gurus

"I always bow to the Guru who is bliss incarnate, who bestows happiness, whose face is radiant with joy. His essential nature is knowledge. He is aware of his true self. He is the Lord of yogis, he is adorable, and he is the physician who cures the disease of birth and death."
- Sri Guru Gita—verse 93.

paramahansa yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda is one of the greatest spiritual figures of the twentieth century, and also was one of the first Spiritual Masters to bring the Yoga of the East to the aspiring West.

Yogananda means "Bliss" through yoga (divine union with God) The title "Paramahansa" was given by his Guru Sri Yukteswar . Paramahansa means literally "Supreme Swan". It is given to Swami's who have established constant communion with God.

sri yukteswar giri

Sri Yukteswar (1855 - 1936) was a Spiritual Master from India, who was originally named Priya Nath Karar. Sri Yukteswar took his monastic name when he became a Swami of the Giri order. Sri Yukteswar was also the Guru of Paramahansa Yogananda. Yogananda named Sri Yukteswar a Jnanvatar or "Incarnation of Wisdom." See Sri Yukteswar in Autobiography of a Yogi

Sri Yukteswar was born into a relatively wealthy Indian family. He inherited some properties which enabled him to later buy his own hermitages. Sri Yukteswar married and led an ordinary life but his wife died early. However on meeting his Guru Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar started to practise intense spiritual practices. Lahiri Mahasaya initiated him into Kriya Yoga and would later give Sri Yukteswar permission to initiate others. Practising Kriya Yoga with great sincerity Sri Yukteswar was able to attain a profound state of spiritual realisation.

lahiri mahasaya

Perhaps the most revered yogi to touch the earth, a yogi who is reported to have been meditating in the Himalayas for many centuries, guiding the course of yoga's constant expansion.

During his lifetime he initiated many seekers from different faiths into the ancient Indian art of Kriya Yoga. In particular he was willing to break down the rigid caste barriers that were present at the time. Lahiri Mahasaya saw God everywhere and was unencumbered by social status.

mahavatar babaji

God Teacher/Guru to Lahiri Mahasaya. The birth name of Babaji is Nagaraj. Babaji revived the ancient science of Kriya Yoga by teaching it to Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861. Devoted practice of Kriya Yoga leads to realization of God. Jesus, Krishna, St. John, Gandhi, Pantanjali, St. Paul, Kabir, and other prophets were past Masters in the use of Kriya Yoga or a similar technique. A276 Babaji has retained his physical form for centuries and currently works with Jesus in helping mankind towards its Spiritual development. Lahiri said, "Any time a person utters his name in reverence, in instant blessing is bestowed upon them." Ji, Babaji, Ji !