Lahiri Mahasaya’s birth name was Shri Shyam Charan Lahiri. He was an Indian Saint. He gave the method of Kriya Yoga to the world as per directions from his guru Mahavtar Babaji. Lahiri Mahasaya was born on 30 September 1828 in Ghurni village of West Bengal, India. He was the youngest son of Shri Gaur Mohan Lahiri and Shrimati Muktakashi.
Indian Saints can broadly be classified in two categories, one who become ascetic and devote their full time to pursue spiritual goals, the other category is of Sadhus who remain householder and create a balance between their worldly and spiritual duties. Lahiri Mahasaya is a perfect example of the second category, he was a householder and also a great Saint. He fulfilled his all householder duties and simultaneously achieved sainthood and also trained others in Kriya Yoga.
Lahiri Mahasaya married Shrimati Kashi Moni in 1846. They had two sons and two daughters. His sons were Tincouri and Docouri. He worked as an accountant in the Military Engineering Department of the English government.
Lahiri Mahasaya never created any institution or organization to spread his teachings. He had many disciples. Some of his popular disciples are Shri Yukteswar Giri, Shri Panchanon Bhattacharya, Shri Pranabananda Giri, Shri Keshabananda, Shri Kebalananda Giri and Shri Ram Gopal Muzumdar. Parents of Shri Parmahansa Yogananda i.e. Shri Bhagabati Charan Ghosh and his wife were also disciples of Lahiri Mahasaya.
Parmahansa Yogananda referred to Shri Lahiri Mahasaya as the Yoga Avatar of Modern India in his autobiography.
Below is a photograph of Lahiri Mahasaya:
Below is a list of institutions started by disciples or grand disciples of Lahiri Mahasaya that are spreading his teachings:
1) Arya Mission Institution (Founded by Shri Panchanon Bhattacharya in 1886)
2) Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (Founded by Shri Parmahansa Yogananda in 1917)
3) Self Realization Fellowship (Founded by Shri Parmahansa Yogananda in 1920)
Shri Lahiri Mahasaya left his physical abode on 26 September 1895 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
To know more about Lahiri Mahasaya, you can read below chapters from the book Autobiography of a Yogi:
The Christlike Life of Lahiri Mahasaya
An Interview with the Sacred Mother
Materializing a Palace in the Himalaya
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