Swami Muktananda Paramahamsa, born Krishna Rai, was a yoga guru and the founder of Siddha Yoga.
16 Facts About Muktananda
2.
Muktananda wrote books on the subjects of Kundalini Shakti, Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism, including a spiritual autobiography entitled The Play of Consciousness.
3.
Swami Muktananda was born in 1908 near Mangalore in Madras Presidency, British India, to a wealthy family.
4.
Muktananda studied under Siddharudha Swami in Hubli, where he learned Sanskrit, Vedanta, and all branches of yoga.
5.
Muktananda received sannyasa initiation in the Sarasvati order of the Dashanami Sampradaya, taking the name of Swami Muktananda.
6.
In 1947, Muktananda went to Ganeshpuri to receive the darshan of Bhagavan Nityananda, who had originally inspired Muktananda's search for God.
7.
Muktananda often said that his spiritual journey did not truly begin until he received shaktipat from Nityananda.
8.
Muktananda wrote about his sadhana and kundalini-related meditation experiences in his autobiography.
9.
Muktananda appointed Muktananda as the leader of an ashram in Ganeshpuri, near Bombay.
10.
Between 1970 and 1981, Muktananda went on three world tours.
11.
Muktananda established Gurudev Siddha Peeth as a public trust in India to administer his work there.
12.
Muktananda founded the SYDA Foundation in the United States to administer the global work of Siddha Yoga meditation.
13.
Muktananda wrote many books, sixteen of which are still in print with the SYDA Foundation.
14.
In May 1982, Muktananda appointed two successors, Swami Chidvilasananda and her younger brother, Swami Nityananda, as joint leaders of Siddha Yoga.
15.
Muktananda died in October 1982 in Gurudev Siddha Peeth in Ganeshpuri, India.
16.
Historically, Shaktipat initiation had been reserved for the few who had done many years of spiritual service and practices; Muktananda offered this initiation to newcomers and yogis alike.