A Paramahansa Yogananda Trilogy of Divine Love
Durga Mata
(continued from previous post: Saints of SRF )
So Divine Mother has removed all of Durga Matas family from her life and she is free to serve the Guru.
COLDS
In her story she says that Yogananda was always curing her of colds (which only should last a couple of days anyway) and that he was very interested in cold "cures". When I was in SRF we were told that Yogananda said we caught colds because we didn't want to perform our duties. According to Durga , when he caught colds they were someone else's Karma that he was taking on. In all of his discussions with Divine Mother, I wonder why she didn't just reveal to him the Truth about frequent hand washing and keeping your hands away from your face?
On the subject of colds...
Here is a sweet story.
The first visit Mr. Lynn made to Mt. Washington he had a slight cold that got worse during his visit. While gargling he coughed and the projectile sputum hit the bathroom ceiling.
"Do you know, Master would not let us wash it off! Sweet sentimental Guruji wanted to keep it there as a memento"
-Durga-
So Anyway...
Durga Mata never seems to have enough clothing and is always cold. She wears long housecoats to keep her legs warm. Yogananda tells her that her clothing "looks funny". She lives and works in cold areas of the compound. She gets some hand me down clothing from Karla Schramm who was close to her and a fellow disciple and nun. Miss Schramme was Jane in the silent Tarzan movies.
When I first saw this I imagined Durga Mata dressed as Tarzan, which would look "funny" as Yogananda said, but alas it was her long housecoats that he was talking about.
Tarzan
Rajasi (The way Durga spells it in her book)
Rajarsi Janakananda was Yoganadas top disciple and principle Money bag benefactor. He was a wealthy and successful businessman.
According to Durga,
James Jesse Lynn was born on May 5, 1892 in Archabald, Louisiana. Little Jimmy was a sensitive child. In 1953, his sister told me "Jimmy was more like a little girl than a boy"....He stayed home with his mother rather than play with the boys....Little Jimmy wore dresses and long hair up to age six.
(Page 74 and 75)
He was a very industrious and hard working, which I have no doubt led to his financial success.
In October 1913 he married Frieda Prill. According to Durga, he was in Law school at the time. They had no children and she was "mentally and physically unwell. Mr. Lynn's social position grew, but society did not accept Frieda into their circles". Mr. Lynn avoided social functions as she was embarrassing to him. She had violent fits of rage and apparently scared off his previous Hindu teacher, Dr. Gyani. She took the SRF lessons with him for a while but eventually turned against Yogananda. By the descriptions in Durgas book it sounds like they were not a happy couple. Durga makes several comments in the book that imply Frieda was not well thought of at the Ashram. Yogananda even took the matter to Divine Mother, but unfortunately Divine Mother was "neutral" when it came to Frieda Lynn (Unlike poor Durga, who Divine Mother took to the mat for not giving up her room see 'Good cop, Bad cop' ).
Strange are the ways of Divine Mother.
When Yogananda was giving lectures in Kansas city, Dr. Gyani told him about James Lynn and this made Yogananda's heart "leap with joy". Yogananda sent his secretary to Mr. Lynns office and a meeting was arranged. It was love at first sight! They were Guru and Disciple. Fearing that his association with the Guru would hurt his business associations, they agreed to keep their close relationship private.
Their great love for one another is apparent in these photos. I couldn't find any pictures of him walking hand in hand with any other of his Disciples.
42
73
26
Yogananda and Rajasi
I now pronounce you Yogi-Christ and Disciple.
"Mr. Lynn began to refer to us here as his home and Kansas City as his residence" (page 92)
Christmas
"St. Lynn could not spend as many Christmases as he desired." His business was very busy at that time of the year and "the violent scenes Frieda enacted upon hearing of my leaving her at that time is very distressing"
Frieda was WAY over the line to expect her husband to spend Christmas with her. How Mr. Lynn must have suffered.
Yogananda wrote in response:
"The Christmas tree and everything seems so useless without your bright face divinely appreciative of all we do for you."
(Page 93)
St. Lynn would usually give Master a large sum of Money as a gift. (page 94).
In later years he would have Durga buy personal gifts for Yogananda to give along with the money.
(to be continued)
Peace and Best Wishes,
Katie
Okay. I find the hand-holding a little strange. I'm a gay guy. My best friend is a gay guy. WE HAVE NEVER HELD HANDS. What's up with this? I don't get it.
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