Śrī Yukteśvar

Śrī Yukteśvar Giri was a revered Kriya Yoga master and the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda. He authored The Holy Science, a profound work that reconciles the teachings of yoga and Christianity.

Life/History

Born as Priya Nath Karar in Serampore, Bengal, he was a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya of Varanasi and a member of the Giri branch of the Swami order. A Kriya yogi, he was also a Jyotishi (Vedic astrologer) and a scholar of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. He maintained two ashrams — one in Serampore and one in Puri, Odisha — between which he alternated his residence as he trained disciples, and he re-analysed the Vedic astrological yugas.

Teachings/Contributions

His most significant written work is The Holy Science (Kaivalya Darsanam), which explores the universal principles underlying all religions. He taught that the goal of all spiritual paths was the same—union with the divine—and that different traditions represented different approaches to the same ultimate truth.

Legacy

Śrī Yukteśvar’s most famous students, Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Satyananda Giri, carried his teachings to America and across India. Through Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi — which portrays his stern but transformative training — Yukteśvar’s teachings continue to influence millions of spiritual seekers worldwide.

Verification notes

• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).