I am an insignificant entity; my life has been plain and simple. Even then, the divine enlightenment received by me with the help of mere virtuous association and the ascetic practice made available to me by my Guru, has instilled the confidence in my mind that man can attain divinity if he really so wishes. One can lead a life with the splendour of peace. and bliss amidst afflictions and distress, resistance and hindrances.

I have mentioned only a few incidents of my insignificant and modest career in order to emphatically state that God is the eternal father, mother, friend, well-wisher and the only refuge of all. I have received the light of His divine grace and compassion explicitly at times and also inplicitly at some other moments.

The chief requirements for obtaining divine grace are total surrender to God with sanctified mind and concentration and leading a life in accordance with the divine and sacred prescriptions. By taking shelter under Him in a single-minded manner, His presence can be felt very near us. There is none else in this world who is a greater well- wisher than Him. In the long life that I have lived, I have experienced this at every moment of my existence. It is He who stays intimately near us at every stage of our life. It is He who pervades as the life force in all beings-way/It is He, who is the Lord of the body, mind and soul of mine, yourself and everybody else. It is He who is the knowledge, who is worth knowing and who is knowable worshippable by all beings in every manner. The prime duty of human existence is to know Him.

In conclusion, I convey the blessings of Sri Guru. I also pray to God for fulfilling the lives of those who have assisted me in composing this autobiography of mine, with spiritual wealth. I sincerely pray to God and Guru to shower blessings on those who have helped me with the translation and publication of this book. May God bless them with profound spirituality and everlasting peace and bliss!

- Swami Bidyananda Giri 9th April, 2002