The issue of William the Conqueror is a difficult one. Kryananda is known for mixing truths with lies
(when they are to his advantage) and for his inclination toward self-aggrandizement. On the other hand, Durga Ma also hints at Yogananda being WTC in a previous life. And Durga Ma is surely a reliable source.
Since I tend to disregard what Kryananda wrote, I tend to believe that WTC did not remember at all his previous lives as an exalted Yogi and lived a life as a mere pawn of God, that is, he served some purpose in God's plot, a purpose he was unaware of, he just single-mindedly pursued what he had to do.
Also, re. Gengis Khan, he probably was not as cruel as the western historians depict him. Late in his life, he also adopted a Taoist master as his spiritual advisor. Of course he lived in the brutal times of kali yuga, when ruthlessness was the rule.
Thanks for your helpful response mccoy. If you read the Old Testament it is full of a very destructive and punishing God. So it would not surprise me if WTC was more conscious of his destiny at playing out his divine role as an instrument of God’s karmic justice in some of his so called ‘cruel’ actions that Eric mentioned earlier.
Sometimes I find it prudent to pray about a response to other people’s comments about Master or other important events before replying, so my response is not interpreted as a reaction but rather a response given from a space of thoughtful contemplative prayer. How does anyone know about his ( William the Conqueror) actions and what they were guided by? Let us not forget the ‘cruel’ act of Babaji when he branded a devotee to absolve him of some karma in which he was destined to die. It seems to me that there needs no ‘hell’ for the actions and behaviors of tyrants like Trump and Putin today. All you have to do is have them live out multiple lives during the Kali Yuga here on earth.
You and I do not need to agree on everything mccoy. When it comes to Kriyananda I just think that no one was so fortunate to be in the presence of an Avatar like Jesus or Yogananda without having a high degree of spiritual sainthood. And for some reason they have been put in a high degree of test by being in their physical presence here on earth with these avatars. I thought I’d mention that it was relayed to me that Judas was self realized in my life time by SRF monks. His guilt was very difficult to overcome as you might imagine.
I was fortunate to be in the physical presence of Durga Ma quite a few times in her bedroom at Mt. Washington with other devotees, where we meditated with her several times. I learned some important spiritual lessons being in her presence. That’s my experience, with her.
I find it a little comical that the writer of this post realized his Guru was also a ruthless man in a previous life. The personality of Putin and Donald Trump may mean they will one day be Spiritual Masters. Who knows? Every saint has a past.
