I READ VIRAT KOHLI’S RECOMMENDED BOOK, THIS IS WHAT I FOUND  . . . .

Introduction

If you have ever been to India or watched videos/documentaries about it, you must have seen several saffron-clad sadhus, with no apparent worldly objective, busy in their world. The mystery for many is: in the world of distractions, competitions, technology, and lust – what are these people up to? The answer to all these queries is this one book!

Virat Kohli’s Love For Book ‘An An Autobiography Of A Yogi’

When it comes to reading, everybody has different taste-buds. But when someone you love and respect offers you something which you haven’t tried before – the scenario becomes different. This happened to me when I had to read a book recommended by the famous cricketer Virat Kohli. Virat Kohli spoke so flowery about An Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda that I could not stop myself from picking it up. Having completed this book, this is how I feel about An Autobiography of a Yogi.

About The Author

Pramhansa Yogananda was an Indian Monk, born in 1893. He committed his life to preaching his faith as well as Yoga. He introduced the concepts of Yoga and meditation to millions in the West, including people from the United States. He passed away in 1952.

Main Theme Of The Book

If you are someone who is inclined to mystic powers, miracles, spiritual powers, and things like that, you are going to love this book. If not, you will have a very tough time finishing it. Sri Yoganada says that disease and health are just states of mind, as both these enter into mind through the window of imagination. If you are ill and you convince yourself that you are healthy, your illness will flee. Will it? He discusses various incidents where he could talk to his deceased Guru Sri Yukteswar, not in a dream but in an awakened state. There also appears to be a Babaji, who is supposed to have remained alive for centuries and would remain so for times to come, and he reveals himself often to interact with Sri Yogananda.

Convincing Life Lessons From The Book

Keeping aside the main theme of the book, which we will be discussing in detail, I happened to grasp some of the most convincing quotes from the book, like this one, which says ‘Good manners, without sincerity are like a beautiful dead lady’ and also this one ‘Straight forwardness without civility is like a surgeon’s knife, effective but unpleasant. Candor with courtesy is helpful and admirable’.

Clear Understanding Of Hinduism

The book is very, very helpful in understanding Hinduism in its actual form. Various gods of Hinduism, like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv, Saraswati, and others are repeatedly discussed in the book. I happened to learn traits of gods from this book like Shiva – A divine dancer, Krishna with a melodious flute, & Saraswati as the goddess of wisdom etc. We do hear about these Hindu gods in our daily lives, but to know more about them, this book is helpful.

Why God Does Not Appear To Prove

Another beautiful concept that I happened to learn from the book was about centuries old philosophical puzzle,  ‘Why God does not reveal himself and clear all the confusions?’. Paramhansa Yoganada believes that the happening of such a thing will make the trials of hereafter null and void. God only wants to be recognized by his creatures through ‘free will’.

Difference Between Swami & Yogi

You will learn through this book the difference between a Swami and a Yagi. A swami, formally a monk by virtue of his connection with the ancient order, is not always a yogi. Anyone who practices a scientific technique of God-contact is a yogi; he may be either married or unmarried, either a worldly man or one of formal religious ties. A swami may conceivably follow only the path of dry reasoning, of cold renunciation, but a yogi engages himself in a definite, step-by-step procedure by which the body and mind are disciplined and the soul liberated.

Biological & Psychological Impact of Yoga

I loved the way Sri Yogananda defined the biological impacts on the human body by comparing average breathing to other living creatures. He says ‘Many illustrations could be given of the mathematical relationship between man’s respiratory rate and the variations in his states of consciousness. A person whose attention is wholly engrossed, as in following some closely knit intellectual argument or in attempting some delicate or difficult physical feat, automatically breathes very slowly. Fixity of attention depends on slow breathing; quick or uneven breaths are an inevitable accompaniment of harmful emotional states: fear, lust, anger. The restless monkey breathes at the rate of 32 times a minute, in contrast to man’s average of 18 times. The elephant, tortoise, snake and other animals noted for their longevity have a respiratory rate which is less than man’s. The tortoise, for instance, who may attain the age of 300 years, breathes only 4 times per minute’

Conclusion

Though I might not agree with various incidents of spiritual power and things like that. But the psychological discussions are very thought-provoking. If you want to give this book a try, here is the link of the free audiobook (1-month free trial):  https://amzn.to/3CD63XT That’s all for today. Hope you like this blog. Please share your opinion in the comments section below.