he sh uld sever all ties , and should never allow himself to be overpowered by any external or internal influence . His mind should be undisturbed by passions or w desires , his senses ell controlled , and his body strong, healthy , and capable of bear ing all hardships as well as of overcoming all environmental conditions . He should have dispassion ; and be ever ready to re nounce anything that does not help him in h his realization of Truth . He must ave absolute confidence in the teachings of

who Jnana Yogins , or those have become Seers of Truth by following the path of wisdom ; and he must likewise have faith in th e final Truths expounded by the monistic system of Vedanta. 113 H ow to be a Yogi

The mind of a be ginner in Ju ana Yoga must possess the power of perfect c one en

f ration and m e ditation ; and his soul must be filled with the longing for absolu te free o dom from all relative condi tion s an d from

n m H the laws which govern phe o ena. e

must realize that even th e e njoyment of

e i b n a heav nly pleasures is a k nd of o d g e , since it keeps the sou l entangled i n the

meshes of phenomenal relativity . Being well- armed with all these noble qu alities as

w u his eapons , a Jnana Yogi sho ld fight w against phenomenal appearances, and ith

the ideal of the unity of the true Self an d the Absolute Brahman ever before hi s ’ w mind s eye , he should march on ard

w n to ard its realization , breaking dow all names and forms with the hammer of right a l s na y is , and cleaving all ties of attachment w ith the sword of proper discrimination . Nor should he stop until the goal i s 114

H ow to be a Yogi true Self is one w ith Brahman or the Eter nal Truth ; and should repeat such phrases

” am w as I Brahman , I am one ith the

r of w Absolute Sou ce kno ledge, existence , and bliss . He should constantly think of the meaning of Tat Twam asi That

” o e thou art , and should dev t his time to meditating upon this oneness until the light of Brahman illumines his soul , dis

‘ pelling the darkness of A vidyci and trans forming his eg o into the essence of

Divinity .

Instead of worshipping a personal God

a like a Bhakta , a Jnan Yogi should clearly understand the true significance of all His attributes as given in the diff erent Script ures—such as Creator or Governor of the

is universe , He Spirit , infinite , omniscient ,

- w e all po erful , unchangeable , tru , and one ; and rejecting the worship of the personal

‘ God as an act proceedi ng from A vidyci or 116 Jnana Yoga

ignorance of the divine nature of the Self w or Atman , he should seek that hich is above all attributes and beyond all descrip w tions , hich transcends the realm of thought and cannot be revealed by human

intellect or understanding . He should realize that all conceptions of a personal

e God are mor or less anthropomorphic, and that the Creator himself must be ph e nomen al since He can exist only in relation

. a to the created object A Jnan Yogi , con

n ot r sequently, does p ay to the personal

God or to any other Spirit or Being . To him prayers and devotions are useless and unnecessary . He does not seek any super

or natural help Divine mercy , for he is con scious of the omnipotent and omniscient

n w nature of the Atma , and kno s that his

o true Self is beyond good and evil , ab ve w virtue and vice , unlimited by all la s , and

i n i ts own that it reigns over nature glory . 117 H ow to be a Yogi

He feels that it is the same in ess ence as

the Creator or personal God . Instead of w identifying himself ith body, mind , senses , w or intellect , he al ays remembers that he w is the Atman , hich is birthless , death

less , sinless , fearless , immutable , eternally

peaceful , and ever undisturbed by pleasant

or unpleasant experiences , sensations , or

n d mental a physical changes . A true Jnana Yogi constantly tries to keep himself above all phenomenal condi tions , and incessantly repeats I am Brah

” man , Soham I am He , I am He . He says within himself i I am neither m nd , nor intellect , nor

am ego , nor senses ; I neither earth , nor w ater , nor air, nor fire , nor ether , but my w true nature is absolute existence , kno l

edge , and bliss . I am He , I am He .

I am neither the organic activity nor

n eith ‘ r th e am I the elements of the body , 118

H ow to be a Yogi

I have neither doubt nor question . I

- am formless and all pervading. I am the eternal Lord of nature and the master of

the senses . I am neither bound nor free . w m I am one ith Brahman . I a the omni

am present Divinity , I the immutable Lord

. w of all I am absolute existence , kno l ” edge , and bliss . I am He , I am He .

Thus constantly practicing discrimina tion and rising above all relativity and phe n omen al uan a appearances , a J Yogi real izes the Absolute , Unchangeable , Eternal Truth in this life and ultimately becomes one with it ; because Jnana Yoga declares that he who knows Brahman b ecomes

Brahman , for the same reason that the knower of God can be no other than God

himself. A Jnana Yogi never forgets that

his true Self is Brahman . Having attained

- to this supreme God consciousness , he

lives in th e world like an eternal witness of 120 Jnana Yoga

ll a mental and physical changes . Ever

happy and undisturbed, he travels from

place to place , pointing out to mankind the way to absolute freedom and perfection .

the A perfect Jnana Yogi , indeed , lives as

embodiment of the Absolute D ivinity on h this eart . 121

Science of B reathing

TH E Science of Yoga with its various

we branches justly claims , as have already seen , to unravel the mysteries of life and

death . Some of the advanced thinkers in Western countries are beginning to under stand the importance of this noble science and to explain the problems of existence by it ; but modern physiologists , anato m ists , biologists , and medical practitioners are still uncertain as to the proper solution of these problems ; the more they investi

gate , the more doubts arise in their minds .

Within the last fifty years the various re searches in the diff erent departments of

science , such as physics , chemistry, physio 125 H ow to be a Yogi

logy , and biology , have apparently ended in the conclusion that life is nothing b u t the result of physical and chemical actions h in the organic structure , that t ere is no such thing as vital force distinct and separate from the physical and chemical forces which have been discovered in the

’ scientist s laboratory .

Some of the students of science are eve n anxiously waiting in the vain expectation that some day they will hear of the discov d ery of a substance , artificially pro uced in l w w w the aboratory , hich ill live , move , gro , m ultiply , and die like a particle of living matter . The majority of modern thinkers ,

h l v i s t e in fact , o d that itality merely the sult of th e mechan ical activity of the or g an s ; that life comes directly from dead m atter , and obeys physical , chemical , and mechanical laws ; that a living animal is n othing but a machine ; and that all of his 126

H ow to be a Yogi

accidental precipitation , deposition , or crystallization of atoms and molecules

which are governed by no power higher

than the chemi co- physical forces ! Stu dents of physiology n ow learn in their — text- books this physico chemical theory Th of the origin of life . ey laugh at those who use such expressions as vital

N 6 6 ” “ energy , vital force , vitality , or life ” w force , in the sense of some po er separate

an d distinct from the physico - chemical

ce . w for s of nature In fact, hen they study

physiology they throw asid e all ideas of

vitality or life force ; they believe in a na

tr ture devoid of vitality or life , and y to ex

of plain the formation brain cells , nerves ,

u tissues , and the constr ction of the various organs of a living animal without recog n iz

r ing the existence of a vital agency. A e

ow action , h ever, has taken place recently

r in Europe , and a class of scientific thinke s 128 Sc ience of Breathing

has appeared , Dr . Lionel S . Beale being

w ho the most prominent , , having found no satisfactory explanation of life through

o o these theories , have , after cl ser bserva c tion and experiment , ome to the conclu sion that there is a vital force entirely dis tinct from mechanical or physico- chemical w forces , and hich manifests itself through

r living particles of matte . It is true that the human body is a machine, but not like any machine made

- - re ulat by man . It is a self moving , self g

s - ov ing, and elf adjusting, vital machine g

- erned by will power and intelligence . It was produced by a germ of life which pos

w ca abil sessed vitality , and hich had the p w ity of becoming conscious , of illing, thinking, and producing psychic activity , in which are included all emotions and

thoughts belonging to a human being .

B y a germ of life is meant that germ of 129 H ow to be a Yogi matter or substance which contains the potentiality of life and mind . Although

! th e manifestation of this vital force de

it pends upon organic structure , still is not the same as any of the familiar forces

w to kno n us ; it is not like heat , electricity,

m n ag etism , or molecular attraction . On w the contrary, it is a force hich governs and directs all these gr osser physical forces . It is the director of the telegraphic current which notifies the energy of the muscle when and how to exert itself. It coOrdinates t all au omatic movements , con trols the system as a whole as w ell as in detail , and is itself the principle of purely an imal life . The special organ through w w hich it functions chiefly, and hich has been constructed to diff erentiate it from m other energies , to give it a for and a pur

s ff po e , and to a ord it a vehicle of expres

th e a n sion , is spin l erve of the vertebrate 130

H ow to be a Yogi

s as man ifold through its divers expression .

It is the mother of all forces , psychical ,

a o chemical , and physical . Vedant Phil s

ophy describes it as the ultimate generali z i n It at o of the multiple forces of nature .

is indestructible ; the death of the form through which it manifests cannot destroy

it ; but it must not be confounded wi th molecular attraction for it is much finer ;

c w it annot be seen, touched , eighed, meas u red , or captured by any means.

According to Vedanta , before the begin nin g of creation the unconditioned causal state of the universe contained potential

Prana Vedanta does not make the absurd

- statement that life has come from non life . It does not admit that vital energy is the

result of mechanical forces , but , on the con trar w y, tells us that it is a force hich oper ates simultaneously with physico - chemical

t forces . They are all , in fac , expressions 132 Sc ien ce of Breathing of A l the one living energy of Prana . though some of the modern scientific monists acknowledge that all matter and

r m o force sp ing fro a c mmon source , or from one eternal energy, still at the same time they deny the existence of life or vitality in that energy and declare that it is not living. They try to prove that life is the product of some kind of motion of dead matter ; while Vedanta teaches that all the phen omena of the universe have

evolved out of the one eternal substance which possesses Prana or cosmic vital i force , cosmic mind , cosm c intelligence, and consciousness . These may be inter

a dependent , but as they all exist in a hum n being, so the infinite variety of forces exist in that one eternal living Being w hose body is the universe . The Science of Yoga claim s that this Prana is the final cause of all the mani 133 H ow to be a Yogi f sted e forces of nature . Why does an atom move and vibrate ! A scientist does not

w . kno , but a Yogi says because of Prana That force which produces vibration in an atom or a molecule is one of the expres sions of the energy of Prana or the cosmic

- n The Life pri ciple . same Prana appears as that power by which a germ of life w orks on the physical plane, arouses motion in the molecules of its cells and

i ln builds up a suitable structure , repa rs juries and reproduces its kind . It causes

c a tivity in a protoplasm , in a bioplasm or

moe w . an a ba , as ell as in the highest man

w ln It is closely related to the mind , hich eludes all the psychic activities and i ntelli gence displayed by that germ in the dif f n w ere t grades of its evolution . Vital po er

two of and mind are , indeed, aspects one

Prana . A germ of life possesses mentality

w of as ell as vitality, and the phenomena 134

H ow to be a Yogi the material plane it creates through Prana some suitable organism to ful fill its desire . If the mental activities of

any living creature change , the organic structure of the nerves and cells will also

change . Various experiments have been made by diff erent scientists which clearly show that mental eff ort underlies all phy

siolo i cal s g conditions and organic function . An abnormal activity of the mind wi ll i n variably give rise to certain pathological

w ff v conditions , because it ill a ect the ital w w w action ; and hen the vital po er, hich

of in gives life to every cell the body, is

flu en ced w , the cells ill begin to vibrate in

a diff erent manner ; and the r esult will be abnormal activity in the cells of the

o w w rgans , hich in turn ill produce various

w activ diseases . Conversely, hen the vital

n ity is ormal , the psychic function is also m ff natural . The ind is just as much a ected 136 Sc ience of Breathing

by a diseased body as the physical system

who is disturbed by a diseased mind . He

can regulate his mentalities knows how to

preserve hi s vitality and keep a healthy

body ; while he who has control over his vital function s understands the secret of

The who keeping a healthy mind . man is thus able to dominate b oth body and mind

is the master of himself, the king in his

o n wh o w conscious domain . But he is not the master of himself lives like a slave

o - w to passi n , to sense objects , to ealth ,

r p operty, ambition , and all earthly desires . Those who do not know how to regulate w their vital forces are al ays unhappy , for they constantly suff er either mentally or

physically . Every irregular activity of the mind will produce chemical and physiological change in the nerve centers , in the organs , and h eventually in the whole body . T is can be 137 H ow to be a Yogi shown by analyzing the chemical proper ff ties of the secretions of di erent organs , If and especially by analyzing the breath . w e analyze the breath of a person who is strongly moved by anger or any other vio

w e his w lent passion , shall find that hole system is poisoned for the time being . By letting his breath pass through a certain

we solution in a glass tube , shall readily see that distinct changes are produced in the solution . These variations , further

o w more , are nly the out ard signs of the internal modifications that have taken

o It place in the entire nerv us system . is , in fact , these organic changes that modify the breath ; but in a normal , healthy state of mind and body the chemical solution will remain perfectly unchanged . The breath ing is then regular , deep , and strong. Every impulse of passion that takes pos

oi the i d session m nd , causes a correspon 138

H ow to be a Yogi

w how w kno s to fill his hole body, nay,

r i w . eve y cell, th increased vitality By reg ulati n g the polarity of the cells through the higher vi brations of Prana h e generates a

r s strong current of vib atory Prana, direct its course through the disordered cells of his organs , and changes the structure of these cells by creating a rapid circulation of the blood charged with the healing

w s po er of Prana , and sending it to the part ff a ected . In this way the cells are restored to their normal condition and the disease is Th cured . e Yogi does this consciously and in the most scientific manner with the help of breathing exercises accompanied by concentration . According to the Sci ence of Yoga all nervous currents and all mol ecular motion in the brain cells and If nerve centers are caused by this Prana . the molecules of the cells be filled with a n ew and strong current of Prana or vital 140 Sc ience of Breathing

w m force , their vibration ill be enor ously increased ; and this will enable them to throw off the impure matter that retarded

a their natur l activity, and recover their m nor al h ealthy condition . The same Prana is also the propelling w po er in circulation . A Yogi says that the vital energy is stored up in the nerve centers of the spinal cord . It is the cause of w the motion of the lungs , hich in turn produces respiration ; and respiration is the cause of the circulation of the blood and of all other organic activity . Modern physiology tells us that every portion of

our body, every tissue and cell breathes ; that the lung is nothing more than an ln strument in the respiratory process , the w chemical operation , hich is the essential

of w part this function, occurring else here in the cells and tissues themselves . The lung i s only the door through which 141 H ow to be a Yogi

oxygen enters the system . The physiol ogi sts of the eighteenth cen tury held quite diff eren t views ; even the father of modern

1 chemistry , Lavoisier himself ( 743 supposed that the main act of respiration took place in the lungs . What really hap

e n t p s is that oxygen , introduced in o the w th lungs , filters through the thin alls of e w fi pulmonary capillaries , here it nds in the red corpuscles of the blood a substance w w called hemoglobin , ith hich it unites to form a compound known as oxy- hemo

A n d globin . a very unstable compound it

ca il is , for throughout the tissues, in the p w b lary vessels of the hole ody, oxygen is allowed to escape freely and to eff ect its

w s. ork upon the cell The blood, there “

e a . for , is merely vehicle The organic combustion s do not occur in the lungs their seat being in the cells and tissues

o w thr ughout the hole system . 142

H ow to be a Yogi

the system . It is the first requisite of vital h f action . Without it all ot er materials o life will be of little avail ; and the respira tory organs are the medium through which h it enters the system . The blood which as been once used in our bodies would be of no further service if it were not purified by

. w the lungs Ordinarily air hen inhaled ,

2 1 w n contains per cent oxygen, and he

12 er exhaled , per cent , having lost 9 p

m n cent . In a healthy adult a the average pulsation is 75 in a minute and about two ounces of blood are driven by each pulsa

or tion from the heart to the lungs , nine pounds and six ounces in a minute . The quantity of blood in the human body is considered to be about one- fifth of the w r w - eight of the entire body , o t enty eight pounds in a man weighing one hundred and forty pounds . The full quantity of

w flow blood in the system ill , therefore, 144 Sc ience of Breathing through the lungs in the short period of

w s three minutes ; in other ords, the va t amount of thirteen thousand five hundred

- pounds in every twenty four hours .

It is well known n ow that as a rule only one - sixth of the full capacity of the lungs is used ; if the remaining five- sixths were properly brought into play who can say What marvellous results might not follow ! Nature has not given capacity to any organ without a purpose ; an d w e are sure w that , if every one ere to use the full capac

w s ity of his lungs , eak or disea ed lungs

we would be a thing of the past . If under

th e c of we can stand scien e breathing, develop our lung power to its utmost capacity ; then by well- regulated breathing

exercises w e can purify every particle of

of an d w matter in the cells the organs , ith the help of the current of Prana can ulti mately drive out all physical weakness . 145 H ow to be a Yogi

- - an d r Faith healers , mental healers , Ch is tian Scientists cure disease without giving m drugs ; the Yogis of India do the sa e , but

- r in a more scientific manner . Faith heale s and Christian Scientists ask us to believe in a certain thing and to declare that we are n o ff we t su ering . A Yogi says that can get better and surer results if through breathing exercises we can control the

Prana , increase the vital current , and fill the whole system with the healing power of

Prana . By polarizing the activity of the cells , and removing the obstacles that pre ven t the proper manifestation oi the vital

w e current in those cells , shall get rid of

- a the disease . If mental healers and f ith healers knew the secret of controlling the

P rfl n a wo , they uld have been undoubtedly more successful in their attempts . Some among them are n ow beginning to take up b n reathi g exercises , and perhaps in time 146

H ow to be a Yogi

g ation they discovered diff erent methods

e w w of regulating the br ath , follo ing hich

o marvell us results , both mental and phy

sical . , could be obtained Out of these various discoveries grew up the science of w breathing, hich , besides the control of the

w ro breath , also explains hat relation the p cess of respiration bears to Prana , and how mo , by har nizing the vibrations of nerve cells with the higher laws of life h a . force , one gains m stery over Prana T is control of Prana brings complete subjuga tion of all the forces which govern the

mind and body .

The aim of a Yogi is to establish ab so lute harmony between his vital actions and

- w his mental functions , to transcend all la s , to rise above the influence of all environ mental conditions , and to be the supreme ruler of the mind and of the entire system . A ccording to the Yogi , this perfect self 148 Science of Breathin g mastery and consequent freedom do not come to one who has has not learned the

e secret of r gulating the vital energy, and who has not acquired the power to direct it wherever it is needed . Before anyone

o can contr l this invisible vital force , he must know its principal seat in the body ; he must l earn where this unseen king of

who physical activities is enthroned , are his

how attendants, and he governs his king dom .

A Yogi says that the king or P réna re sides with his attendants in the nerve cen ters of the spinal column . These centers are the main stations where this vital force

ar a is stored . There e m ny centers in the spinal cord out of which proceed the motor and sensory nerves which cover the whole body, including its organs . All sensations and motions of the limbs depend upon these nerve centers in the spinal column 149 H ow to be a Yogi

two n s and the brain . There are curre t which flow in and out of the brain throug h the spinal column and nerves ; they are — called aff erent and eff erent currents i n

” Sanskrit , Ida and Pingala . They run through the anterior and posterior

c fu r channels of the spinal ord , and these nish the two paths over which the curren ts

P r n of é a travel . The nervous energy itself

t being scattered hroughout the system , the only means of regulating it is by con trolling the principal centers or stations in

the spinal column . If, therefore , any one w ishes to control the Prana , he must first

' learn to govern the chief stations through which it works . After studying the rela tion of these diff erent centers the Yogis found that there were six of primary im h portance . Those w o wish to know their n ames can refer to the volume on Raja

o w Y ga by the S ami Vivekananda . 150

H ow to be a Yogi r o egulating the breath , the m tion of the lungs an d the functions of the whole nerv ous syst em can be regulated . It also

o r says that , by c ntrolling the ne ve centers

n as v in the spinal colum , m tery o er the cur w rents flo ing throughout the system , and w ultimately over the mind itself, ith its

ow various dormant p ers , can be easily

n w gained . If the mental powers that are o latent on the subconscious plane can be

e in car aroused , all the experienc s of past

an d nations , the impressions gathered dur w ing previous lives , ill come up on the con scious plane and w e shall remember them all . The Yogis say that the great majority of people breathe irregularly and that there are diff erenc es in the breathings of men

w Th e and omen . causes of this irregular

m n — breathing are a y food , drink, fear, s w ickness , sorro , nervous excitement, pas 152 Sc ien ce of Breathing

ff o . si n, anxiety These do not a ect the

e in breath dir ctly, but they do influence it directly by producing abnormal activity of

Prana, first in the nerve centers , then in the m w ovement of the lungs , hich expresses outwardly as irregular breathing . Hence irregularity of the breath is the external sign of abnormal action of the respiratory

center in the spine . A Yogi whose respiratory center func tions regularly and is under perfect con

w - t trol is free from eakness , ill heal h , and all disease . As , by controlling the activity of Prana in the nerve centers, the move ment of the lungs and the re spiration are

c regulated , so , onversely , by regulating the

r w breath , the lungs and ne ve centers ill be

w . controlled , for they ork simultaneously

Those wh o are suff ering from ill - health should devote especial attention to the

study of the science of breathing, as it is 153 H ow to be a Yogi absolutely necessa ry to the building up of a healthy mind and a healthy body . The chief aim of a Yogi is to observe his own nature closely and to learn clearly w o hat forces are perating in his system , and what relation they bear to one another ; for by gaining a complete knowledge of hi s own nature he will gain correct knowledge w w of the hole universe , since the la s that govern the human body are universal . All these laws are nothing but the modes in which Prana operates in nature . There fore a Yogi seeks first to understand the individual Prana and the vital laws which

own govern his system .

In India this fact was recognized and the science of breathing was carefully studied

who m i n by the sages , had no other a bit o or purpose in life than to acquire knowl

n edge for its ow sake . They explained

s this science , practiced breathing exercise 154

H ow to be a Yogi as any medicine will when improperly ap

c a plied . As by studying Materia Medi a man cannot cure himself without the aid

a the of trained physician , so mere study of Yoga cannot bring about truly good results unless it is carried on under the guidance of an experienced Yogi . It should be remembered , furthermore , that w in a ritten book everything is not given , that each constitution is diff erent from w every other, and that that hich is helpful to one may not be so to another .

n who Anyo e practices faithfully, accord ing to the instructions of an experienced

n w livi g teacher , ill surely gain highly bene

ficial results both in mind and body . He will learn how to manufacture vital force and to increase the vitality of his whole organism . He will be able to remove all impurities from his system and to over m come all abnor al and diseased conditions , 156 Sc ience of Breathing

w disor an that is , here decomposition and g izati n o have not advanced too far . He w w to ill like ise no longer be a victim cold , ff chills , Grip , fever , rheumatism , sti ness of

the joints or muscles , paralysis , and other ills ; for he knows how he can remove them by increasing the vibrations of Prana and thus giving n ew life to the cells of the organs .

n w Every i dividual , hether old or young,

re man or woman , is bound to get some sult if the breathing exercises be practiced

f r faithfully o six months . By breathing

how v exercises , e er, is not meant here b merely deep reathing, such as is taught by teachers of music , Delsarte, or physical D b culture . eep reathing is very good for drawi ng a full supply or oxygen into the

m and d b d has e es syste , un ou te ly its valu ,

ho w h d es pecially for women w ear tig t ress . Many of the diseases from which they 157 H ow to be a Yogi suff er are directly traceable to a lack of the adequate quantity of oxygen necessary for organic combustion and for the main tenance of The the activity of the organs . organs of many people in this country are

or b e undeveloped , abnormally developed , cause oi the unnatural clothes worn ; and for all such deep breathing will be exceed

n l in i g y beneficial . But too much of it is

n jurio s , as it inflates and strains the lungs , and , if continued , the increased develop men t of the tissues will after a time decay

who and produce various troubles . Those are taking lessons in deep breathing from inexperienced teachers should stop to con w sider this . By breathing exercises e mean that process by which control over the mo tion of the lungs and of the nerve centers , l as a so , in the end , over the Prana or vital

energy can be acquired . A Yogi declares that the practice of 158

H ow to be a Yogi

s s Prana , it is not strange that these Ma ter say to the world

of Oh , ye mortals , study the science breathing ; learn the secret of controlling Prana or the vital energy ; strive diligently to regulate the breath ; for the control of w Prana ill bring all happiness, earthly and h w spiritual , and throug it ill come perfect

h o Su healt , mastery of the b dy, and that preme Bliss which is eternal and everlast ing . 160 Was Christ a Yogi !

H ow to be a Yogi w w ith hich our earthly existence is beset , he should renounce his attachment to ex

w e ternal things , hich produc but fleeting sensations of pleasure , and should over come all that clinging to worldly life which is so strong in ordinary mortals .

A true Yogi does not feel happy when he is in the company of worldly- minded people who live on the sense plan e like animals . He is not bound by family ties .

He does not claim that this is his wife and

are these his children ; but , on the con trar y, having realized that each individual

o b b e s ul , eing a child of Immortal Bliss ,

D s all longs to the ivine Family, he evers family relations and worldly connections

and thus bec omes absolutely free . A true

Yogi must always pres erve his equanimity in the face of the unpleasant as well as of the pleasant experiences of life ; and ris in g above good and evil he should remain 164 W as Christ a Yogi !

b the or the undistur ed by success failure , w victory or defeat, hich may come to him as the result of the actions of his body and

mind .

u un swerv A true Yogi, again , m st have ing devotion to the Supreme Spirit, the Almighty and Omniscient Soul of our souls ; and realizing that his body an d mind are the playground of the omnipotent

o w i C smic ill , be should resign his indiv dual w ill to ( the universal , and should be ever w ready to ork for others , to live for others,

. w and to die for others All his orks, so long as he is in the society of people , should be a free off ering to the world for the good of humanity ; but at other times he should resort to secluded places and live a lone , constantly applying his mind to the highest spiritual wisdom that can be ob tain ed in the state of superconsciousness, through meditation on the oneness of the 165 H ow to be a Yogi

w s individual soul ith God , the Univer al

Spirit . A true Yogi must see the same Divinity d dwelling in all living creatures . He shoul

H e also love all human beings equally . should have neither friend nor foe in the

ordinary sense of those terms . A true

Yogi is illumin ed by the light of Divine

nu Wisdom , therefore nothing remains

nd t known to him . Time a space canno limit the knowledge and wisdom of a true

Yogi . Past and future events will appear to him like things happening before his w eyes . For him the light of divine isdom has dispelled the darkness of ignorance , which prevents one from realizing the true n w ature of the soul , and hich makes one

w . s selfish , icked , and sinful All p ychic and ‘ spiritual powers serve him as their real master . Whatever he says is sure to come

. s w to pass He never utter a ord in vain . 166

H ow to be a Yogi

-w world ide home . He is easily pleased by

r eve ybody irrespective of his caste , creed , w or nationality , and ith a loving heart he h blesses those w o rebuke or curse him . If

h e his body be tortured or cut in pieces , t a akes no revenge , but, on the contr ry , prays for the welfare of his persecutor .

r Such is the cha acter of a true Yogi . From ancient times there have been many such true Yogis in India and other

Th of l countries . e descriptions their ives and deeds are furthermore as wonderful and as authentic as the life and acts of that illustrious Son of Man who preached in h Galilee nearly two t ousand years ago . w w The po ers and orks of this meek, gen

- sacrificin who tle , and self g Divine man , is worshipped throughout Christendom as the ideal Incarnation of God and the

a r Saviour of m nkind , have p oved that he was a perfect type of one who is called in 168 W as Christ a Yogi !

India a true Yogi . Jesus the Christ has been recognized by his disciples and fol lowers not only as an exceptionally unique character but as the only- begotten Son of

God ; and it is quite natural for those who know nothing about the lives and deeds of similar ideal characters of great Yogis and Incarnations of God who have flourished at diff erent times both before and after the

Christian era , to believe that no one ever reached such Spiritual heights or attained to such realization of oneness with the

Heavenly Father as did Jesus of Nazareth . The greater portion of the life of Jesus is absolutely unknown to us ; and as He did not leave behind Him any systematic teaching regarding the method by which on e may attain to that state of God - con sciou sn ess w hich He Himself reached , there is no way of finding out what He did or practiced during the eighteen years that 169 H ow to be a Yogi

elapsed before His appearance in public .

e ffi to o m It is , therefore , xtremely di cult f r a clear conception of what path H e

w e e adopted . But can imag ine that , b ing born with unusually developed Spiritual i n clination s e , He must have devoted his lif and time to s uch practices as led Him to the realization of absolute Truth and to

es the attainment of divine consciousn s , which ultimately gave Him a place among the greatest spiritual leaders of the world as well as among the disinterested Saviours

of mankind .

India is the only country where not only a c omplete system of practices is to be found , but also a perfect method , by fol lowin g which well - qualified aspirants can attain to Christhood or to that spirit u al unfoldment and divin e enlightenment which made Jesus of Nazareth stand b e fore the world as the ideal type of spi ritual 170

H ow to be a Yogi

a e be confined to any p rticular time , plac , or personality . Consequently by studying the Science of Yoga anyone can easily u n derstan d w an the higher la s and principles , application of which wi ll explain the mys teries connected with the lives and deed s of saints , sages , or Incarnations of God ,

like Krishna , Buddha, or Christ .

A genuine seeker after Truth does n ot limit his study to one particular example , but looks for similar events in the lives of w all the great ones , and does not dra any conclusion until he has discovered the uni versal law which governs them all . For instance , Jesus the Christ said , I and my

D id r a . o F ther are one He alone say it, did many others who lived before and after Him and who knew nothing of ! His sayings , utter similar expressions

Krishna declared , I am the Lord of the

A bso universe . Buddha said , I am the 172 W as Christ a Yogi !

a lute Truth . A Mahomet n Sufi says, I

w r am He hile eve y true Yogi declares ,

’ we I am Brahman . So long as do not understand the principle that underlies

r such sayings , they seem myste ious to us and we cannot grasp their real meaning ; bu t when we have real ized the true nature of the individual soul , and its relation to

the universal Spirit , or God , or Father in

we Heaven , or the Absolute Truth, have learned the principle and there is no fur ther mystery about it . We are then sure that whosoever reaches this state of spirit ual oneness or God - consciousness will ex press the same thought in a similar man

e ner. Therefore if w wish to understand the character and miraculous deeds of

wa Jesus of Nazareth , the surest y open to us is the study of the Science of Yoga and the practice of its methods .

of This Science Yoga , as has already 173 H ow to be a Yogi be r en stated , explains all mysteries , eveals the a an d s c uses of all miracles, describe the

w w u la s hich govern them . It helps s to u nravel the secrets of nature and to dis cover the origin of such phenomena as are

a c lled miraculous . All miracles like walk ” “ e w ing on the sea , feeding a multitud ith

” the a small quantity of food, raising ” d a w we u e d , hich read of in the life of Jes s , are described by the Yogis as manifesta tions of the powers that are acquired

' t hrough long practice of Yoga . These powers are not supernatural ; on the con trar d y, they are in nature , are governe by h w natural thoug higher la s , and are there

o w u n f re universal . When these la s are derstood w , that hich is ordinarily called b miraculous y ignorant people , appears to be the natural result of finer forces work

i s no h ing on a higher plane . There suc If thin g as th e absolutely Supernatural . 174

H ow to be a Yogi

Of existence ; his aim is to comprehend th e

whole of nature .

Those who have read the gospel Of

w r Buddha, by Paul Carus , ill remembe

that , five hundred years before the birth of

’ Shari utra s Jesus the Christ , p , Buddha w illustrious disciple , alked on the surface

Of the water across a mighty river named

hrava ti S s . A similar account of crossing a w w w ide river by alking on the ater, w e

Padma ada find in the life of p , the disciple

Sank arachar a of y , the best exponent of the

who 60 0 Vedanta philosophy , lived about

A . D w . Krishna , the Hindu Christ, hose

other name is Lord of the Yogis , raised the dead nearly fourteen hundred “ years

before the advent of Christ . The trans figuration of Krishna is likewise most beautifully described in the tenth and S eleventh chapters of the ong Celestial , and , like Christ, he also fed a vast multi 176 W as Christ a Yogi ! tude of people with a small quantity of food . There are other instances of similar powers Shown by great Yogis who came later ; and these accounts are in every way as historical and as authentic as those h w of Jesus the Christ . T us e see that all the miracles performed by Jesus are to be f w ound as ell in the lives of Hindu Yogis , h w o lived both before and after Him . So long as an event is isolated it ap pears supernatural and miraculous ; but if w e see the same thing happening elsewhere under similar conditions, it assumes the as peet of a natural occurrence governed by

law natural , and then comes a proper solu tion of the mystery as well as the rational explanation of that which was called a miracle . It is in this that the

Science of Yoga renders especial service to w the orld , for more than any science it helps to reveal the secrets of nature and 177 H ow to be a Y ogi to explain the cau se s of all miraculous d eeds . A true Yogi goes to the source of all

ow w p er and of all forces , studies the la s l behind them , and earns the method of c m w ontrolling the . He kno s that the various forces of nature are but expres

in telli sions of one universal , living ,

w ln gent energy , hich is called Sanskrit

’ Prana . He sees that all the forces of physical nature , like heat , gravitation , electricity , as also all mental forces such as mind , intellect , thought , are nothing but the manifestations of that one living self

’ e i xistent force , Prana . This ntelligent

energy projects from its bosom innumer a ble suns , moons , stars , and planets into

has h h physical space . It urled this eart

m sun has from the olten furnace of the , it

o h d and w c oled it , bat e it in air ater , and clothed it with vegetable and animal life ; 178

H ow to be a Yogi

Christ was one of these great Yogis born in a Semitic family .

Jesus was a great Yogi because He realized the transitory and ephemeral nat

o w ure of the phen menal orld , and , dis

i re cr minating the real from the unreal , n ou n ced all desire for worldly pleasures and bodily comforts . Like a great Yogi

off all He lived a life of seclusion , cutting connections with earthly friends and rela tives , and having neither home nor posses

f n sions o His ow .

Jesus the Christ w as a great Karma

w re Yogi , because He never orked for sults He had neithe r desire for name nor ambition for fame or for ear thly pros

rit w w ff pe y. His orks ere a free o ering to

w . the orld He labored for others, devoted

His whole life to help others , and in the

r end died fo others . Being unattached to

w lu the fruits of His actions , He orked ces 180 W as Christ a Yogi ! san tl H i s ow- men y for the good of fell , directing them to the path of righteousness and spiritual realization through unselfish w l orks . He understood the aw of action w and reaction , hich is the fundamental

a was principle of Karm Yoga , and it for “ this reason that He declared , Whatso w ever a man so eth , that shall he also

” reap . Jesus of Nazareth proved Himself to be

of a great Bhakti Yogi , a true lover God , by His unsw erving devotion and His whole

H is hearted love for the Heavenly Father .

' n unceasing prayers , i cessant supplications , constant meditation , and unflinching self resignation to the will of the Almighty made Him shine like a glorious morning star in the horizon of love and devotion of

w n a true Bhakti Yogi . Christ showed o derfu l self- control and mastery over His mind throughout the trials and suff erings 181 H ow to be a Yogi

w w . w hich ere forced upon Him His sorro ,

- agony, and self surrender at the time of w His death as ell as before His crucifixion , are conclusive proofs that He was a human being with those divine qualities which i adorn the soul of a true Bhakti Yog . It is true that His soul labored for a while under the heavy burden of His trials and suff erings ; it is also true that He felt that

His pain was becoming wellnigh unbear

w s able hen He cried aloud three time ,

praying to the Lord , O my Father , if it m ” be possible , let this cup pass fro me . But He found neither peace nor consola tion until He could absolutely resign His will to that of the Father and could say w from the bottom of His heart , Thy ill be

- n abso done . Complete self surre der and lute self- resignation are the principal vir

of Y tues Bhakti oga , and as Christ pos sessed these to perfection up to the last 182

H ow to be a Yogi th o n r ugh, the ail enters the kernel of the

i n of nut too . But the case the dry nut the kern el becom es separate from the w shell , and so hen the shell is pierced , the

kernel is not touched . Jesus was like the

i . e. was r dry nut, , His inner soul sepa ate

from His physical shell , and consequently the suff erings of the body did not aff ect ” h him . Therefore He could pray for t e forgiveness of His persecutors even when

His body was suff ering ; and all true Yogis

are able to do the same . There have been many instances of Yogi s whose bodies

have been cut into pieces , but their souls

never for a moment lost that peace an d equanimity which enabled Jesus to forgive and bless His persecutors . By this Christ

was proved that , like other Yogis , His soul completely emancipated from the bondage

The Life and a in s of Ramak ris na b See S y g h , y ‘ ’

. F . M M rof ax ll ller. u li s C arles ri n rs ons P P b hed by h Sc b e S ,

e ork n . N w Y . P. I 184 W as Christ a Yogi !

of the body an d of the feelings . Therefore

Christ was a Yogi . Through the path of devotion and love Jesus attained to the realization of the one ness of the individual soul with the Fa ther

r or the Universal Spi it , which is the ideal of a Jnana Yogi as w ell as the ultimate goal

: of all religions . A Jnana Yogi says I

” ” am He ; I am Brahman ; I am the

Absolute Truth I am one with the Su

. w preme Deity By good orks , by devo tion , love , concentration , contemplation , long fasting, and prayer, Jesus the Christ

was w God realized that His soul one ith , therefore H e may be said to have attained the ideal of Jnana Yoga .

r Like K ishna , Buddha , and all other great Yogis of India , Jesus healed the sick , opened the eyes of the blind , made the

w o lame alk, and read the secret th ughts of

l w a His discip es . He kne exactly what Jud s 185 H ow to be a Yogi

and Peter were going to do ; b u t there was nothing supernatural in any of His ac

was tions , there nothing that cannot be

o done again ver and over by a true Yogi , and there was nothing in His life that cannot be explained rationally by the Science of Yoga and the Philosophy of

Vedanta . Without the help of this science and this philosophy Jesus the Christ can

not be fully understood and appreciated .

c r By studying His chara ter , on the othe l hand , in the light of the Vedanta Phi osophy we Shall be able not only to under

r stand Him better, but to have a large appreciation of His true glory .

Material science n ow scoff s at H is miracles , but they are corroborated by the

Science of Yoga and confirmed by the

s i N o deeds of the great Yogi of Ind a . devout Christian need for a moment fear that physical science can ever undermine 186

H ow to be a Yogi will be enabled to say with the great Yogi

are Jesus the Christ, I and my Father

” one , and reach salvation in this life. 188 F fi h d ti H o to be i ( i E i ono) w a Yog . B Y swm A B HE D A N AN D A

I. Intro u tor . . i n of B r at in d c y III Sc e ce e h g . a i s o a! IV Was C ri st a o i! W t . II. h Y g h Y g

xzmo 188 a es. ortrait of aut or fronti s i c . , p g P h , p e e

“ For Ch risti ans in tm ted i n foreig n missions this book is of momen as showi ng th e method of reason ing which th ey must be e a to influence the e uca e H n u To pre to meet if th y re d t d i d . the Orien al s and the hiloso her also the ook is n ot ou t i t, p , b with t n e es Swami /t da reaches no m s room cree i t r t. p uh d ’ ‘ t os H e aims to ve us a com and no E urasian hybrid he ophy . d ious accoun of Yo a C ear and ad m ra e er orms his pen t . l ly i bly p f In r the li t gbook is emellen t and i t E n ish st e is ask . o m s t —f , yl oo 1Va v Yar d Ti me: Satu rda R eview oob . 6 1 m g d . y n , , 9 . “ ‘ ' H ow to ba ogi is a little volume ths t mak es very i nm “,“ The book oontains the di rections that must be fol lowed i n as we ll as i n men tal train ing by one w—ho wishu so have u d er fect con rol of l his ers R m r d t a l pow . c Ipe 28 1 0 h . 9 3 » “ Th e Swtmi writes i n a clear direct manner H is cha , . t r on ‘ p e B rea el ci more an or n a en on as ere i s muc i n th will i t th di tt ti , th h t a rov h el ful The mak es valua le a i t on t i th t will p e p . a b dd i o P i —Min d u V anta loso . J ne 1 0 . ed h phy , , 9 3 “ Th e book is calculated to i nterest the stu d en t of Oriental t and famili ari ze the u n re—ad with on e of the atest ph ilo s stems of th wor B a olo Con n er or 2 t m y e ! , . 3 , o . H ow to be a Yogi practi cal! su ms up th e whole sci e nce of Ve an a P iloso The e rm o i i s lucidl efi ne and a u d t h phy. t g d d f ll analysis is gi ve n of th e sci en ce of breathing an its beari ng on the es s ua evel Th m s and of Y a hig h t piri t l d opment. e ethod practices og n ere n set or and not the eas m or an teach i n o! i t sti gly f th , l t i p t t the ook i s the asse rti on of h ow grea a Yog i w as J esu s of n b ”— t ar Tb¢ B ook seller N ewrdcal er aad tat on an 1 e . e . , S i er J . , mg th , 5

s ook is el or a care ul rea n . Con e nsed et Thi b w l w th f di g d . y clear and conc se fi ls one the es re to e mula e ese Yo is i , it l with d i t th g h rfection D oc oo. W W pe . , m

— m accord i n to zon s norm Postage is subj ect to Parcel Post ra g e mad All orders received by and money orders and check s e payable to VE D A N TA A S H R A MA G reat Saviors of the World

(Vol .

N E W B OOK

B Y

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CON TEN T S.

r at aviors of the W rl ntro u or . I. G e S o d (I d ct y )

l l . Kri s na and H i s T a i n s h e ch g .

Il l ! oroast r and H is T a i n s. . e e ch g

- I Tzc and H i s T i n s. V. Lao each g

“ These studies are scholarly and comprehensive reviews of i e are a o ro a d o e n nter re a ons of mora s oric ac . s a n i i h t f t Th y l b d' p p t t l an r or e Th e au or a i tu e is re eren o ar all. d spi itual f c s. th s tt d v t t w d m res e Sure H i m n is ree . H i s s c ech is e cu ar s . s i d f p li ly i p iv ly, it fo h r ga i o can ook ou erness speak s well r t e wo ld t t ts ple l with t bitt and ea ou s u n the ac a od has se n and se n man j l y f t th t t . will d . y Sa ors n o e or is is a oo s u fi e to O en the i i . g v t t w ld "Th d t d tt d p W i n Star li ne s r t s. h ar and i era ze m n . ash ton . e t l b li i d g o, o "— a e con u on to m a s cs. Por tland Ore oni an A v l uabl trib ti et phy i g . u 2 l J ne 3, so s.

“ Th e work i ak e n u a c or e s p some i n c rono og i a r. o t wh t h l l d The teach i ng s of the th i nk ers who form the subj ect of th e lec tu res are a u re or e T u o o b r r an o f i thf lly p t d . he a thor h lds n spe c ial ief fo y f those remark able men b u t endeavors to state precisel what the ir as re Th e s f e r I ide e . e o th au o is i n eres i ng as weyas er ec "w— tyl th t t p f tly uci . alo N ew s A r as l t s l d a , p il , o .

am A bhe anand m e t Sw i d a e phasiz s he similarities in the teaching of ese rea me n H i aim is to s o a n th t . s h w th t the fu dame ntal teach. i n gs of t fou nders of the g reat re lig ions of the world have had the same s i ri ua k eyno e and a the s ories connec ed wi eir i es p t l t th t t t th” th l v an d m r cu o s ee s ar m r o o — i a u e s a t ose f esus C r s . Sr P l d d i il th J h i t . e n! P l ana r P r o“ A u us l t , g t 4, o s.

H u man A ffection an d

D ivine Love

BY

SWA MI A B H E D A N A N D A

A suitable gift-book full of i nspi ri ng thoughts It describes he e olution of Lo e i n i ts io s sta s—ani m l h ma t v v var u ge a , u n, and divine and shows that love i s not an emotional sen timent mm nl ders a b as co o y un tood but an ttri ute of our R E A L Saw .

B eau i ull e ressed se n ences on the idealism of lo e reflected t f y xp t , v , ”— from Ind ia. Portland Or e on i a n une s s i s. g , J 3 , g

N e er u nder an circums ances is di i ne lo e an e il hi n but v y t v v v t g , v rlas i n i n i ts be nefi cent blessi n s In his l le book the au hor is e e t g g . t itt t end ri n beau of th d i ne lo i h a o u man contrasts the u g ty e vi ve w t th t f h aff ec ions whi ch i f m sd irec ed i n i ts sel sh ness re u l s in mu rder t i t fi s t , nd her rimes H is boo i i d w ar and h robbery a ot c . k s d vi ed i nto t o p ts t e " la er i nclud es numerous uo a ion to ov hi ar umen —D es tt q t t s pr e s g t . ' Messnes a i tal u nc C f , J 5,

w i e n m l and th m icism i n i t is somewha k i n to It is r tt si p y e yst t a the m s icism of Mc te rlinck E merson and of Thomas s Kem ls y t , p " — t t s dlfierent as he all are . St. P au l Pi oneer P r ess A u . o . t y , g 4, “ A ti ny book but contai ning a volume of profou nd thought wis dom and beau It was D ru mmond wh o wro e ha the rea es ty . t t t g t t " hin i n the w orld was Lo e and si nce hen love has somehow had t g v , t a g reater sig nificance an d more e xalted place i n the world than it ever oc u ied b e ore B u t e en D ru mmond did not ut i t on the hi h c p f . v p g r H e cas s plane or g ive it such exq u isite meani ng as this write has. t awa the ma erial and shows ha the lo e ha e al s the lo e ha y t t t v t t x t , v t t " i in —0 re~ work e th only g ood reaches through the material to the d v e. gun yonr nal , A pri l as, rot a. Press N oti ces —Continued

H uman afl ection h as e ver been manifested i n attachment tosome ob ect and the enli h en ed assa es i n h is rac cal l le olume j , g t p g t p ti itt v ' show the same tende ncy on the animal plane by means of a very fi ne om arison Th e na u re and e ressi on of D i i ne Love is also r c p . t xp v ve y sk i ll u ll anal sed and a n ice d is i nc i on d raw n be w een i t and th f y y , t t , t e i n human uali . The au hor eel g l or ra s an id eal behind bo h q ty t f y p t y t , which mi h well be ado ed b th e i nd ivid ual and ed i n his g t pt y , typifi rela i on to o h ers i n dail li e i h i nvalu ab le resul s to all The t t y f , W t t . “ ” words of th e Swami on ha D i vi ne Love th a k nows no ear b u t t t t f , realizes everythi ng comes from G od are u ttered in a d ec isive style that will a eal to an arm of sou ls who to-da ee l th e ru h of such a pp y , y f t t ri ci l Those ll be rea l hel ed b the lai n and h i hl n p n p e. Wi g t y p y p g y i teli i ent e lanati on of a rea ru h i n whi ch th e vi vid ness of rien al g xp g t t t , O t expressi on i s reprod uced i n Western terms b y a maste r of both lan u Thi s es eciall a l es to the clos i n cha er where a g ag es. p y pp i g pt ptly chosen illustrations so d ear to the ori ental mi nd e lucidate the two characteris ics of ecs a i c love the hree s a es of consciousness and t t t , t t t their corres onde nce to the fi ve shea h s of the sou l be on d w h i ch is p t , y the True Sel th e bsolu e . A n eleva i n man ual u te i n k ee in f , A t t g q i p g ’ " wi or ious work Tk e Col u mn u th th e A u h s re beat . ne s t s. t p v , J , g “ It is thorou hl sound and ha il wri en book a fi ne i n ro g y pp y tt , t d i n o B ha i Mr a It is ro ab le read i n to e er erso uct o t k t a g . p fit g v y p n while to the more philosoph ically i ncli ned it afi ord s valuable i nstruct ” M r s I i c 1 ion. Tb B r ak nravad i n , ad a n d a, D c . , i 9 2 . “ Care ull d oes the Swami draw th e d is i nc ion showin how f y t t . g ” uman lo e a ains i clim in d ire in i sel to od —A k h v tt ts ax ct g t f G . wa ened

I nd i a, N ov. , rot s . “ This is a book presenti ng somewh at of th e old Indian phil oso h whi ch i s noble and ure . It i s i n no sense a d e ar u re rom p y, p p t f

Wes e rn thou h as one mi h be led to su ose . It is w ell w ri en t g t , g t pp tt ” and free rom meta h si cal s eculati ons - B r ook l n E a le une x f p y p . y g , J 4, 3 9330

Unity an d H armony A N ew Lecture by SWA MI A B H E D A N A N D A D ivi e H eri e of Man n tag . B Y swam A B H E D A N A N D A

I amo 2 1 a es. ortrait of au thor frontis iece. , 5 p g P , p

N E TS . 1. E isten e of G od . II. A tri u es of G CO T N x c t b t od.

II H as G od an Form ! IV. Fatherhood and Motherhood I . y

Wh a an In ar elation of Soul to G od . VI. t is c of G od . V. R

VII. III. D i in rin ci l nation of G od Son of G od. V v e p e M P in an .

’ The Swami A bhedfinanda s writi ngs are al so companionable and read able Th e P hiloso h of India be i n the bri n in o e h er of the . p y , g g g t g t best thoug hts an d reasoni n g s of the best men for th e thousan ds of preced i n ears had un der considera ion th e se l -same roble ms ha are to-da g y , t f p t t y ’ u ls of ou r hi loso h ers he Sw m s book is here ore not vexing th e so p p . T a i t f rad cal a de ar u re rom acce ed hou h as mi h at rs be i ma in ed so i p t f pt t g t g t fi t g . or a e b u r h l of It i s not mea f b b s, t a er W l i t gi ve n ew li nes houg ht t ” t i t to th e bri h es i n ellec s . Tr anscr i t B os on A u . 1 0 . g t t t t j , t , g 9 3 H is me thod of dealing with these fundamental questions i s pec uliarly free both from dogmatic asse rtion and from pure metaphysical specula. " — - ion 1n te r 0 eea n Ch ca o A u . 1 0 . t . , i g , g 9 3 H e bases his ar u men s not on heolo ical h o heses but on sci en ific g t , t g yp t , t ” ac s. Cl evel an d P l ai n D ealer A u . 1 0 . f t , g 9 3

It is wri e n i n a lain and lo ical s le and canno ail to in e res all tt p g ty , t f t t who are an x ious for i n formation conce rn i n the ph ilosophy of wh ich the ” au hor is such an able e onen . Ti mes i ttsbur une 1 0 . t xp t g , J , 9 3 A g lance over a few of its pag es would be sufi cien t to convi nce th e reader tha he i s i n th e rese nce of an i n ellec of h i h orde r more t p t t g , thorou g hly conve rsant with the philosophies an d sc iences of th e Occi “ d en al world h an mos E uro eans or mericans The D iv me t t t p A . H e ri ag e of Man g ves a rare i nsig h in o th e rel g ious vi ews of educa e d t i t t i ”t indoos and i n i ts ar u men a ion urn ishes an i n ellec ual rea H g t t f t t t t . e F o Ch r on i cl , San rancisc , A ug . 190 3 .

F ull co n izan of mode rn scien i c discoveries the au hor rea s y g t t , t t t " fi h is sub ec broadl —B ook seller N ewsd ealer a n d P n bl i sli er N e w j t y . , , , o k A u 1 0 Y r , g . 9 3 .

Th e s ude n of relig ions will find much of value in the discourses t t o since th e are u ll of h istor cal i n formation concern i ng th e origi n an d f i ”— o h 0 certa n ideas and be i e s dominan i n h ris iani R e u 61i ~ g r wt i l f t C t ty . j e r l 1 ca n , D nve , u y, 90 3 . J i There is no disposition on the art of the author to assail an y of th e hr s ian ri nci les b u t h e s m P rese n s h s wi h calmn C i p p , i p y p i subj ec ess, t _ t t t n ot a em tin to reconci le re l on and sci ence for to h im th e tt p g g , y ” i i - one Wask i n i e n P ost une 1 0 . . g , J , 9 3

SWA MI A B H E D A N A N D A

TH IR D E D I TI ON

Conrzis'rs

- h of India To da . I. Philosop y y

eli ions of India. II. R g

i a T e stem s III . Soci al Status of In d : h ir Sy of Ca te.

oliti al Institutions of Indi a. IV. P c

Edu ation i n India. V. c

India on Western Ci ili zation VI. The Influence of v and the

Influence of Western Ci vili zati on on Indi a.

I “ Th is book has more than usual interest as comi ng fromone who ows h ccid en a b o ow s nd loves the rien It k n t e O t nd th k n a O t . i ci ed l i er i n T e h a tw o ad mi rabl uali ies: s de d y n es g . h book s e q t t "— t b read h i n scope and su gg es ive ne ss i n ma erial. B u ll eti n of th e t ' t t m r l A e i can Geo r a ucal Soci et Se 1 0 6 . g j y , pt, 9 “ Th is volu me w ri e n i n an a rac ive s le and d ealin wi h the , tt tt t ty g t li fe h iloso h and rel g on of Ind ia sh ou ld rove a u se u l add ion to , p p y i i , p f it the l era u re of a asc i n i n an l r l nk nown s b ec t It it t f at g d as yet a g e y u u . i s d es g ne d f or popu lar read i ng the me aphysical por ions gcin g so i t t " hand led ha the read er ru ns li i ond h d h t t tt e risk of g ett ng bey is e pt . —L i te r a r D i es F e b . 1 y g t, 6 , 1 9 0 7. The Swami possesses the exce ptional ad vantag e of bei ng able to look u pon h i s ow n c ou n ry almos rom the s and po n of an ou s der t t f t i t t i ” and to h an d le h is su b e c r j t fre e from both foreig n and native p ej udics . - N e w Yor k Wor ld A u 1 , g . 4, 9c 6 . ‘ It is a valu able con rib u ion to Wes ern k now led e of Ind i a con f t t t g , ’ ai n i n rec se l w hat t he me r an W s k now u re ion —t g p i y A ic an t to abo t that g . Wash i n ton E v n en i Star A u 1 . g g , g . 4, 90 6

s b le to u arre l W i th h i s b ook H e a i w ri es too It is i mpos q . (Sw m ) t i " man W h a i n a i n eres in l an d h e i s a i ssi on . Tire S n n d a Or e on i n t t g y it y g , A ug . 2 6, 1 90 6 . PR E SS N TICE S OF IN D IA A N D H E R PE PLE O O . “ The views set or h i n th is work by Swami A bhedananda are f t . n eres i n as b n h ose of a na ve of Ind a W ho has d vo ed much i t t g , ei g t ti i e t m a ti e nd atte n tion to the st u d y of those questions whi ch aff ec t the overnmen and e neral ad min s ra ion of th e cou n r The au h or t g i t t t y. t gas se lec ed a de ran e of su b ec s fo rea me n m raci th g j r , e b ng e . t . Wi t t t t soc al ol ical ed u ca ional an rel i , p , d i ous cond itions as he now e i s i it t , g t y x t , an d , s ea n ene rall has i nvariab l e ercised sound ac and u d p ki g g y, y x t t j g me n i n d iscuss ng th e man d i fi e re nt ues ions e mb raced u nd er hose t "— i q t t head i n s . ou r n al o t e R o a l Colon i al I n sti u e r i l g j f y t t , A p , 1 9 0 7, L ondon E n , g la n d .

A n e celle n con ri b u ion to the er scan li era u re on India x t t t v y ty t t . A ll chap ers are i ns ru ct ve to any one asp ri ng to a k n ow led e . t t i i g of h s as cou n r It is a - t i v t t y . book which e very non Ind ian visi t i n i n or mak n g d a a temporary or ermane nt stay therei n and also i i " ever son of the sol sh ould have b g d y y i s si e . Tli e A ry a, fieor n ary ,

ei c r i R n a nat on . ( N ew and E nlarged E ditim)

I. ei n arnat on R c i .

ered t n e n arn a on . II. H i y a d R i c ti

III. E oluti on a d ei n arn a n v n R c tio . W s es rr n e n i IV. hi ch i Sci entific u ectio or i carnat on! , R R

Theor of Tran smi ration . V. y g

In these discou rses th e Sw ami A bhedanandaconsid ers the questions o evo on n h r c on i h i r arin u on the anci e n f lu ti a d t e resu r e ti n t e be p t eac hi n of reb r h the ru h lo ic and u s i ce 0 w h ich are rap dly t g i t , t t , g j t i ermea n h es o h e Wes ern world F or the reser a p ti g t e b t th ught of t t . v on of h is d r n i d i e b d o he li erar s ore ou ses of ti t oc t i e mank n is nd te t t t y t Ind ia th e rac al and eo a hi cal sou rce of mu ch of the i al k nowled e , i g p v t g of ccide n al eo les fi e mcarnation is shown i n th e resent olu me O t p p . p v ‘ to be au n i versal solven of l e s m s eries It ans wers hose u es i ons t if y t . t q t of child re n that have stag g ered th e wisest mi nds who see k to reconc ile the law of ev olu on and the e i e n ce of an i n elli en and us Crea or ti x st t g t j t t , w h the propos i on ha man has bu t a si ng le l e ime i n wh ich to de it it t t if t ” lo l - d ed to ve nk er ve p spi r u al se consciousness . It is commen e ry thi . ' t f L-M i rnd , F ebr u a ry , 1 9 0 0 It is a work wh ich Wi ll appeal to the novice for its simplici ty and d e n i e u ali and to the s ud e n f or its weal h of k nowled e t q ty , t t t g fi " i o a Mon t u ll eti 5 a su es n. Ved nta /i I B n 1 . gg t y , 4 , 90 7 ” “ book hou l ro a valua c u isi i on Th e E ve n i n T s d p ve ble a q t . g mbe r San , Y. , D ece 3 1 , 1 9 0 7 . “ This is th e work of a man of fi ne ed u ca ion and of fi ne i n ellec t t t . ( R ei ncarn ation) as expou n d e d by Swami A bhedanand a i s very l u sc e n c n ar rom u n com or i n Th ex osi tio au s ble e a d f . e n p i , q it i tifi , f f t g con tai ned in th is li ttle book i s w e ll worth read i ng by all stu en ts of me a h sics Th ere is not the sli h est dan e r of its con ver i n or t p y . g t g t g r r i an one to a new and s ran e reli ion R ei ncarna ion i s pe ve t ng y t g g . t i c i c i n w now n ot religion , s s ence . S e ce as never k n to h ur anybody it"— t b u t scien is s . B r ook l n E a le D ecember 1 1 0 t t y g , 3 , 9 7 W RK i m D O S BY sw ABHEDANAN A.

s h o Philo op y f Work .

Philosophy of Work . W r II. Secret of o k . M v in W Il l . D u 0 1 oti e ork ty .

In this volu me the Vedanta Society presents three lectures by th e loader of the H i ndu religious movemen t that is mak ing much head w amon hiloso hic mi nds th rou hou the United S a es The ay g p p g t t t . book is an excellen t antidote to the gospel of selfism now popular in man uar ers and a co should be i n the hands es eciall of y q t , py p y ver ambi ious seek er a er the loaves an d sh of ma erial desi re e y t ft fi es t . It shows th e folly of slavery to se nse and the means of escape from the th rald om of e oism hile elucid a i n the H ind u conoe t of g , W t g ’ many thi ngs that are race problems because of i ndi vidual igno n f i ri ual ri nci les T ese d i rse m wi ra ce o sp p p . h scou s eri a de simula t ’ t ”— on mon un re udiced minds Mi n d F bruar ti a g p j . , e y, 1903.

s Single Lecture . E N T CH R ISTIAN Sc i E N CE AND V DA A . S R P E Cosmc E vow r i on AND IT PU OS . os momou D IVIN E C . ou E X I T FTE R D E T ! D oss TH E S r. S A A H

T E R or G OD . Ti t s. MO H HOOD n A N D E VI TH E Pi i i i osor i i v or Goo L. - o OD Ti i E R E LA Ti ON or SOUL T G . RE L IG IO N or TE E H INDUS . E IG I SCIE NTIFIC B A Si s or R L ON . S IMPLE Li Vi N C . SPIR IT UAL ISMA N D VE DANTA . i ra TH E WA Y TO TH E B LE SSE D L . WH O i s TH E SAVIOU R or SOULS ! H S C R IST A N D E E T CauacmA isi Tv. Win ! A IN DU A CCE PT H R J C S E A it i A N War A H i N D U i s A VE G T . ' E IG I WOMA N S PLACE IN H IN DU R L ON . I I Ti ts WOR D A N D TH E Caoss IN A N CIE NT ND A.

I B ou nd i n cloth . Si n gle Lectu re s Parts I I .

The G os el of R amak rishn p a.

WITH A N IN TROD UCTION B Y

swi m AB EEDANAND A.

a es with two ictures ma i nal 448 p g ; p , g notes, and index .

ull leather bi ndin fle ible cover Cir F g, x , cuit edge with red ’ ” n ld n h t a d go i t e s y le of Teachers B ible.

The sayings of a mysti c who has much i nfluence i n Indi a and who has been made k nown to the Western world by various mi ssionary Swami s will be found in The Gospel of Rhi ne ’ ” hna. The ha e been translated into x l k ris y v e ce lent E n li sh . — g Tbe Su n , N ew York .

The Gospel of Ramak ri shna con tains the religious teachi n gs of thi s modern Hi nd u sai nt whose life contain ed so many good deeds that hi s followers thought him li ttle short of

ne . Tbe B oston Globe B os on Mass di vi , t , .

D uri ng his lifetime hi s career and personality attracted much attention from E ngli sh and Ge rman scholars of the ni ne

nth centur . The Cbi ca o Inter Ocean Cbi ca o tee y g , g , I”.

The book i s filled with beauti ful thou ghts and beauti teachin s which if followed would lead to a e l ful g , , , p rfect ife . One cannot marvel that the sayings of Ramak ri shna made a m ress on modern i nd thou h H e a deep i p H u g t. w s at least a ‘ ” i at nd wi se scholar and a e oodl advi ce to hi s lowers. gre a , g v g y fol a F nci sco E x ami ner San I'l 'anei sc a The S n ra , o, C l.

It i s a remark able book and i t should be a rare pri vilege

Ore oni an Por tland Ore on. toread it. The g , , g