Paramahansa Yogananda, born Mukunda Lal Ghosh on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India, was a prominent spiritual figure who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga. His parents, Bhagabati Charan Ghosh and Gyanprabha Devi, were devout followers of Lahiri Mahasaya, a renowned yogi, which greatly influenced Yogananda's spiritual inclination from an early age.