Paramahansa Yogananda was born on January 5, 1893, the forth of eight children. He was named Mukunda Lal Ghosh. Mukunda was spiritually aware at a young age. He knew his destiny lay in reaching toward God.

Mukunda’s mother and father were disciples of Lahiri Mahasaya who, as Mukunda would discover later, was also the Guru of his own Guru, Sri Yukteswar Giri. Mukunda visited many Gurus as a young man while in search of his own Guru. At the age of seventeen, Mukunda met Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri and became part of his ashram for nearly ten years. While under Sri Yukteswar’s tutelage, Mukunda attended Calcutta University. He graduated in 1915. Mukunda then took monastic vows in the swami order of his teacher Sri Yukteswar. He was given the name Yogananda which means “bliss through divine union.”
After Yogananda finished his ashram training, he founded a school for boys that combined spiritual teachings and yoga with traditional education. Yogananda’s work in America began in 1920 when he was invited to attend an international congress of religious leaders in Boston. Later that year he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship to share with the world his teachings of yoga.

In 1924, Yogananda engaged in a cross-country lecture tour and after the tour established an international headquarters for the Self-Realization Fellowship near Los Angeles.

Yogananda returned to India after touring Europe in 1935. He met with Mahatma Ghandi who requested the Kriya Yoga initiation. He also met with other spiritual leaders of India.

Upon returning to America, Yogananda devoted his time to writing the books and lessons that would ensure the continuation of his work after he left embodiment.

He developed the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons for home study and published Autobiography of a Yogi in 1946.

Yogananda entered mahasamadhi on March 7, 1952. Mahasamadhi is a conscious leaving of the body undertaken by divine masters. After his leaving embodiment, his body showed no deterioration, even several days after his passing over.

Yogananda has lighted the way for thousands of individuals seeking true Self-Realization.