This week has been a very inspiring week for me, because in the last few days I have been reading from Rajarsri’s life. And I have felt deeply moved not only for what he brought to the world, to the work, to Yogananda’s mission, but for what he brought personally to Yogananda. We know that we are all equal in God’s eyes and God loves each one of us equally. But I have to admit that Rajarsi had a special place in Yogananda’s heart, very special.
Yogananda knew he was a Saint
When Babaji appeared to Yogananda before he went to the west, Babaji told him, “You need to go to the west because the work needs to be built there. But there are also many Saints in the USA, in the West, that need to be awakened.” When Yogananda came to the West he said the first time he heard, not even met, heard, the name of Saint Lyne which was Rajarsri’s previous name. Yoganandaji said,” I instantly knew he was one of those Saints that Babaji referred to me.” It was really when Rajarsi came to Yogananda’s work that Yogananda’s mission became worldwide.
When Yogananda felt the inward call from his Guru Sri Yukteswar, “You need to come back to India. I’m about to leave my body. So, I just need you to come here and see also how the work is evolving and is unfolding in India.” When Yogananda shared this with Rajarsri, he said, “Go to India. Spend as much time as you need there. Meet whoever you need to meet. Just do whatever you feel God is asking of you to do.”
When Yogananda came to India in 1935-36 he spent almost a year and a half, traveling throughout
India, seeing how the work was doing, meeting every single Saint that he could possibly meet. Anandomoyi Ma, Mahatma Gandhi, (Yogananda initiated Gandhi into Kriya yoga.) Yogi Ramaiya (He met his Guru again after 50 years). All that was possible thanks to Rajarsri, because he supported Yogananda in doing what he felt God asked of him.
During that year, Yogananda used to send letters to Rajarsri and in one of those letters while Yogananda was here in India visiting and meeting all these Saints, Yogananda wrote at the end. “I’m broadcasting your name to every Saint I meet. You have all their blessings. Everyone knows about you.”
When Yogananda came back from India to the US, Rajarsri had a gift for him and he built a hermitage. a property, a beautiful property next to the ocean. That was called Encinitas. It was a surprise. And when Yogananda came. He was delighted because Sri Yukteswar had many, many, many years ago already prophesied that to Yogananda. He had said, “One day you’ll have a property. You have an ashram next to the ocean.” When Yogananda saw that property he said, “Rajarsri has fulfilled my Guru’s prophecy.”
Rajarsi’s presence spiritually fed Master
Rajarsi, after that used to go to visit Yogananda in Encinitas many times. And disciples could see Yogananda and Rajarsi walking holding hands together in inner communion, not talking – in silence – just walking in communion with God together. The disciples would look out through the window, just so moved by seeing that kind of relationship. They would meditate hours, both of them together, night and day, hours would be spent in meditating in that inner, high, super conscious state. Yogananda said, it was very hard for him to get Rajarsi to eat or sleep because Rajarsi would go into this state of consciousness, would go into Samadhi – it was hard for Yogananda to bring him back. 
Many times, Rajarsi wanted to go and swim in the ocean. Yogananda always had to ask a few disciples to watch out over Rajarsi because Master was very concerned that Rajarsi will just go into those states of super consciousness and he will forget about the body and he will get drowned in the ocean. But above all, it was how much Rajarsi’s presence spiritually fed Master.
Once, Yogananda and a disciple were working together and they saw Rajarsri sitting in meditation. And Master took this disciple away and he said look at Rajarsri meditating there. The good that he is doing to this work by the depth of his meditation, is way bigger than all the wealth he has given to this work. He said, “No one understands the importance of meditation. When you are changing yourself, you are already changing thousands.” He told his disciples, this is how I want for you to remember Rajarsri- always, sitting here in meditation, serving me in this way.”
He knew how to listen
Another disciple once asked Yogananda, “Why? How Rajarsi is growing spiritually so fast? Why he is advancing so rapidly?” And Yogananda replied, “Because he knows how to listen.” Rajarsri’s receptivity to his Guru was flawless, his attunement was impeccable. He understood completely what his Guru wanted for him. One evening they were in front of hundreds of devotees and disciples, who came to listen to Master. So master was seated here and next to him was Rajarsri. So Master asked Rajarsri, “Rajarsri, stand up and just address a few words to the disciples” And Rajarsi said, “No Master. You are much better than I. I won’t be able to talk please you do.”
Immeditately after Rajarsi said those words, he stood up and started addressing the disciples. Because suddenly he realized that he was contradicting his Guru, that he was resisting something that his Guru asked of him. And he was able to correct himself immediately. In fact, in that talk, Rajarsi said these words, “I have achieved the Christ consciousness. No one needs to tell me what it is. I know. I have experienced it. When God steps in, the ego steps out and when God steps out, theego steps in. There is no room for both of them.”
Willingness to meditate
Rajarsri was more fortunate than a million kings on earth. Because God had given him the gift of self-control and willingness to meditate. Yogananda said, “One of the greatest distractions of Maya is the unwillingness to meditate, because it prevents oneself from turning towards God, towards the Guru.”
Yogananda’s blessings for Rajarsri
Yogananda said to Rajarsi, “The love that you have drawn out of me, no one could.” “In fact,” he said,
“Nor have yet. You have a special place in heaven with me. You will be on my right side. He said, “All our work together has fulfilled my life in a way that no one can imagine.”
Master really had a soft spot for Rajarsri. He saw his greatness, he saw his attunement, he saw his dedication and that we really made an impact in Master. That’s was what made Rajarsri his favorite. Yogananda addressed him in his letters, “My most beloved blessed one; My beloved One, My little one, my most special little one.” Such was the love that Rajarsri constantly drew out from Master.
Yogananda told Rajarsi, “All the things that you have sacrificed for God are reserved for you in heaven to use it in any incarnation that you want. Because all the wealth that is given for God, He will use it and give it back to you. God will never leave anyone poor in any incarnation. Such is the law.”
What we give to God, what we give to the Guru, what we give to the mission, it gets reserved in our bank account, for us to be used in any incarnation we want. No effort is ever lost. And He is blessing you and infusing you. No meditation is ever lost. No every good deed is ever lost. It is saved for us.
When we take blessings, we try to visualize the Masters and especially Yogananda but I would like it if, when you approach the Acharya for the blessing, you try to visualize you are taking Rajarsri’s blessings – that he’s blessing you, and he’s infusing you with the incredible spiritual development that he achieved.
Thank You.
This is an excerpt of a talk by Shurjo and Narayani
You can watch the talk here