Shri Sanyal Mahasaya was born on 28 January 1877 in the hamlet of Sadhan Para (literally - "spiritual practice"), district of Nadia, state of Bengal, India.  Sanyal Mahasaya was initiated by Shri Lahiri Mahasaya on 23 June 1893 at his residence in Varanasi. After a few days in the holy company of his Guru, Sanyal Mahasaya came back to Sadhan Para.  From 1893 to 1895 Sanyal Mahasaya visited Shri Lahiri Mahasaya several times and spent time with him. With deep devotion, love, humility and surrender, he followed each word and instruction of his master. He also maintained a regular correspondence with Shri Lahiri Mahasaya.  

In this short period Shri Sanyal Mahasaya progressed very rapidly in his Kriya practice. Due to his advancement, Shri Lahiri Mahasaya allowed him to teach Kriya Yoga to others. At approximately 25 years of age, he became the youngest "acharya" in the Kriya Yoga tradition (Babaji - the supreme Godhead and originator of Kriya Yoga was said to have achieved self-realisation at the age 12 and agreed to remain physically immortal at the age of 16!).  Shri Lahiri Mahasaya, arranged for him to learn all other higher techniques from from one of his advanced householder disciples, Pandit Panchanan Bhattacharya.

During this time, Shri Sanyal Mahasaya, continued and completed his college education.  Although he had a strong passion to become a monk, destiny had other plans for him. In 1898 he married Shrimati Kali Dasi Devi a devout and pious lady and was blessed with two sons and four daughters.  Later on, his two sons - Kashipati and Girijapati, along with two others, took on responsibility for propagating Kriya. He continued his spiritual practice after his marriage despite many family problems.

 Shri Sanyal Mahasaya attained self-realisation in 1902 as was recognised as a well-accomplished yogi.  In 1910 Shri Sanyal Mahasaya came to Puri, Orissa for the first time. He was struck with the holy atmosphere of the city and established his ashram "Gurudham" in the city a few hundred yards from Swami Shi Yuktheswar Giri's Karar Ashram and moved there with his family.  Shri Sanyal Mahasaya was a great scholar of scriptures and could metaphorically interpret scriptures like the Bhagawat Gita. His many books include Bilvadala, Tulasidala, Durvadala, Shatadala, Dinacharya, Moksa Sadhana, Yogabhasya, Abhyasa Yoga, Guru Tattwa etc.

He gave all these books to his beloved disciple, our paramguru Baba Hariharananda Giri - then known as Brahmachari Rabinarayana.  Several times during his lifetime, Shri Sanyal Mahasaya attempted to renounce family life and become a monk. His efforts, however, were thwarted by members of and events surrounding his family life. Our beloved Guru, Baba Prajnananandaji has explained that due to our karmic debt, sometimes external renunciation may lead to ego and vanity of "I am a monk. I have renounced everything for God alone", making self-realisation an impossibility.  Our Guru's, based on their perception of our karmic debt, direct us to the appropriate path. For some disciples, this path leads through monkhood, and for others through family life.

 If anything, Shri Sanyal Mahasyas' life has taught us that REGARDLESS of our external environment, our (mankinds') ultimate objective  - "to win or loose salvation" is solely dependent upon the sincerity of our efforts and the deep love and devotion with which we practice Kriya. The trials in our physical life are meant to hasten our spiritual evolution if reflection on these events lead to new realisations about our own self.

 Shri Sanyal Mahasaya entered mahasamadhi  (passed away) at this main Ashram on 18 January 1962.  May God and Gurus bless us all.