The Story Behind the Writing of the Essence of the Bhagavad Gita | Swami Kriyananda

These talks are based on the book: "The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita by Paramhansa Yogananda as remembered by his disciple, Swami Kriyananda". Rarely in a lifetime does a new spiritual classic appear that has the power to change people’s lives and transform future generations. This is such a book. Swami Kriyananda worked with Paramhansa Yogananda in 1950 while the Master completed his commentary.

ABOUT SWAMI KRIYANANDA
In 1948 at the age of twenty-two, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) became a disciple of the Indian yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda. At Yogananda’s request, Swami Kriyananda devoted his life to lecturing and writing, helping others to experience the living presence of God within. He taught on four continents in seven languages over the course of 65 years. His talks, his music, and his many books have touched the lives of millions. An advocate of simple living and high thinking, his more than 150 books emphasize the need to live wisely by one’s own experience of life, and not by abstract theories or dogmas. A composer since 1964, Walters has written over 400 musical works. His music is inspiring, soothing, and uplifting.

His books and teachings on spiritualizing nearly every field of human endeavor include business life, leadership, education, the arts, community, and science. He is known as the “father of the intentional communities movement,” which began in the United States in the late 1960s, fullfilling Yogananda's dream.

Swami Kriyananda’s example of inspired leadership was the reason for Ananda’s success. He uplifted and encouraged people through personal example, spiritual counseling, writing, lecturing, music, and prayer. He trained the current Ananda leaders in much the same way: free from egoic motivation, always placing the spiritual needs of others foremost in all decisions and never placing institutional needs ahead of the needs of an individual. “People are more important than things,” is one of the foremost guiding principles of Ananda. And “Where there is adherence to dharma [right action], there is victory,” is another.