Rajarsi Janakananda

Rajarsi Janakananda, born James Jesse Lynn (May 5, 1892 - February 20 1955) was the leading disciple of the Hindu Guru Paramahansa Yogananda. He was a self-made millionaire when he met Yogananda in 1932. Yogananda chose Janakananda to succeed him as president of Self-Realization Fellowship, the organization founded by Yogananda. Janakananda was president of Self-Realization Fellowship from 1952 until 1955.

Early life

James Jesse Lynn was born into relative poverty to Jesse William Lynn, an itinerant farmer, and Salethia Archibald Lynn near Archibald, Louisiana, in the southern part of the United States. His early childhood was spent helping the family pick cotton, milk cows, churn butter, and other family chores. His simple education began in a small log schoolhouse.Fowler, Richard (1952) "Leaders in our Town". Burd & Fletcher.]

Leaving school at the age of fourteen, he began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sweeping floors for $2 a month. He continued with various railroad jobs for a few years, quickly moving up to the position of chief clerk to the division manager in Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, he took night classes to finish his high school education, at the same time that he took law and accounting classes.

At 21 he was admitted to the bar as a lawyer, began working at an accounting firm, and was married to Freda Josephine Prill of Kansas City. Soon after, he began working for the largest underwriting insurance company in the U.S. He quickly began working his way up in the company. By the age of 30 Lynn took out a significant and risky loan to buy the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company. That step launched a successful business career that included insurance underwriting, oil wells, and orchards. Durga Mata, Sri (1992) "A Paramhansa Yogananda Trilogy of Divine Love". Copyright Joan Wight. ISBN 0-9635838-0-8.]

Disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda

In spite of his material success Lynn was unhappy, and acknowledged that he had a short temper and nervous problems. In January, 1932, his life changed when he attended a series of classes given by Paramahansa Yogananda. Lynn felt instantly transformed in Yogananda’s presence:

On the second night of the class, I became aware that I was sitting upright, my spine straight and I was absolutely motionless. I looked down at my hands, which were so restlessly moving before and which were now perfectly still… I knew I had found the path that gave me inner peace and satisfaction and that I had found that something tangible I was seeking, a guru.

Following one of the lectures, Yogananda met Lynn privately. Shortly after that meeting, Lynn was initiated by Yogananda as his disciple. Because of bad publicity from his friendship with a previous Hindu teacher, Lynn and Yogananda agreed to avoid publicity regarding their association.

During the following twenty years, Lynn paid frequent visits to Yogananda at his main residence in Los Angeles, eventually moving to an apartment at Yogananda’s retreat in Encinitas, California. The two spent long hours together over the years, meditating and discussing spiritual matters. Lynn said of his relationship with Yogananda:

One of the blessings I have received in my friendship with Paramahansa Yogananda has been permanent relief from a state of nervousness, a state of strain, an inward state of uncertainty. I have gained calmness, peace, joy, and a sense of security that cannot come to anyone until he has found the true security of the soul.Self-Realization Fellowship (1996) "Rajarsi Janakananda: A Great Western Yogi". Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers. ISBN 0-87612-019-2.]

Yogananda gave Lynn the spiritual title "Rajarsi Janakananda". Rajarsi combines the sanskrit words "raja", which means "royal" and "rishi", which means "sage", thus the title "Royal Sage". The second part of his name refers to King Janaka, famous in ancient India as a wealthy ruler who was also considered a great rishi. Kriyananda, Swami (2003) "Conversations with Yogananda". ISBN 156589202X.] Yogananda said that Janakananda was his most spiritually advanced disciple.Kriyananda, Swami (1977) "The Path - One Man's Quest on the Only Path There Is". Crystal Clarity Publishers. ISBN 1565897331] Yogananda was also frequently heard to say that he passed his spiritual mantle, or power, to Janakananda.Kriyananda, Swami (2001) "A Place Called Ananda". Crystal Clarity Publishers. ISBN 1565891589.]

Upon Yogananda’s "mahasamadhi" in March, 1952, Janakananda became president of Self-Realization Fellowship. Janakananda entered "mahasamadhi" on February 20, 1955 in Borrego Springs, California.

References

ee also

*Autobiography of a Yogi
*Kriya Yoga
*Paramahansa Yogananda
*Rajarshi
*Self-Realization Fellowship
*Sri Daya Mata
*Roy Eugene Davis
*Swami Kriyananda