My Relationship With God (Queen Gandhari's Prayer from the Heart)

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About the Author Paramahamsa Prajnanananda is the current spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga international organizations. These organizations were founded by his master, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who spread the teachings of Kriya Yoga all over the world. Paramahamsa Hariharananda was Swami Shriyukteshwar and Paramahamsa Yogananda's most outstanding direct disciple, one of the greatest realized Kriya Yoga masters in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj and Shri Lahiri Mahashaya.

Born in Odisha, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda was raised in a profound spiritual environment that inspired his search for Truth. He received his higher education in Cuttack and became a professor of economics there. In 1980, while still a student, he met Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who initiated him into Kriya Yoga, then fifteen years later, into the sacred path of sannyasa. After only three years, at the early age of 39, his master conferred upon him the highest title of Paramahamsa, a designation reserved for monks and saints who have attained the summit of realization.

Enriched by his own direct experience, fathomless wisdom, and deep love for humanity, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda guides and inspires spiritual seekers, a living example of how to fulfill one's infinite potential. In addition to running the main ashrams in Puri. Cuttack, Vienna, and Miami, Prajnananandaji spreads spiritual knowledge and the ancient science of Kriya Yoga by holding seminars and retreats all over the world. Prajnana Mission, founded by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, provides service to humanity with free medical assistance units and centers, residential schools for the poor, and many other charitable and educational activities.

Author of many books on the science of yoga, practical guidelines to the application of the wisdom of Vedantic philosophy, and insightful metaphorical commentaries on the major holy scriptures and world religions, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda binds and bridges Eastern and Western cultures with a harmonious, fresh, and non-sectarian approach.

Preface Someone who is rich with the treasure of love, who lives with the knowledge of the ultimate reality, who manifests love and knowledge in thought, word, and action, is truly divine. Someone who is emotionally balanced, mentally strong, and established in God consciousness is truly spiritual. Someone who is illuminated with the light of divinity is truly a person of practical wisdom. Spiritual realization is not always attained through self-effort, but often by grace. In daily life a great deal of effort is essential, but the grace of the guru-preceptor and God is necessary and highly essential.

The guru is the guide on the path of spirituality and sadhana, which leads to samadhi (enlightenment). Realized masters reveal the pathway to God. The simplest path is love. We must walk it with diligence and faith.

Love is the path to relationships. Love is a unique expression of the heart when a human relationship is established while remembering God's presence. Some teachers say that there is no path of love because love is the path itself. Love is offering our hearts in complete surrender to the Lord. Whether we tread the path of devotion, knowledge, or dedicated action, love is essential.

Bhagavatpada Acharya Shankara, in his beautiful Viveka Chudamani (31, 32), says:

mokṣakarana samagryam bhaktireva gariyasi

svasvaruapanusandhanam bhaktirityabhidhiyate

svatmatattvänusandhanam bhaktirityapare jaguh

"Among the different factors conducive to liberation, devotion (bhakti) holds the supreme place. Devotion is the search for one's real nature. Others describe devotion as inquiry into the truth about oneself."

Sage Shandilya defined bhakti (devotion) in the Narada Bhakti Sutra (18) as atmaratyavirodheneti sandilyah: "According to Sage Shandilya, bhakti is constantly enjoying the Self (God) without hindrance."

Bhagavatpada Acharya Shankara is an exemplar of the true spirit of devotion and love. He demonstrated the spirit of renunciation by accepting monastic life at the young age of eight. He expressed his complete surrender to God in his beautiful prayers and hymns. Fulfilling his mother's only wish, he saw the Divine in her and went to his mother in her last moments, serving her as he had promised. His renunciation was not a dry and rocky distance and detachment from everyone, as many seekers had done; it was divine, seeing God in all. This is the essence of nondualism that he preached.

The value of devotion without knowledge versus devotion with knowledge is debatable. For some, knowledge leads to less devotion and more rational understanding. Some with knowledge think God is formless and absolute; they wonder how love and devotion can exist. Children love their parents without knowing their greatness, goodness, sacrifice, and suffering. A child's love is innocent. When children grow up, that innocence disappears. Children can sing the glories of their parents, but no longer with such childlike sweetness.

Others plead that love and devotion without knowledge is blind and mere imitation. Knowledge creates right understanding and defines the expression of love. Some people with knowledge consider love and devotion unnecessary emotions. A similar debate thrives regarding God with form and the formless Absolute. It is a debate of fools, not the wise. Love is a natural expression; an outpouring of love from a pure heart needs no debate, discussion, definition, or deliberation.

Introduction Many classical spiritual texts are called gitas, like the Guru Gita, the Avadhuta Gita, the Ashtavakra Gita, and the Prapanna Gita. However, when we speak of "the Gita," it refers to the Bhagavad Gita, the most popular among them. It is the teaching of the Lord to his beloved friend-cum-disciple Arjuna.

The Bhagavad Gita contains spiritual instructions from the Lord, seers, rishis, and sages for sincere seekers. It answers their questions and helps them progress. Since these instructions were recorded and available to study and follow, over the ages they have helped countless seekers. The word gita means "song" and the instructions are usually in the form of dialogues.

The Prapanna Gita is the "Song of Surrender" to the Lord. It is unique because it is not a dialogue of teachings to seckers. Instead, it is a seeker's surrender to the Lord in a personal relationship.

Consisting of eighty-three verses, the Prapanna Gita is rich with prayers from seventy-two Puranic personalities. Although purana means "extremely ancient," the Puranas are a clear message for the modern era as well.

Most of the verses are attributed to the five Pandavas and their relatives; therefore, the Prapanna Gita is sometimes referred to as the Pandava Gita. The song is about the glory of the Lord and their surrender. On the path of devotion, as is the glory of the Lord, so is the glory of devotees.

The word prapanna is defined as prapadyate sma iti, meaning "taking refuge," "resorted to," "sheltered," and "protected." When we take refuge in the omnipotent and omnipresent God. He takes complete responsibility for us. Thus, the Prapanna Gita is a song of surrender (shelter) as well as a song of protection.

**Contents and Sample Pages**