Customer Reviews

Whispers From Eternity

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Note that there are two editions of Yogananda's Whispers from Eternity in print from Self-Realization Fellowship. As of this writing, Amazon stocks only the red hardback (no dust jacket) "First Version" from 1929 ( ISBN 0876121024 ), but given a date of 1998 in the Amazon listing. Yogananda revised and enlarged his original 1929 volume in 1939, and this second version has been released in several editions (9th in 1986) by Self-Realization Fellowship (ISBN 0876121032), attractively illustrated with monochrome and color inspirational photographs. The second version (those words do not appear prominently in it or on it) is gorgeous, but you may have to acquire it directly from the publisher, and it does omit some remarkable, highly spontaneous works contained in the First Version.

The publisher explains that the reprinting of the First Version since 1981 (with the later date: 1998 in Amazon's listing: ISBN 0876121024 ), was released because sentiment for the earlier version persisted among some of his most devoted followers. "This volume is a photographic reproduction of the (1929) work with omission only of four readings used in Self-Realization Fellowship ceremonies..." Although the modernized later version makes a better gift to a newcomer to Yogananda, long-time students will really appreciate the intimate feel of many of the early wordings. In particular, the First Version includes his "Prayer at Dawn", "Prayer at Noon" ( in the wordings you can still hear in recordings of the yoga master's own voice), "Prayer-Demand Before Taking Food", etc.

The First Version's introduction also has an interesting explanation of why Yogananda's title (Paramahansa) sometimes appeared as Paramhansa in early work (a function of Bengali pronunciation's tendency to drop the middle 'a' sound) and why the full word param-ahansa (supreme swan) is the clearer communication of the Sanskrit title.

In either version, the prayers, loving demands, chants, and poems are touching reflections of the great master's intimate connection with the Divine -- his Mother-Father-Friend-Beloved, as he would humbly address Spirit. No cold, carefully reasoned theology here -- just pure and simple love.

WHISPERS FROM ETERNITY is a prayer guide and inspiration for the followers of all religions.

As the author invites us with his dedication: "Unto All the soul temples of Christians, Moslems, Buddhists, Hebrews, Hindus, and others. Wherein the Cosmic Heart is throbbing equally always............. And unto All the multi-colored lamps of various true teachings, In which shines the same one white flame of God...... And unto All churches, mosques, viharas, tabernacles, and temples of the world---Wherein our own One Father dwells impartially in the fullness of His glory"...

There are many excellent, deeply moving and awakening prayers for almost every need and occaision. A section of childrens prayers is very useful also. The author has spiritalized these prayers and one should concentrate upon each one until they become as personal as a spontaneous expression from the heart, and he encourages the use of ones own spontaneous prayer as well.

Also available from the same publisher is the original "First Version" of this book with a front section - instructions on how to pray.

"O Lord of Compassion teach me to shed tears of love for all beings, May I behold them as my very own--different expressions of my Self." --------Paramahansa Yogananda.......

The author's life was an outstanding demonstration of the power of prayer and meditation, and teaches us how, with the contact of the God within all, prayer becomes a most effective tool for the enhancement and fulfillment of our lives. And the channel of great blessings to those we love.

Also look for:.......Autobiography of a Yogi.............the Divine Romance.......Man's Eternal Quest.......In The Sanctuary of the Soul......Enter the Quiet Heart......How You Can Talk With God.......Journey to Self-Realization.......Finding the Joy Within You........

This a book of answered prayers that expounds the very mysteries of how a pray becomes successful. Anyone who has been captured by Autobiography of Yogi must make this part of their library.

I have a depressive disorder. I am have also been involved with substance abuse (Valium) and occasional alcohol abuse. Brother Bhaktananda initiated me into kriya yoga in 1983 and was a disciple of Yogananda's while the latter was still living. Once I was drunk and I called Brother Bhaktananda last year. I was just through! I was drunk and crying. I asked for advice. Bhaktananda told me to use chants. One was "Scientific Healing Affirmations". The other was "Whispers from Eternity". Just to read a little bit from each book. I asked him if I could still reach enlightenment in this life. He said yes. But I was just going through a rough time and many lessons. He is usually so sullen. But now he was so kind. I told him I loved him. He said he loved me. This book is beautiful. But very esoteric. Like flowers. At first, it just looks like a book of poetry. So it is very subtle. And, sometimes, this can work the best. It can get beyond the head and into the heart for real healing. The pictures in this book themselves are real healing. They touch your heart. As do the wonderful prayers. Sometimes you just have to relax, I feel, and let go. This book is not a must read. It's simply "must" medicine for your soul. I talked to Brother Bhaktananda a week later when I was sober. I still told him I loved him. He said, "And we all love you. We are praying for you, Bill."

This is a beautiful book, filled with poems that not only touch the heartstrings, but uplift and expand the spirit. In the West we've had some great mystic poets (St. John of the Cross, et al), but in my opinion, these verses surpass in beauty and inspiration anything of their kind written to date.

While reading Whispers one can sense that Yogananda was a great lover of God. As one continues to read, one feels the author's mood overcoming one's own. It steals over and enthralls you, drowning out the noisy world with the power of inner rapture and silence.

Whether or not you are of devotional temperament, if you love beauty and goodness, you would appreciate this book.

Richard Salva--author of Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh [UNABRIDGED]

Length:: 8:38 Mins

The Amazon Product Details for this book don't match the book itself. According to Amazon (January 2011), the publication date is 1929. I thought I was ordering the original first edition of the book. But the book turned out to be the much edited second edition in a new printing (2008) with an entirely new ISBN number. (I am returning the book to Amazon.)

In my experience the version edited by Swami Kriyananda is much closer to the spirit in which Yogananda wrote Whispers from Eternity. The Kriyananda version is also much more complete with "Samadhi" included as well as a number of longer poems and chants. (Crystal Clarity Publishers, Nevada City, CA, 2008) The book is fairly flowing with Yogananda's devotional spirit, but that version isn't showing up on Amazon at this time.

It's hard to find the "real" version of this book. I thought this was it when I ordered it, but now I believe it is not. The test is to read the first line of "Prayer at Noon". If that sentence contains the word "Zenith" then you are not reading the "real" book but a rather a heavily editted rewritten version.

I am much surprised how much the editions from before and after Yogananda's passing differ. Example:


166. We buy everything but Thee. Pray give me Thyself.

O God, let me not whine with complaint and say: "Thou hast kept me yoked to the heavy demands of flesh-needs, hunger and earthly comforts." I blame no business man for being busy. Hast Thou not kept the bee busy? the rain, watering the life-yielding crops? and the dark water-wagons of the skies sprinkling life-liquid to thirsty greens?
The Master Potter of life molded earth's clay-ball, and is ever busy whirling it round its orbit, keeping it ray-strung to the sun and revolving in rhythm around it.
The Cosmic Potter forms the fragile vessels of flesh by the trillions, from His wheel of life. The amoeba, the whippoorwill, and the gigantic, fiery-eyed planets, growling in the forest of space - all are leashed to do some of His work.
Even the fickle fire of the sky has to help in the spraying of showers.
O Lord of all Life, Thou art the busiest of all Thy workers. Thou art ever alert, noting the fall of a sparrow, attending the slightest scratch of flesh and coursing the path of meteors.
Thou art producing everything out of Thine unseen creation-factory. Thou art the Maker and Displayer of Thy nature-products, and Thou art the Divine Salesman, selling health, mental electricity, and nuggets of wisdom to us.
And Thou dost make us pay for everything! We pay in effort for hygienic living and for acquiring right food with which to buy health. We pay coins of culture to Thee to receive the current of power which lights our cozy mental cottage. And we pay nuggets of devotion, perchance, to hold Thee.
We can buy all other things by paying something for them; but I am sure Thou art not for sale, though Thou art well aware that some people try to buy Thee.
O Priceless One, Thou canst not be bought; there is no par value on Thee.
Yet Thou dost freely give Thyself when we know that we are Thy children: heirs of Thy all-containing kingdom and of Thyself.


In SRF's 8th edition the most corresponding piece is:

Thou art ever busy, O Cosmic Potter!

Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for sharing with all creatures and natural forces Thy responsibilities in carrying on the work of creation. May we, Thy human children, never complain of our tasks.
Dost Thou not keep the bee busy? and the animals, providing for their young? and the dark waterwagons of the sky, sprinkling rain on thirsty greens?
The amoeba, the whippoorwill, and gigantic fieryeyed planets, growling in the forest of space-all are performing some of Thy work.
O Alert Lord, busiest of all! noting the fall of a sparrow, attending the slightest scratch of flesh, and coursing the path of meteors.
With vibratory fingers didst Thou mold earth's clay ball; daily Thou art whirling it, ray-strung to the sun and rhythmically revolving around it.
O Cosmic Potter, on Thy wheel of life Thou dost form trillions of never-duplicated vessels of fleshvulnerable vehicles of man's immortal Spirit.
Thine unseen creation factory produces everything -all furnishings and equipment needed by Thy sons for their physical, mental, and spiritual mansions.
Thou art the Originator, Manufacturer, and ever timely Exhibitor of "Nature Products." Thou art the Celestial Salesman who extols the value of new inner possessions for the fine art of gracious living.
Thy cooperative plan requires that for Thy bounties man offer payment. He must give money or labor in the soil to obtain nourishing food; he must observe carefulness and moderation to maintain health; he must proffer coins of study and self-improvement to receive sufficient currents of light and power for his cozy mental cottage. And he must dig diligently within to discover the spring of devotional waters that will purify him for Thy coming.
All material things may be bought and sold; but Thou, O Priceless One, art not for sale!
Each of Thy children will someday "come to Himself," realizing his divine status. Then inexhaustible bliss descends as Thy grace, forever freely given.


Plenty of the content is based on a much used scheme: "I compare, I see the Lord in or behind (nature phenomena, relationships, etc) - I express myself in Bible ways. I now and then round off by wishful "May I (+ something)" or "Let my" (+ something).

The guru found it fit to insert key elements from his new land into the scheme, and let them serve as metaphors.

If the guru had sincerely meant, "O Utter Innocence! we are not worthy to invoke Thee." (8th SRF ed, p. 53) he would have stopped it right there. But he did not.

Don't waste your money on this inferior copy of a spiritual masterpiece. I recommend the original version published by Self Realization Fellowship.