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A Shining Life 

If one lives surrendering everything to God, one will not have any worries.

 

—Lahiri Mahasaya

L

ahiri Mahasaya was born into this world on 

September 30, 1828, and consciously passed from 

it on September 26, 1895. Although known to 

many in India, his life was generally unknown in the West 

until the publication of Paramahansa Yogananda’s book, 

The Autobiography of a Yogi. In that book, he introduced 

readers to the lives of many saints and yoga masters, 

including Lahiri Mahasaya, his paramguru, or teacher of 

his own guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar.

Lahiri Mahasaya was known as a realized soul, an awakened, liberated being. 

His contribution to the lives of devotees in his time and even today is immense.  

One of the most significant contributions of his life is the example of its utter 

simplicity and balance. Lahiri Mahasaya was a householder—a married man with 

five children who worked as a clerk for the military and engaged in civic duties. 

Besides his family and work responsibilities, he led spiritual study groups in the 

evenings, and contributed to the education of youth in his community. He regu-

larly meditated to the stage of samadhi, or Superconsciousness.  In the Autobiog-

raphy of a Yogi, Yogananda wrote:
“By these manifold activities, Lahiri Mahasaya sought to answer the common chal-

lenge: ‘after performing one’s business and social duties, where is the time for devo-

tional meditation?’ The harmoniously balanced life of the great householder-guru 

became the inspiration of thousands of men and women. Earning only a modest 

salary, thrifty, unostentatious, accessible to all, the master carried on naturally and 

happily in the path of disciplined worldly life.”

Lahiri Mahasaya was known as a “secret yogi”—one who did not publish or 

publicize, who did not build an organization, who even requested when he gave 

initiation that devotees keep it to themselves and not tell others about their expe-

rience. But the light of spiritual consciousness that emanated from him could not 

be contained. People were drawn to the master simply and significantly through 

the magnetizing power of his awakened consciousness. Over the years, he initi-

ated thousands of seekers into the spiritual science of Kriya Yoga. 

Many have taken heart from the life of this great soul who balanced worldly 

responsibilities with his depth of spiritual practice and experience. If you have 

ever wondered if it is possible to be fully enlightened in this lifetime if you are a 

householder, a family person, or someone with work and civic duties…take heart 

from the life of Lahiri Mahasaya. 

  

LIVING KRIYA YOGA