Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999) is respected around the world as an authentic teacher of timeless wisdom. More than two million copies of his books are in print, including his best-selling translations of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. Easwaran grew up in Kerala, India. As a young man he visited Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram and was deeply influenced by the way that Gandhi brought spiritual values into daily life. He later became professor of English literature at a leading university, and was well known as a speaker and writer before coming to the United States in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program. A gifted teacher, Easwaran gave talks on meditation and spiritual living for 40 years. In 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, a nonprofit organization that publishes his books, videos, and audio talks, and offers retreats and online programs. His meditation class at UC Berkeley in 1968 was the first accredited course on meditation at any major university. Easwaran lived what he taught, giving him lasting appeal as a spiritual teacher and author of deep insight and warmth.