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Date Posted: 04:52:55 11/16/02 Sat
Author: ketch-30Oct02
Subject: Avatars etc.
In reply to: Mike-30Oct02 's message, "Re: SRF Wins Copyright Lawsuit against Ananda !!!!!" on 04:49:15 11/16/02 Sat

"Ketch, please show me where Lahiri Mahashay claimed to be an Avatar.
Please show me where Yukteshwar claimed to be an Avatar. Looking at Lahiri Mahashays diaries reveals a man that was a Yogi and that practiced for years for his realization. The claims came after, maybe to elevate the lineage to the western equivalent of the Christ, which also claims God in human form."

It would hardly be modest for them to simply state that they were avatars! Nevertheless there are indications in his writings that Lahiri Mahasaya regarded himself as having been (among others) Kabir.

From Satyeswarananda's work "Babaji Volume Two - Lahiri Mahasay (The Polestar of Kriya)" - Sayings of Lahiri Mahasaya:

69. Who is Kabir? He is sun, and he is Brahma, myself.


70. In Satyayuga Lahiri Mahasay was born as Satyasukrita, in tretayuga he was Munindra; in dwaparayuga Karunamaya; and in kaliyuga he was Kabir. Later, he became Shyama Charan.


I would also refer you to Swami Satyananda's biography of Lahiri Mahasaya:

When I was a boy, I was once in the company of the venerable Bhattacharya Mahasaya. I heard him say, "The Lord was Kabir," And Bhattacharya Mahasaya also said that the Lord Himself had stated this.Special commentaries on couplets by Kabir were published by the Arya Mission. Whether he was thinking of the Lord as likened to Kabir as an incredible and beautiful yogi of the same lofty stature, or whether He was intoxicated with Kabir, was He born as a part of Kabir or did He incarnate as Kabir in a previous life - which of these Bhattacharya Mahasaya was trying to let people know I have not understood.

Yogiraj Shyama Charan Lahiri Mahasay - chapter 5. Copyright YogaNiketan.

Consider also the account of Lahiri Mahasaya's initiation by Babaji, where it is said that he entered into samadhi for seven days - an experience which probably did not occur to most of us on our initiation.

The fact that he practiced yoga for years does not mean that he was not an avatar. There is the idea of Abeshavatar - an Avatar who does not remember everything. Such an Avatar goes through the normal stages of human childhood, spiritual growth etc. There is also the idea of Khanda Avatar a partial incarnation.

Lord Buddha is considered an Avatar, but he still achieved his enlightenment through meditation.


Arya Mission Institute did play a role in spreading Kriya Yoga. Again I refer to Swami Satyananda's biography:

. Towards the end, He gave permission to Yogacharya Pandit Panchanon Bhattacharya Mahasaya to discreetly form a place from where propagation could happen in as quiet a way as possible, with which directive Bhattacharya Mahasaya founded the Arya Mission Institution in Calcutta. Through the aid of this institution, the propagation of Kriya yoga began to expand in Bengal.

I have had correspondence with two kriyabans from that lineage, including one long term devotee Swami. They were highly respectful of Yogananda and his organisation.

"Ketch, do you believe that only SRF has the right to teach Kriya Yoga in the west?"

I have never said that, and it is not my belief. I will however state my opinion that the MAJORITY of those teaching Kriya in the west (and probably the east) are neither authorised nor competant to do so. I do also believe that SRF has a special role as the organisation created for the widespread dissemenation of Kriya initiation.

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