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Swami Krishnananda was a philosopher, administrator, author, guide, guru
and realised saint-he was a spiritual genius, one could say. His understanding
of the most profound truths of Vedantic philosophy was extraordinary;
one cannot imagine a person with a greater knowledge of the scriptures.
He could quote whole sections of ancient texts that he had learned by
heart. It seemed that he had read and mastered every sacred text, every
commentary and every scholarly work that he encountered.
He had also grasped the complex philosophy of the West:
Kant, Hegel, Berkeley, Hume, Whitehead, Alexander and so many others.
He wrote his first book, a complex work of the most profound Vedantic
philosophy, when he was a young man of twenty-two-in a mere fourteen days.
No one could stand before him in a philosophical discussion; all had to
at some point acknowledge his superior understanding. However, to dwell
only on his genius would give a false impression. He was at heart a humble
soul, a devoted disciple of his guru Swami Sivananda and a servant of
his guru's mission: the Divine Life Society and the Sivananda Ashram.
He did not want anything for himself.
He did not seek disciples of his own, he did not go
out in search of name and fame, he did not seek to please fickle public
taste or to cater to popular trends. He spoke simply and directly but
very powerfully, with all the authority of his attainment permeating his
words. He stayed almost his entire adult life in one place, the Sivananda
Ashram in Rishikesh, and resisted all efforts to get him to leave the
Ashram or Mother Ganga. Yet, the whole world came to him. Visitors and
devotees from all over India and the world flocked to his morning darshan
where he dealt with Ashram work, solved problems, answered spiritual questions
and gave consolation to the needy. Beneath an exterior that was at times
brusque, even tough, was the heart of a loving father.
The discourses, talks and teachings presented here can
only give a partial glimpse of this spiritual giant. When he spoke, it
was as if the whole universe was speaking through him. His insight and
humility allowed him to present the highest and most complicated teachings
in an accessible manner, so that those who were willing to dig deeply
into the teachings would not come away unrewarded. He saw things that
others cannot, and therefore through his seeing, we who come after him
can also be led through his teachings from the darkness into light. |
