Swami Sri Yukteswar (1855-1936 C.E.), author of “The Holy Science” was one of the noble saints of India and a great yogi. He was the guru of the famous Paramahansa Yogananda who was the first yoga master to make America his permanent residence. Born Priya Nath Karar, Swami Sri Yukteswar came to be known as such upon being initiated into Kriya yoga as a monk by his guru, Lahiri Mahasaya.
Early life
Priya Nath Karar was born in Serampore (Suburb of Calcutta), West Bengal state, India to a family that was God-conscious. The intelligent boy grew up with interests in various subjects including medicine, astronomy and astrology. He had mastered various languages and was always in quest of learning more.
A bright student, he passed the entrance exams and enrolled in Srirampur Christian Missionary College, where he developed an interest in the Bible. This interest would later express itself in his book, “The Holy Science”, which discusses the unity behind the scientific principles underlying Yoga and the Bible. He also attended Calcutta Medical College (then affiliated with the University of Calcutta) for almost two years.
After leaving college, Priya Nath married and had a daughter. His wife died a few years after their marriage. He was a vegetarian.
Spiritual life
Priya Nath Karar was initiated by Lahiri Mahasaya into the monastic order and was thence known as Swami Sri Yukteswar. It was during the meeting of Yukteswar with Mahavatar Babaji, the guru of Lahiri, that he was asked to write a book explaining the similarity that exists in the scriptures of Hinduism and Christianity.
His book “The Holy Science”, which is originally titled “Kaivalya Darsanam” in 1894, shed light on the similarities between the scriptures of the Bhagavad Gita and The Bible.
The purpose of the writing was to emphasize that all faiths are one in essence.
Swami Sri Yukteswar was the founder of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, also known as the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in the West, which aimed at creating awareness among people and helping society to be harmonious. He formed several SRF centers in India and his disciple Yogananda, followed his footsteps to set up the first SRF of its kind in the United States.
Yukteswar was bestowed the title Gyanavatar, meaning “divine incarnation of wisdom” by Yogananda who spread the essence of kriya yoga in the West.
Kriya Yoga
Kriya yoga refers to the yoga system revived by Mahavatar Babaji aiming at spiritual progress through advanced techniques.
The “science” of Kriya Yoga is the foundation of Yogananda’s teachings. An ancient spiritual practice, Kriya Yoga is “union (yoga) with the Infinite through a certain action or rite (kriya). The Sanskrit root of kriya is kri, to do, to act and react.” Kriya Yoga was passed down through Yogananda’s spiritual lineage: Mahavatar Babaji taught the Kriya technique to Lahiri Mahasaya, who taught it to his disciple, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, Yogananda’s Guru.
Yogananda gave a general description of Kriya Yoga in his Autobiography:
“The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve, upward and downward, around the six spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses) which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man. One-half-minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his evolution; that half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment”.
Sri Yukteswar Regarding the Role of the Guru
Look, there is no point in blindly believing that after I touch you, you will be saved, or that a chariot from heaven will be waiting for you. Because of the guru’s attainment, the sanctifying touch becomes a helper in the blossoming of Knowledge, and being respectful towards having acquired this blessing, you must yourself become a sage, and proceed on the path to elevate your Soul by applying the techniques of sadhana given by the guru.
