LINEAGE
The tradition of Kriya Yoga has been preserved through its lineage. It has maintained its relevance through the lives of the Kriya Gurus: Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Sri Yukteswar, Paramahansa Yogananda, and their successors. Below is a brief introduction to the Kriya Yoga Gurus and teachers of this lineage. For a more detailed account of their lives, please see the books "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda and "Paramahansa Yogananda: As I Knew Him" by Roy Eugene Davis.
Mahavatar Babaji
Babaji stands at the source of our Kriya Yoga lineage. He doesn't belong exclusively to this tradition - he works with seekers, teachers, and ministers across all authentic paths who share the intention of awakening spiritual consciousness on this planet. Roy Eugene Davis writes in Life Surrendered in God that Babaji is "fully illumined, with no karmic ties to the world, and embodied only to be a conduit through which enlivening forces can express to cleanse planetary consciousness."
His age is unknown. Traditional accounts describe him as an immortal yogi, capable of manifesting and dematerializing his physical form at will. Some consider him an incarnation of Krishna. Stories place him initiating Shankara in the 8th century and the poet-saint Kabir in the 15th century into Kriya Yoga.
Lahiri Mahasaya and other teachers in our lineage encountered Babaji directly. His presence touched the lives of both Sri Yukteswar and Paramahansa Yogananda in profound ways. For their experiences with Babaji, read Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi - the accounts speak for themselves.
Lahiri Mahasaya
Lahiri Mahasaya, born Shyama Charan Lahiri, lived as a householder - married, raising a family, working a regular job while maintaining his spiritual practice. He was also an enlightened teacher who guided an estimated 5,000 students.
His days were ordinary: work, family responsibilities, the everyday demands of household life. At night, he met with Kriya Yoga students, teaching them and guiding their practice. Interestingly, he and his wife, Kashimoni Devi, had their five children - two sons and three daughters - only after he met Babaji and began teaching.
His students gave him the title "Mahasaya," which means "one who is broad-minded" or "cosmic conscious."
The title fits. Lahiri Mahasaya wasn't just spiritually expansive - he held an open and accepting attitude toward all religious traditions.
He initiated men and women from various backgrounds into Kriya Yoga: Hindus, Christians, Muslims, practitioners of other paths. His position was simple: it doesn't matter what religion you follow. If you practice sincerely, live nobly, and apply the techniques of Kriya Yoga, you can wake up spiritually in this lifetime.
Sri Yukteswar Giri
Born Priya Nath Karar, Sri Yukteswar was a devoted student of Lahiri Mahasaya and the Guru of Paramahansa Yogananda.
Yogananda called him a "Jñānavatar" - a compound of jñāna (higher wisdom) and avatāra (divine representative). The title means one who embodies and transmits divine wisdom. The name Yukteswar itself means "one with the aspect of God as a benefic ruling and guiding principle of nature."
Sri Yukteswar was an accomplished astrologer with deep knowledge of Ayurveda. Students told stories of his healing abilities and his uncanny capacity to intuit exactly what they needed. He was particularly known for prescribing gemstones and bangles based on astrological analysis.
He had a penetrating intellect and studied widely: the Bible, the Bhagavad Gītā, the Upaniṣads, astronomy, and medicine. He cared deeply about education and founded the Satsanga Sabha, an organization devoted to spiritual study. At Babaji's request, he wrote The Holy Science, a text demonstrating the underlying unity between Eastern and Western scriptures.
Paramahansa Yogananda
Yogananda is best known for the Autobiography of a Yogi, in which he recounts his years in India and his encounters with yogis, saints, and spiritual practitioners. The book contains remarkable stories, but its real value lies in the profound philosophy woven through each narrative. Read with attention, it offers a wellspring of inspiration and guidance for anyone walking a spiritual path. The text has been translated into over 50 languages and is considered one of the most important spiritual books of the twentieth century.
In his early adulthood, Yogananda devoted much of his energy to helping his Guru's organization flourish. He also cared deeply about education. With Sri Yukteswar's blessing and the help of his brother disciples, he established a school in Ranchi grounded in Vedic philosophy and yoga.
When Yogananda recognized his purpose - bringing Kriya Yoga teachings to the West - he pursued it with the same intensity he brought to everything in his life. Strengthened by Sri Yukteswar's training, he embarked on this mission in 1920, eventually founding Self-Realization Fellowship to preserve and disseminate the teachings.
His approach was practical and inclusive. He demonstrated that the ancient techniques of yoga and meditation weren't exotic practices reserved for cave-dwelling ascetics - they were methods ordinary people could use to transform their lives. He initiated thousands of students into Kriya Yoga, including people from all religious backgrounds, and established temples and meditation centers throughout North America.
Yogananda's legacy continues through the organizations he founded and the countless practitioners who have discovered these teachings through his writing and the lineage he established.
Roy Eugene Davis
Roy Eugene Davis met Paramahansa Yogananda on December 23, 1949, at Self-Realization Fellowship headquarters. When he spoke at retreats years later, he described that first encounter as if he were seeing it again - vivid and immediate.
He arrived at SRF and met Donald Walters (later known as Kriyananda), who asked how he'd heard about the organization and Yogananda. During their conversation, Yogananda emerged from a nearby elevator with Faye and Virginia Wright. He approached Davis directly, shook his hand gently, and asked how old he was and whether his parents knew where he was. After Davis assured him they did, Yogananda offered a blessing and said, "That's good. I'll talk to you again."
The next day, after settling into his quarters, Davis attended a six-hour holy season meditation with Yogananda and several hundred others. Later, he met privately with Yogananda and told him he wanted to be his disciple. Yogananda accepted him and said he could stay. He ended the meeting with simple instructions: "Read a little. Meditate more. Think of God all the time."
Mr.Davis shared stories about his time with Yogananda throughout his teaching career - they were often the heart of his talks at Center for Spiritual Awareness retreats. For the complete account of his experiences with Yogananda, see his book Paramahansa Yogananda: As I Knew Him.
Mr. Davis went on to teach Kriya Yoga for over six decades, establishing the Center for Spiritual Awareness in Georgia and initiating thousands of students into the practices. He wrote extensively on meditation, spiritual philosophy, and the practical application of yogic principles to everyday life. He remained actively teaching until his passing in 2019 at the age of 87.
Swami Nirvanananda
In 1949, in Trieste, a port city in northern Italy, Swami Nirvanananda (Giorgio Kriegsch) was born to devout parents: a Catholic mother and a Lutheran father. His father moved his young family to Berlin for work, then returned to Trieste four years later. At the age of twelve, young Georgio began playing the guitar, a pursuit he continues to this day. He later taught himself piano. After graduating from high school, Giorgio worked for insurance giant Lloyd's of London, primarily in shipping goods to and from India—his first connection to India. At the University of Bologna, he studied agriculture and music, specializing in rock and folk music.
In 1975, Giorgio read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. This book transformed his life, and he began his spiritual journey in earnest. Giorgio was initiated into Transcendental Meditation and later received Kriya Yoga initiation in Holland from a visiting monk, Swami Hariharananda, a direct disciple of Yogananda's guru, Swami Sri Yukteshwar Giri. Giorgio first traveled to India in 1986. There, he volunteered with Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity to help care for the destitute people of Calcutta. He worked massaging their extremities to provide comfort and hand-feeding those too weak to feed themselves. This caused him to become ill, and he was forced to quit this work. He eventually resumed his travels in India, visiting many temples and sacred sites. Swami Nirvanananda has since traveled to India more than twenty times.
Isha Das
Isha Das (Craig Bullock) is the Spiritual Director of The Assisi Institute in Rochester, New York, where he guides students on their spiritual transformation journey through the integration of mystical Christianity and Kriya Yoga practices. With advanced degrees from the University of Notre Dame (Religious Studies) and the University of Duquesne (Clinical Psychology), Isha Das brings a unique blend of academic depth and practical spiritual wisdom to his teaching.
As an authorized Kriya Yoga teacher trained by Roy Eugene Davis (a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda) and a former pastoral administrator, Isha Das bridges Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. His spiritual name, bestowed by Swami Nirvanananda in 2016, means "servant of Christ" and reflects his dedication to revealing the universal truths that connect the teachings of Jesus Christ and Yogananda.
Through his books, speaking engagements, podcast, and teaching at the Assisi Institute, Isha Das helps students discover the transformative power of contemplative practices. His latest book, Open Wider The Door: The Integration of Kriya Yoga And Mystical Christianity, exemplifies his mission to present Jesus's teachings in a fresh light while demonstrating the profound harmony between Christian mysticism and yoga philosophy. His new book will be released in 2025.
Drawing from his extensive background in psychology, spirituality, mysticism, and world religions—and enriched by his friendship with influential spiritual teachers like Richard Rohr—Isha Das offers practical guidance for those seeking to deepen their spiritual practice and understanding.
I