@Scott, probably the following quotation speaks the most plainly about PY's ability to fantasize. Very sad to read it.
The Picture of Babaji Maharaj
Another point of interest in this reunion speech is Swamiji’s references to Mahamuni Babaji Maharaj, the Divine Master of Kriya Yoga. It is clear by this lecture that Yoganandaji did not directly see Babaji Maharaj. Later however, his organization went on propagating a drawing of Babaji Maharaj saying that this is how Swamiji had seen him. This contradiction is astounding and deluding. In truth, there is no similarity with this picture and the description of Babaji Maharaj given by Yoganandaji’s Gurudev Sriyukteshvarji, nor is there any similarity in the picture with the descriptions of the Divine Master given by Sri Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri’s other senior disciples of old. In 1978, the writer asked Sananda Lal about this matter. He said that his “Mejda” [middle elder brother] – meaning Swamiji – saw Babaji Maharaj at their house on Garpar Road, and that that image of the Divine Master was drawn according to Swamiji’s instructions by Sananda Lal. The description of Babaji Maharaj that the writer wrote in his book on Kriya Yoga in English was ascertained from conversations with Sriyukteshvarji, and Sananda Lal concurred that he had also heard Sriyukteshvarji give the same description of Babaji Maharaj [as the writer had heard in his conversations with Sriyukteshvarji]*. [* Editor’s note: The description referred to by Sri Daguptaji is from Chapter 5 of His book “Kriya Yoga” (Yoga Niketan, Portland Maine) and is as follows- “One day, sometime in the year 1932, Swami Sri Yukteshvar paid a surprise visit to the dormitory where this author was living as a college student. After passing some time the saint asked the author to accompany him to the ancestral house of Paramhansa Yogananda, which was not far from the dormitory. We were not required to go to the house as Shri Sananda Lal Ghosh, third brother of Yoganandaji, appeared on the road in front of the house. Sananda Lal is a reputed artist, expert in drawing portraits. He is now in his eighties and is still hale and hearty. Seeing him the Swami said he was looking for him. Then he asked him to draw a picture of the Babaji Maharaj stating that this would not be difficult for him. He was simply to make the picture of Lahiri Mahasaya in a standing position, make locks of hair a little longer and flowing over the shoulders, free end of the narrow Dhoti worn made to go round the shoulders and resting on the right arm held in a right angle like that of an up-country cow boy, and the left hand hanging parallel to the body. Face would be exactly like that of Lahiri Mahasaya but should look much younger. The Swami assured Sananda Lal that he could do it without much difficulty. But the artist became bewildered. How could he paint such a picture he demurred and whose picture he would succeed in drawing he would not know. He expressed strong diffidence in succeeding to accomplishing the task as desired. Sri Yukteshvar re-assured him of his success and left. However, Sananda Lal did not dare to handle the task, perhaps considering the holiness of the individual involved. From the description given a clear idea as to how the holy one had looked like, at least as far as how Sri Yukteshvar had seen, can be made out.”] The March 1937 issue of “Inner Culture,” the primary journal of Yogoda Satsanga, contained an article by Swamiji regarding Babaji Maharaj. It seems appropriate to bring it out here, and is presented below:
Lahiri Mahasaya’s Guru
The great Babaji was the Guru-preceptor of Lahiri Mahasaya. Very little is known about Babaji’s life. We hear that he is several hundred years old, and looks exactly like Lahiri Mahasaya, only much younger in appearance. We are told that once Babaji wanted to give up his body. One of his advanced disciples objected. Babaji reasoned, “What is the difference if I keep a dream body or not? I am alive evermore with or without a body.” Then the great disciple of Babaji asked, “Honored Guru-preceptor, if it is the same with you to keep your body or dissolve it in the cosmic stream, why not keep it just for a change?” Babaji answered that he would do so, and vanished. This is why it is said he is never going to give up his physical body. Swami Keshabananda of Brindaban, disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, speaks of meeting Babaji in Badri Narayan Himalayas, India. Swami Keshabananda hinted a message from Babaji to me when I visited Keshabanandaji’s hermitage in Brindaban, India. Swami Keshabananda especially urged, “Yogananda, sometime you must see Badri Narayan Himalayas, for there I met Babaji.” [Inner Culture – March 1937] The above article written by Swamiji in his institution’s primary journal and his speech on the 1st of January 1937 shows that at least up until that time he had not seen Babaji Maharaj directly. Swamiji did not again come to India as well, so the issue of going to the Himalayas and Badri Narayan cannot even be brought up. Yoganandaji was a man who lived in the world of imagination and spiritual feelings. He saw some things directly and some things with the eyes of his feelings. Towards the end, he often did not perceive a difference between the two. In any case, in the perspective of a historical biographer, there is no believable evidence that the propagated picture of Babaji Maharaj was drawn from having seen the Divine Master directly.
Dasgupta, Sri Sailendra Bejoy. Paramhansa Swami Yogananda: Life-portrait and Reminiscences (Kindle Locations 2416-2432). Yoga Niketan, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
The Picture of Babaji Maharaj
Another point of interest in this reunion speech is Swamiji’s references to Mahamuni Babaji Maharaj, the Divine Master of Kriya Yoga. It is clear by this lecture that Yoganandaji did not directly see Babaji Maharaj. Later however, his organization went on propagating a drawing of Babaji Maharaj saying that this is how Swamiji had seen him. This contradiction is astounding and deluding. In truth, there is no similarity with this picture and the description of Babaji Maharaj given by Yoganandaji’s Gurudev Sriyukteshvarji, nor is there any similarity in the picture with the descriptions of the Divine Master given by Sri Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri’s other senior disciples of old. In 1978, the writer asked Sananda Lal about this matter. He said that his “Mejda” [middle elder brother] – meaning Swamiji – saw Babaji Maharaj at their house on Garpar Road, and that that image of the Divine Master was drawn according to Swamiji’s instructions by Sananda Lal. The description of Babaji Maharaj that the writer wrote in his book on Kriya Yoga in English was ascertained from conversations with Sriyukteshvarji, and Sananda Lal concurred that he had also heard Sriyukteshvarji give the same description of Babaji Maharaj [as the writer had heard in his conversations with Sriyukteshvarji]*. [* Editor’s note: The description referred to by Sri Daguptaji is from Chapter 5 of His book “Kriya Yoga” (Yoga Niketan, Portland Maine) and is as follows- “One day, sometime in the year 1932, Swami Sri Yukteshvar paid a surprise visit to the dormitory where this author was living as a college student. After passing some time the saint asked the author to accompany him to the ancestral house of Paramhansa Yogananda, which was not far from the dormitory. We were not required to go to the house as Shri Sananda Lal Ghosh, third brother of Yoganandaji, appeared on the road in front of the house. Sananda Lal is a reputed artist, expert in drawing portraits. He is now in his eighties and is still hale and hearty. Seeing him the Swami said he was looking for him. Then he asked him to draw a picture of the Babaji Maharaj stating that this would not be difficult for him. He was simply to make the picture of Lahiri Mahasaya in a standing position, make locks of hair a little longer and flowing over the shoulders, free end of the narrow Dhoti worn made to go round the shoulders and resting on the right arm held in a right angle like that of an up-country cow boy, and the left hand hanging parallel to the body. Face would be exactly like that of Lahiri Mahasaya but should look much younger. The Swami assured Sananda Lal that he could do it without much difficulty. But the artist became bewildered. How could he paint such a picture he demurred and whose picture he would succeed in drawing he would not know. He expressed strong diffidence in succeeding to accomplishing the task as desired. Sri Yukteshvar re-assured him of his success and left. However, Sananda Lal did not dare to handle the task, perhaps considering the holiness of the individual involved. From the description given a clear idea as to how the holy one had looked like, at least as far as how Sri Yukteshvar had seen, can be made out.”] The March 1937 issue of “Inner Culture,” the primary journal of Yogoda Satsanga, contained an article by Swamiji regarding Babaji Maharaj. It seems appropriate to bring it out here, and is presented below:
Lahiri Mahasaya’s Guru
The great Babaji was the Guru-preceptor of Lahiri Mahasaya. Very little is known about Babaji’s life. We hear that he is several hundred years old, and looks exactly like Lahiri Mahasaya, only much younger in appearance. We are told that once Babaji wanted to give up his body. One of his advanced disciples objected. Babaji reasoned, “What is the difference if I keep a dream body or not? I am alive evermore with or without a body.” Then the great disciple of Babaji asked, “Honored Guru-preceptor, if it is the same with you to keep your body or dissolve it in the cosmic stream, why not keep it just for a change?” Babaji answered that he would do so, and vanished. This is why it is said he is never going to give up his physical body. Swami Keshabananda of Brindaban, disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, speaks of meeting Babaji in Badri Narayan Himalayas, India. Swami Keshabananda hinted a message from Babaji to me when I visited Keshabanandaji’s hermitage in Brindaban, India. Swami Keshabananda especially urged, “Yogananda, sometime you must see Badri Narayan Himalayas, for there I met Babaji.” [Inner Culture – March 1937] The above article written by Swamiji in his institution’s primary journal and his speech on the 1st of January 1937 shows that at least up until that time he had not seen Babaji Maharaj directly. Swamiji did not again come to India as well, so the issue of going to the Himalayas and Badri Narayan cannot even be brought up. Yoganandaji was a man who lived in the world of imagination and spiritual feelings. He saw some things directly and some things with the eyes of his feelings. Towards the end, he often did not perceive a difference between the two. In any case, in the perspective of a historical biographer, there is no believable evidence that the propagated picture of Babaji Maharaj was drawn from having seen the Divine Master directly.
Dasgupta, Sri Sailendra Bejoy. Paramhansa Swami Yogananda: Life-portrait and Reminiscences (Kindle Locations 2416-2432). Yoga Niketan, Inc.. Kindle Edition.