Paramahansa Yogananda
Our Sanatan Dharma is about practice - knowing & discovering the truth for yourself, not blindly believing anyone.
One man who gave this path of Self-realization to the modern world was Paramahansa Yogananda. Here’s his story.
Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in 1893 in Gorakhpur, he grew up in a devout Bengali family. From a young age, he was chasing the Divine - meeting yogis, saints, and sages, all while searching for his own guru.
At 17, he finally met him - Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. Yukteswar wasn’t just a master; he came from a legendary lineage: Lahiri Mahasaya, and before him, the mysterious, immortal sage - Mahavatar Babaji.
Under Yukteswar’s training, Yogananda was initiated into Kriya Yoga - an advanced yogic technique involving breath, energy control, and deep meditation to slow down bodily functions and awaken higher consciousness. It’s a fast-track to samādhi - a direct state of union with the Divine.
In 1920, acting on a vision from Babaji himself, Yogananda sailed to America and spoke at the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston.
That was the beginning.
If Swami Vivekananda had sowed the seeds of interest in & respect Vedanta in the West, Yogananda gave it form - founding the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles, a global network of ashrams, meditation centres, and retreats that still teach Kriya Yoga today.
He spent over three decades in America, rarely returning to India. But when he did, in 1935 - 36, he met many spiritual leaders like Anandamayi Ma & political leaders like Gandhi, and also formally received the title Paramahansa from his guru - a title meaning “supreme swan,” signifying the highest realization.
He also strengthened his Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, an organization he had founded back in 1917 to spread practical spiritual education across India through “How-to-Live” schools.
In 1946, his Autobiography of a Yogi became a spiritual classic that changed the West forever. It wasn't just a memoir - it was a mystical manifesto, blending Hindu thought, yogic science, and even insights from Christ, into one accessible text.
Yogananda had a universal & inclusive message experience. Whether drawing from the Gita or the Bible, his message was clear: Truth is one. Realize it for yourself.
In 1952, after giving a speech in Los Angeles, he consciously exited his body in what's called mahasamādhi. He was 59.
Today, millions around the world still follow his techniques. His legacy? The global spiritual revolution we see today.
And if you’re ever in LA, visit Forest Lawn Memorial Park. He’s still there - quiet, eternal, watching.