Swami Krishnananda Shashtyabdapurti Mahotsava Commemoration Volume

A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 60th Birthday

Reflections

by Swami Ramananda

We celebrate Ram Navami, Janmashtami, Buddha Jayanti, Gandhi Jayanti. Christmas. By celebrating thus, we are not going to add a bit to the greatness of the gods or saints. Then, why the celebrations? During the celebrations at least, our mind will dwell upon their divine traits. Psychologically, the mind assumes the form of what it thinks of. To that extent, we also will imbibe some of the divine virtues of the saintly souls on whom we necessarily contemplate during the Jaya celebrations. That is the reason why these festivals are there from times of yore.

Swami Krishnanandaji is one of the gems fashioned by Gurudev. According to the great Master, we should have all-round development. We should have the head of Sankara, the heart of Buddha and the hand of Janaka. That is the ideal set by Gurudev. And that is the ideal reached by Krishnanandaji.

As a Jnani, Krishnanandaji is considered a modern Sankara. His lectures are a feast to the ears. His books are inspiring, enlightening. He is a man of devotion too, a Bhakta of Lord Krishna. His Kirtans are soul-stirring. He is a Karma Yogi, the General Secretary of an international institution. But no work is unimportant to Swamiji. In earlier years, after his Ganges bath, he used to clean his vessels. The way he did that used to attract the attention of many! The vessels used to shine like gold. Lastly, Krishnanandaji is a Raja Yogi par excellence. His lucid exposition of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga can be possible only if he has touched great pinnacles in its practice. No wonder, then, that Swamiji is what he is today, verily, a Vibhuti of his great Guru Swami Sivananda. No wonder.