Footprints of the Master Memories of Baba Hariharananda

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Foreword Blessed are those who have the opportunity of being in the company of holy people, as this company gives a strong foundation to their spiritual life. The memories of such inspiring encounters not only leave an indelible mark on the blueprint of the mind, but also act as a catalyst on the spiritual journey.

Gurudev's life was one of love and service, completely dedicated to God and gurus. Those who came in contact with him in various ways have experienced his boundless love and compassion, his im- measurable depth of wisdom, and his sincere devotion. His beautiful, God-intoxicated life always motivated people to follow the spiritual path.

Life is undoubtedly a flow which passes very quickly, but it also leaves some landmarks and many memorable incidents.

Gurudev lived among us physically, enduring all the ups and downs of life, and has been living among us in our memory and our spiritual communion. On the occasion of the centenary of his birth, marking one hundred years since coming to us, the idea of publishing a book containing the memories of students who had the opportunity of meet- ing him, or spending time with him, came into being. To put personal experiences into words is never an easy job. It is very subjective, and makes revealing the inner chamber of one's heart difficult. Still, many loving disciples have tried to the best of their ability to ink their minds in their own ways.

This book speaks of their experiences. It also reflects his beautiful teachings, and reveals the kindness and loving heart of our beloved Gurudev. It speaks of a towering personality of the spiritual life, who lived among us in an unassuming way. Many facets of his life, as viewed from the perspectives of various people, have been described in their own words.

This book presents an opportunity to see Gurudev through the eyes of others. It shows their love and the amazing experiences in their lives.

We hope this book, Footprints of the Master, will inspire and guide sincere seekers on the spiritual path with hope and encouragement.

Introduction The birth centenary celebration for Paramahamsa Hariharananda is the occasion to honor Gurudev's one hundredth year in many ways, both in special occasions throughout the world and in daily life. One way that kriyavans worldwide have come to celebrate Gurudev's birth and honor his message is by offering their remembrances in the form of short stories, describing their recollections and experiences with Gurudev. This volume is a collection of these stories, as told by Gurudev's disciples, using their own words and reflecting their own understanding of their remarkable experiences. Their accounts have mostly been unaltered and with only minor editing. As these kriyavans will tell you, these stories only begin to touch the deep gratitude and heartfelt love of kriyavans worldwide for our great master and teacher.

The stories and poems are written by disciples originating from many countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Hungary, India, Netherlands, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, and more.

During Gurudev's physical existence on this earth, thousands of people have been initiated into Kriya Yoga by him or under his guidance. Therefore, the more than two hundred stories that are presented here are just a glimpse of the millions of memories of those who came across his path. To honor Gurudev's attitude of receiving and helping disciples of all creeds, whether an advanced or a beginner practitioner, whether educated or not educated, rich or poor, these stories have been arranged throughout the book without much discrimination with respect to the disciples. Some accounts (mainly Indian) have been taken from the book River of Compassion. Many more stories keep flooding in, which we regretably are not able to include in this volume.

In this volume, kriyavans reflect lovingly on Gurudev's teachings and the things they experienced and observed him do, and they also reflect on his impact on their spiritual life. As one can see by reading even a few of the heartfelt stories contained here, his impact was great indeed.

**Contents and Sample Pages**