Pāramahaṃsa Yogānanda
Paramahansa Yogananda was one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century. He brought Kriya Yoga to the West and authored the landmark spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi.
Life/History
Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur, he was drawn to spiritual life from childhood. He was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri and sent to America in 1920 as India’s delegate to the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston. He founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) that year and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) for his work in India, and settled in Los Angeles in 1925, establishing a monastic order and a network of ashrams and centers. In 1927 he became the first prominent Indian to be hosted at the White House, by President Calvin Coolidge.
Teachings/Contributions
Yogananda’s teachings centered on Kriya Yoga meditation, the science of uniting the individual soul with the cosmic Spirit. He emphasized that sincere meditation could produce God-realization in any sincere seeker. His Autobiography of a Yogi (1946) introduced millions of Westerners to yoga and meditation, becoming one of the most widely read spiritual books in the English language. His longstanding influence on the American yoga movement has led commentators to call him the “Father of Yoga in the West.”
Legacy
The Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society continue to preserve and disseminate his teachings worldwide. His writings have inspired generations of spiritual seekers and have been instrumental in the global spread of yoga and meditation. He remains one of the most recognized and beloved spiritual figures of the modern era.
Verification notes
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).