The Authentic and Original
Kriya Yoga Lineage of Gurus

Kriya Yoga Institute

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The original authentic Kriya Yoga of Babaji, Yogiraj Lahiri Baba, and Shriyukteshwarji was brought to the West in this century by Paramahamsa Hariharananda.

In ancient times, Kriya Yoga was revealed by God to Vivaswan, the first King of the solar dynasty in ancient India. Vivaswan taught it to Manu, and Manu in turn taught it to Ikshwaku, and the teaching continued to be passed down through the ages. Later it was taught by Lord Krishna to Arjuna and many others... then many centuries later Babaji taught Yogiraj Lahiri Baba who passed it on to his disciples.

This is the great avatar Babaji. An avatar is a great spiritual being beyond human limitations. Babaji guides from a distance, is rarely seen and usually remains invisible. Babaji appeared one day as a man of some twenty years of age and is currently over 2000 years old. He still looks the same as seen in the picture. He is usually seen in the Himalayas.

This is Yogiraj Lahiri Baba. In 1861, in the Himalayas, he received initiation and guidance from Babaji on Kriya Yoga. The story goes that one day his employer decided to transfer him to an office located in a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas. While out walking one afternoon after his arrival, he met Babaji. He then stayed with him for a while and was instructed in the scientific techniques of Kriya Yoga. Babaji told him to initiate any person who sincerely desired to learn and practice Kriya Yoga. Shortly thereafter Lahiri Baba's employer decided to transfer him back to his hometown. From that time on, Lahiri Baba initiated and guided thousands of devotees. For this reasons, he is often thought of as the father of Kriya Yoga.

This is Swami Shriyukteshwar. He received instruction from Lahiri Baba and founded the well-known Karar Ashram in Puri, India. Shriyukteshwarji was a highly realized yogi and initiated and guided many disciples in the Kriya Yoga technique.

This is Shrimat Bhupendranath Sanyal, the renowned yogi and youngest disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. A householder, highly educated and advanced spiritually, he authored dozens of spiritual books. He established ashrams in Puri, Orissa and Bhagalpur, Bihar. Paramahamsa Hariharananda received his direct initiation, company, and guidance as he lived in Puri for a long time.

This is Paramahamsa Yogananda. A disciple of Shriyukteshwarji, he is widely known as the author of “Autobiography of a Yogi” and the first Kriya Yoga master to come to the West in 1920.

This is Swami Satyananda Giri, one of the foremost disciples of Swami Shriyukteshwar and childhood friend of Paramahamsa Yogananda. He was the acharya of Ranchi Brahmacharya Ashram and President of Karar Ashram until his demise (mahasamadhi). He is one of the Kriya Masters of Paramahamsa Hariharananda.

This is Paramahamsa Hariharananda. A fully God-realized and highly respected disciple of Shriyukteshwar. One of the great Kriya Yoga masters and world teachers, he had attained the pulseless, breathless state of meditation known as nirvikalpa samadhi -- the highest attainment of a dedicated Yogi.

This is Paramahamsa Prajnanananda who was appointed by Paramahamsa Hariharananda as his successor, to continue his mission as a world teacher disseminating the teachings of Kriya Yoga.