The need for a complete biography in English of Yogiraj Shri Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashaya has been very strongly felt. There are chapters on Shri Shri Lahiri Mahashaya in the English Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda, his spiritual grandson. But all the other biographies of this Great Saint are written in Bengali or Hindi.

The present volume is an outcome of a Gracious Command of my beloved Gurudeva Yogiguru Shrimat Brahmachari Anilanandaji Maharaj. How else could I dare to go into the mystery of an astounding spiritual personality like Shri Shri Lahiri Mahashaya?

The main outlines of the life of the Yogiraj are the same in all the available versions of his biography. There, are, however, a few minor differences in details. In such cases I have followed the descriptions of his great spiritual descendants whose insight can be absolutely relied upon.

Let the fruit of this labour be offered to the Lotus Feet of Shri Guru.

"Hari Om."