But the insights of the Katha are scattered, hard to understand. Easwaran presents them systematically, and practically, as a way to explore deeper and deeper levels of personality, and to answer the age-old question, "Who am I?"

Easwaran grew up in India, learned Sanskrit from a young age, and became a professor of English literature before coming to the West. His translation of The Upanishads is the best-selling edition in English.

For students of philosophy and of Indian spirituality, and readers of wisdom literature everywhere, Easwaran's interpretation of this classic helps us in our own quest into the meaning of our lives.