Behind All Friends

Topic: Family & Friendship

The Divine has loved me as mother, as father, and as friend, behind all friends. I searched for that one Friend behind all friends, that one lover whom I now see glimmering in all your faces. And that friend never fails me.

Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda, born Mukunda Lal Ghosh on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India, is considered one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century. From a young age, he showed a deep interest in spirituality, seeking guidance from saints and sages in India. In 1915, after completing his education, he became a monk of the Swami order, taking the name Yogananda, meaning "bliss through divine union." His early work focused on teaching and promoting Kriya Yoga, an ancient meditation practice aimed at self-realization.

In 1920, Yogananda traveled to the United States and established the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in Los Angeles. Through SRF, he shared the philosophy and practices of Kriya Yoga, bridging Eastern spirituality with Western culture. His Autobiography of a Yogi, published in 1946, remains one of the most widely read spiritual texts, offering a personal account of his spiritual journey and inspiring readers across the globe.

Yogananda passed away on March 7, 1952, in Los Angeles, after a lifetime devoted to promoting unity among all religions and the transformative power of meditation. The organizations he founded, including SRF and the Yogoda Satsanga Society in India, continue to share his teachings today. His legacy endures through these institutions, and his message of spiritual unity and inner peace continues to inspire millions worldwide.

(1893-1952) Hinduism
The Divine Romance

Yogananda, Paramahansa. "The Divine Romance: Collected Talks and Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life." Self-Realization Fellowship, 2016].

Paramahansa Yogananda

Theme: Friendship

About This Paramahansa Yogananda Quotation [Commentary]

Paramahansa Yogananda’s words, “The Divine has loved me as mother, as father, and as friend, behind all friends,” reveal the deep intimacy he experienced with the Divine. By likening this love to cherished human relationships—those of a parent and a true friend—Yogananda conveys the nurturing, protective, and ever-present nature of divine companionship. This perspective highlights spiritual friendship as a bond that transcends human limits, offering a constant source of comfort and guidance. The Divine, as Yogananda describes, is not distant or abstract but intimately connected to our deepest relationships.

In the context passage, Yogananda reflects on his search for “that one Friend behind all friends,” a journey culminating in recognizing the Divine in all beings. His words speak to the essence of spiritual friendship: a love that is selfless, unconditional, and universally present. This realization transforms the seeker’s understanding, allowing them to see the Divine reflected in the faces of those around them. True friendship, whether human or divine, emerges from recognizing this universal connection.

Yogananda’s affirmation that “that friend never fails me” emphasizes the unwavering nature of divine love. Unlike human relationships, which can falter, the Divine offers constant loyalty and understanding. This recognition encourages the seeker to anchor their trust and sense of belonging in the Divine, cultivating a friendship that endures beyond time and circumstance. Yogananda’s insight celebrates this ever-present love and invites others to discover the same enduring friendship in their own lives.

A Paramahansa Yogananda, Friendship—Grandest Relationship of Human Loves [Excerpt]

“The relationship that exists between friends is the grandest of human loves. Friendly love is pure, because it is without compulsion. One freely chooses to love his friends; he is not bound by instinct. The love that manifests in friendship can exist between man and woman, woman and woman, man and man… Such pure friendship has existed between saints and between others who truly love God. If you once know divine love, you will never part with it, for there is nothing else like it in the whole universe.”

—Yogananda, Paramahansa. “Friendship—Grandest Relationship of Human Loves.” Self-Realization Fellowship, www.yogananda.org/blog/friendship-grandest-relationship-of-human-loves. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Additional Yogananda Quotes

“The Divine has loved me as mother, as father, and as friend, behind all friends. I searched for that one Friend behind all friends, that one lover whom I now see glimmering in all your faces. And that friend never fails me.”

—Yogananda, Paramahansa. “The Divine Romance: Collected Talks and Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life.” Self-Realization Fellowship, 2016].

“The saviors of the world do not come to foster inimical doctrinal divisions; their teachings should not be used toward that end. It is something of a misnomer even to refer to the New Testament as the “Christian” Bible, for it does not belong exclusively to any one sect. Truth is meant for the blessing and upliftment of the entire human race. As the Christ Consciousness is universal, so does Jesus Christ belong to all…

It is an erroneous assumption of limited minds that great ones such as Jesus, Krishna, and other divine incarnations are gone from the earth when they are no longer visible to human sight. This is not so… Jesus Christ is very much alive and active today. In Spirit and occasionally taking on a flesh-and-blood form, he is working unseen by the masses for the regeneration of the world. With his all-embracing love, Jesus is not content merely to enjoy his blissful consciousness in Heaven. He is deeply concerned for mankind and wishes to give his followers the means to attain the divine freedom of entry into God’s Infinite Kingdom…”

—Yogananda [The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, (2004)].

“These teachings have been sent to explain the truth as Jesus intended it to be known in the world—not to give a new Christianity, but to give the real Christ-teaching: how to become like Christ, how to resurrect the Eternal Christ within one’s Self…”

—Yogananda [The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, (2004)].

Behind All Friends

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