Mahavatar Babaji is referred to by Paramahansa Yogananda in his best-selling Autobiography of a Yogi. In his autobiography, Yogananda describes Babaji as the guru of Lahiri Mahasaya, whom he describes as being responsible for the revival (in 1861) of a spiritual technique known as Kriya yoga which accelerates the spiritual aspirant's evolution. Another book - Babaji and the 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga tradition by M. Govindan - builds upon Yogananda's description of Babaji by giving even more details such as Babaji's birthdate (203 A.D.), youth and attainment of the highest goal of physical immortality under the guidance of two great Siddha Masters of South India - Agastyar and Bogar.

Leonard Orr claims to have met Babji, writing Babaji- Angel of the Lord.