India, March 7 -- India's hallowed soil has been blessed by the footprints of many great divine personages over the millenniums. Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, whose mahasamadhi divas is on March 9 and Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, whose mahasamadhi divas is on March 7, are widely recognized as two such saints. Their inspiring lives have permeated the collective consciousness of untold numbers of devotees with love and wisdom, which have enabled many to hasten their evolution towards the ultimate goal of oneness with God.

Yoganandaji first met Swami Sri Yukteswarji at Banaras, seemingly by chance, but clearly according to a divine plan. He was then a young lad named Mukund Lal Ghosh but was already yearning for a true guru to come into his l...