Sri Sailendra Dasgupta in his book "Paramhansa Swami Yogananda, Life-Potrait and Reminiscences".
"From here they traveled to many parts of Europe, such as France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland etc. Hitler had begun to rise in Germany at that time and the scenes in that land at that time brought up feelings of great admiration in Yoganandaji. He used to say that the entire German nation was alive and together with the "clack, clack" sounds of their boots resonating in unison. Little did he know that this so-called "beautifully arranged garden" would be obliterated to dust within a decade and fall into the horrific annals of history. "(Chapter 4 Changes; Return to India - "On the way Back to India with His Companions and Traveling in Different Countries")
So, it really seems like Yogananda could not perceive in the roar of the crowds the insanity of mass collective hysteria and emotional intoxication. He interprets it as aliveness, as being awake. He contradicted his own teachings. I find it incredible that he could not see what many people could already see and envisage. The argument that many people were also fooled by Hitler doesn't stand up, in my opinion. A "world guru" is supposed to be able to penetrate to the truth. How come there were many who did see the horror coming and yet Yogananda did not? Because he was not at all who he believed himself to be.
"From here they traveled to many parts of Europe, such as France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland etc. Hitler had begun to rise in Germany at that time and the scenes in that land at that time brought up feelings of great admiration in Yoganandaji. He used to say that the entire German nation was alive and together with the "clack, clack" sounds of their boots resonating in unison. Little did he know that this so-called "beautifully arranged garden" would be obliterated to dust within a decade and fall into the horrific annals of history. "(Chapter 4 Changes; Return to India - "On the way Back to India with His Companions and Traveling in Different Countries")
So, it really seems like Yogananda could not perceive in the roar of the crowds the insanity of mass collective hysteria and emotional intoxication. He interprets it as aliveness, as being awake. He contradicted his own teachings. I find it incredible that he could not see what many people could already see and envisage. The argument that many people were also fooled by Hitler doesn't stand up, in my opinion. A "world guru" is supposed to be able to penetrate to the truth. How come there were many who did see the horror coming and yet Yogananda did not? Because he was not at all who he believed himself to be.