Paramahamsa Harihararananda
Kriya can be broken into two parts: Kri meaning activity and Ya meaning Divinity. The word for 'work' in Sanskrit is derived from the root word 'Kri'. Ya as divinity represents the indwelling soul. Paramahansa Prajnananda says “All work is done by the power of God, the living life of God, the breath—this is Kriya.”
Kriya yoga is an age old tradition. There is no record of its history. It is a technique of spirituality that has been practiced by saints, seers, and sages since time immemorial. In Indian mythology, it is mentioned that Rama and Krishna practiced and taught the Kriya Yoga technique. Through the ages, many have explained and shared the science of Kriya Yoga in their own inimitable style: from ancient times, the Rishis in the Upanishads, Sage Vasistha in the Yoga Vasistha, Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, Maharshi Patanjali in the Yogasutra and many others.
Apparently lost in the increasing spiritual decline of later epochs, the teaching was brought into a new form toward the middle of the nineteenth century by a mysterious Master, the timeless Avatar Babaji Maharaj, who gave the ancient technique the name “Kriya Yoga.” In 1861 he handed the teaching of Kriya Yoga over to his student Lahiri Mahasaya, a family man from Benaras, India. This was the beginning of the most recent revival of Kriya Yoga.
(Excerpt from “Kriya Yoga-The path of soul culture” By Paramahamsa Prajnanananda)
The answer is very simple: the science of Kriya Yoga is imparted through the process of guru-sishya-parampara (i.e., a direct relationship between the teacher and the student). Guru Hariharananda always said that by reading books, a person may claim to be a doctor. He may take the patient to the operation theatre and operate. The operation may be performed well, but the patient may die. In fact, because Kriya Yoga is a practical science, it requires a qualified teacher who can purify the body, infuse the disciple with divine power, and help the disciple to perceive light, sound and vibration from the very day of Initiation. In the course of sadhana (spiritual practice), doubts may arise in the mind of the practitioner for which one needs regular guidance from the teacher. With this guidance, one can progress on the spiritual path toward Self-realization without obstacles.
(Excerpt from “Kriya Yoga-The path of soul culture” By Paramahamsa Prajnanananda)
“There are many ways to reach the divine goal, but Kriya Yoga is the shortest, quickest, and most scientific way. It is the common highway of all religions. It is the essence of all religions. But Kriya Yoga is neither a religion nor is it sectarian.”
“There are many religions and spiritual paths in the world, that is good. But all people should receive the scientific Kriya Yoga technique to gain calmness and thereby practice their own religion more efficiently. Kriya Yoga is the foundation of all religions, the common highway of all religions. It will give extreme calmness, and calmness is Godliness. In your every disposition, you are to love your breath. Breath is the principle thing of the body. Be careful of too many distractions. Waste time with none but God, then time will not be wasted. Your whole life will become religion, your whole life will be a living scripture.” Paramahamsa Hariharananda
Many people have read the book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi”, heard of Kriya Yoga, searched further and found the Self-Realisation Fellowship (as started by Paramahansa Yogananda in the U.S.A.). Basically, since the Mahasamadhi (conscious exit from the body) of Paramahansa Yogananda there has been two other fully realized Masters in the Kriya Yoga lineage. One is Paramahamsa Hariharananda, a direct disciple of both Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Shri Yukteshwar. Gurudev Hariharananda’s mission or role to play whilst here was essentially the same as Yogananda’s but took its own form of teaching unrelated to the Self-Realisation Fellowship. Gurudev Hariharananda travelled to many parts of the world ceaselessly teaching Kriya Yoga. His disciple, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda is the current living Master and head of the Kriya Yoga institute founded by Guru Hariharananda. He continues the work of his Guru, tirelessly travelling the world teaching Kriya to sincere spiritual seekers.