I was 30 years old in 1992 when my boss gifted me the Autobiography of a Yogi as a prize for participating in a lecture competition. I read a few chapters and then put it aside thinking it is has too many of miracles. But it always remained on by book shelf. After around 3-4 months I again started reading it from here and there. The chapter on ‘The law of Miracles’ attracted and engaged me much. Being a student of science I am attracted by scientific explanations. Again after a gap of 3-4 months I read the chapter ‘The Science of Kriya Yoga’. I had been doing hatha yoga and pranayam since adolescence and I had also read the book on Kundalini Yoga by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. I was mesmerised by this chapter and the seed of desire to learn kriya yoga was sown in my heart. Subsequently I read the whole book and I kept reading from the book off and on. In 2004, I was transferred to Kolkata and the seed of desire of learning Kriya Yoga sprouted in April 2006, when I saw an ad of Ananda Sangha to learn kriya yoga. Immediately I registered for the classes and by the end of 2006 I became a kriyaban of Ananda. Since then I am associated with the activities of Ananda in Kolkata and participating in its programmes. The extraordinary book has changed my life.

I knew about Autobiography of a Yogi from reading SRF’s publication of Master’s Gita. What attracted me to that book more than anything else was His face on the back cover. I remember looking at it for a minute and thinking to myself – “He just can’t be any other ordinary Swami. There is really something more to him.” I came to know about his autobiography and I was desperate to read it, and knowing that I was in Saudi Arabia back then, there was no chance of buying it. So I searched online and lo and behold! there was the entire autobiography on a site called Ananda. Then onwards it was a completely different chapter in my life, starting from the reading the best book ever.

My father brought this book to our house when I was, maybe, 16 years old. I was an avid reader and consumed the book in a couple of days. Somehow, what really caught me was the possibility of transcending time and space through Kriya Yoga. I began to search for where I could learn Kriya Yoga from, and at age 51 I found Ananda Sangha, which attracted me because of the sincerity of my teachers, Daya and Keshava, and the loving, all embracing and patient nature of the teachings of the path. Ananda has felt like home ever since.

I began the reading of Autobiography of a yogi and immediately started the Bhagavad Gita ,it took me just two weeks to read them all complete including other books of Paramahansaji . I then began to study them in more detail so re-read them again and again. Two years later I have read many many volumes and papers of Paramahansa’s and of the whole Kriya tradition .I’m to visit India soon to fulfil my lifelong dream and I am a fully fledged devotee . God is everywhere and everything and I feel the love from Paramahansaji every day. Meditation should be taught in schools and to every household throughout the world . I intend to write one day of my experiences as a author and scholar i feel it right and fitting to leave this legacy for my family and friends and whoever else might be inspired through his teachings .

I was in my 10th grade in high school, when my father got Kriya Yoga initiation. Just a few days after my exams got over in December, I found the Autobiography Of A Yogi on our centre table. I instantly loved the photo of Master on the front page and started reading the book. Today I am his disciple and his book has completely changed my life. Joy.

My story of “Autobiography of a Yogi”. While browsing books in a book store, I have seen the book, but ignored it thinking that it is another autobiography. This happened on two occasions. After some time, one of my erstwhile colleagues came to my house, and handed over the “autobiography of a yogi” to me saying that he could not understand it. I was in India that time during my annual vacation from gulf. This book was in Telugu, my mother tongue. I read the book without stopping. It took me two days. It certainly changed my life after that. Later on, I purchased the autobiography and gave as a gift to my colleagues. I read it several times. Some chapters, more than others. It is a unique book in Indian spiritual literature, as was the personality of Paramahansa yoganananda. I took Kriya yoga diksha also.