This day marks the anniversary of the mahasamadhi of Paramhansa Yogananda. Maha (great) samadhi (blissful union) refers to the conscious exit of a great master from the physical body and is a day of celebration.
On March 7, 1952 Yogananda left his body while speaking at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Swami Kriyananda spoke of Yogananda’s last days in The New Path:
“Normally, when a soul achieves final emancipation, ending its long cycle of incarnations, its joy in victory is so overwhelming that it feels no desire to return to this earthly dungeon. Even the spiritual hunger of other seekers cannot suffice to lure it back, for such a soul feels’justifiably, surely’that after untold millions of years in bondage it has earned the right to claim at last its hard-won reward of eternal bliss.
Only a few extraordinary souls, having finally earned soul freedom, postpone the perfect enjoyment of it to return to this darkness and lead other struggling souls out of delusion into the light. Of such rare souls, Paramhansa Yogananda is a shining example. Indeed, even among those few it must be the exception who promises to come back ‘if need be, a trillion times.’ Yogananda’s compassion simply staggers the imagination.” SK
The morning meditation at the Ananda Portland Temple will focus on Yogananda’s mahasamadhi on this day. An evening event may be planned and this calendar will be updated accordingly.
