Preface

The teachings of a spiritual master can be said to be influenced by two principal factors. First, by the "seed principles” which have flowered and matured within him and led him to spiritual illumination. Second, by the religious tradition in which he has evolved. Certainly, the symbolism a teacher uses and is familiar with will depend on his vehicle to spiritual realization, whether Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, or Hebrew. However spiritually evolved he may be, a Saint or Jnani tends to remain faithful to his tradition and its symbolism, and more specifically, he tends to adhere strictly to the tradition of his particular lineage and culture.

When we look at Swamiji Prakashananda's teaching we see that his symbology is essentially Hindu and that he is a devotee of the Divine Mother. For Swamiji, life in the world with its good and bad, its joys and miseries, was the manifestation of the supreme principle called Shiva, which is the Absolute Reality beyond name and form, changeless and eternal and known as Sat (truth) Chit (consciousness) and Ananda (bliss).

Contained in the bosom of Absolute Reality (Shiva) is potential creation in the form of energy. This energy is one with Shiva like two sides of the same coin. It is His creative power and it is Shakti, Bhavagati, Jagadamba and many other such names. This energy is also known as the Divine Mother of the Universe who give birth to all beings. The “Female” Principle, which emanates from the Shiva Principle, becomes the multifarious differentiated universe even as white light reflected in a prism becomes separated into different colors. The universe, therefore, is in essence, one with the absolute reality; and yet, in appearance, is other than Absolute Reality. The phenomenal world is often thought of by the Hindu mind as a cosmic illusion, “maya,” or the Divine Leela or Game of the Absolute. The human being is born into this “illusion” and must find his or her way back to the undifferentiated light of the Absolute.

In practice, spiritual seekers or Sadhaks, are usually those who have, to some extent, awakened to the fact that the 'world,' with its suffering and confusion, is not their true home. They now start to struggle like a hooked fish. Partially awakened, they still have no means or understanding with which to extricate themselves from their predicament. They swim helplessly between the pairs of opposites: good and bad; light and darkness; unity and diversity, desperately looking for illumination. They are, at this point, acutely vulnerable to any false teacher or teaching that may try to snare them. They can only cry out in their heart for help. It is then that, if they are sincere, the universe will often respond by providing a meeting with a spiritual teacher or teaching. “When the disciple is ready, the guru appears” goes the saying.

“Gu” means darkness and “ru” means light. Guru means that principle that leads a seeker from darkness to light. Guru may come in any form but generally as an embodied human being no different from the disciple. Throughout the ages there have been such beings: Jesus, Buddha, Shankharacharya. They have all left behind teachings, either written by themselves or by their followers. These teachings are the result of direct revelation and by reading them and obeying their injunctions, the seeker can find suggestions as to how to return to his or her true home. One can also find oneself precipitate a new kind of bondage; a maze of do's and dont's commonly known throughout history as a religion. What should be setting the seeker free can only too easily precipitate him or her into a different kind of bondage. The wake of persecution, violence and wars left in the aftermath of the world religions is known to us all. The thorn of teachings used to extricate the thorn of spiritual ignorance sometimes gets stuck in a person's flesh leaving him or her twice the discomfort and pain he or she had before. Therefore, there is an important emphasis placed on a self-realized teacher who can ensure that this does not happen.

Swami Prakashananda was not a self-appointed teacher. He never gave lectures or wrote any books. Nevertheless, because of his spiritual attainment, his words were imbued with the power and grace of the guru principle, the indwelling principle and presence which, being of God, guides a human being back to himself or herself. Prakashananda never pointed to himself but always to the guru principle within the seeker. He never looked for disciples, nor did he encourage any kind of organization to spring up around him. On the contrary, he encouraged seekers not to depend on structured organizations or even on the form of one particular teacher, but rather to recognize the guru within. This he did by his teaching in the form of direct instruction often in the form of parables, his example, and most of all, by the inspiration of his own being, by his love.

Swamiji delighted in being “agaram bagaram," an indefinable word meaning a mixture of hodgepodge-ness, rustic humor, simplicity and ironic self-deprecation. On many occasions, identifying himself with being agaram bagaram was deliberately used as a reason to remain apart from the politics and bustle of grand schemes, large organizations and power that, on occasions, were thrust in his direction.

This short biography is divided into two parts. Part I is a brief account of Swamiji's life. Part II is a compilation of his teachings and stories.

Unless otherwise stated, the author's commentary appears in italics; all other text is Swamiji's words. The glossary translates unfamiliar words which are usually Sanskrit. These have been retained partly to preserve the original flavour of Babaji's words and partly because they often have no direct English translation. The first time a Sanskrit word appears, it will be italicized. 'Swamiji' and ‘Babaji' both usually refer to Baba Prakashananda. The biographical details in Part I are mostly pieced together from Swamiji's reminiscences over a period of time and hopefully most of the main events of his life have been included.

The reader's indulgence is humbly requested for any glaring gaps, omissions, or errors. As in the famous story of the blind man describing the elephant in which the blind man perceives only a fraction of the totality, this biography claims to be no more than one blind man's perception of the mystery of the Absolute reflected in a great man (mahatma).

Finally, salutations to the guru principle, which is the inspiration for this book and which manifests through the saints. Salutations to Prakashananda!

Titus Foster (Harihar)