At physical level: clean body and clean clothes; of course clean environment too.
At emotional level: what type of emotions one carries, e..g., guilt, fear, anger, insecurity, depression, attachment, love, satisfaction, bliss and compassion, etc.
At mental level: negative thoughts, positive thoughts, neutral thoughts, dual thoughts, non-dual thoughts or with the top most no-mind buddha like thoughtlessness state.
At sensual level: i.e., smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing.
At energy level: which type of energy you carry, is it grosser or lighter? Is it leak or remain stable? Things like Pranayam or Kriya Yoga, etc., can help to maintain and increase to good energy levels.
At karmic level: what type of karma you make, does it satisfy your heart or not?

Mind you, I think the great purity, which is ultimate is to get enlightened, to come from ignorance to awareness, but for this the above work like the strong foundation.

“Ordinary love is selfish, darkly rooted in desires and satisfactions. Divine love is without condition, without boundary, without change. The flux of the human heart is gone forever at the transfixing touch of pure love.” He added humbly,”If ever you find me falling from a state of God-realization, please promise to put my head on your lap and help to bring me back to the Cosmic Beloved we both worship.”

The above quote is part of the conversation from the chapter “I Meet My Master, Sri Yukteswar.” The first quote is by Sri Yukteswar and second by Paramhansa Yogananda where he is asking divine lap of the master, in case if he goes off track. This part of conversation happened when Yogananda first met to his Gurudeva. It was something like he infallibly kept on drawing to him when he first saw him, the river met with ocean and a divine conversation began.

“Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton, slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance. The wise man defeats his planets – which is to say, his past by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the creator. The more he realizes his unity with Spirits, the less he can be dominated by matter. The soul is ever free; it is deathless because birthless. It cannot be regimented by starts.”

This quote was from the chapter “Outwitting the Stars,” though Sri Yukteswar also states the fact until a man fixes his identity in the Spirit, means to say gets self-realization, he is affected by the stars, and for this the astrological bangles, stones, etc., might help; he also recommended one for Mukunda (Yogananda). But later on they aren’t needed when a man transfers his allegiance totally from the Matter to the Spirit. (The name Yogananda came to Mukunda later on, when on one auspicious day, Sri Yukteswar initiated him for the Swami order.)

“Forgot the past,” Sri Yukteswar would console him. “The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is very unreliable until anchored in the Divine. Everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.”

”Wisdom is the great cleaner.”

“Softer than the flower, where kindness is concerned; stronger than the thunder, when principles are at stake.”

This above was taken from the chapter “Years in my Master’s Hermitage.” See the profound depth of understanding how true it is, isn’t it?

“Do not do what you want, and then you may do what you like.”

This quote is from the chapter “Idyl in South India.” It has a story behind it, it is like once a nude master Sadasiva entered in someone’s tent, being alarmed the women screamed to his presence (as they couldn’t decide who he is), quickly a man drew his sword and severed his arm. Unconcerned with the arm the master departed, as a man felt remorse and picked the master’s arm. The master quietly inserted the arm back to its place and when he was asked for teachings, he just wrote on the sand the about quote.

“God is simple. Everything is complex. Do not seek absolute value in the relative world of nature.”

It was from the chapter “A ‘Perfume Saint’ Display his Wonders.”

“I have left a few paltry rupees, a few petty pleasures, for a cosmic empire of endless bliss. How then I denied myself anything? I know the joy of sharing the treasure. Is that a sacrifice? The shortsighted wordly folk are verily the real renunciates! They relinquish an unparalleled divine possession for a poor handful of earthy toys!”

The above quote from the chapter “The Levitating Saint.” Where the Saint tells the meaning of renunciation to Yogananda. What a luck Yogananda got! He met number of enlightened beings in India and abroad.

“Beloved’s name sounds sweet from all lips, ignorant or wise?”

The above quote from the chapter “Master Mahasaya, the Blissful Devotee,” was reply to Yogananda by Master Mahasaya when he was commenting that ‘some people undevotionally chanting the divine name in mechanical repetition.’

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

From the chapter “My University Degree,” the above quote of Sri Yukteswar to Yoganada tells the priority of life. Though Yogananda lived in Hermitage most of the time with Sri Yukteswar but he also passed the university degree with divine grace.

“O God beautiful! O God beautiful!
In the forest, Thou art green,
In the mountains, Thou art high,
In the river, Thou art restless,
In the ocean, Thou art grave!
To the serviceful, Thou art service,
To the lover, Thou art love,
To the sorrowful, Thou art sympathy,
To the Yogi, Thou art bliss!
O God beautiful! O God beautiful!
At Thy feet, O I do bow!”

The above translated Guru Nanak’s song is from the chapter “At Encinitas in California,” appreciating the glory of God.

The Divine Relation

Though not all the chapters covered here, I selected the few above. The most important thing in the book is the connection of divine relationship that flows from Mahavatar Babaji to Lahri Mahasaya to Sri Yukteswar and to Paramhansa Yogananda — and with them the connection of other enlightened beings. And the experience of Paramhansa Yogananda with ‘Saint with two bodies,’ ‘Perfume Saint,’ ‘Tiger Swami (this is thrilling story indeed),’ ‘Levitating Saint,’ ‘Jagadis Chandra Bose, ‘The Sleepless Saint,’ ‘Afzal Khan,’ ‘Luther Burbank,’ ‘Therese Neumann,’ ‘Ananda Moyi Ma,’ and  ’Giri Bala (the woman who never eats). And the story ‘Two Penniless Boys in Brindaban’ is really interesting, it tells how faith in God works. All over, the book is must read book!