Who Is Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi, and guru who is widely credited with introducing millions of Westerners to meditation and the spiritual philosophy of yoga. Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur, India, Yogananda became a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in the Kriya Yoga lineage tracing back through Lahiri Mahasaya to the legendary Mahavatar Babaji. In 1920, he traveled to the United States as India’s delegate to the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston, and remained in America for the rest of his life—founding the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in 1920 and establishing a network of temples, meditation centers, and ashrams that continues to operate worldwide.

Yogananda’s most enduring contribution is his 1946 autobiography, Autobiography of a Yogi, which has been continuously in print for nearly eighty years and has been translated into over fifty languages. The book—part spiritual memoir, part introduction to Indian philosophy, part collection of accounts of miraculous phenomena—became a gateway text for Western seekers and has been cited as a formative influence by figures ranging from George Harrison to Steve Jobs (who reportedly arranged for copies to be given to every attendee at his memorial service). Beyond the autobiography, Yogananda’s legacy rests on his systematic dissemination of Kriya Yoga—a specific set of meditation and pranayama (breath control) techniques that he presented as a scientific method for accelerating spiritual evolution. He taught that the essential teachings of Christ and Krishna were the same, and he devoted significant effort to interpreting both the Bhagavad Gita and the Christian Gospels through a yogic lens, positioning himself as a bridge between Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.

Core Concepts

1. Kriya Yoga as a scientific method of God-realization
   • Yogananda’s central teaching is Kriya Yoga—a system of pranayama (breath control) and meditation techniques that he described as a "spiritual science" capable of accelerating the practitioner’s evolution toward direct experience of God. He emphasized that Kriya is not faith-based but experiential: the practitioner works with the breath, the spine, and the energy centers (chakras) to produce verifiable inner states. The techniques are transmitted through formal initiation, and SRF continues to teach them through a structured lesson system. (Wikipedia)
2. The unity of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions
   • Yogananda consistently taught that the core teachings of Hinduism and Christianity are essentially the same—that Christ and Krishna both pointed to the same infinite consciousness, and that the apparent differences between traditions are cultural rather than essential. His extended commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and the Gospels attempted to demonstrate this unity verse by verse. This interfaith vision was ahead of its time and helped lay the groundwork for later East-West dialogue.
3. The guru-disciple relationship as the axis of spiritual transmission
   • Yogananda placed the guru-disciple relationship at the center of spiritual life—not as blind obedience, but as a living transmission of consciousness from one who has realized God to one who sincerely seeks that realization. He presented his own lineage (Babaji → Lahiri Mahasaya → Sri Yukteswar → Yogananda) as a chain of direct transmission, and SRF continues to operate on this model.
4. The body as an instrument of spiritual practice
   • Unlike traditions that treat the body as an obstacle to spirit, Yogananda taught that the body—particularly the spine, the breath, and the subtle energy system—is the primary instrument of spiritual realization. His system of "energization exercises," pranayama, and meditation postures reflects this embodied approach, positioning physical well-being as a support for (not a distraction from) inner development.

Essential Writings

• Autobiography of a Yogi
  • The book that changed how the West encountered Indian spirituality. Yogananda’s memoir weaves personal narrative, philosophical teaching, accounts of miraculous phenomena, and portraits of saints and sages into a compelling—and enormously influential—introduction to yoga and Vedanta. It remains the single most widely read book on yoga in the English language.
  • Best use: the essential first read. Approach it as an invitation and a doorway—not as doctrine—and let its expansive vision do its work.
• God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita
  • Yogananda’s verse-by-verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, interpreting the text not as a literal account of warfare but as an allegory of the soul’s inner battle between spiritual aspiration and material attachment. It draws extensively on Kriya Yoga concepts and presents the Gita as a practical manual for meditation.
  • Best use: for practitioners who want to deepen their understanding of the Gita through a yogic and meditative lens.
• The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You
  • Yogananda’s commentary on the four Gospels, interpreting the life and teachings of Jesus through the framework of yoga philosophy. He argues that Christ’s teachings about the "kingdom of God within" point to the same inner realization that yoga practices are designed to produce.
  • Best use: for readers interested in the intersection of Christianity and yoga—particularly those who sense a contemplative depth in the Gospels that conventional theology doesn’t fully address.
• Scientific Healing Affirmations
  • A compact, practical guide to Yogananda’s method of using affirmations—spoken, whispered, and mental—as tools for physical, mental, and spiritual healing. It reflects his conviction that thought and consciousness directly influence the body.
  • Best use: a daily-practice tool—short, direct, and immediately applicable.