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RELEVANCE OF SPIRITUAL BASED YOGANANDA’S SYSTEM

OF EDUCATION

Yogananda and his teachings are today assuming new

dimensions of meaning and relevance. The dynamic nature of

Yogananda’s teaching and practices is leading the whole thing to a

new level of acceptance by the world community. Yogananda’s

teaching is an attempt in theory work and research into the holistic

appeal Yogananda has made to the world in the renewal of the human

spirit. It amounts, again, to a search for the solutions that have

become characteristics to the present age of science and technology in

an attempt to discover the system of values that are detrimentally

forgotten.

The relevance of life and work of a thinker is determined from

the impact he creates on the outlook of his countrymen as well as

world wide. Yogananda influenced not only his contemporaries during

his lifetime but, he continues to influence us even today. He came at

the time when not only India but whole world was facing spiritual,

social and political challenges for reawakening. He knew India from

the depth of his feeling and he realized the fundamental spirit of

Indian culture which is famous for simplicity of life and loftiness of

high thinking. Yogananda presented a philosophy which is perfectly

based on Eastern philosophy, unadulterated and spiritual in its whole

perspective.

Modern world culture in general and education in particular are

experiencing problems of a first order magnitude. The cultural

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problems are broad in nature, pervasive, well-known, and little

understood. These problems must logically and necessarily be viewed

as signal elements of the failures and shortcomings of dominate

educational system. This problem can be respond by Yogananda’s

philosophy which is based on Indian philosophy. The immanent

import of Indian philosophy has been recognized by both East and

West. Dasgupta sheds immediate light on its potential relevance to

contemporary issues and problems:

“Most of the problem that are still debated in modern

philosophical thought occurred in more or less divergent forms to the

philosophers of India. Their discussions, difficulties and solutions

when properly grasped in connection with the problems of our own

times may throw light on the course of the process of the future

reconstruction of modern thought. The discovery of the important

features of Indian philosophical thought, and a due appreciation of

their full significance, may turn out to be as important to modern

philosophy as the discovery of Sanskrit has been to the investigation

of modern philosophical researchers.” (1932, p. 8)

Yogananda’s teachings offers considerable applicable to

strengthens, organize and develop the potentials for good present in

individual and society and thus defeat evil at all levels. This aim of the

present all activities of Yogananda to fight the force of evil at all levels

and nurture good sown in the sands and hearts of people. Yogananda

has a message for every one, belonging to all walks of life and this

message should receive the full blossoming for the right

understanding relative to the present day needs.

Idealism as a school of philosophical thinking can be traced

back to as early as Plato whose classical thinking in absolute idealism

is still considered the remote foundations of the idealist school. The

very term ‘idealism’ goes back to Plato who proposed a world of

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absolute ideas as the basis of his philosophical trends. This very

absolutism that Plato once held has up to this day remained one of

the most fundamental doctrines of the idealist school: “The conception

of absolute or intrinsic values forms a fundamental principle of the

idealist school.” (Bhatia B.D., Philosophy, p. 83) Idealism leans heavily

on the spiritual nature of the universe and holds that the mental or

the spiritual is more real than the material. The material universe for

them is only the reflection of the spiritual substantiality behind

everything. Yogananda’s philosophy is a philosophy of idealism and

pragmatism based on Vedic philosophy. Professor Keshav Sharma

calls it Pragmato-Idealistic Philosophy. The essential significance of

this fact lies in the understanding that “idealism” is herein taken to

mean that there is but one reality which is spiritual in its nature and

all things are explainable as existing in and through it.

Yogananda’s avowed mission was not formally to explicate Vedic

philosophy in any scholarly sense, it was to present the necessary and

sufficient knowledge and practices essential to enable an individual to

achieve Self-Realization. As he once stated: “I came not to preach a

doctrine, I came to teach a living truth.” And because of materialism

in education, this truth has been finishing and not perpetuating

peace, understanding, compassion, forgiveness and love between all

and within each. So there is need of a guiding Eastern philosophy. As

Western philosophy for some time now has been in an apparent state

of deterioration. This is avowed not only by scientist, professionals

and layman but by philosophers themselves. One reason for this

decline is the charge that Western philosophy has become impotent

and as a result has failed to issue in any theories about the nature of

reality. Philosophy is a modest inquiry into the meanings of words and

the implications of sentences, and cannot determine truth and

falsehood. This view of philosophy as impotent, as no more significant

as the butterfly collecting has complex causes in the despair of

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twentieth century intellectuals. It has given its most characteristics

expression in the thought of Wittgenstein, who said, for example,

‘Philosophy leaves everything as it is.” So Western philosophy will not

be served the needs of modern society.

In the global context, our psychologically rooted problems are at

or exceeding epidemic proportions. As Capra notes: “Industrialized

countries are plagued by the chronic and degenerate diseases

appropriately called “diseases of civilization,” the principal killers

being heart diseases, cancer and strokes. On the psychologically

sides, severe depression, schizophrenia and other psychiatric

disorders appear to spring from a…..deterioration of our social

environment. There are numerous signs of our social disintegration,

including a rise in a violent crimes, accidents, and suicides; increased

alcoholism and drug abuse; and growing numbers of children wit

learning disabilities and behaviour disorders. The rise in violent

crimes and suicides by young people is so dramatic that it has been

called an epidemic of violent deaths. At the same time, the loss of

young lives from accidents, especially motor accidents are twenty

times higher than the death rate from polio when it was at its worst.

According to health economist Victor Fuchs, “epidemic” is almost so

weak a word to describe this situation. (1982, pp. 23-24)

Problems are not new to man’s existence; they are endemic to it.

But what are of paramount consideration at this time in world history

are the magnitude, pervasiveness, and multifariousness of the

problems. In the past, Western culture has typically relied with

confidence on its specialist experts to render solutions to its major

problems. Circumstances have changed and now experts are often

unable to effectively solve the problem as they once did. Copra writes:

It is a striking sign of our time the people who are supposed to

be experts in various fields can no longer deal with the urgent

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problems that have arisen in their areas of expertise. Economists are

unable to understand inflation, oncologists are totally confused about

the causes of cancer, and psychiatrists are mystified about the causes

of cancer, psychiatrists are mystified by schizophrenia, police are

helpless in the force of rising crime, and the list foes on……. In 1979

the Washington Post ran a story under the heading “The Cupboard of

Ideas is Bare,” in which prominent thinkers admitted they were

unable to solve the nation’s most urgent policy problems. According to

the Post, “talks with noted intellectual in Cambridge, Mass..;and New

York, in fact, not only confirm that the mainstream of ideas it has

split into dozens of rivulets, but that in some areas it has dried up

altogether.” One of the academics interviewed was Irving Kristol,

Henry R. Luce professor of urban values at New York University, who

was resigning his chair because “I don’t have anything to say

anymore. I don’t think anybody does. When a problem was too

difficult, you lose interest.” (1982, p. 25)

The principal observation to be made here is that we are all in

significant trouble and there is only Yogananda’s philosophy which is

available to answer mounting dilemma because Western philosophy

considers that man is formulated on a physicist’s foundation but man

is also mental and spiritual being. By considering the three aspect of

man, scientifically the true nature of man can be seen. This was

considered for basically two reasons. First, Vedic philosophy is

considered by many scholars to be of the higher caliber ever set to

word by man. For example, Schlegel said of it: “Even the loftiest

philosophy of the Europeans, the idealism of reason as set forth by

the Greek idealism—like a feeble Promethean spark against the full

blood of sunlight.” (cited in Yogananda, 1985, p. 86). And its relevancy

for addressing the contemporary problems of mankind was asserted

five decades ago by the great Vedic scholar still debated in mlyntodern

philosophical thought occurred in more or less divergent forms to the

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philosophers of India. Their discussions, difficulties and solutions

properly grasped in connection with the problems of our times may

throw light on the course of the process of the future reconstruction of

modern thought.” (1932, p. viii).

Considering the two statements of Schlegel and Dasgupta, the

enormous potential to be realized in bring Yogananda’s philosophy

(based on Vedic philosophy) to bear the problems of contemporary

man stands as self-evident.

Vedic philosophers have always maintained that mere

knowledge about philosophy is patently insufficient for mastery of it.

Knowledge is seen as but one necessary precondition to right action.

And there are not only other preconditions to right action, there are

necessarily many “right actions” which can be initiated and

maintained through out one’s life to realize the results prescribed by

the great philosopher Yogananda.

Today is scientific and technical world. So to eradicate the

present problems, there is need of scientific method-based creed less

religion. The scientific psychological method he brought to America is

properly referred to as “Kriya Yoga”. Yogananda personally affirms it

to be both a “process” and a “true scientific theory” (1982, p. 61)

Yogananda’s philosophy is more needed in modern world as

man is finding his happiness in material things but at last goes on the

path of depression, frustration and suicide. He told true happiness is

not to be realized by material success or by any other external factor.

Happiness is viewed solely as a consequent of the state of one’s “inner

environment.” To achieve this happiness tell the method of happiness.

The main aim of life is to know about the “self,” which man

forget. Yogananda’s teachings tell soul=self. It will later be seen to be

an individualized manifestation of God, thus the true nature of every

human being is said to be inherently God like. True, it may be difficult

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to discern this from mortal behaviours at times, or, considered in

other way around, we may derive a very non traditional concept of

God if we are to infer the same from human behaviour. The problem of

course is that mortal behaviours are typically ego-based expressions

and the ego is but the soul functioning in a state of “I-ness”

occasioned by the compelling influence of Maya or delusion—the

cosmic principle of duality and diversity. Resultant position affirmed

in Yogananda’s message is that his teachings are universal because

they are concerned with Self (Soul) realization and every being is

deemed a soul. All humans learn in essentially the same manner and

encounter (at one time or another) basically similar learning

opportunities and experiences and eventually, in part through them,

come to the same intuitive insight as to the possibilities regarding

their intrinsic nature. At such a point in their life they may then begin

to consciously set about to realize their true nature by progressively

living their lives in accordance with universal cosmic laws and by

holding to right thought and action.

How peace can be established in the troubled world of modern

times through the vision of Yogic Unity is amply demonstrated by

Yogananda in his Autobiography of a Yogi. The dreams of the earliest

Renaissance reformers like Rammohan Roy, Sitaram Tattwabhushan

and Keshubchandra Sen for clarifying the essence of Hindu Dharma,

for bringing about the rapprochement between Christianity and

Hinduism and for building a bridge between East and West found

their final fulfillment in Yogananda’s unique vision of Yogic Unity. It is

reported (Self-Realization, Fall, 95: 35-36) that Robert Mullar, who

was associated with the United Nations for over forty years, observed

that every Secretary-General of U.N.O., either was or became a “deeply

spiritual being”; that Dag Hammarskjold and U Thant both stressed

the need for meditation and spiritualizing daily life at the individual

level for durable peace at the global level and that U That, among

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other things, “established the meditation room at the U.N.” (36). In

this light, Yogananda’s insistence on man’s realizing Unity gains

greater meaning. Only self realized man knows the real meaning of the

injunction “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and he will go to any length,

if necessary lay down his life, like a Christ, or a Gandhi in preventing

war and conflicts, and in promoting harmony.

Yogananda’s studies offer considerable scope for us “to prove

that Yogananda’s entire teaching was to strengthen, organize and

develop the potentials of human being. This is all done by cultivating

spiritual habits.

Religious philosophy forms part of Yogananda’s teachings. More

than anything else Yogananda’s life and thoughts reveal an integral

religious system. Yogananda never spared an occasion to show that

his ultimate goals were primarily religious: “With the growing

realization that life is a series of changes, we also become aware that

we have to go either backward or forward as we adapt ourselves to

each new change. It is impossible to remain stationary. A man

immersed in the ocean has to keep roving; otherwise, he will drown in

the ocean of life also necessitates constant change on our part.” (L.

36, p. 2) religion predominate all his movements, all principles and

values of life.

Yogananda’s aim is not to develop a professed school or tenet of

philosophy. He was responding, in his own characteristic manner, to

the education needs of his time as well modern period. Yogananda’s

attempt was not merely to discover or propose passing and temporary

solutions to problems of education; instead he crossed the limits of

tradition thinking and to lead education to permanent and lasting

values and principles through his idealistic thoughts. As an idealist

Yogananda’s depth of vision in education and in life takes him to

ultimate values. No educationist in history dealing with practical

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problems of gigantic dimensions could so daring fix his feet so well in

God and spiritual values permeate the entire scheme of education

with these values. He was not least embarrassed to defend his moral

and spiritual foundations in a more materialistic world of twentieth

century which wanted education nothing to do with the world of

religion and spirituality. For Yogananda the values remained to the

ultimate goals of education are absolute and unchanging. Man is

expected to understand, accept and live these values to the best of his

ability. Man’s conscience is to be shaped accordingly, and not to

shape the values to the satisfaction of the individual’s relative

conscience. Yogananda wanted education to develop this spiritual

assurance by shaping the individual’s conscience in the practice of the

values related to the ultimate goals of life and education.

Yogananda belongs as much to India as to the world at large.

The best message that he left for the world is his message of Vedanta.

Vedanta had always been known, but not in the form of Yogananda

preached it. Man is divine. Religions of the world are only different

expressions of the same Truth which is oneness.

Man judges his condition as desirable or undesirable by the

degree of happiness therein, or by lack of it. Accordingly there are five

mental states: happiness, sorrow, indifference, peace and true joy.

Yogananda tells about joy to modern world as man is finding joy only

in materialistic things. He said, “The kingdom of God is not in the

clouds, in some designated point of space; it is right behind the

darkness that you perceive with closed eyes. God is consciousness;

God is absolute Existence; God is ever new Joy. This Joy is

omnipresent. Feel your oneness with that Joy. It resides within you,

and it encompasses infinity.” (Journey to Self-Realization, p. 1)

He further said, “What needs in order to live a successful and

satisfying life is evenness of mind. That can be attained only by

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concentrating, mastery of the mental faculties.” (Journey to Self-

Realization, p. 7).

Today’s world is full of diseases, mental harmonies, and all

kinds of misery. These are because of disobedience. By misuse of free

will, human beings choose to misbehave; and their actions, being

contrary to divine law, later react upon the nervous system and the

consciousness, creating in harmonies in body and mind. He tells to

keep will strong- calm will then we full of energy. Greater the will, the

greater the flow of energy. He shows the path of spirituality and said

the true feeling of security and equality is feasible only in the realm of

spiritual collaboration and hence the undeniable successes of seers

like Yogananda. He showed a new way in spiritual ‘sadhana’ by

making the voyage into the unchartered sea of the Spirit coeval with

active engagement in the manifold activities of the external world. His

perception of the phenomenal world as a projection of the Divine will,

which thirst for merger again with the divine, made it easy for him to

accept ‘evolution’ as an ingrained impulse embedded in the human

psyche. The true goal of evolution, according to Yogananda, is the full

realization of latent divine potential

Conflicts in inter-personal and social relations are the results,

generally, of mutually opposing interests and personal greed. The

strongest urge in the modern man is for self-knowledge and self-

fulfillment. The failure to understand the complex layers in the self

and the springs of thoughts and action creates discord and in

harmony. Then man runs to the psychologists. In many resects,

psychology is found to be replacing the person or priest. However,

psychology has always found a prominent place in Indian spirituality,

particularly yoga. Psycho-analysts like Carl Jung recognized the

immense potential of yoga-meditation as a therapeutic tool. With its

positive and holistic approach the yogic way of life, as taught

Yogananda seems to lead one to self-integration and self-realization.

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Yoga being the science of soul and an actual diving into the deeper

levels of consciousness, many problems which defy the psychoanalyst

or the marriage counselor can be easily sorted out by an adept yogi.

By stressing that the ultimate goal of all the endeavours of man is the

avoidance of pain and want, and the attainment of bliss and by

showing how both these ends can be achieved through yoga,

Yogananda stressed the psychological and practical aspects of

religion. The study of the Science of Religion, Man’s Eternal Quest and

the Divine Romance, with particular reference to the realized Master’s

perception of spirituality, has not only revealed the ontological bases

of creation but also showed how the attainment of the spirituality,

helps one in rejuvenating the physical body, removing in harmonies

from the mind, and releasing the soul from its bondage to materiality

(‘avidya’).

It is found that Yogananda’s educational philosophy

successfully demolished the sectarian walls that divide religion from

religion, and nation from nation. By conceptualizing ‘Christ

Consciousness’ (or Kutustha Chaitanya) as God’s guiding Intelligence

in the entire creation and showing that Jesus and Krishna both

shared this consciousness in abundance, Yogananda proved that they

were ‘Avatars of the one Truth’. He asserted that all sincere seekers

can attain this Christ consciousness and become Sons of God.

The conflicting claims of the gender-superiority or race-

superiority, which is at the back of so much ill-will and war in this

century, is in reality illusory and insubstantial. The educational

philosophy harmonizes these conflicts. It gives equal importance to

man and woman, stressing that ‘soul’ in its pure state is a sexual, and

in his deep-sleep state, man forgets to which sex or race) he belongs.

Yogananda introduced the concept of God as Mother and urged people

to call on the divine Mother when they are in need of love and

forgiveness, and to approach God as Father when they want wisdom

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and guidance. The differences between father and mother (in a family)

also sink; they are found to be mutually complementary, playing their

respective roles in perpetuating the human race (Autobiography of a

Yogi, 149). His Guru Sriyukteswar mixed freely with men and women

disciples, treating all as his children. He never avoided or blamed

women as the cause of “man’s downfall”. Yogananda once asked his

guru why a great ancient saint had called women “the door to hell.”

He replied, “A girl must have proved very troublesome to his peace of

mind in his early life. Otherwise he would have denounced, not

woman, but some imperfection in his self-control.” (Autobiography, p.

125)

The age-old conflicts among people about the superiority or

inferiority of the personal and impersonal god (of image-worship and

no-image worship); and of the paths of Jnana, Bhakti and Karma

dissolve in the incandescent wisdom and joyous realization of self. In

Yogananda’s works, particularly Autobiography, all these paths- the

way of knowledge, the way of devotion and the way of action are

presented as coalescing to produce a loving way to the Divine through

meditation, devotion and right activity. Balance is the keynote in the

Kriya-way of life. With the harmonizing of reason and emotion, there

will be no more ‘dissociation of sensibility’ either in life or literature.

The self-integrated man finds fulfillment in whatever conditions he

finds himself.

Further, Yogananda’s educational philosophy lays the

foundation for the best possible social and international order. With

its emphasis on ‘yama-niyama’ (‘yama’- - Non-injury, truthfulness,

non-stealing, continence and non-covetousness; ‘niyam’- -purity,

contentment, realizing his own essential oneness with every living

creature, man behaves in an orderly way. His actions are filled with

charity and forgiveness rather than vengeance and covetousness. The

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principle of ‘Shinas’, as demonstrated by Gandhi, becomes a way of

life and a method of resolving conflicts.

Though separated by the ‘barrier of incommunicability’, man is

a link is an evolutionary chain of life. He can never sever his

connection with all that is around him. On the other hand, by

fulfilling his duties and obligations to his fellow-creatures he will be

nearing the realization of his duties and obligations to his fellow-

creatures he will be nearing the realization of his unity with all. Thus

his educational philosophy opens man’s eyes to his role, his integral

part, in the cosmic drama of God, and obliges him to play it well. Yoga

does not offer an escape from life; it offers an escape into a larger life.

Yogananda’s philosophy removes the apparent conflict between

science and religion. Many religions have failed to integrate science

and thus lost their appeal for the ratiocinative modern man. But

Hinduism always recognized the role of reason in spiritual inquiry.

The Upanishads, in fact, are discourses based mainly on reason and

illustration, not blind faith. ‘Yoga’ is one of the six ‘Shastra’s’ (or

science). In Yogananda’s works, particularly in Autobiography, one

comes to the modern mind, but because the yoga finds science an

integral part of man’s internal make-up. In man’s search for a larger

life, a more-satisfying order of existence, man naturally explores all

avenues, employs all tools and tries to reach his goal of endless bliss.

Yogananda utilizes the knowledge of botany, biology, physiology,

medicine and physics in the enfoldment of self. He makes an effective

use of the Einstein theory of Relativity to explain the ‘law of miracles’,

how with the increase of velocity, mass becomes infinite and how

adept yogis materialize and dematerialize themselves.

Thus, Yogananda’s influence on the twentieth first century mind

is considerable. With his mighty educational philosophy, Yogananda

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has tried to give a new decisive turn to man’s thinking about life and

God.

Broadly speaking, leading man from unhappiness and suffering

to a “state of equanimity” is the aim and purpose of Yogananda’s

educational philosophy. The words cited recall to ones mind

Yogananda’s definition of religion as the attempt to avoid pain and

want, and to attain bliss. At least thirteen talks in Man’s Eternal

Quest and six talks in The Divine Romance deal specifically with

healing or overcoming negative aspects, although all the talks in both

the books have something or other for the modern man to grasp and

assimilate for a better quality life. The specialty of Yogananda is the

‘positive’ approach to life and its problems. He believes in emphasizing

the cultivation of the desirable qualities instead of dissecting the

undesirable ones.

Yogananda is rediscovered today in his intense devotion to

world peace and political and religious tolerance based on the

brotherhood of man. As K.M. Rae said,

“While many leaders were busy in their attempts to strengthen

and free motherland, some spiritual giants considered it their duty to

go abroad to distribute the wealth of Vedas among all nations.

Pioneers among them were Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tithe

and Paramhansa Yogananda……..Firstly, it was the year in which

Swami Vivekananda delivered his message of Pedantic unity, and

brotherhood at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago.

Secondly, it was the year in which Sri Eurobond returned from

England to his motherland to spearhead political and spiritual

revolutions. Finally, it was the year in which Paramhansa Yogananda

was born, who was destined to bring East and West closer in lasting

bonds of divine love and spiritual unity, by revealing the common and

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true foundation of all true religions of the world, which is the science

of yoga.

Discipline is perhaps the most pressing and perplexing problem

that confronts a modern school. It is not concerned with one single

aspect but with the various administrative phases of school.

Punishment is used as important disciplinary device in our

educational institutions. To enforce rules in school, we have to

introduce punishment of some kind or other. But Yogananda implies

a concept of self-discipline to develop good human relation which are

cultivating by living together rather than by punishment. Sir T.P.

Nunn remarked, “The conviction that punishment and the fear of

punishment are the natural foundation of school government, is

gradually being recognized as merely a barbarous superstition.”

Educationist like Rousseau, Bertrand Russell and Burke also

protested against the well established system of reward and

punishment. Yogananda held, “When the child grows older it is

surrounded by the guiding will of the parents and relatives. Everyone

wants something different from him. The child has a great many

struggles with these conflicting pressures. This is a miserable life, so it

is good to give your children a freedom; however, may latter lament, “I

wish I had been told long ago not to do this; then I would not be what

am I today.” Think of all the struggles, physiological and mental, one

has to go through until he becomes more active and the youth has a

great inner battle with himself. The struggle with the senses is a

tremendous contest. To conquer in this adventure of youth, to go

victoriously through this thrill of living, is a great experience.” (Man’s

Eternal Quest, p. 66)

In modern world, more importance is given to democracy and in

democratic world, one must know to pay respect to authority and

rights of others. As Bernard Shaw said that there is the end of one’s

freedom where others nose start. Yogananda said, “Today there is s

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much defiance in children. It is because they have never been taught

that a part of life is learning to respect authority and rights of others.”

To teach “how to behave”, Yogananda started ‘How to live school.’

He taught the lesson of love and peace to the world. He said, “if

you love the Father of all, and if he has the slightest thought of

revenge toward anyone or desire to punish anyone, he falls a million

miles away from God. One who loves God dares not entertain

thoughts of doing injury to anyone. It would be wrong, of course, to

support any one blindly. But nonsupport of the wrongdoing in others

does not mean that anyone should vengefully hurt others.” A

philosopher once said, “The best sort of revenge is not like him who

did injury.” Yogananda further said, “We should have respect for

others’ opinions as we wish others to respect our opinions; there is no

room for ugliness. We should lovingly disagree as well as lovingly

agree.”

Yogananda provides a practical education system to the world.

He had no faith in bookish and education bound in four walls. As he

described an incident with Luther Burbank, A horticulturist and

saint, in his Autobiography, “Luther, you would delight in my Ranchi

school, with its out door classes, and atmosphere of joy and

simplicity.” “My words touched the chord closest to Burbank’s heart-

child education…………” “Swamiji ,” he said finally, “Schools like

yours are the only hope of a future millennium. I am in revolt against

the educational systems of our time, severed from Nature and stifling

of all individuality. I am with you heart and soul in your practical

ideals of education.” (p. 354)

EVOLVING A NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION

Education in India is as old as history itself. Right from known

and recorded pre-Vedic period upto the present day problems of

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education in India have had a uniqueness of its own because of the

sociological and religious complexity of this subcontinent. We have

always confronted the major problem of arriving at a synthesis of

traditional Indian educational values that were held to the most

precious for centuries, and the modern western educational values

and systems that were introduced to and developed in the country by

the British to produced clerk. The question was always whether or not

to reassert the traditional education values in a ways suitable to take

case of the problems of modern India after independence or further

strengthen the already well-established British system of education in

this country. This much debated question has everything to do with

the New Policy of 1986 introduced by the government of India.

Education in India has had a chequered history. The earliest

known and systematically rewarded educational system in India was

Vedic education. Vedic education that stretched up to early period of

Christian era concentrated on the teaching of sacred Indian scriptures

and of the rudimentary sciences. Care also has taken to train the

pupil in a variety of arts and skills. Medieval education in India was

more Islamic education under the patronage of the Muslim rulers.

Modern India witnessed the rise and fall of the British Empire. The

very foundations of modern Indian education were laid by the British.

India derived great benefits including Western scientific and

technological knowledge. The Vedic spirit of Indian education, all the

same, gave way to more pragmatic progress oriented Western

education imparted through the medium of English. This was a major

breakthrough in Indian education. At the same time it came to be

reorganized more and more that the British system of education in

India during the initial, medial and final phases of the British Empire

aimed at a perpetuation of the British interest in this country. What

was predominately absent was a National Policy that aimed at the

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exclusive benefits and progress of this Nation and at an education

that would solve the concrete problems of this country.

In this context more than ever, Yogananda’s philosophy on

education will assumed a new dimension and gather new momentum.

Yogananda’s ideas on the education and especially with reference to

vocational education are more effectively practiced. His thoughts

penetrate deeper layers of present day education and touch more

intensely the problems of Indian education than is usually conceived

of. It is an area where rediscovery of Yogananda is taking place to

make a knot left by the synthesis of traditional Vedic education

system and western modern education system. This was a major

educational preoccupation of our policy makers after independence. It

became so urgent to recognize and define our resources, establish a

link between two, and give shape a national policy on education

within the framework of the constitution of India. The educational

demands posed by the Constitution are to be realized in concrete and

avoid colossal stagnation and wastage that is currently happening in

our country. Yogananda’s educational thoughts and reforms have

been evoked as an answer to the present crisis of educational values.

In the wake of a New National Policy on education Yogananda’s

thoughts and reforms have gathered a new importance and

significance. The National Policy on Education has several

fundamental characteristics. Shriman Narayan in his words, “Towards

Better Education” says, “Integration and proper coordination between

our developmental and educational plans require our most urgent

attention.” National development schemes should intelligently and

with foresightedness integrate educational plans with a view to

achieving one coordinated policy towards progress. Educational

planning and reconstruction have become the key words of the day.

This has become key to the new policy on education. The highest

resource of a nation for development is human resource. Until and

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unless the potentials of this mighty resource of our country can be

adequately tapped for the betterment of the nation, our developmental

plans are bound to fail. This would in the last resort mean putting the

highest premium on education. As Rajiv Gandhi himself says, “It is

high time that we stop regarding over population as a burden to the

nation, but over population is our strength and a great resource.

Education is the foundation of our human resources development.” It

is fundamental to the New Policy on Education that education is to be

viewed with reference to the great needs and problems of our country

at large. The new term ‘human resource development’ itself shows in

what manner human resources are fundamental to a nation in the

path of advancement. Educational reconstruction to suit and

accommodate our problems and resources in the bridged manner is to

achieve through the kind of educational planning that would integrate

first of all the traditional educational values that were held as dear for

centuries. It is on the basis of the same values that our constitution is

framed. This constitution enunciates the educational rights of citizens

which are most basic to our national life.

Such an educational reconstruction is a fundamental

Yogananda’s notion. Yogananda continually, on every available

occasion, bewailed the contemporary western education system. He

wished by any means to eradicate that system and introduce a policy

on education to uphold eastern values. Yogananda said, “I sincerely

praise the modern school system of America and its constantly

improving method of intellectual and, to a certain extent, physical

training. But I can not fail to point out its main shortcoming: a lack of

spiritual background. The system badly needs to be supplemented

with moral and spiritual training.” Cautioning against the dangers of

knowledge centred education imparted in schools and colleges

Yogananda said, “Education does not consist in pumping ideas and

the contents of books into the brain, but in developing intuition and

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bringing hidden memory of all knowledge- already existing in the soul

– back to the plane of human consciousness.” the conflict is more of

ideological whether or not to reorient education to the creation of mere

intellectuals. Yogananda could never succumb to this idea. Education,

for him, has noble aim of generating human individual perfect in

character. Dr. Radha Kumud Mukherjee says: “The mere intellectual

development without the development of character, learning without

piety, proficiency in the sacred lore without its practices will defeat the

very end of studentship.” Yogananda conceived education as

awakening of true nature of man and developing the art of living. He

said, “Where there is such a school, one that adopts definite measures

for developing the whole nature f man , teaching him the true art of

life and fitting him to go through the various minor tests and

ultimately the final examination of life? Such schools are urgently

needed to teach the arts and science of all round growth. With this in

mind Yogananda proceed a reconstruction of temporary education in

India articulated in all his speeches and writings.

The National Policy of Education within the framework of Indian

Constitution aims at a new synthesis between knowledge and

information centred education and a vocation to solve the acute

unemployment problem the country is facing. Yogananda was

obsessed with an idea of reorienting all education to vocationalization

of one kind or other. Ranchi school focuses on this aspect. The

quintessence, of Yogananda’s education system is vocationalization of

education which is the nerve centre of an education for character

formation. The need for a new departure, a new scheme and for the

synthesis between education and vocation was clear in Yogananda’s

mind. The New Policy on Education is thus a national requirement to

enable teachers, educationists and policy makers to see things in new

perspective and to create a brain storming national consciousness

about present day education.

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The new policy of education shifts attention to rural India in a

way envisaged by the education commissions from time to time. A

policy on education in India that does not cater to the needs of rural

India can never be considered a national policy to suit our needs and

utilize our resources. This shift in focus is exactly what Yogananda

wanted us to take care of this. He started a school for Adivasi

(aborigine) students in Madhukam house (house of Maharaja Nundy) –

on the outskirts of Ranchi.

A national policy is not a static but an evolving thing. The

British failed to schematize education in India to evolve such a

national policy. That was a major drawback and left a wide gap

between our needs and problems and our great resources. No system

of education in India can be thought of as separated from the great

Indian tradition and the great tradition attached to this tradition. Our

duty today is to rediscover, redefine and reintegrate these great values

which are framed by Yogananda. He tells us thousands and one ways

what these value are and how to express these to constitute the goals

of our education. Today’s education aims exclusively at increasing the

prospects of life, creating a craze for material comforts and totally

leaves out the dimensions of character formation to the disaster of the

entire system. Character formation has become the will-of-the-wisp of

present day education because there are no ways of making any

provision for this. Chester Bowles says, “For all his determination not

to live better than that mass of his people, for all his opposition to

what he called the west’s craze for material luxuries, he always added,

but neither do I want poverty, penury, misery and dust in India.”

The primary task of our education at the national level today is

to recognize and train the human potentials from the very grass root

level. The National Policy that is being evolved and formulated has

great potential to receive the basic guidelines from the store of

Yogananda thoughts and values. Our priorities and national objectives

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are to be examined and formulated. If the priorities are not agreed

upon, a national policy is bound to end in confusion and disaster. The

depth of the Yogananda vision came from his experiment with life and

dedication to truth, love and God.

CONCLUSION

“The ideal of love for God and service to humanity found full

expression in the life of Paramhansa Yogananda ……… Though the

major part of his life was spent outside India, still he takes the place

among our great saints. His work continues to grow and shine ever

more brightly, drawing people everywhere on the path of the

pilgrimage of spirit.”

In these words, the Government of India paid tribute to the

founder of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India/SRF, upon issuing a

commemorative stamp in his honour on March 7, 1977, the twentieth

fifth anniversary of his passing.

From the analysis in the preceding chapters, it can be

concluded that education must necessarily be viewed as the primary

agency responsible for the salutary status of the culture of which it is

a part, and an exploration of a contemporary philosophical

development which is clearly within the orthodox Hindu philosophical

tradition, to Western as well as Eastern Educational and consequent

social problems.

Paramhansa Yogananda was not one to point out the

shortcomings of a nation, group, institution or individual without

offering a straight forward and practical solution. A world teacher

whose presence among us illuminated the path for countless souls,

Yogananda lived and taught the highest truth of life.

Educators of today serve a vital role in shaping the leaders of

tomorrow and ‘with the leaders of tomorrow tests,’ as Aristotle

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proclaimed, ‘the fate of empires.’ It makes little difference whether one

is formal educator, administrator, philosopher, or psychologist for all

share the responsibility for the present state of education, Perhaps it

would serve us well if from to time we reflect on whether or not our

efforts and visions are at parity with the true necessary and sufficient

requirement attendant to the educational tasks at hand and those,

which stand before us.

It is remarkable that the twentieth century which has witnessed

two world wars and produced ‘the lost generation’, the brooding

‘Existentialist’, and the ‘Hippies’, has also produced spiritual saints

like Sivananda, Aurbindo and Yogananda. They paved the way for

‘One World’ at the spiritual level and from there to the material level.

The harmonious world-order to be achieved through the vision of

spirituality is more durable because the Vision itself is fundamental

and all embracing. Yogananda’s life and work are a part of a great

tradition. Following in the footsteps of the leaders of the Indian

Renaissance like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Sitaram Tattwabhushan and

Swami Ram Tirth and Swami Vivekananda, Yogananda preserved his

life and work to the best of Indian heritage through reinterpretation,

and he achieved a rare synthesis of east and West, by stressing the

universality of yoga, with the proper mixture of meditation and

activity. He also brought Hinduism and Christianity together by his

interpretation of the Hindu scriptures and the Bible in the light of his

realized spirituality.

It is also seen that Yogananda’s life and work form a part of

another great tradition, the Himalayan Tradition or the ‘Rishi

Parampara’. The God like self realized masters, who make the

Himalayas their physical abode, guard and guide humanity through

various means (such as Mantra initiation, prayers, healings, spiritual

discourses and teaching yoga). Yogananda is a link in this chain. His

lot has been to be in the centre-stage, in the full glare of publicity for

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thirty two years and to show by precept and example how the

acquisition of yoga can remedy many of the ills that beset mankind.

The Yoga dates back to the Vedas and the Upnishads, and a line of

self-realized masters had kept it alive throughout the centuries.

Rising above theological discussions and hair-splitting exegesis

of complex metaphysical concept, Yogananda embodied what his

name signified—‘Yoga Ananda’, bliss through yoga. Recognition of the

soul’s essential oneness with the God, the transcendent Spirit, is the

pivotal principle of Yogananda’s educational philosophy. The thrust of

action oriented philosophy can be said to be the cultivation of a

positive, holistic attitude to life and the shunning of negative

emotions. Spanning the illusory body-soul divide through seeing both

as manifestations of the same Cosmic Energy is yet another distinctive

feature of Yogananda’s path of Self-Realization. All imperfections,

physical, mental or psychological, are maladjustments wrought by

one’s falling out of step with Harmony in the Cosmos, guidance in the

Yogananda- path is offered to hone the system and bring it back on to

the right track.

Yogananda’s educational philosophy gives emphasis on

adjustment and adaptation to live an ideal life. He shows it by feeling

perfectly at ease in America, a country with social and cultural milieu

totally different from that of India, is a measure, not so much of his

power of adjustment and adaptation as of his ability to create the

ideational climate best suited to the propagation of his path. He can

be said to have started the Meditation Ethic fast gaining ground all

over the world.

Yogananda is a great artist with words. He knows how to get

across his message to the audience or readers. All his works reflect

his compelling charisma. He has been a pioneer not only in spreading

yoga in the west but in spiritual literature too. In particular, his

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cosmic chants have inspired many other saints to follow suit. The

Himalayan Institute’s chants from Eternity (1977) and Sant

Kesavadasji’s cosmic Hymns and prayers are examples.

Yogananda said that man should avoid evil and behave well not

because of any moralistic compulsions or scriptural injunctions but

solely guided by existential considerations. The principle of nature

should impel man to think positive thoughts and live harmoniously

within himself, with others and with nature. Otherwise he will punish

himself with wars, floods and earthquakes. He explains:

When materiality predominates in man’s consciousness there is

an emission of subtle negative rays, their cumulative power disturbs the

electrical balance of nature, and that is when earthquake, floods, and

other disasters happen. (Man’s Eternal Quest, 308)

Yogananda describes yoga as the science of self-realization, the

step by step method of uniting the soul with spirit. Nine talks in Man’s

Eternal Quest and The Divine Romance deals with the scope, method

and various aspects of yoga, with particular emphasis on ‘Kriya Yoga’,

the technique of channeling energy through the spine, Yogananda’s

Kriya Yoga is a comprehensive way of life. It includes all the different

yogic methods mentioned in the Gita like the method of ‘Bhakti’

(Devotion), the method of ‘Janana’ (Wisdom), the method of ‘Karma’

(Action), and the method of ‘Dhyana’ (Meditation). Yogananda says:

Yoga is that science by which the soul gains mastery over the

instruments of body and mind and uses them to attain Self-

Realization- the reawakened consciousness of its transcendent,

immortal nature, one with spirit…….yoga is a complete science,

encompassing the spiritualization of each aspect of man’s three-fold

nature: body, mind and soul (The Divine Romance, 208)

In Man’s Eternal Quest and The Divine Romance, human

behaviour and interpersonal relations and unconsciousness is seen

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not as mysterious and terrify entity, but as the sum of ‘sanskaras’ or

prenatal tendencies, which determine one’s personality and

behaviour in this incarnation. The ‘target of intervention’ is not merely

one aspect like depression, anger, moodiness, fear and worry, but the

whole being. Yogananda’s clinical approach may be described as the

‘core approach’, because he analyses the core of one’s being and

shows how it is a part of God and how by proper adjustment of certain

mental knobs, the malfunctioning can be set right. ‘Fear can not enter

a quiet heart’, (Man’s Eternal Quest, 93) he says. Hence prescription

is to meditate and quieten and strengthen the heart by realizing the

omnipotent, omnipresent unity. For awakening the victor in each

man, Yogananda says: ‘Success or failure is determined in your own

mind (Man’s Eternal Quest, 191)

What has been aimed at in the philosophy of Yogananda as a

whole and a sketch of the prodigious metamorphosis of human mind,

both at the individual and the racial levels. And the whole experience

is undertaken in a lively and entertaining way. The ideas pertaining to

peace and joy through yoga, the practical steps for expanding one’s

consciousness and achieving God, and the peaceful and cooperative

co-existence of all the peoples of the world are effectively conveyed.

The life and teaching of Paramhansa Yogananda are described

in his book, Autobiography of a Yogi, which has become a classic in

its field since its publication in 1946, and is now used as a text and

reference work in many colleges and universities throughout the

world.