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Paramahansa Yogananda Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth5 January 1893

Age59 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceGorakhpur, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), India

ProfessionYogi, Spiritual Guru

NationalityIndian and American

Marital statusUnmarried (Celibate)

FamilyFather - Bhagwati Charan Ghosh; Mother - Gyan Prabha Ghosh; Brother - Sananda Lal Ghosh

Paramahansa Yogananda Biography

Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh) was an Indian-born yogi and spiritual teacher who introduced millions in the West to meditation and Kriya Yó

Early life and background

Mukunda Lal Ghosh was born on 5 January 1893 in Gorakhpur in what was then the United Provinces of British India. Raised in a devout household, his parents were disciples of the yogic tradition of Lahiri Mahasaya. His father worked for the Bengal-Nagpur Railway and the young Mukunda showed an early interest in spiritual tales and practices.

He pursued higher education in Calcutta and Serampore, completing a Bachelor of Arts. At age 17 he met the man who would become his guru, Swami Yukteswar Giri, a meeting that set the course for his life in monasticism and teaching.

Career

After entering the swami order in 1914, Mukunda Lal Ghosh took the name Yogananda and, a year later, received monastic initiation as Swami Yogananda Giri. He founded a boys’ school in Dihika, West Bengal, in 1917 that emphasized meditation and yoga; that institution later moved to Ranchi and became the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, the Indian branch of the organization he established.

In 1920 he traveled to the United States to teach meditation and Kriya Yoga and in the same year established the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) to preserve and transmit his teachings. He conducted extensive lecture tours across North America, referring to those travels as a spiritual campaign, and began cross-continental speaking tours in the mid-1920s that drew large audiences.

Yogananda returned to India in 1935, where he met Mahatma Gandhi and introduced him to Kriya Yoga. His guru bestowed upon him the title Paramahansa in 1935. The following year he returned to the United States and devoted substantial effort to writing; his best-known work, Autobiography of a Yogi, was completed and published in 1946. He continued to write on spiritual topics and produced teachings and lessons that formed the core curriculum of SRF.

In the final years of his life Yogananda spent extended periods in seclusion with close disciples while finishing his writings. Before his death he selected Rajarsi Janakananda to lead the Self-Realization Fellowship.

Public profile

Paramahansa Yogananda was the first Indian teacher to spend most of his life in the United States preaching yoga and meditation. He established SRF headquarters in Los Angeles and through his lectures, writings and the organizations he founded built an international following. His Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into many languages and has been a source of inspiration for a wide range of readers.

He authored several other spiritual works, including commentaries and lesson material such as Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, God Talks With Arjuna – The Bhagavad Gita, and The Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons.

Legacy and recognition

Yogananda died on 7 March 1952 in Los Angeles, at the Biltmore Hotel, of a heart attack. He was 59 years old. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

His influence continued after his passing: SRF grew into an international organization with members in many countries, and Indian authorities issued commemorative postage honoring milestones related to his work, including the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. His writings, especially his autobiography, have been widely reprinted and used as spiritual reading by many.

Latest updates

Centuries after his birth, his schools and societies remain active. Commemorative stamps and official visits to ashrams have marked anniversaries of his organizations and publications, reflecting ongoing recognition of his role in bringing Eastern spiritual practices to a global audience.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Paramahansa Yogananda, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Autobiography of a Yogi

Autobiographical spiritual classic published in 1946 that remains a primary source for his life and teachings.

1946
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Career Highlights

  1. Met his guru Swami Yukteswar Giri at age 17
  2. Founded Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (school began 1917, later moved to Ranchi)
  3. Founded Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920
  4. Introduced Kriya Yoga and taught throughout the United States
  5. Wrote Autobiography of a Yogi (1946) and other spiritual works
  6. Conferred the title Paramahansa by his guru in 1935
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Paramahansa Yogananda born?

Paramahansa Yogananda was born on 5 January 1893.

What is Paramahansa Yogananda known for?

Paramahansa Yogananda is known for yogi, Spiritual Guru.

What is Paramahansa Yogananda’s marital status?

Paramahansa Yogananda's marital status is listed as Unmarried (Celibate).