Swami Muktananda, born Krishna Rai in 1908, was a prominent yoga guru and the founder of Siddha Yoga. He was a disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda, who profoundly influenced his spiritual path. Muktananda's teachings centered on the idea that divinity resides within each individual, often summarized as "God dwells within you as you." He was recognized as a shaktipat guru, meaning he could transmit spiritual energy to awaken Kundalini Shakti in others, a practice he offered widely.

Muktananda traveled extensively, establishing ashrams and meditation centers globally. He authored numerous books on spiritual topics including Kundalini Shakti, Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism, with his spiritual autobiography, "The Play of Consciousness," being a notable work. He appointed successors in 1982 and passed away later that year in India. Despite his spiritual teachings, allegations of sexual misconduct with disciples have been raised in academic and journalistic accounts.

Born Krishna Rai in 1908, Muktananda's spiritual quest was ignited at age 15 by an encounter with Bhagawan Nityananda. This encounter led him to leave home and pursue spiritual experiences, studying Sanskrit, Vedanta, and yoga under Siddharudha Swami. He received sannyasa initiation, taking the name Swami Muktananda. A pivotal moment in his life was receiving shaktipat initiation from Bhagavan Nityananda in 1947, an event he described as the true beginning of his spiritual journey. For nine years, he meditated in seclusion, documenting his experiences with kundalini and meditation in his autobiography. His core teachings emphasized seeing and honoring the divine within oneself and others, encapsulated in the phrase "God dwells within you as you."

In 1956, Bhagawan Nityananda recognized Muktananda's spiritual attainment and appointed him to lead an ashram in Ganeshpuri, near Bombay. This marked the beginning of Muktananda's formal teaching of the Siddha Yoga path. Between 1970 and 1981, he undertook three world tours, establishing Siddha Yoga ashrams and meditation centers across various countries, including the United States with the founding of the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland in 1975 and Shree Nityananda Ashram in the Catskills in 1979. He established trusts like Gurudev Siddha Peeth in India and the SYDA Foundation in the U.S. to manage the global spread of Siddha Yoga meditation.

Muktananda was particularly known as a "shaktipat guru." He facilitated the awakening of Kundalini Shakti through shaktipat initiation, a practice historically reserved for advanced practitioners but which Muktananda made accessible to both newcomers and experienced yogis. Accounts describe potent experiences of spiritual awakening upon receiving shaktipat from him, often involving touch or a focused gaze. This transmission of spiritual energy was central to the practice of Siddha Yoga meditation, aiming to deepen participants' inner spiritual journey.

While Muktananda's teachings focused on inner divinity and spiritual practice, allegations of unethical conduct emerged later. Academic and journalistic sources suggest that despite emphasizing celibacy, Muktananda engaged in sexual activities with disciples, including young women and teenagers. These accounts, published in journals and magazines, described secret sexual rituals intended to transmit sakti, as well as instances of coercion and harassment. In May 1982, Muktananda named two successors, Swami Chidvilasananda and Swami Nityananda, to lead Siddha Yoga. He passed away in October 1982 in Ganeshpuri, India.