Shanti Mandir was established in 1987 by Mahamandaleshwar Swami Nityananda. The organization continues the spiritual work of his Guru, the renowned sage Baba Muktananda, whom he succeeded in 1982.

Shanti Mandir focuses on:

• Providing access to the teachings and practices of the great sages of India, in particular those of the lineage represented by Swami Nityananda; Baba Muktananda; and Baba's Guru, Bhagavan Nityananda
• Guiding seekers to the direct experience of divinity through Sanskrit chanting, silent meditation, study of sacred works, offering of service, and participation in sacred rituals
• Continuing the Vedic tradition through teaching the Vedic way of life and the philosophy of Vedanta, and performing the ancient sacred rituals of the tradition
• Educating through its school, Shri Muktananda Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, at the ashram in Magod, India, which provides the opportunity to study Sanskrit, the language in which all the sacred texts of India were written
• Conducting charitable works to help the impoverished in rural India

Two of the three ashrams of Shanti Mandir (in Magod, India and in Walden, USA) are located in beautiful and serene natural settings. The third ashram (in Kankhal, India, on the river Ganges) is on a street full of old ashrams and ancient temples, at the heart of the pilgrimage center of Haridwar, at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Each ashram provides an ideal environment for seekers to immerse themselves in a traditional way of spiritual life, as passed down from the ancient sages.