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Glorious Fifty Years of Wisdom and Service
A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 50th Birthday

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Table of Contents

  • Meditation—Its Theory and Practice BY SWAMI KRISHNANANDA
  1. The Meaning and Method of Meditation
  2. Impediments in Meditation
  3. Spiritual Experiences
  4. The Groundwork of Self-Knowledge
  5. The Problem of Self-Alienation
  6. The Method of Self-Integration
  7. Self-Withdrawal and Self-Discovery
  • Articles About Swami Krishnananda

Swami Krishnananda, the Glorious One

by Guy Des Pinades

It is a great delight to associate with ourselves in the 50th Birthday of H. H. Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj.

We have already had the great honour of introducing Swami Krishnanandaji to our Yoga friends of our Centre in Paris by translating some of his most valuable lectures given during the special Yoga course held in 1970 at the Headquarter-Ashram in India. They have appeared under the title "Le Yoga de Synthese".

All the great Acharyas have come from South to North to practice great austerities in the Himalayas. Even so, our revered Krishnanandaji Maharaj, like great Shankara, even though born in the sunny land of South India came to the Himalayas in search of Truth and great Guru.

Before he embraced the great Monastic Order, he was known in his poorvashram name Subba Rao. Even as a child, he took keen interest in the study of Mahabharata, Gita and other great works. He inherited from his parents treasures of piety, of purity and a natural inclination towards a religious life. Even while studying in school, he developed a great interest to study Vedas and Upanishads, the great ancient scriptures of India. Sri Swami Krishnananda's life is limpid, like the Ganga at its source. It has the purity of the snow of the Himalayas and wealthy countenance of the Vedas.

Even while in his teens, he knew what path he had to take in life. In 1943 after having achieved brilliant studies, he joins Swami Sivananda's Ashram. Since then he has made Rishikesh as his permanent dwelling place and decided never to go back to the world.

After attaining his Guru's feet, he practised intense austerity and accomplished many great things. Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji appointed him as a General Secretary of the Ashram. Then he took the editorialship of the DIVINE LIFE, a monthly Magazine, published by the Headquarter of the Divine Life Society. He is a relentless worker and always remains in the shadow of his vigilant Master, whose Source of literature production and general activity seemed inexhaustible.

Each new dawn finds Swami Krishnanandaji exercising his body with Yoga and deeply absorbing in meditation. You will find him serenely sitting in a quiet corner at the Bhajan Hall, conducting and guiding the daily programmes during night Satsangs.

He is all humility. He is a man of simple living and high thinking. As a great exponent of the Great Bhagaved Gita, he himself translated the Gospel of Sri Krishna in his own personal daily life. He is an embodiment of Gita teachings.

He accepts all great honours with a childlike simplicity. He has conquered Raga-Dwesha.

All is Yoga for him. No work is menial to him. He attends and bestows same attention even to a smallest work. He feels that work is an integral part of Yoga. He welcomes everyone. Supervise the day to day activities of the Ashram. Patiently listens to the grievances of everyone and settles them to the satisfaction of everyone. Such is the incredible capacity of Sri Krishnanandaji Maharaj. May the Almighty grant him long life and good health. This is our prayers.