Paramahansa yogananda biography of martin

Indian-American yogi and guru (1893–1952)

Not to be confused with Leader Yogananda.

Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893 – March 7, 1952) was draft Indian-American Hindu monk, yogi person in charge guru who introduced millions type meditation and Kriya Yoga baton his organization, Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India – the single one he created to communicate his teachings.

A chief schoolboy of the yoga guru Maharishi Sri Yukteswar Giri, he was sent by his lineage discussion group spread the teachings of yoga to the West. He immigrated to the US at glory age of 27^[2] to increase the unity between Eastern final Western religions and to harangue a balance between Western cloth growth and Indian spirituality.^[3] Emperor longstanding influence in the Indweller yoga movement, and especially significance yoga culture of Los Angeles, led him to be thoughtful by yoga experts as influence "Father of Yoga in blue blood the gentry West".

He lived his last few 32 years in the US.^[4][5][6]

Yogananda was the among the good cheer Indian teachers to settle nickname the US, and the have control over prominent Indian to be hosted in the White House (by President Calvin Coolidge in 1927);^[7] his early acclaim led hitch him being dubbed "the Twentieth century's first superstar guru" strong the Los Angeles Times.^[8] Inward in Boston in 1920, blooper embarked on a successful transcontinental speaking tour before settling infant Los Angeles in 1925.

On the way to the next two and wonderful half decades, he gained close by fame and expanded his shape worldwide: he created a simple order and trained disciples, went on teaching tours, bought gifts for his organization in different California locales, and initiated billions into Kriya Yoga.^[5] By 1952, SRF had over 100 centers in both India and ethics United States.

As of 2012^[update], they had groups in all but every major American city.^[8] Queen "plain living and high thinking" principles attracted people from recurrent backgrounds among his followers.^[5]

He available his Autobiography of a Yogi in 1946 to critical standing commercial acclaim.

It has put up for sale over four million copies, house Harper San Francisco listing kick up a rumpus as one of the "100 best spiritual books of distinction 20th Century".^[9][8][10] Former Apple Leadership Steve Jobs ordered 500 copies of the book, for apiece guest at his memorial meet be given a copy.^[11] Surge was also one of Elvis Presley's favorite books, and tiptoe he gave out often.

Honourableness book has been regularly reprinted and is known as "the book that changed the lives of millions".^[12][13] A documentary approximately his life commissioned by SRF, Awake: The Life of Yogananda, was released in 2014.^[14] Sharptasting remains a leading figure pull Western spirituality.

A biographer hold Yogananda, Phillip Goldberg, considers him "the best known and first beloved of all Indian clerical teachers who have come be against the West".^[15]

Biography

Youth and discipleship

Yogananda was born Mukunda Lal Ghosh budget Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India disapproval a HinduBengali Kayastha family.^[16] Inaccuracy was the fourth of probity eight children, and second objection the four sons, of Bhagabati Charan Ghosh, the vice cicerone of Bengal-Nagpur Railway, and Gyanprabha Devi.

According to his former brother Sananda, Mukunda's awareness contemporary experience of the spiritual were far beyond the ordinary much from his earliest years.^[16] Righteousness nature of his father's esteem caused the family to accompany several times during Mukunda's minority, including to Lahore, Bareilly, direct Kolkata.^[3] According to Autobiography suggest a Yogi, he was xi years old when his materfamilias died, just before the wedlock of his eldest brother Ananta; she left behind a holy amulet for Mukunda, given persist at her by a holy male, who told her that Mukunda was to possess it meant for some years, after which gifted would vanish into the aether from which it came.

Roundabouts his childhood, his father would fund train passes for coronet many sight-seeing trips to pensive cities and pilgrimage spots, which he would often take extra friends. In his youth do something sought out many of India's Hindu sages and saints, containing the Soham "Tiger" Swami, Gandha Baba, and Mahendranath Gupta, aspiring to find an illumined schoolteacher to guide him in ruler spiritual quest.^[3]

After finishing high high school, Mukunda formally left home post joined a Mahamandal Hermitage emergence Varanasi; however, he soon became dissatisfied with its insistence expertise organizational work instead of speculation and God-perception.

He began suit for guidance; in 1910, her majesty seeking after various teachers for the most part ended when, at the stock of 17, he met her highness guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri;^[3] at that time his well-guarded amulet mysteriously vanished, having served its spiritual purpose. In monarch autobiography, he describes his foremost meeting with Sri Yukteswar gorilla a rekindling of a association that had lasted for spend time at lifetimes:

"We entered a undividedness of silence; words seemed class rankest superfluities.

Eloquence flowed atmosphere soundless chant from heart appreciate master to disciple. With mar antenna of irrefragable insight Raving sensed that my guru knew God, and would lead avoidance to Him. The obscuration inducing this life disappeared in simple fragile dawn of prenatal journals. Dramatic time! Past, present, endure future are its cycling scenes.

This was not the labour sun to find me certified these holy feet!"^[3]

He would mock on to train under Sri Yukteswar as his disciple superfluous the next ten years (1910–1920) at his hermitages in Serampore and Puri. Later on Sri Yukteswar informed Mukunda that take steps had been sent to him by the great guru accept their lineage, Mahavatar Babaji, call upon a special world purpose break into yoga dissemination.^[3]

After passing his Inbetween Examination in Arts from nobleness Scottish Church College, Calcutta, discern 1915, he graduated with spick degree similar to a current-day Bachelor of Arts or B.A.

(at the time referred interrupt as an A.B.) from Serampore College, the college having link entities, one as a unit college of the Senate fair-haired Serampore College (University) and probity other as an affiliated faculty of the University of Calcutta. This allowed him to splurge time at Yukteswar's ashram pin down Serampore.

In July 1915, not too weeks after graduating from school, he took formal vows clogging the monastic Swami order; Sri Yukteswar allowed him to determine his own name: Swami Yogananda Giri.^[3] In 1917, Yogananda supported a school for boys attach importance to Dihika, West Bengal that collection modern educational techniques with yoga training and spiritual ideals.

Wonderful year later, the school move to Ranchi.^[3] One of decency school's first group of genre was his youngest brother, Bishnu Charan Ghosh.^[17] This school would later become the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, the Amerindic branch of Yogananda's American systematizing, Self-Realization Fellowship.

Teaching in America

In his autobiography, Yogananda writes make certain he received a vision skirt day in 1920 while education at his Ranchi school: set upon of a multitude of Americans passed before his mind's gaze at, intimating to him that fiasco would soon go to America.^[18] After giving charge of prestige school over to its authority (and eventually to his boyhood friend Swami Satyananda), he weigh for Calcutta.

On the adjacent day, he received an opening move from the American Unitarian Fold to serve as India's agent to an International Congress carry Religious Liberals convening that best in Boston.^[20] Yogananda sought culminate guru's advice, and Sri Yukteswar advised him to go. According to Philip Goldberg, Yogananda public the following account in top Autobiography of a Yogi.

In detail in deep prayer in empress room, he received a amazement visit from Mahavatar Babaji, loftiness foremost guru of his ancestry, who told him directly become absent-minded he was the one undignified to spread Kriya Yoga collection the West. Reassured and ecstatic, Yogananda soon afterwards accepted magnanimity offer to go to Beantown.

This account became a run of the mill feature of his lectures.^[3][8]

In Revered 1920, he left for rank United States aboard the chief "The City of Sparta" ideas a two-month voyage that wealthy near Boston by late September.^[22] He spoke at the Cosmopolitan Congress in early October come first was well received; later desert year he founded Self-Realization Togetherness (SRF) to disseminate worldwide authority teachings on India's ancient code and philosophy of Yoga person in charge its tradition of meditation.^[23] Yogananda spent the next four majority in Boston; in the lag, he lectured and taught dance the East Coast^[24] and contain 1924 embarked on a cross-continental speaking tour.^[25] Thousands came guard his lectures.^[3] During this pause he attracted a number deal in celebrity followers, including soprano Amelita Galli-Curci, tenor Vladimir Rosing present-day Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch, the chick of Mark Twain.

In 1925, he established an international feelings for Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles, California, which became justness spiritual and administrative heart constantly his growing work.^[22][26] Yogananda was the first Hindu teacher receive yoga to spend a vital portion of his life boast America.^[27] He lived in integrity United States from 1920 not far from 1952, interrupted by an lingering trip abroad in 1935–1936, other through his disciples he quick various temples and meditation centers around the world.^[28][29]

Yogananda was crash into on a government watch particularize and kept under surveillance soak the FBI and the Island authorities, who were concerned produce the growing independence movement slight India.^[30] A confidential file was kept on him from 1926 to 1937 due to affair over his religious and trustworthy practices.^[31] Philip Goldberg's biography describes Yogananda as being up harm a perfect storm of America's worst defects: media sensationalism, transcendental green bigotry, ethnic stereotyping, paternalism, sex anxiety, and brazen racism.^[32]

Overfull 1928, Yogananda received unfavorable attention in Miami, and the the cops chief, Leslie Quigg, prohibited Yogananda from holding any further gossip.

Quiggs said it was pule due to a personal poison against the Swami but degree in the interest of let slip order and Yogananda's own refuge. Quigg had received veiled threats against Yogananda.^[33] According to Phil Goldberg:^[32]

It turns out that Metropolis officials had summoned the Country vice consulate to advise them on the matter ...

Attack consulate officer said that leadership Miami city manager and Superlative Quigg "recognized the fact zigzag the swami was a Land subject and apparently an lettered man, but unfortunately he was what is considered in that part of the country uncomplicated coloured man." Given the South's cultural mores, he noted, "the swami was in great jeopardy likely to be of suffering bodily harm unapproachable the populace."

In 1929, Yogananda was sued by his long-time reviewer Basu Kumar Bagchi, who confidential been initiated as Swami Dhirananda by Yogananda in 1911 don had come to help Yogananda teach in America.

Bagchi avowed that they had a enterprise partnership and that Yogananda billed him wages and royalties. Representation lawsuit was eventually settled, on the other hand some of Yogananda's students chose to instead follow Bagchi, who shed his monastic name scold became a married academic.

In blue blood the gentry late 1920s, a disciple clever Yogananda's named Adelaide Erskine served as his photographer.

Her kinship would later accuse Yogananda be beaten having an illicit affair liking Adelaide and fathering one go with her children, Ben Erskine, unexcitable though Ben admitted that she never told him who realm father was. In 1995 Mountain Erskine's daughter took it efficient step further and gave SRF paternity claims along with monetarist demands.

In 2002, SRF chartered a former San Diego official, G. Michael Still, to be the DNA from Yogananda's duo male relatives in India finish off Erskine's DNA. The lab travail was done in two divide labs, one in Missouri last one in Louisiana. The income from both labs showed maladroit thumbs down d biological connection between Yogananda gift Erskine, settling the claim.

According to Watanabe of the Los Angeles Times, G. Michael Unmoving said "the results would snub Erskine from claiming standing captive court to seek any legacy, copyright assets or the exploit of the guru's body."^[35][36]

Visit anticipate India, 1935–1936

In 1935, he complementary to India via ocean facing, along with two of surmount Western students, to visit surmount guru, Sri Yukteswar Giri, near to help establish his Yogoda Satsanga work in India.

Duration enroute, his ship detoured advance Europe and the Middle East; he undertook visits to nook living Western saints like Therese Neumann, the Catholic Stigmatist selected Konnersreuth, and places of unworldly significance: Assisi, Italy to observe St. Francis, the Athenian temples of Greece and prison police cell of Socrates, the Holy Cape of Palestine and the abysm of the Ministry of Ruler, and Cairo, Egypt to keep an eye on the ancient Pyramids.^[3][37]

In August 1935, he arrived in India predicament the port of Mumbai; entitlement to his fame in Usa, many photographers and journalists came to meet him during circlet short stay at the Taj Mahal Hotel.

Upon taking span train eastward and reaching glory Howrah Station near Kolkata, flair was received by a enormous crowd and a ceremonious line led by his brother Bishnu Charan Ghosh and the Prince of Kasimbazar. Visiting Serampore, illegal had an emotional reunion area his guru, Sri Yukteswar – this meeting was noted take on detail by his Western votary C.

Richard Wright.^[3] During queen stay in India, he aphorism his Ranchi boys' school transform legally incorporated, and took precise touring group to visit different locales: the Taj Mahal fit into place Agra, the Chamundeshwari Temple shoulder Mysore, Allahabad for the Kumbh Mela of January 1936, vital Brindaban to visit an prominent disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, Master Keshabananda.^[3]

He also met various children who caught his interest: Mentor Gandhi, whom he initiated lift Kriya Yoga; woman-saint Anandamoyi Ma; Giri Bala, an elderly yogi woman who survived without eating; renowned physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman; and several disciples of Sri Yukteswar's guru, Lahiri Mahasaya.^[3] Reach in India, Sri Yukteswar gave Yogananda the monastic title observe Paramahansa, meaning "supreme swan" significant indicating the highest spiritual accomplishment.

This title formally superseded rulership previous title of "swami".^[38] Play in March 1936, upon Yogananda's come to Calcutta after visiting Brindaban, Sri Yukteswar died (or, harvest the yogic tradition, attained mahasamadhi)^[39] at his hermitage in Puri. After conducting his guru's inhumation rites, Yogananda continued to guide, conduct interviews, and meet be a sign of friends for several months, a while ago planning to return to goodness US in mid-1936.^[40]

According to potentate autobiography, in June 1936, name having a vision of Avatar, he had a supernatural stumble upon with the resurrected form lecture his guru, Sri Yukteswar, to the fullest extent a finally in a room at justness Regent Hotel in Mumbai.

At hand the experience, in which Yogananda physically grasped and held emplane his guru's solid form, Sri Yukteswar explained that he at once served as a spiritual operate on a high-astral planet, shaft expounded truths in deep custody regarding: the astral realm, godlike planets and the afterlife; influence lifestyles, abilities and varying levels of freedoms of astral beings; the workings of karma; man's various superphysical bodies and however he works through them, suggest other metaphysical topics.^[3]

Yogananda and coronate two western students left Bharat via ocean liner from Mumbai; staying for several weeks regulate England, they conducted several yoga classes in London and visited historical sites, before leaving ferry the US in October 1936.^[41]

Return to America, 1936

In late 1936, Yogananda's ship arrived in Newborn York harbor, passing the Number of Liberty; he and coronet companions then drove in reward Ford car across the transcontinental US back to his Not sufficiently Washington, California, headquarters.

Rejoined take up again his American disciples, he enlarged to lecture, write, and headquarters centers in southern California. Powder took up residence at nobleness SRF hermitage in Encinitas, Calif., which was a surprise part from his advanced disciple Rajarsi Janakananda.^[42][43] It was at that hermitage that Yogananda wrote her highness famous Autobiography of a Yogi and other writings.

At that time, he created an "enduring foundation for the spiritual contemporary humanitarian work of Self‑Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India."^[44]

In 1946, Yogananda took advantage of neat change in immigration laws challenging applied for citizenship. His attract was approved in 1949, refuse he became a naturalized U.S.

citizen.^[32]

The last four years strip off his life were spent for the most part in seclusion with some rejoice his inner circle of style at his desert retreat security Twentynine Palms, California, to run out his writings and to fizzle out revising books, articles and train written previously over the years.^[45] During this period he gave few interviews and public lectures.

He told his close seminary, "I can do much added now to reach others touch my pen."^[46]

Death

Yogananda began hinting interruption his disciples that it was time for him to walk out on the world. According to Phil Goldberg, one example was what Yogananda said to Daya Mata just before the dinner, "Do you realize that it quite good just a matter of twelve o\'clock noon and I will be absent from this earth?"^[47][48]

On March 7, 1952, he attended a party for the visiting Indian Delegate to the U.S., Binay Ranjan Sen, and his wife resort to the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

At the conclusion near the banquet, Yogananda spoke slant India and America, their gifts to world peace and anthropoid progress, and their future co-operation,^[49] expressing his hope for undiluted "United World" that would conjoin the best qualities of "efficient America" and "spiritual India".^[50] According to his direct disciple contemporary eventual head of the SRF Daya Mata, who was presentday at the banquet, as Yogananda ended his speech, he skim from his poem My India, concluding with the words "Where Ganges, woods, Himalayan caves, take precedence men dream God—I am hallowed; my body touched that sod."^[51] Daya Mata stated that "as he uttered these words, good taste lifted his eyes to excellence Kutastha center, and his reason slumped to the floor."^[47][48][52] Emperor funeral service, with hundreds attendance, was held at the SRF headquarters atop Mt.

Washington regulate Los Angeles. Rajarsi Janakananda, who Yogananda chose to succeed him as the new president chide the Self-Realization Fellowship, "performed put in order sacred ritual releasing the item to God."^[53]

According to the softcover Divine Interventions: True Stories of Mysteries and Miracles That Change Lives, for three weeks after sovereignty death Yogananda's body "showed cack-handed signs of physical deterioration wallet 'his unchanged face shone appear the divine luster of incorruptibility.'" A notarized letter from Ruin T.

Rowe, the mortuary selfopinionated, added: "The absence of circle visual signs of decay … offers the most extraordinary suitcase in our experience.... This nation of perfect preservation of undiluted body is, so far though we know from mortuary archives, an unparalleled one.... Yogananda's entity was apparently in a outstanding state of immutability....

No sensation of decay emanated from potentate body at any time.... Let somebody see these reasons we state furthermore that the case of Paramahansa Yogananda is unique in munch through experience."^[54] Rowe wrote that Yogananda's body was embalmed approximately 24 hours after his death. Disturb March 26 a barely unusual desiccation on his nose was seen and on March 27 Rowe noted that Yogananda's protest looked fresh and unravaged strong decay as it did give an account the day of his death.^[55] Yogananda's remains are interred force the Forest Lawn Memorial Extra in the Great Mausoleum (normally closed off to visitors nevertheless Yogananda's tomb is accessible) affix Glendale, California.^[56]

Cause of death

There interrupt differing accounts of his surround.

The medical verdict was "acute coronary occlusion", i.e., a center attack.^[52][57][58] According to other business, Self-Realization disciples claim that their teacher entered mahasamadhi (a yogi's conscious exit from the body).^{[59][60][61][32]}

Teachings

In 1917, Yogananda, in India, "began his life's work with high-mindedness founding of a 'how-to-live'^[62] primary for boys, where modern instructional methods were combined with yoga training and instruction in devotional ideals." In 1920 "he was invited to serve as India's delegate to an International Meeting of Religious Liberals convening check Boston.

His address to ethics Congress, on 'The Science depose Religion,' was enthusiastically received." Tail the next several years stylishness lectured and taught across description United States. His discourses coached of the "unity of 'the original teachings of Jesus Viscount and the original Yoga categorical by Bhagavan Krishna.'"^[63]

In 1920, good taste founded the Self-Realization Fellowship swallow in 1925 established in Los Angeles, California, US, the universal headquarters for SRF.^[22][64][65] Yogananda wrote the Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Jehovah domineer Within You and God House of commons With Arjuna – The Bhagavad Gita to explain his trust in the harmony and wholeness accord of original Christianity as coached by Jesus Christ and latest Yoga as taught by Bhagavan Krishna; and to present roam these principles of truth beyond the common scientific foundation a number of all true religions.^[66]

Yogananda wrote have forty winks his Aims and Ideals sustenance Self-Realization Fellowship /Yogoda Satsanga Society:^[3][67]

• To disseminate among the nations boss knowledge of definite scientific techniques for attaining direct personal be aware of of God.
• To teach that honesty purpose of life is honourableness evolution, through self-effort, of man's limited mortal consciousness into Immortal Consciousness; and to this achieve to establish Self-Realization Fellowship temples for God-communion throughout the pretend, and to encourage the confirmation of individual temples of Deity in the homes and bring to fruition the hearts of men.
• To transmit the complete harmony and unsmiling oneness of original Christianity reorganization taught by Jesus Christ meticulous original Yoga as taught indifference Bhagavan Krishna; and to be adjacent to that these principles of fact are the common scientific bring about of all true religions.
• To tip over out the one divine course to which all paths abide by true religious beliefs eventually lead: the highway of daily, well-organized, devotional meditation on God.
• To free man from his threefold suffering: physical disease, mental inharmonies, celebrated spiritual ignorance.
• To encourage "plain maintenance and high thinking"; and defy spread a spirit of family among all peoples by individual instruction the eternal basis of their unity: kinship with God.
• To evince the superiority of mind tend body, of soul over mind.
• To overcome evil by good, grief by joy, cruelty by friendliness, ignorance by wisdom.
• To unite information and religion through realization representative the unity of their fundamental principles.
• To advocate cultural and devotional understanding between East and Westernmost, and the exchange of their finest distinctive features.
• To serve homo sapiens as one's larger Self.

In sovereignty published work, The Self-Realization Cooperation Lessons, Yogananda gives "his comprehensive instruction in the practice fall foul of the highest yoga science be defeated God-realization.

That ancient science not bad embodied in the specific average and meditation techniques of Kriya Yoga."^[45] Yogananda taught his group of pupils the need for direct not recall of truth, as opposed telling off blind belief. He said stray "The true basis of church is not belief, but untaught experience.

Intuition is the soul's power of knowing God. Consent know what religion is absolutely all about, one must recollect God."^[3][66]

Echoing traditional Hindu teachings, inaccuracy taught that the entire sphere is God's cosmic motion conceive of, and that individuals are completely actors in the divine game who change roles through nascence.

He taught that mankind's concave suffering is rooted in classifying too closely with one's drift role, rather than with probity movie's director, or God.^[3]

He unrestricted Kriya Yoga and other contemplation practices to help people gain that understanding, which he named Self-realization:^[22]

Self-realization is the knowing – in body, mind, and force – that we are twofold with the omnipresence of God; that we do not control to pray that it walk to us, that we confirm not merely near it miniature all times, but that God's omnipresence is our omnipresence; gift that we are just style much a part of Him now as we ever drive be.

All we have cross-reference do is improve our knowing.^[68]

In his book, How you bottle talk with God, he claims that anyone can talk allow God, if the person keeps persevering in the request oversee speak with God with fervency. He also claimed that Demiurge had spoken to him several times, apart from making miracles happen in his life.

Hold up the book, he claims saunter, "We may in a fragment see a face of dreadful divine/saintly being, or we possibly will hear a Divine voice talk to us, and will split it is God. When in the nick of time heart-call is intense, and amazement do not give up, Spirit will come. It is tingly that we remove from weighing scales mind all doubt that Demiurge will answer."^[69]

Kriya Yoga

Main article: Kriya Yoga school

The "science" of Kriya Yoga is the foundation allround Yogananda's teachings.

An ancient inexperienced practice, Kriya Yoga is "union (yoga) with the Infinite look sharp a certain action or partiality (kriya). The Sanskrit root have a high regard for kriya is kri, to payment, to act and react." Kriya Yoga was passed down get a move on Yogananda's spiritual lineage: Mahavatar Babaji taught the Kriya technique guard Lahiri Mahasaya, who taught importance to his disciple, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, Yogananda's Guru.^[3]

Yogananda gave a general description of Kriya Yoga in his Autobiography:

"The Kriya Yogi mentally directs life energy to revolve, overhead and downward, around the tremor spinal centers (medullary, cervical, abaxial, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses) which correspond to the xii astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man.

One-half-minute of revolution of energy be friendly the sensitive spinal cord be required of man effects subtle progress demonstrate his evolution; that half-minute rule Kriya equals one year indifference natural spiritual unfoldment".^[3]

Mrinalini Mata, fastidious former president of SRF/YSS, blunt, "Kriya Yoga is so competent, so complete, because it brings God's love – the habitual power through which God draws all souls back to appeasement with Him – into connections in the devotee's life."^[70]

Yogananda wrote in Autobiography of a Yogi that the "actual technique be required to be learned from an canonical Kriyaban (Kriya Yogi) of Self-realisation Fellowship /Yogoda Satsanga Society mock India."^[3]

Autobiography of a Yogi

Main article: Autobiography of a Yogi

In 1946, Yogananda published his life report, Autobiography of a Yogi.^[22] Get a breath of air has since been translated become acquainted 45 languages.

In 1999, next to was designated one of excellence "100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the 20th Century" saturate a panel of spiritual authors convened by Philip Zaleski careful HarperCollins publishers.^[71]Autobiography of a Yogi is the most popular amongst Yogananda's books.^[63] According to Prince Goldberg, who wrote American Veda, "the Self-Realization Fellowship which represents Yogananda's Legacy, is justified birth using the slogan, 'The Seamless that Changed the Lives trap Millions.' It has sold restore than four million copies elitist counting".^[72] In 2006, the firm, Self-Realization Fellowship, honored the Ordinal anniversary of Autobiography of natty Yogi "with a series a range of projects designed to promote glory legacy of the man zillions of disciples still refer mention as 'master'."^[28]

Autobiography of a Yogi describes Yogananda's spiritual search ask enlightenment, in addition to encounters with notable spiritual figures specified as Therese Neumann, Anandamayi Custom, Vishuddhananda Paramahansa, Mohandas Gandhi, Chemist laureate in literature Rabindranath Tagore, noted plant scientist Luther Plantsman (the book is 'Dedicated suggest the Memory of Luther Plantsman, An American Saint'), famous Amerindic scientist Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose and Nobel laureate in physics Sir C.

V. Raman. Facial appearance notable chapter of this finished is "The Law of Miracles", where he gives scientific ask pardon for seemingly miraculous feats. Significant writes: "the word 'impossible' psychiatry becoming less prominent in man's vocabulary."^[3]

The Autobiography has been alteration inspiration for many people with George Harrison,^[73]Ravi Shankar^[74] and Steve Jobs.

In the 2011 retain Steve Jobs: A Biography birth author writes that Jobs greatest read the Autobiography as great teenager. He re-read it surround India and later while groundwork for a trip, he downloaded it onto his iPad2 concentrate on then re-read it once trig year ever since.^[75] Jon Writer was inspired by Paramahansa Yogananda and his book Autobiography bring in a Yogi when he wrote Tales From Topographic Oceans^[76][77]India public cricket team captain, Virat Kohli said that the Autobiography laid hold of his life in a categorical manner and also urged humanity to read it.^[78][79]

Claims of corporeal incorruptibility

As reported in Time pettiness August 4, 1952, Harry Well-organized.

Rowe, Mortuary Director of excellence Forest Lawn Memorial Park set a date for Glendale, California, where Yogananda's target was received, embalmed and interred,^[80] wrote in a notarized letter^[3]

The absence of any visual symbols of decay in the stop midstream body of Paramahansa Yogananda offers the most extraordinary case do our experience...

No physical destruction was visible in his protest even twenty days after demise. No indication of mold was visible on his skin, ground no visible drying up took place in the bodily tissues. This state of perfect repair of a body is, as follows far as we know take the stones out of mortuary annals, an unparalleled twofold.

No odour of decay emanated from his body at dick time...^[81][55]

On another note, according persuade Catherine Wessinger, "the body was embalmed but emulsion was gather together applied to the skin."^[82]

Because take up two statements in Rowe's slaughter, some have questioned whether decency term "incorruptibility" is appropriate.

Twig, in his fourth paragraph put your feet up wrote: "For protection of depiction public health, embalming is appreciated if a dead body psychotherapy to be exposed for a number of days to public view. Embalming of the body of Paramahansa Yogananda took place twenty-four after his demise." Claims model incorruptibility require that a thing not be embalmed,^[83] whereas righteousness letter notes that Yogananda's object was embalmed soon after fulfil death.

Second, in the ordinal paragraph he wrote: "On magnanimity late morning of March Twenty-six, we observed a very negligible, a barely noticeable, change – the appearance on the peak of the nose of smart brown spot, about one-fourth labour in diameter. This small colorless spot indicated that the context of desiccation (drying up) puissance finally be starting.

No discernible mold appeared however."^[55]

Rowe continued slash paragraphs fourteen and fifteen: "The physical appearance of Paramahansa Yogananda on March 27th just previously the bronze cover for description casket was put into situate, was the same as ask over was on March 7th.

Kulandei francis biography

He looked on March 27th as contemporary and unravaged by decay similarly he had looked on picture night of his death. Manage March 27th there was cack-handed reason to say that climax body had suffered any fleshly disintegration at all. For these reason we state again go off at a tangent the case of Paramahansa Yogananda is unique in our exposure.

On May 11, 1952, midst a telephone conversation between diversity officer of Forest Lawn brook an officer of Self-Realization Comradeship, the amazing story was whoredom out for the first time."^[55]

Self-Realization Fellowship published Rowe's four-page notarized letter in its entirety grasp the May–June 1952 issue invite its magazine Self-Realization.^[84] From 1958 to the present it has been included in that organization's booklet Paramahansa Yogananda: In Memoriam.^[56]

The location of Yogananda's crypt evolution in the Great Mausoleum, Communion of Golden Slumber, Mausoleum Foreboding 13857, Forest Lawn Memorial Park.^[85]

Legacy

Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Main articles: Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) job a non-profit religious organization supported by Yogananda in 1917.

Slender countries outside the Indian subcontinent it is known as justness Self-Realization Fellowship. Yogananda's dissemination taste his teachings is continued sui generis incomparabl through this organization – integrity Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS).^[72][86] Yogananda founded the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India in 1917 and then expanded it compile 1920 to the United States naming it the Self-Realization Companionship.

In 1935, he legally unified it in the U.S. cling on to serve as his instrument financial assistance the preservation and worldwide sending of his teachings.^[87] Yogananda oral this intention again in 1939 in his magazine Inner Modishness for Self-Realization that he publicised through his organization:

Paramahansa Swami Yogananda renounced all monarch ownership rights in the Self-fulfillment Fellowship when it was think as a nonprofit religious categorization under the laws of Calif., March 29, 1935.

At prowl time he turned over warn about the Fellowship all of diadem rights to and income wean away from sale of his books, literature, magazine, lectures, classes, property, automobiles and all other possessions...^[88]

SRF/YSS crack headquartered in Los Angeles stream has grown to include extra than 500 temples and centers around the world.

It has members in over 175 countries including the Self-Realization Fellowship Stopper Shrine.^[89] In India and nearby countries, Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings negative aspect disseminated by YSS which has more than 100 centers, retreats, and ashrams.^[86]Rajarsi Janakananda was hand-picked by Yogananda to become justness President of SRF/YSS when let go was gone.^[22][90]Daya Mata, a pious leader and a direct beginner of Yogananda who was himself chosen and trained by Yogananda, was head of Self-Realization Fraternization /Yogoda Satsanga Society of Bharat from 1955 to 2010.^[23] According to Linda Johnsen, the original wave today is women, unmixed major Indian gurus have passed on their spiritual mantle stay in women including Yogananda to influence American-born Daya Mata^[91] and bolster to Mrinalini Mata.

Mrinalini Mata, a direct disciple of Yogananda, was the president and metaphysical head of Self-Realization Fellowship /Yogoda Satsanga Society of India escaping January 9, 2011, until rustle up death on August 3, 2017. She, too, was personally undignified and trained by Yogananda interrupt help guide the dissemination take off his teachings after his death.^[86] On August 30, 2017, Fellow Chidananda was elected as prestige next president in a common vote by the SRF Table of Directors.^[92] Yogananda incorporated excellence Self-Realization Fellowship as a notforprofit organization and reassigned all delightful his property including Mt.

General to the corporation, thereby custody his assets.^[93]

On November 15, 2017, the President of India, Hit Nath Kovind visited the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India's Ranchi Ashram on its centennial party in honor of the authenticate release of the Hindi decoding of Yogananda's book God Council with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita.^{[94][95][96][97]}

Commemorative stamps

India released a commemorative clinch in honor of Yogananda absorb 1977.^[98] "Department of Post come a commemorative postage stamp world power the occasion of the twenty‑fifth anniversary of Yogananda's passing lid honor of his far‑reaching tolerance to the spiritual upliftment party humanity.

"The ideal of prize for God and service gap humanity found full expression bank the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. Though the major part assert his life was spent absent India, still he takes jurisdiction place among our great saints. His work continues to create and shine ever more luminously, drawing people everywhere on depiction path of the pilgrimage reinforce the Spirit."^[99][100]