Rajarsi Janakananda was the second president of the Self-Realization Fellowship from1952 until 1955 (after Paramahansa Yogananda's death). He was born James J. Lynn, and later became a successful Kansas City businessman. Lynn left a total endowment of approximately six million dollars to Yogananda's organization, Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), helping ensure its long-term success.
James Jesse Lynn was born into relative poverty. His early childhood was spent helping the family pick cotton, milk cows, churn butter, and doing other family chores. His parents were Jesse William Lynn and Salethia (Archibald) Lynn.
He left school at the age of fourteen and began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sweeping floors for $2 a month. He continued with various railroad jobs for a few years, quickly moving up to the position of chief clerk to the division manager in Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, he took night classes to finish his high school education, at the same time that he took law and accounting classes.
By the age of 30, Lynn had taken out a significant and risky loan to buy the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company. That step launched a successful business career that included insurance underwriting, oil well and orchard ownership, and large investments in the railroad business. He would become a prominent businessman in the Kansas City area as head of vast oil interests and as president of the world's largest reciprocal fire-insurance exchange.
Lynn was suffering from nervousness and dissatisfaction when he met Paramahansa Yogananda in Kansas City in 1932. Following one of his lectures, Yogananda met Lynn privately. In January 1932 Yogananda initiated Lynn into Kriya Yoga and he became a disciple.
Lynn purchased and built the large estate in Encinitas, California as a gift to Yogananda and his organization, Self-Realization Fellowship.
Lynn eventually moved to an apartment in the Encinitas retreat/ashram center. The two spent long hours together over the years, meditating and discussing spiritual matters. Yogananda lovingly referred to Lynn as "Saint Lynn" because of his great devotion to God. Yogananda said, "Some people say, 'The Western man cannot meditate.' That is not true. Since Lynn first received Kriya Yoga, I have never seen him when he was not inwardly communing with God." On August 25, 1951 Yogananda "bestowed on St. Lynn the monastic title of Rajarsi Janakananda (after the spiritually illustrious King Janaka of ancient India) and turned over to him the responsibility of guiding the SRF-YSS work. After Yogananda's death in March, 1952, Janakananda became president of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. (Lynn was known both as Rajarsi Janakananda and Rajasi Janakananda).
James Jesse Lynn was born into relative poverty. His early childhood was spent helping the family pick cotton, milk cows, churn butter, and doing other family chores. His parents were Jesse William Lynn and Salethia (Archibald) Lynn.
He left school at the age of fourteen and began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sweeping floors for $2 a month. He continued with various railroad jobs for a few years, quickly moving up to the position of chief clerk to the division manager in Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, he took night classes to finish his high school education, at the same time that he took law and accounting classes.
By the age of 30, Lynn had taken out a significant and risky loan to buy the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company. That step launched a successful business career that included insurance underwriting, oil well and orchard ownership, and large investments in the railroad business. He would become a prominent businessman in the Kansas City area as head of vast oil interests and as president of the world's largest reciprocal fire-insurance exchange.
Lynn was suffering from nervousness and dissatisfaction when he met Paramahansa Yogananda in Kansas City in 1932. Following one of his lectures, Yogananda met Lynn privately. In January 1932 Yogananda initiated Lynn into Kriya Yoga and he became a disciple.
Lynn purchased and built the large estate in Encinitas, California as a gift to Yogananda and his organization, Self-Realization Fellowship.
Lynn eventually moved to an apartment in the Encinitas retreat/ashram center. The two spent long hours together over the years, meditating and discussing spiritual matters. Yogananda lovingly referred to Lynn as "Saint Lynn" because of his great devotion to God. Yogananda said, "Some people say, 'The Western man cannot meditate.' That is not true. Since Lynn first received Kriya Yoga, I have never seen him when he was not inwardly communing with God." On August 25, 1951 Yogananda "bestowed on St. Lynn the monastic title of Rajarsi Janakananda (after the spiritually illustrious King Janaka of ancient India) and turned over to him the responsibility of guiding the SRF-YSS work. After Yogananda's death in March, 1952, Janakananda became president of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. (Lynn was known both as Rajarsi Janakananda and Rajasi Janakananda).
Rajarsi Janakananda was the second president of the Self-Realization Fellowship from1952 until 1955 (after Paramahansa Yogananda's death). He was born James J. Lynn, and later became a successful Kansas City businessman. Lynn left a total endowment of approximately six million dollars to Yogananda's organization, Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), helping ensure its long-term success.
James Jesse Lynn was born into relative poverty. His early childhood was spent helping the family pick cotton, milk cows, churn butter, and doing other family chores. His parents were Jesse William Lynn and Salethia (Archibald) Lynn.
He left school at the age of fourteen and began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sweeping floors for $2 a month. He continued with various railroad jobs for a few years, quickly moving up to the position of chief clerk to the division manager in Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, he took night classes to finish his high school education, at the same time that he took law and accounting classes.
By the age of 30, Lynn had taken out a significant and risky loan to buy the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company. That step launched a successful business career that included insurance underwriting, oil well and orchard ownership, and large investments in the railroad business. He would become a prominent businessman in the Kansas City area as head of vast oil interests and as president of the world's largest reciprocal fire-insurance exchange.
Lynn was suffering from nervousness and dissatisfaction when he met Paramahansa Yogananda in Kansas City in 1932. Following one of his lectures, Yogananda met Lynn privately. In January 1932 Yogananda initiated Lynn into Kriya Yoga and he became a disciple.
Lynn purchased and built the large estate in Encinitas, California as a gift to Yogananda and his organization, Self-Realization Fellowship.
Lynn eventually moved to an apartment in the Encinitas retreat/ashram center. The two spent long hours together over the years, meditating and discussing spiritual matters. Yogananda lovingly referred to Lynn as "Saint Lynn" because of his great devotion to God. Yogananda said, "Some people say, 'The Western man cannot meditate.' That is not true. Since Lynn first received Kriya Yoga, I have never seen him when he was not inwardly communing with God." On August 25, 1951 Yogananda "bestowed on St. Lynn the monastic title of Rajarsi Janakananda (after the spiritually illustrious King Janaka of ancient India) and turned over to him the responsibility of guiding the SRF-YSS work. After Yogananda's death in March, 1952, Janakananda became president of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. (Lynn was known both as Rajarsi Janakananda and Rajasi Janakananda).
James Jesse Lynn was born into relative poverty. His early childhood was spent helping the family pick cotton, milk cows, churn butter, and doing other family chores. His parents were Jesse William Lynn and Salethia (Archibald) Lynn.
He left school at the age of fourteen and began working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, sweeping floors for $2 a month. He continued with various railroad jobs for a few years, quickly moving up to the position of chief clerk to the division manager in Kansas City, Missouri. In Kansas City, he took night classes to finish his high school education, at the same time that he took law and accounting classes.
By the age of 30, Lynn had taken out a significant and risky loan to buy the U.S. Epperson Underwriting Company. That step launched a successful business career that included insurance underwriting, oil well and orchard ownership, and large investments in the railroad business. He would become a prominent businessman in the Kansas City area as head of vast oil interests and as president of the world's largest reciprocal fire-insurance exchange.
Lynn was suffering from nervousness and dissatisfaction when he met Paramahansa Yogananda in Kansas City in 1932. Following one of his lectures, Yogananda met Lynn privately. In January 1932 Yogananda initiated Lynn into Kriya Yoga and he became a disciple.
Lynn purchased and built the large estate in Encinitas, California as a gift to Yogananda and his organization, Self-Realization Fellowship.
Lynn eventually moved to an apartment in the Encinitas retreat/ashram center. The two spent long hours together over the years, meditating and discussing spiritual matters. Yogananda lovingly referred to Lynn as "Saint Lynn" because of his great devotion to God. Yogananda said, "Some people say, 'The Western man cannot meditate.' That is not true. Since Lynn first received Kriya Yoga, I have never seen him when he was not inwardly communing with God." On August 25, 1951 Yogananda "bestowed on St. Lynn the monastic title of Rajarsi Janakananda (after the spiritually illustrious King Janaka of ancient India) and turned over to him the responsibility of guiding the SRF-YSS work. After Yogananda's death in March, 1952, Janakananda became president of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. (Lynn was known both as Rajarsi Janakananda and Rajasi Janakananda).
