Swami Sri Satyananda Giri
Manamohan Mazumdar was born in Bikrampur, Bengal, India, on November 17, 1896, and was later called Swami Sri Satyananda Giri. He was a distinguished monastic disciple of Kriyayoga Guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. He was a childhood companion of Paramahamsa Yogananda. Manamohan was introduced to the fundamentals of Kriyayoga by Hamsa Swami Sri Kebalananda, Yogananda’s renowned Sanskrit instructor.
During his university years, Swami Sri Yukteshwar, his guru, introduced him to Kriyayoga. He was also initiated into the Giri branch of the Swami Orders in 1919, and he adopted the name Swami Sri Satyananda Giri. Sri Satyananda received training from Sri Yukteswar Giri during his time as a Karar Ashram inmate in 1919, and he was subsequently awarded the title of “head of the East.” He elevated Sri Satyananda to the position of “Ashram Swami,” or hermitage recluse, at his Puri Karar Ashram.
Sri Satyananda assumed the roles of principal and secretary of Brahmacharya Vidyalaya in 1922 at the behest of Yogananda. He served as the school’s administrator from 1922 to 1942, following Yogananda’s departure in 1920 to promote Kriyayoga in the United States.
Swami Sri Satyananda initiated Sri Rabinaryan Brahmachari (Paramahamsa Hariharananda) into the third kriya. Following his guru’s Mahasamadhi, he resolved to live as a wandering monk for a while. His encounter with Sri Ramana Maharshi in South India resulted in a profound and distinctive affection. Sri Ramana Maharshi was enchanted by Satyanandaji’s captivating charisma and tried to convince him to establish himself in his ashram.
He founded the Sevayatan Satsang Mission in Jhadagram in 1944 with the following mission statement: ‘Service with compassion and meditation for all.’ He continued to serve as the president of the Puri Karar Ashram until the end of his life, following Paramahamsa Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi in 1952. He had over 3,000 followers, both domestically and internationally. He entered Mahasamadhi at his Sevayatan Satsang Mission on August 2, 1971.