— Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
Loving greetings to all of you on the sacred occasion of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda’s Avirbhav Divas (birth anniversary). This is a time when we come together in devotion and gratitude, celebrating the life and mission of our beloved Gurudeva, whose divine presence continues to bless and transform lives worldwide. Through his revelatory teachings on the sacred science of Kriya Yoga, Gurudeva has illuminated a timeless pathway to the Divine, inspiring countless seekers to journey back to their eternal home in Spirit.
An Opportunity to Support Gurudeva’s Work
Thanks to your generous support, we have been able to reach thousands of seekers yearning for a true spiritual path. The light of Paramahansaji’s teachings shines ever brighter, crossing borders and languages to illumine countless lives. With this growth comes a sacred responsibility to enhance our service to all who have found solace in his wisdom. We warmly invite you to join us in this sacred mission by supporting Gurudeva’s work. As we step into a new year, we are happy to share our achievements and vision for serving our growing spiritual family:
- Making Paramahansaji’s Kriya Yoga teachings and wisdom publications available in various Indian languages
- Offering spiritual support to devotees through in-person and online programmes led by YSS sannyasis
- Upkeep of YSS ashrams
To accomplish these tasks we estimate an expenditure of ₹15 Crore. We request your generous support in this sacred endeavour.
Your Support is Deeply Appreciated
We, the monastic community along with the sevaks who serve in Guruji’s ashrams, send our heartfelt gratitude for your love, prayers, and generous contributions and wish you peace and joy on this blessed occasion.
In Gurudeva’s love,
Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
Read the full appeal below:
Paramahansa Yoganandaji’s teachings have inspired and uplifted countless seekers worldwide, offering a pathway to divine realization. We are committed to making these sacred teachings available in more languages, so that many more can benefit from Gurudeva’s sublime teachings. Our ongoing endeavour is to ensure that Gurudeva’s message reaches as many truth-seekers as possible in a language that they can understand and assimilate.
Expanding the Reach of Gurudeva’s Wisdom
New Editions of YSS Lessons
In accordance with Gurudeva’s wishes, a new and comprehensive edition of the YSS Lessons was released in English in 2019. We have already made this edition available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, with translations in additional languages currently in progress. Devotees have enthusiastically welcomed these translations and written to us to express their gratitude for providing these teachings in their own language.
“The YSS Lessons feel like a divine map guiding me to my soul, each page alive with Gurudeva’s wisdom and love. I am deeply grateful for translating these sacred teachings into our language.”
– K.M. Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu
Auxiliary Materials and Lessons App
Students of the Lessons also receive valuable supplementary materials that provide practical guidance for applying Gurudeva’s teachings in their daily lives. These resources, which include guided meditations and video classes by sannyasis in various Indian languages, help devotees to better understand and deepen their practise of the meditation techniques.
“With the ashrams being far, travelling to receive detailed personal guidance from a sannyasi has been challenging. However, watching the video class on the Technique of Concentration in my native language was a true blessing. It provided clarity and helped me understand and practice the technique more effectively.”
– T.P, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
We are offering the YSS Lessons App free of charge, enabling devotees to study the Lessons digitally with ease. Key features include an enhanced eReader with text-to-speech functionality; topic-based browsing of Supplement Lessons; access to YSS news and blogs; and the ability to participate in guided and online meditations.
Translation of Books
In addition to the Lessons, we are continuing to translate Gurudeva’s spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, and his other publications into several Indian languages and make them available in printed, audio, and digital formats. In 2024, we released one audiobook —Autobiography of a Yogi in Gujarati — and printed 16 new books in various languages.
The dissemination of these sacred teachings involves significant financial resources, including:
- Subsidizing YSS Lessons subscriptions so that everyone can afford these teachings.
- Translating and publishing Gurudeva’s books in more languages.
- Developing and upgrading technology to better serve the evolving needs of truth-seekers in today’s digital world.
Thanks to your generous support, we were able to keep the prices of our Lessons and books much below comparable market prices by providing substantial subsidies on all of them. In the coming year, we plan to offer all the teachings at reduced prices, trusting that you will continue to support making Gurudeva’s transformative teachings accessible to all those who seek them.
YSS remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting devotees all over the Indian subcontinent through a variety of programmes and initiatives:
Monastic Tours, Sangams, and Kriya Initiations
Online Inspirational Programmes
While in-person programmes remain at the heart of our efforts, we recognize the importance of reaching those unable to attend such programmes due to distance, health, or other constraints, YSS sannyasis are making concerted efforts to reach out regularly through online platforms. In addition to weekly meditations, over 30 special events and talks on Gurudeva’s transformative “how-to-live” principles were organized in 2024 via the YSS website and online channels, providing practical spiritual guidance and support to devotees wherever they may be.
Special Events in the New Year
- Our revered president and spiritual head, Swami Chidanandaji, will visit India and Nepal in the coming weeks to inspire and uplift devotees. Special events are planned in Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Noida, and Kathmandu, providing devotees a blessed opportunity to receive his darshan and benefit from his sublime wisdom and practical spiritual guidance.
- We are preparing to welcome devotees to the sacred Kumbha Mela in Prayagraj. At the YSS camp, arrangements will be made for their stay and meals. YSS monastics will lead group meditations and conduct satsangas at the camp, offering devotees a spiritually uplifting experience.
Gurudeva envisioned YSS ashrams as sanctuaries of divine peace and spiritual rejuvenation where seekers could find solace, meditate deeply, and receive spiritual guidance from sannyasis. These sacred spaces play a vital role in the spiritual lives of devotees, but maintaining them requires significant resources and dedicated care.
“Walking into the Ranchi Ashram felt like stepping into a heavenly realm of peace and love. The meditative tranquillity, the beautifully maintained surroundings, and the warm hospitality created an atmosphere where I could disconnect from the world and immediately connect with the Divine.”
— D. M. Kolhapur, Maharashtra
From meditation gardens and dhyana mandirs to pilgrimage spots like Litchi Vedi and Smriti Mandir in Ranchi, each space is carefully tended to create a serene and spiritually charged environment. These sanctified spaces inspire devotees to deepen their connection with God and Guru, fostering inner peace and divine communion.
YSS ashrams also aim to provide comfortable accommodations to devotees at no cost, allowing all devotees, even those without sufficient means, to visit and focus on their sadhana. This includes modern guest facilities, efficient housekeeping services, and a clean, hygienic environment to ensure a tranquil and uplifting experience for all visitors.
Operational Costs
Running and maintaining these ashrams involves significant expenses:
- Providing rooms, meals and amenities for visiting devotees
- Salaries for staff who serve and maintain these facilities
- Renovation and upkeep of guest facilities, meditation halls, and other infrastructure
Your contributions make it possible to preserve these sacred spaces and sustain our seva activities that bring solace and spiritual renewal to countless truth-seekers. Together, we can fulfil Gurudeva’s vision of providing a spiritually vibrant and welcoming environment for seekers from all walks of life.
The annual cost of maintaining these sacred ashrams, supporting the publication of Gurudeva’s teachings in Indian languages, and organizing both in-person and online programmes is ₹15 Crore.
