Wednesday 6 February 2013

What is a LIVING PROPHET ?




Who is a Living Prophet?
The living prophet is a Living Christ
Who is Paramahansa Yogananda?
Who is MahAvatar Babaji ?
Who is Lahiri Mahasaya ?

by PYislove 2013
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www.yogananda-srf.org
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First of all - a living prophet is usually NOT someone we see in this  world of relativity who is occupying a physical form like yourself. Those persons whom you imagine to be "living " may like yourself, be spiritually dead. Those who are "true Living Prophets" are not concerned about having physical bodies or living in this material world forever.
When the body's work is done they drop it, and after that we still see them working in and through the lives of serious devotees and truth seekers.
The "Living Prophet" is often seen by His sincere, loyal, devotees.
This "seeing" can be in visions or in physical form. By the time one reaches 

such experiences, ones mental state is far more clear than average and not usually subject to vain imaginings. The mind has long ago been mastered by the devotee.

The Living Prophet is not necessarily someone, who in an institutions religious or political process is elected to some patriarchal high office, or sanctified as a saint. Now there are some cases where such  persons that are elected can be very advanced spiritually, but not always necessarily. This at times only proves that he/she has loyally served the organization and has kept out of trouble.
Certified does not always mean Qualified! Truly great leadership is a precious Gem.

The living prophet may [or may not be] someone who founds a new church or spiritual path. In English we could say that such a person is a small "p" prophet. Such a one may or may not be spiritually reborn- spiritually alive/established in cosmic consciousness or Christ consciousness..

The living prophet is not someone who, by his/her own bold claims, charisma,
or opportunism, has attracted a lot of attention and is in a living bodily form.
It is not the adored icon of millions of blind followers who have succumbed
 to the hooks, lines, and sinkers of a great orator/writer or people mover.

Such followers/devotees have already been programmed to be fed the
on the popular beliefs of a particular culture or system.
Many can always find a great 
following by simply preaching to the converted through a lot of books or public appearances. Telling masses what they want to hear. This can be quite and ego booster. That is why it is better to master the ego via meditation before attempting to "remove the speck from your brothers eye."jc

Beware; There are religious groups that are claiming that their church has the worlds only living prophets who speak not only for their church, but by some vain claim they say they have the authority to give some God's edicts to all mankind. This is a totally false claim!
They are not living prophets by any means - they just like to give themselves vainglorious titles. Beware of those who make claims that are totally unsubstantiated. I assure you that those claims have already been proven to be false!

The true Living Prophet is a Great One who has reached Union with
God/ the Reality of our existence. And is thus qualified to show others
the way out of these cycles of reincarnation, Awakening us from this dream of
the every day unreal world of relativity. Such persons are so very rare!

A real Living Prophet fulfills this scripture: John: 14:12
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the WORKS that I do he will do also; and GREATER WORKS than these he will do, because I go to My Father."And, "John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."[of awareness]
Some scholars like to rationalize that He didn't really mean that literally. I would say to read this literally finds a great deal of support in the rest of scripture. Such as in ;" The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master... Luke 6:40
This is part of the description of a genuine Living Prophet.

Don't rely on the clerical promises of a salvation on the other side, or the theological promise of a maybe resurrection in a realm unknown to us. Work now to resurrect yourself
from a matter bound slave into an unlimited and free soul. Seek that Reality which is God!
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush[future.]"

The true Living Prophet is one who through divine grace and great Personal effort effort over many lifetimes in this world,  has been able to overcome his/her endemic human blind
programming and mastered his consciousness and the natural world. This is one who has reached the pure state of Self-Realization. Such a person lives a pure life of disciplined inner bliss, and has a great deal of healing power and wisdom to share. Working in harmony with the divine plan for this world, such one appears free of the misdirections of ego, and is content with whatever he has. Such a one is a being of light. This great soul is also clearly described in the Bhagavad Gita. 

The true Living Prophet stands out as a man/woman of truth
purity, and balanced wisdom, and does not display ambitions
of the ego and arrogance attempting to become a celebrity.
He - the Living Prophet - is a remarkable example of humanity's
future evolutionary prospects. He is secure in His unity with His
divine nature, and in all dealings in this world he is never desperate.
Because of His/Her mastery of the elements of this world, including
physical, psychological, and spiritual areas of life, the Living Master
can work equally well whether his/her body as we have come to
know it is dead or alive! Check your history.

Many masters such as Jesus the Christ, Paramahansa Yogananda,
 Krishna etc., 
are still clearly working with their devotees in this world.
The rest of us, until we experience the evolutionary state of
Samadhi/Nirvana/Salvation, are as it is written - are spiritually dead.
This is then also the stature of those whose ego seeks followers,
wealth, or celebrity status, without first achieving divine Self-Realization.


If the Guru is in a body it is nice for a while! Will you see Him much?
He/she may be a very busy person. Most devotees rarely
have the opportunity to spend much time with their Gurus.
What if He dies tomorrow? Nothing is guaranteed in all this.
The wisdom writings left behind by a Great Soul are more than
just words on paper, they are spiritually charged spiritualized 
teachings of the divine law and inspiration.

Here one may want to ask - what about Guru Shishya/ Paramapara?
This long held belief of many past teachers is carried on in SRF/YSS
through the successive Self-Realized presidents of the organization.
This in certain ways, when one is advanced enough, takes
care of the need of lineage succession. And thus, the serious devotees
of Jesus and Krishna and Yogananda, Lahiri Mahasaya, continue to receive the
personal help, protection and assurance in their lives from these Living Prophets,
when they maintain the sacred spiritual link directly with the Master's work[SRF org].



The Master’s Living presence – Two true experiences

Very beautiful Story by Bramachari David (now known as Br.Jitananda)
Paramahansa Yogananda 
Br. David told a story about how Brother Bhaktananda used to chant inwardly all day long, “I love you Master.” Then one day after about a year of chanting this, Master came over to Brother in the gardens at Encinitas and whispered sweetly, “I love you, too.”
This story so impressed Br. David that he started using the mantra, “Guruji, I love you.” But he felt a little sad because he knew that Master, having left the body, could never respond to him in the same way he had with Brother Bhaktananda.
Time went by, and he persisted with this mantra wholeheartedly. Then after a visit with family in Australia, as he was waiting at the Sydney airport to catch his flight back to the U.S., he thought, “This is a good time to use my mantra”, and he began to chant inwardly. After some time he noticed a little girl coming toward him and the next thing he knew the youngster climbed up on the chair next to him, leaned over, and whispered in his ear, “I love you.” Br.David was quite charmed by this little girl and he replied to her, “I love you, too.” She told him her name was “Lizzy”. Just then Lizzy’s mother came to retrieve her, apologized to Brother for the bother, and escorted Lizzy back to their seats, some 50 yards away in the airport. But pretty soon Lizzy was back again, and once again she climbed up on the chair next to him, put her arms around his neck and whispered, “I love you, I love you, I love you!” Soon the mother came to reclaim Lizzy again, and repeatedly apologized for the trouble. But in a little while Lizzy was back again for the third time, hugging Br. David and saying over and over, “I love you, I love you, I love you!!”
Suddenly Br. David realized what was happening. He recalled the sadness he had felt in thinking he would never get a direct response from Master, and he realized that the guru was responding to his devotion through this little girl. God can work through many channels.~~~OM GURU DEVA~~~
Shared from the facebook site >>> Friends of SRF in DC Metro Area / www.yogananda-srf.org
******* USING THE GURUS PHOTOGRAPHS ******* by Br. Ramananda..
Brother R says that one of his favorite tools is using the guru’s photograph. On the eve of Master’s departure for the United States, Sri Yukteswar told him, “All those who come to you with faith, seeking God, will be helped. As you look at them, the spiritual current emanating from your eyes will enter into their brains and change their material habits, making them more God-conscious."
There is a silent language that takes place between the guru’s eyes and yours.
One time during a ceremony, Brother said he saw many devotees coming before Master’s picture, pronaming to him with such devotion that it seemed as if Master himself was the lighting on the picture. 
** Brother saw two beams of light coming out like headlights from Master’s eyes and there were fast-flowing tears coming from them. He turned to some other devotees and asked him what they were seeing, and they said they saw the same thing, too.
“Any devotee who ardently meditates on the picture or form of a true guru-preceptor or any other master becomes attuned to him, imbibing his qualities, and ultimately feels in that saint the presence of God.”
That’s why we use the photo of the guru. The guru is like a diving board, and when you are ready he pushes you off into the Ocean of Spirit. - Om Gurudeva !!!

The Guru Paramahansa Yogananda once said to a group of disciples;
“I never miss you all when I am away, because inwardly you are always with me now, and will be forevermore. Whether we are living here or pass through the portals of death, we shall always be together in God.”

Shared from the facebook site >>> Friends of SRF in DC Metro Area    O O O M M M M M M M MM MM MM MM MM MM…….

What is Faith?
Faith is not blind belief, Blind belief is not Faith. Blind belief is simply blind belief !
Faith is; the power of creativity, intelligence, and love that changes things in real ways,
from personal self-Realization/self-transformation to ridding ourselves of failure 
and disease, of ignorance and lack, of fear and doubt.
If there are no results, you are practicing blind belief, not faith. If your ideas of belief contradict all evidences of reason and sound research, then you may be involved in Blind belief. But as the scripture wisely says; "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 KJV
I will add to this again, that blind belief is the absence of evidence and results by incorrect ideas. Blind belief is an idea that is emotionally, not rationally held on to. Faith is an idea that stands the proper tests of reason and research.This is where intellectuals often get confused, Faith is the real thing, Belief can be true or false.
Even reason, without proper data, in a mind that has been programmed by society to see only the most limited aspects of a matter, is still caught up in blind belief. This is called "building a house on sand" - it won't stand up for long.

Guidance from the Worlds Great Scriptures;
(
the legacy of those who have reached the highest states of Human evolution.)



In The Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna Says; Ch 5, V 17-26
Edition re "The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita" by Paramahansa Yogananda
(c) Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers LA USA 2007

“He who perceives Me everywhere and beholds everything in Me never
looses sight of me, nor do I ever lose sight of him.” 6:30
"That Yogi stays forever in Me, who, anchored in divine Unity whatever
 His mode of existence, realizes me as pervading all beings.”  6:31
"Their thoughts immersed in That (Spirit), their souls one with Spirit,
their beings purified from poisonous delusion by the antidote of Wisdom.
- such men reach the state of non-return."
Self-Realized sages behold with an equal eye a learned and humble Brahmin,
a cow an elephant, a dog, an outcast."
The relativities of existence (birth, death, pleasure and pain) have been overcome.
even here in this world, by those of fixed equal mindedness. Thereby are they
enthroned in spirit - verily, the taintless, the perfectly balanced spirit."
The knower of Spirit, abiding in the Supreme Being, with unswerving
discrimination, free from delusion, is thus neither jubilant at pleasant experiences,
nor downcast by unpleasant experiences. "20
Unattracted to the sensory world, the Yogi experiences the ever new joy inherent
in the Self. Engaged in divine union of the soul with Spirit, he attains bliss indestructible." 21
"With sins obliterated, doubts removed, senses subjugated, the rishis (sages), contributing to the welfare of mankind, attain emancipation in Spirit."25
"Renunciants who are desireless and wrathless, mind-controlled, and Self-Realized,
are completely free both in this world and in the beyond."26

The KJV Gospels where Jesus says;
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." Rev 3:12

".. The disciple is not above his master: but every one
that is perfect shall be as his master... Luke 6:40 Kjv
“He that hath my commandments , and keepeth them , he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.” John 14;21 Kjv
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14;12
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)

 John 14:Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
 2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I amthere ye may be also.  4. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”
 JOHN 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;
 
10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
 
11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
 
12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
 
13 .Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
 
14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

Yogananda's promise to all SRF devotees...............
Devotees who are in tune with Him through this great work...........

"God has sent you to me, and I shall never fail you... "Even when I am gone my help will always be given to devotees all over the world, if they keep in tune. Never think for a moment that when I am physically absent from you all, I am not otherwise with you. I shall be just as deeply concerned for your spiritual welfare when I am no longer in the body as I am now. I shall always be watching over each one of you, and whenever a true devotee thinks of me in the silent depths of his soul, he will know that I am near." 

Paramahansa Yogananda, quoted in the SRF calendar, August, 1993. 


 In a letter to Rajarsi Janakananda from Yogananda, September 19, 1935;
" To be known by God is everything. Like Buddha who gave up everything,
live only for God, Self-Realization Fellowship, and Guru's work,
and you will attain everlastingness in heaven."



Swami Adi Sankara  circa 788- 820AD

“There are those pure souls who have attained peace and greatness. The bring good to mankind, like the coming of spring. They themselves have crossed the dreadful ocean of the world. Without any selfish motive, they help others to cross.”
“A Teacher[Guru/prophet] is one who is deeply versed in the scriptures, pure, free from lust, a perfect knower of Brahman, calm like the flame when its fuel is consumed, an ocean of the love that knows no ulterior motive, a friend to all good people who humbly entrust themselves to him.”
 Page 38-39 , Vedanta Press, Crest-Jewell of discrimination, 1947 translation by Swami Prabavananda and Christopher Isherwood. Mentor Books.

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".. The disciple is not above his master: but every one
that is perfect shall be as his master... Luke 6:40

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Autobiography of a Yogi [SRF editions only] 
            Where Paramahansa Yogananda writes;
While Yogananda was meditating for hours at the holy Dakshineswar Temple
near Kolkata this was one of His great experiences in Yoga Samadhi;

"My instant petition to the divine mother was instantly acknowledged. First , a delightful cold wave descended over my back and under my feet, banishing all discomfort. Then to my amazement the temple became greatly magnified. Its large doors slowly opened, revealing the stone figure of the Goddess Kali. Gradually the statue changed into a living form , smilingly nodding in greeting, thrilling  me with joy indescribable  As if by a mystic syringe, the breath was withdrawn from my lungs; my body became still though not inert.
An ecstatic enlargement of consciousness followed. I could see clearly several miles over the Ganges River to my left. and beyond the temple to the Dakshineswar precincts. The walls of all buildings glimmered transparently; through them I observed people walking to and fro over the distant acres.

"though I was breathless and my body remained in a strangely quiet state, I was able to move
my hands and feet freely. For several minutes I experimented in opening and closing my eyes,
In either state I saw the distinctly the whole Dakshineswar panorama..............................."
[from page 183, Autobiography of a Yogi, (c) Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers LA USA.]
It was during this experience that Yogananda's prayer was answered that changed his sisters 
marriage, and resulted in a major transformation in the life of his brother in law."
This is the power of a living master to effect change and experience life beyond the limits
of human sensory limits. This ability of the Living Prophet continues after the death of the body - thousands of witnesses have testified that after Paramahansa Yogananda's body death they have received a great deal of amazing help and healing from Him personally and indirectly.

SRF/YSS Living Prophets 
    Jesus Christ  4bce - 29ce
        Bhagavan Krishna  3000 BC
             Mahavatar Babaji  unknown Birthdate.
                  Lahiri Mahasaya   1828 - 1895
                         Swami Sri Yukteswar  1855 - 1935
                         Paramahansa Yogananda 1893 - 1952



To read about the history and works of these Avatars lives, I recommend starting with 
the orange covered paper back edition of  Paramahansa Yogananda's 
"Autobiography of a Yogi." [shown below]
Note; all other non - SRF 1946 editions are incomplete and out of date, including Kindle. 

Read this complete edition for the real Yogananda!
The founder of SRF ordered this work so that we can all learn and grow to our greatest potential.
This is the book that really tells the world about Living Prophets (Some of the world's historical living Christs -those who still live eternally
.
It is this classic that destroys all those false"only One Way" claims.



If you can't make it through the whole book. or if you have read it 
only once, you are not ready for the depth and value of this life enhancing message.
This is ok, as the world is full of the people at different stages of growth and various ideas
which meet the different needs of all seekers. 
If this Holy SRF path is really for you - you will know it!
But what is in this classic is worth the effort of careful study and practice!
Yet! Amazing and inspiring as the Autobiography is, this is just the 
beginning of your accelerated journey of Self-transformation to a better life.
Check in here for more data on the how to of meditation
& Paramahansa Yogananda: http://www.yogananda-srf.org/