The Divine Quest

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Foreword The human mind is full of doubts and confusion, particularly about what to say to a person on the spiritual path. If the student is not in constant physical contact with the teacher, or at least thinking about him in a contemplative way, doubts and confusion stand as deadlocks on his or her path. One cannot grow spiritually when doubts exist, yet such situations can often be encountered from time to time. Therefore, to provide ample help in dispelling these doubts, the spiritual scriptures of India are full of questions and answers. Starting from the Upanishads, one will find different dialogues between the teacher and the student, the wife and the husband, as well as among the rishis themselves. In the Bhagavad Gita (4:34), there is a beautiful verse that speaks of a student's approach to the teacher in the matter of spiritual queries:

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashena seva

upadekshyanti te jnanam jnaninah tattva darshinah

This passage lets us know that we must approach a person of knowledge, who has realized the Truth, with humbleness, expressing admiration and respect. We should bring with us a willingness to be of service, and ask questions with a genuine interest in learning from the answers given. The person of knowledge then gives instruction to the sincere seeker.

Here three things have been emphasized:

1. The student should be humble and respectful.

2. The student should be devoted and willing to be of service.

3. The student should ask their questions again and again until all doubts disappear.

Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji was an ocean of wisdom. He lived a life of strict discipline and loved God in every breath. A wonderful teacher and spiritual guide, his exemplary life was filled with beautiful teachings. After being authorized by Paramahamsa Yoganandaji, he began teaching Kriya Yoga in 1951. He taught in many different ways, answering the questions of countless people during his long period as a loving and compassionate teacher. On many occasions, he has tried to clarify the doubts of students, as well as to satisfy their curiosity about different things. In contrast to many yogis and monks who remain silent on such topics, he was never hesitant to speak about himself and his early life, and also discussed various topics in informal talks.

These talks have been systematically compiled in a format that will enable the reader to easily delve into the topics and understand his message.

The questions are beautiful, and so are the answers. They deal with many different aspects of life, starting from the mundane world and ending with higher spiritual truth. These are the views of a realized master and his way of dealing with the vicissitudes of life. With a contemplative attitude, seekers on the path can easily find the treasure of wisdom, which will become a guiding light in their lives. The editors and compilers of this book have taken a great deal of care to thread these pearls of wisdom together for the reader to contemplate and enjoy.

May the blessings of the divine master be showered upon all who read this book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**