Yogananda Podcast

This episode covers the next section of chapter 6 from:  “The Tiger Swami made this confession...“   To   “... Chandi also was raptly mute.”  Join us as we explore how the Tiger Swami is invited to the royal palace to fight the tiger. We detect more silent, remote reflection on the Swami’s part as he elaborates on more of his inspiring life story. The clever prince gets his way as the Swami prepar...

This episode covers the next section of chapter 6 from:  “Mind is the wielder of muscles...”  To  “...credulous victim of a deluded fanatic.”  We explore the power of the mind over the body as the Tiger Swami shares his journey from physical weakness to spiritual strength. He emphasises the importance of mental vigour in overcoming challenges and taming our inner passions. However, a prophetic war...

This episode covers the start of chapter 6 from:  The start of the chapter...  To  “... Chandi and I listened respectfully”  We start unravelling chapter 6, starting from its intriguing title and why Tiger’s are of such interest to society at large. This short but sweet section has plenty of life lessons that warranted further exploration, Paramahansa Yogananda weaves in fascinating topics such as...

This episode covers the last couple of pages of chapter 5 from:  “My sister Uma met me as I entered the door...”  To  The end of the chapter  This section covers how the “Perfume saint” produces fragrances and materialises tangerines out of thin air. Years later, Paramahansa Yogananda understood by inner realiation how Gandha Baba accomplished his materializations. We discuss why the method should...

This episode covers the next 40 paragraphs of chapter 5 from:  “The sage and I were present in the Calcutta Kalighat Temple...”  To  “... encounters the day had brought forth.”  Join us for a joyous episode where we take a deep-dive into Mukunda’s encounter with an acquaintance, his meeting with the “Perfume Saint”, and all the hilarity, demonstrative astral powers, and wisdom that ensues.  0:00 T...

This episode covers the first 17 paragraphs of chapter 5 from:  “To everything there is a season,”  To  “.. whose beauty alone should lure him.”  Discover the profound wisdom behind the statement, “there is a time and purpose for everything”. Join us as we explore Paramahansa Yogananda’s quest for a guru, encounter with intriguing sages, and the teaching and transformative power of self-analysis a...

This episode covers the last 14 paragraphs of chapter 4 from:  “A Christlike miracle by Lahiri Mahasaya...”  To  “...Kebalananda taught me a diviner syntax”  In this episode, we explore a miraculous incident in the presence of Lahiri Mahasaya and Swami Kebalananda. Ramu, a blind disciple, approached the guru seeking sight. With unwavering faith and guidance, Ramu's vision was restored within a...

This episode covers the next 14 paragraphs of chapter 4 from:  “At home in Calcutta, Father touchingly...”  To  “... Lahiri Mahasaya and of a number of his disciples.”  In this podcast episode, we follow a young Mukunda’s encounter with Swami Kebalananda, a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, who becomes his Sanskrit tutor. As their bond deepens, Mukunda discovers Swami Kebalananda's profound spiritu...

This episode covers the next 23 paragraphs of chapter 4 from: “Ananta and Amar’s brother arrived...” To “...prudent instinct of self-preservation!” Join us for an episode of intrigue and revelations! Here, Mukunda and Amar are reunited with their families and brothers Mukunda and Ananta take a trip to see a “certain sage”. Mukunda gets an “instant response to a prayer”, and we also come to know th...

A few unlikely set of circumstances brought us together for this Monastic visit, we snuck away from the venue to huddle, review and reflect. Chris received his blessed Kriya Yoga deeksha (initiation) after years of devoted practice of the teachings. The Monastic visit was attended by Brother Sevananda, Brother Nikhilananda, Brahmachari Klaus as well as devotees from across the UK and Europe. 0:00...

This episode covers the next 17 paragraphs of chapter 4 from:  “Deeming it advisable to leave Hardwar at once...”  To  “...but in the stomachs of tigers!”  In their pursuit of a divine encounter, our two remaining travellers find themselves in a police station, longing to escape captivity and seek the enlightened sage of the Himalayas. In this episode, we delve into the policeman’s miraculous stor...

This episode covers the next 24 paragraphs of chapter 4 from:  “At the station we bought tickets to Burdwan...”  to  “... A premonition of capture weighed on my mind.”  Our three heroes – Mukunda (Paramahansa Yogananda), Amar and Jatinda embark on their pilgrimage despite yet more ominous signs. We enjoyed unwrapping this amusing section of the chapter, Guruji weaves into the narrative timeless sp...

This episode covers the first 8 paragraphs of chapter 4 from:  “Leave your classroom on some trifling pretext...”  to  “... straps from my English-made sola topee (helmet).”  Paramahansa Yogananda flexes his linguistic muscle to the already captivated reader with a marked change in writing style— one of fast paced adventure, intrigue and comedy. We discuss our expectations for this chapter, the de...

This episode covers the last 12 paragraphs (and footnote) of the chapter 3 from:  “Pranabananda’s face was suffused with divine light.”  to  “...Alas, two bodies are not yet for me!”  Swami Pranabananda elucidates more of his exchanges with the divine Lahiri Mahasaya and subsequently blesses Mukunda and reveals, to his utter delight, that he will indeed become a Paramahansa Yogananda. In between t...

This episode covers the next 8 paragraphs of the chapter from:   “The master sought to banish...”  To...  “...eyes behind any screen of delusion.”  Swami Pranabananda inspires Paramahansa Yogananda by reminding him of the greatness of Lahiri Mahasaya. With sublime supplication and humility, the young devotee Pranabananda sought out Lahiri Mahasaya’s assistance in overcoming the final hurdle to emb...

This episode covers the next 17 paragraphs of the chapter from:   “Sir, how do you happen to come here?”  To...  “...were he or his counterpart before me.”  We conduct a deep dive into the subtle narrative specifics of Swami Pranabananda’s epic bilocation, considering the unique perspective of each person in the room, including Mahavatar Krishna. Paramahansa Yogananda could write a movie with this...

This episode covers the next 10 of the chapter from:  “You know, I am enjoying two pensions...”  To...  “...were profoundly influenced by its study.”  A perplexing section of the autobiography that only makes sense as you carefully read, re-read and cross reference the events that transpire. The second pension is a paradigm that could transform how humanity looks at retirement but what does it tak...

This episode covers the first 10 paragraphs of the chapter from:  “Father, if I promise to return home...”  To...  “...affectionate references to my parent.”  A fun introduction to "The Saint with Two Bodies”, the first of many intriguing (if not completely baffling) chapter titles: were you receptive when you first read it? Though somewhat hidden, there are many morals that can be gleaned fr...

This episode covers the large footnote at the end of the chapter from:  “The amulet was an astrally produced object...  To...  “...were profoundly influenced by its study”  In this ‘light’ episode we take a closer look at the multitudinous subjects covered in the footnote at the end of the chapter. The matters were clearly important enough for Paramahansa Yogananda to fill a full page of footnotes...

This episode covers the next 9 paragraphs of the chapter 2 from:   “It was an interview with a sage...”   to...   "... far on the wings of his amulet.”  The strange sadhu’s words would have been enough to make most of us fall off our chairs – but not Paramahansa Yogananda’s divine birth mother. There are some very interesting elements to this story such as why did she pick Ananta? This was on...

This episode the next 8 paragraphs of the chapter 2 from:   “Fourteen months after Mother’s passing...”   to...   "...impels my deathbed message.”  Perhaps the most intriguing section of the whole book is covered in this episode, Paramanansa Yogananda receives blessings (in his infancy) from his param guru Lahiri Mahasaya, who also provides a moving prophesy that proved to be true for all of...

This episode the next 8 paragraphs of Chapter 2 from: “One of my cousins...” To... “... I will not accept ministrations from any other woman.” The previous line encapsulates the timeless cosmic romance that is hallmark Paramahansa Yogananda, particularly pertaining to Guruji’s father lived his life as a widower. In this section Mukunda has his maiden attempt on running away to the Himalayas and An...

This episode covers the first 16 paragraphs of the chapter 2 from: “My mother’s greatest desire was the marriage of my elder brother.”   to... "...I felt powerfully drawn to the Himalayas.” In this episode we cover our expectations for Chapter 2 of the podcast series. In this (part 1) we cover the emotional passing of Paramahansa Yogananda’s mother, reflecting on powerful passages from Mejda,...

This episode covers the last section of the chapter 1 from: “Another early recollection is outstanding; and literally so, for I bear the scar to this day.”   to... The end of the chapter 1. 0:00 Summary of episode; 2:30 Uma’s boil story and the art of necromancy; 35:12 Prayers to Goddess Kali and meditating with snakes; 57:42 Coué and Paramahansa Yogananda’s word bombs; 1:11:57 Two kites story and...

This episode covers the following section of 12 paragraphs— “One of my most precious possessions is that same photograph.” to... “This memory persisted long after the day of rapture.” 0:00 Preamble and reflections;   2:14 Summary of this episode;   4:55 The significance of Holy Vibrations;   27:27 The first attempted picture of Lahiri Mahasaya;   34:15 How Ganga Dhar Babu first approached the Mast...