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Autobiography of a Yogi

by Yogananda (Paramahansa) · A Yogi's Journey to the Divine

About the book

This is the autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda, a boy named Mukunda who grew up in late nineteenth-century India and became one of the first yoga teachers to make his home in the West. The book opens around his family home near Serampore and the ashram on the banks of the Ganges, where seekers, sadhus and ordinary villagers mingle. Told in warm, story-like chapters, it invites readers into a world of quiet riverside courtyards, railway journeys and a lifelong search for the divine.

Why kids love it

Children meet a narrator who asks big questions about purpose, kindness and self-discipline, and who treats people of many backgrounds with curiosity rather than judgement. The book models perseverance, honesty and the courage to follow a calling even when others do not understand it. Its vivid scenes of Indian family life and spiritual practice offer a gentle window into a culture many young readers will not know.

Step into the world of Autobiography of a Yogi

Ashram Courtyard

Sunlight dapples the stone floor where students sit cross-legged in meditation. A small shrine with a picture of Lahiri Mahasaya glows with butter lamps. The air is still and sweet with incense.

Meditation Hall

A long, dim room with high windows that let in slants of golden light. Rows of woolen blankets are neatly folded, and a low altar holds a crystal globe that catches the sun. Silence here feels alive, like a held breath.

Ashram Garden

Marigolds and roses bloom around a small lotus pond where goldfish dart between lily pads. A peacock struts along the path, occasionally spreading its feathers. Students often walk here while chanting.

Sample questions

Here is the kind of thinking Autobiography of a Yogi asks for — drawn from the actual quiz:

  1. Who is the main author of the book?

    Paramahansa Yogananda wrote his own life story, which is why it's called an autobiography.

  2. Yogananda's guru was Sri Yukteswar.

    Yes! Sri Yukteswar was his beloved teacher, guiding him on the spiritual path.

  3. What special technique did Yogananda bring to the West?

    Kriya Yoga is an ancient meditation technique that Yogananda taught in America.

Words to know

ashram
A quiet place where people live together to study, meditate and live simply.
yogi
A person who practises yoga and meditation seriously, often for many years.
meditation
Sitting quietly and focusing the mind, often on the breath, to feel calm and clear.
disciple
A student who learns from and follows a particular teacher.
guru
A respected teacher who guides a student in spiritual matters.
pilgrimage
A journey to a special or holy place that matters to the traveller.
divine
Connected with God or with something holy and greater than oneself.
serenity
A feeling of deep calm and peacefulness.

Talk about it

  1. Mukunda asks many questions as a child. What questions do you ask about the world, and who do you ask them of?

  2. The narrator describes teachers and family members who shaped him. Which qualities in a grown-up help a child learn and grow?

  3. Yogananda travels far from home to share what he has learned. What might be exciting and what might be difficult about leaving home for something you believe in?

  4. The book is set beside the Ganges at Serampore, where daily life and spiritual practice are woven together. How does a place shape the way people live and think?

  5. Some chapters describe events that seem mysterious or miraculous. How do you decide what to believe when a story surprises you?

  6. Yogananda tries to treat people with respect whether they are scholars, villagers or strangers. What does respect look like in your own daily life?

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