Ananda Chants

Devotional chanting transforms our consciousness by opening the heart and increasing receptivity. The subtle vibrations of chants literally change and uplift our thoughts. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “Chanting is half the battle!” As we lose ourselves in the joy and freedom of the music, we transcend our little selves in devotion to God.

Ananda Chants contains the words and musical notation for chants sung by Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda, as well as other chants sung at Ananda.

This edition incorporates new research—drawing directly from Kriyananda and Ananda’s founding members—to ensure that the musical settings reflect the way Yogananda taught them to Swamiji and the way he, in turn, passed them on to his students. It also includes several newly-added chants and translations.

This edition also differs from earlier ones in that it has two distinct sections.

Harmonium: the first half of the book is for harmonium only. We include note names to help beginners quickly learn the tune on a keyboard.

Guitar: The guitar section includes chord symbols for most chants, for guitarists or harmonium players who wish to play chords along with guitarists.

In addition, we’ve included basic instructions on how to play the chants, making this resource accessible to both beginners and experienced chanters.

For the first time, this book is also available in digital form.

We hope that these sacred chants will inspire your devotional practice.