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Eknath Easwaran (December 17, 1910 October 26, 1999) was an Indian-born spiritual teacher, author and translator and interpreter of Indian religious texts such as the '' Bhagavad Gita'' and the
Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
. Easwaran was a professor of English literature at the
University of Nagpur Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), formerly Nagpur University, is a public state university located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is one of India's oldest universities, as well as the second oldest in Maharashtra. It is named a ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, and in 1959 he came to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
as a Fulbright Scholar at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...
where he taught courses on
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
. In 1961, Easwaran founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation and Nilgiri Press, based in northern California. Nilgiri Press has published over thirty books that he authored. Easwaran was influenced by
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
, whom he met when he was a young man. Easwaran developed a method of
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
silent repetition in the mind of memorized inspirational passages from the world's major religious and spiritual traditions which later came to be known as Passage Meditation.


Biography

Eknath Easwaran was born in 1910 in a village in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. "Easwaran was born on December 17, 1910, into an ancient matrilineal family in Kerala, India" (p. 143) ''Eknath'' is his surname, ''Easwaran'' his given name.However, after he came to the United States, "Easwaran" generally functioned as his last name (analogous to a surname) for authorship credits and other public activities. Brought up by his mother, and by his maternal grandmother whom he honored as his spiritual teacher, he was schooled in his native village until the age of sixteen, when he went to attend St. Thomas College, Thrissur, a Catholic college fifty miles away. Here he acquired a deep appreciation of the Christian tradition. He graduated at the
University of Nagpur Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), formerly Nagpur University, is a public state university located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is one of India's oldest universities, as well as the second oldest in Maharashtra. It is named a ...
in English and law. , , , He served as Professor of English literature at the
University of Nagpur Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), formerly Nagpur University, is a public state university located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is one of India's oldest universities, as well as the second oldest in Maharashtra. It is named a ...
. In 1959, he came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...
.Holly Hammond (January/February 1996).
Finding balance in a hurried world
" '' Yoga Journal'' n123, pp. 86–92, 139–141 .
From 1960 he gave classes on meditation in the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...
. He met his wife Christine at one of these talks. Together with his wife, he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in 1961. After a four-year stay in India, he returned to the Bay Area in 1965. In 1970 he founded ''Ramagiri Ashram'' as a community of dedicated followers in Marin County. He set up a publishing activity, Nilgiri Press, which printed his first book ''
Gandhi The Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'', telling the story of Gandhi as a spiritual as well as a political leader. His first major work was his 3-volume commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, the ''Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living'', the first volume of which was printed in 1975 and the last in 1984. His book ''
Meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
'' on the program of meditation and allied disciplines that he developed first appeared in 1978. By 2018, Easwaran's methods of spiritual practice had been the focus of two major scientific research programs that had produced thirty refereed research reports.


Published works

Easwaran's written works may be grouped into several major categories—primarily books, but also articles in newspapers and other periodicals. Most of his books have been reviewed by spiritually oriented publications or websites, or by nationally known media such as ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', Bill McKibben (September 24, 1984). "Notes and Comment" (in "The Talk of the Town"; discusses Easwaran's '' A Man to Match His Mountains'', a biography of
Abdul Ghaffar Khan Abdul Ghaffār Khān (; 6 February 1890 – 20 January 1988), also known as Bacha Khan () or Badshah Khan (), and honourably addressed as Fakhr-e-Afghan (), was a Pakistani Pashtun, independence activist, and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar ...
). ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', pp. 39–40. "A straightforward yet devoted biography ... By his example, hanasks what we ourselves, as individuals made from the same stuff as he, are doing to shape history" (pp. 39–40).
or the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
''. Bill McKibben (May 21, 1989). "A guru who offers no guarantees: Easwaran teaches a practical method of self-mastery." ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
'', pp. 4–5. Review of ''
Gandhi the Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'', '' A Man to Match His Mountains'', ''
Meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
'', '' The Mantram Handbook'', and ''Conquest of Mind''.
In addition, a large number of Easwaran's recorded talks have been published in video and audio formats.


Translations

Easwaran's translations of the '' Bhagavad Gita'', the ''
Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
'', and the ''
Dhammapada The Dhammapada ( Pāli; sa, धर्मपद, Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddak ...
'' (see article) have been critically acclaimed. Religion scholar
Huston Smith Huston Cummings Smith (May 31, 1919 – December 30, 2016) was an influential scholar of religious studies in the United States, He authored at least thirteen books on world's religions and philosophy, and his book about comparative religion, ' ...
is cited by the publisher as writing: "No one in modern times is more qualified no, make that 'as qualified' to translate the epochal Classics of Indian Spirituality than Eknath Easwaran. And the reason is clear. It is impossible to get to the heart of those classics unless you live them, and he did live them. My admiration of the man and his works is boundless."Huston Smith, quoted on back cover and on page 383 of Eknath Easwaran (2007). ''
The Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
' (2nd, rev. ed.). Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press.
In ''Buddhism: A Concise Introduction'' Smith and his coauthor Philip Novak wrote that "Our favorite translation is Eknath Easwaran's ''The Dhammapada''. His Indian heritage, literary gifts, and spiritual sensibilities... here produce a sublime rendering of the words of the Buddha. Verse after verse shimmers with quiet, confident authority. A bonus is the sparkling 70-page introduction to the Buddha's life and teachings." Since 2009, Easwaran's three translations "have each been the best-selling translations of these scriptures in the USA." In the US in 2016, each of Easwaran's translations outsold the second best-selling translation in its category "by more than 3:1", and the second editions have together sold more than 470,000 copies.


Commentaries

'' Essence of the Upanishads'' (see article), originally entitled ''Dialogue with death: The spiritual psychology of the Katha Upanishad'', explains how the Katha Upanishad embraces the key ideas of Indian spirituality within the context of a powerful mythic quest the story of a young hero who ventures into the land of death in search of immortality. "''Essence of the Upanishads'' is a westerner's guide to this vitally important Indian text and its modern relevance to the Indian mindset and spirituality." In ''Essence of the Bhagavad Gita'', Easwaran places the Gita's teachings in a modern context and comments on the Gita's view of the nature of reality, the illusion of separateness, the search for identity, the meaning of yoga, and how to heal the unconscious. The book views the key message of the Gita as how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep unity of life, through the practice of meditation and spiritual disciplines. In ''Essence of the Dhammapada'', Easwaran comments on the Dhammapada, sayings attributed to the Buddha himself, presenting it as a guide that gives straightforward teachings about spiritual perseverance, progress, and enlightenment.


Books on meditation

His book '' Passage Meditation'' (original title ''Meditation'') describes the Eight Point Program that Easwaran developed, while his book '' Conquest of Mind'' goes further into the practice of these disciplines in daily life. ''Timeless Wisdom'' is a companion book to ''Passage Meditation'' and contains passages for meditation drawn from across the world's spiritual traditions. His book '' Mantram Handbook: a practical guide to choosing your mantram and calming your mind'' addresses The Mantram, the second point in the program. His book ''Strength in the Storm'' is an introduction to The Mantram, containing many stories and practical examples to help the reader learn how to harness the inner resources for dealing with challenges in daily living. His book ''Take Your Time'' explores "Slowing Down" and "One-Pointed Attention" in daily lives. ''Renewal'' "Easwaran is one fthe most powerful Hindu teachers lecturing and writing in America ... this book is meant to be a companion for the difficult but joyous interior work of spiritual transformation that is at the heart of his teachings", wrote ''
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
'' in a review of the original edition: Henry Carrigan (1996). "Your life is your message: Finding harmony with yourself, others, and the earth." ''Publishers Weekly'', v243 n29, p69. (republished in 2009 as ''Renewal'')
is a pocket book of short readings on themes such as loving relationships, raising children, living simply, and aging wisely; ''Patience'', the second in the pocket book series, shows how to cultivate Patience "the ornament of the brave" at any age. Other (older) books describe various aspects of leading a spiritual life: ''Climbing the Blue Mountain'', ''Compassionate Universe'', and ''Undiscovered Country''.


Daily readers and reference

''
God Makes the Rivers to Flow ''God Makes the Rivers to Flow'' is an anthology of spiritual texts for use in meditation, assembled by Eknath Easwaran. Condensed versions have been published under the titles ''Timeless Wisdom'' (book) and ''Sacred Literature of the World'' (aud ...
'' is an anthology of writings from the sacred literature of the world, selected by Easwaran as useful for meditation. A larger (and earlier) version of '' Timeless Wisdom'', it contains dozens of passages from diverse traditions, and identifies passages for particular stages in life, such as caregiving, families with small children, death and dying, grief and loss, and for building positive qualities such as patience, courage, devotion to God, and putting others first. ''Words to Live By'' is a set of daily readings with Easwaran's commentary on applying the reading to daily life.


''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living''

The ''Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living'' is a manual for living a spiritual life, comprising a verse-by-verse commentary on India's timeless scripture the ''Bhagavad Gita''. The work is in three volumes, published in 1975, 1979 and 1984 respectively, in hardcover and later also in paperback. When the first paperbacks were published the volumes were given new subtitles: the ''End of Sorrow''; ''Like a Thousand Suns''; and ''To Love is To Know Me''. In 2020 the three-volume set was reissued as a second edition, and as a single-volume ebook. In Volume 1 (the first six chapters of the Gita) Easwaran explains how readers can begin to transform themselves, even as householders engaged in busy lives. In Volume 2 (the next six chapters) Easwaran addresses the seeming divide between scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom, and explains how the concept of the unity of life can help people in all their relationships. In Volume 3 (the final six chapters) he makes the connection between the Self within and the Reality underlying all creation – and how to make a difference to heal the environment and establish peace in the world.


Spiritual biographies

''
Gandhi the Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'' traces how
Mohandas Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
transformed himself into one of the world's great spiritual leaders. ''
Nonviolent Soldier of Islam ''Nonviolent Soldier of Islam'' is a biography of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), an ally of Gandhi's in the Indian independence movement. Originally written by Eknath Easwaran in English, foreign editions have also been published in Arabic ...
'' is the life story of
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Abdul Ghaffār Khān (; 6 February 1890 – 20 January 1988), also known as Bacha Khan () or Badshah Khan (), and honourably addressed as Fakhr-e-Afghan (), was a Pakistani Pashtun, independence activist, and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar ...
, a Pathan (or Pushtun) of Afghanistan and a devout Muslim, who raised the first nonviolent army in history to gain Indian independence from British colonial rule. This book was favorably discussed in ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
''. The book also inspired filmmaker and writer T.C. McLuhan, daughter of Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan, to make the film '' The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, a Torch for Peace'', which won the 2009 Black Pearl Award for Best Documentary Film.


Commentaries on Christian literature

'' Original Goodness'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
) is a commentary on the
Beatitudes The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mir ...
. ''
Love Never Faileth ''Love Never Faileth'' is a practical commentary on Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Saint Augustine, and Mother Teresa. Written by Eknath Easwaran, the book was originally published in the United States in 1984. Subsequent editions of the book have ...
'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
) is a commentary on the writings of St Francis, St Paul, St Augustine, and
Mother Teresa Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, MC (; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa ( sq, Nënë Tereza), was an Indian-Albanian Catholic nun who, in 1950, founded the Missionaries of Charity. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu () was ...
. ''
Seeing with the Eyes of Love ''Seeing with the Eyes of Love'' by Eknath Easwaran is a practical commentary on '' The Imitation of Christ'', a Christian devotional classic of the early 15th century, believed to be the work of Thomas à Kempis. Easwaran's commentary emphasizes ...
'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
) is a commentary on '' The Imitation of Christ''.


Newspapers and other periodicals

In the 1980s and 1990s, Easwaran published a variety of commentaries on public events in prominent periodicals, especially ''
The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...
'', and also in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',Eknath Easwaran (May 21, 1998).
What Would Gandhi Think?
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', accessed Nov. 11, 2009. This commentary was republished later that week in ''
Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's ...
'' (Pakistan), "What would Gandhi think of N-tests", May 22; in ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
'' (India), "Don't imitate the Western folly", May 26; and in the ''
International Herald Tribune The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...
''
What would Gandhi think?
May 21.
elsewhere in the US, and internationally. He also wrote numerous commentaries that appeared in the ''Little Lamp'' (1961–1995), and in ''Blue Mountain'' (1990–present), quarterly journals published by the meditation center that he founded. In the 1960s, Easwaran published articles in other spiritual journals, such as the '' Mountain Path'', published by Sri Ramana Maharshi's ashram. Before coming to the US in 1959, Easwaran contributed short stories and other writings to literary anthologies,Eknath Easwaran (1958), "The Postmaster" (pp. 39–42). In and to magazines such as '' The Illustrated Weekly of India''.


Video and audio

Many of Easwaran's recorded talks have been published in video and audio formats.Se
"Easwaran on Video"
(42 DVDs listed) an
"Easwaran on Audio"
(The publisher states "We recorded his talks over several decades")
Several dozen of Easwaran's talks have been published as video DVDs, and now as downloadable MP4s as a free subscription from th
Blue Mountain Center
Examples of talks by Easwaran published as videos include ''Kabir: Stages of Desire'' (containing talks "Desire: Our Real Wealth" and "Meeting the Beloved"), ''Breaking Chains'' (containing talks "Breaking Chains" and "Fetters and Freedom"). Before publication as DVDs, videos of Easwaran's talks were first released in VHS videotape format.Examples of talks published as VHS include ''Saint Francis: becoming an instrument of peace'' (2002, on the Prayer of St. Francis and its use in
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
) (68 minutes)
Some talks are published in downloadable audio/ MP3 formats.Downloadable MP3 talks include 50 talks in the " Thomas à Kempis Series", 9 "Individual talks", and 5 sets of talks or readings by Easwaran in "Following Series", as well as Easwaran (2008), "Following the Teachings of the Upanishads" (178 minutes); Easwaran (2008), "Following the Way of the Buddha" (172 minutes). Instructions for meditation by Easwaran have been published in audio form as CDs.''Meditation'' (2004, instructions in Easwaran's meditation program), CDs. , , Some of Easwaran's talks were earlier published as cassette tapesSe
Worldcat listings.
Examples of talks published as cassette tapes are ''Gandhi: a personal encounter'' (1984, describing Easwaran's visit to Gandhi's ashram, 66 mins) (Petaluma, CA: Nilgiri Press) and ''The Tree of Life'' (1975, commenting on ch. 15 of the ''Bhagavad Gita'') (Berkeley, CA: Blue Mountain Center of Meditation).
or
LP record The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of   rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; an ...
s.Issued as an
LP record The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of   rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; an ...
was a 1969 commentary on the ''Bhagavad Gita'' (chs. 2, 12), (publisher: Sadhana Records).
Magazines have reviewed some of Easwaran's published talks, both audioJohn Plummer (2006
Untitled_[review_of_Meditation:_A_Complete_Audio_Guide,_by_Eknath_Easwaran
/nowiki>..html" ;"title="nowiki>review of Meditation: A Complete Audio Guide, by Eknath Easwaran">Untitled [review of Meditation: A Complete Audio Guide, by Eknath Easwaran
/nowiki>.">nowiki>review of Meditation: A Complete Audio Guide, by Eknath Easwaran">Untitled [review of Meditation: A Complete Audio Guide, by Eknath Easwaran
/nowiki>.''Quest''. (accessed 19 January 2013)
See article ''
God Makes the Rivers to Flow ''God Makes the Rivers to Flow'' is an anthology of spiritual texts for use in meditation, assembled by Eknath Easwaran. Condensed versions have been published under the titles ''Timeless Wisdom'' (book) and ''Sacred Literature of the World'' (aud ...
''. These audio cassettes by Easwaran (1995): ,
and video, The video by Easwaran (2002): , , since the 1990s. Several of Easwaran's written works, including ''Essence of the Upanishads'',
Passage Meditation – A Complete Spiritual Practice
', '' The Bhagavad Gita'', '' The Dhammapada'' and ''
Gandhi the Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'', have been published as audio books, as voice-recorded by the British actor Paul Bazely,Audiobooks by Easwaran that are read by Paul Bazely include ''The Bhagavad Gita'' (2015, unabridged) (8 hours 54 minutes); ''The Dhammapada'' (2016, abridged) (4 hours 22 minutes); ''Passage Meditation A Complete Spiritual Practice'' (2016, unabridged) (8 hours 15 minutes); ''Essence of the Upanishads'' (2017, unabridged) (8 hours 41 minutes); ''Strength in the Storm'' (2009, abridged) (51 minutes); ''
Gandhi the Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'' (2009, abridged) (137 minutes); ''Climbing the Blue Mountain'' (2009, abridged) (68 minutes); ''Renewal'' (2009, unabridged) (83 minutes) (all published by: Nilgiri Press)
and also the philosopher Jacob NeedlemanEaswaran's (1987 original publication) translation of the Upanishads, abridged, read by Jacob Needleman. ''The Upanishads'' udiobook on Cassette San Bruno, CA: Audio Literature, 1999. , (ca. 3 hours)


Eight-point program

Easwaran's program for spiritual growth consists of eight points, and is described comprehensively in his book '' Passage Meditation A Complete Spiritual Practice'' (originally published in 1978 as ''Meditation''). Each point had a dedicated chapter: # ''Meditation'': Silent repetition upon memorized inspirational passages from one of the world's great religions. Practiced for one-half hour each morning. # ''The Mantram'': silent repetition of a '' mantram'', holy name or hallowed phrase from one of the world's great religions. # ''Slowing Down'': set priorities to reduce stress and hurry # ''One-Pointed Attention'': give full concentration to whatever matter is currently at hand # ''Training the Senses'': enjoy simple pleasures in order to avoid craving for unhealthy excess # ''Putting Others First'': denounce selfishness and cultivating
altruism Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for the welfare and/or happiness of other human beings or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a cor ...
# ''Spiritual Companionship'': practice meditation in the company of others # ''Reading the Mystics'': draw inspiration from the writings of the scriptures of all religions.


Other influence

A variety of influences of Easwaran's life and work have been documented. Easwaran's students, inspired in part by his teachings about compassion and stewardship for the
environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally * Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...
, published a well-known vegetarian cookbook entitled '' Laurel's Kitchen'' (1976), later republished in revised form as ''The New Laurel's Kitchen'' (1986). The book contained extensive nutritional information from a scientific point of view, and sold more than a million copies.Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, & Brian Ruppenthal (1986). ''The new Laurel's kitchen''. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. . The 1986 edition is dedicated to "our teacher, Eknath Easwaran" (p. 13), and the back cover states "over a million copies sold" (see lin

. In an introduction to the 1986 edition, Carol Lee Flinders, Flinders wrote of "the collection of friends who helped produce ''Laurel's Kitchen'' ten years ago", that "we share a commitment to meditation" (p. 20).
Easwaran's teachings or practices have sometimes been taught as part of traditional college courses, or as tools for self-management by health professionals. Outside of the US, Easwaran's life and teachings were profiled, along with those of a variety of other spiritual teachers, in a book published in India entitled ''Meditation Masters and their Insights''. Luis S. R. Vas (2009), ''Meditation Masters and their Insights''. Mumbai, India: Better Yourself Books.

(Easwaran is profiled in chapter 25, pp. 185–195; others profiled include Ramana Maharshi, Thich Nhat Hanh, D. T. Suzuki, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and Thomas Keating)
Easwaran's words have been included in collections of wisdom teachings, such as ones recently published by Chang (2006) Larry Chang (Ed.) (2006),
Wisdom for the soul: Five millennia of prescriptions for spiritual healing
'. Washington, DC: Gnosophia Publishers. (NB: Easwaran's words are quoted on pp. 100, 160, 235, 279, 316, 485, 515, 548)
and Parachin (2011).Chapter 11, "Eknath Easwaran: Inter-religious mystic" (pp. 110–119), in Quotations from Easwaran's translations have been used many times by both scholarly and popular writers. Easwaran's other writings have also been quoted by various types of authors, including writers of novels and short stories, Charles Johnson (2002), Afterword (pp. 229–242) in John Whalen-Bridge & Gary Storhoff,
The Emergence of Buddhist American Literature
'. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. .
popular spirituality, and articles on management theory. Psychiatrist
Aaron Beck Aaron Temkin Beck (July 18, 1921 – November 1, 2021) was an American psychiatrist who was a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
and his colleagues quoted from Easwaran's commentary on the Katha Upanishad. Aaron T. Beck, Gary Emery, & Ruth. L. Greenberg (2005). Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective (15th anniv. ed.). New York: Basic Books. ("E. Easwaran uses the metaphor of channels in the brain to describe how a person's major concern develops ... Patients respond well to this metaphor," p. 293) The ''NAPRA ReView'' wrote that "The volume of aswaran'swork and the quality of his discourse suggest a man who has had a profound impact on the spiritual lives of many." Easwaran's method of passage meditation was followed by the poet
Robert Lax Robert Lax (November 30, 1915 – September 26, 2000) was an American poet, known in particular for his association with Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. Another friend of his youth was the painter Ad Reinhardt. After a long period of dr ...
. Near the end of his life, Lax's only reading each day was from Easwaran's book ''Words to Live By''. New Hampshire State Representative Latha Mangipudi reported having given then-Senator
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
a copy of Easwaran's book ''
Gandhi the Man ''Gandhi the Man'' is a biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi written by Eknath Easwaran. The book was originally published in the United States in 1973. Several subsequent expanded editions have been published. Non-English editions have also be ...
'' in December 2006. Easwaran has been listed in reference works on spiritual and religious leaders.James R. Lewis, ''The encyclopedia of cults, sects, and new religions'' (1998), , p. 84. In his survey of commentaries on the ''Bhagavad Gita'', Nadkarni described Easwaran as "respected worldwide as one of the most profound writers and orators on religion and spirituality". (ebook), (gbook 'about' listing)


Bibliography

Easwaran's books, initially written in English, have also been translated into more than 20 other languages, and published in non-US editions by indigenous (non-US) publishers. Languages in which his books are currently in print include Bahasa Indonesian, Bulgarian, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish, and
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode ...
. His books have also been translated into Chinese ( PRC).Lynn Garrett (January 12, 1998). Gandhi in China. ''Publishers Weekly'', v245 n2, p30. "Nilgiri Press... was surprised to receive an e-mail in September from the
Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of t ...
Copyright Agency in the People's Republic of China, expressing interest in publishing a Chinese edition of its ''Gandhi the Man'' (especially since relations between China and India have not always been the best) ... the book will be released in China on January 30" (p. 30).

''The Bhagavad Gita'' (Translation and Introduction)
2007 (), e-book: ()
''The Dhammapada'' (Translation and Introduction)
2007 (), e-book: ()
Upanishads'' (Translation and Introduction)
2007 (), e-book: () *'' Passage meditation A complete spiritual practice: Train your mind and find a life that fulfills'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
), 2016 (), e-book: (), a comprehensively revised edition of **''Passage Meditation: Bringing the Deep Wisdom of the Heart into Daily Life'', 2008 (), a republication of **''Meditation: Commonsense Directions for an Uncommon Life'', 1978 () (also a 2nd edition, 1991) *''Conquest of Mind: Take charge of your thoughts & reshape your life through meditation'', 3rd ed. 2010 (), e-book: () *''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living'' (Translation and Verse by Verse Commentary): **First Edition (1975–1984): **''The End of Sorrow (The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Vol. 1)'', 1975, 1993 (), e-book: () **''Like a Thousand Suns (The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Vol. 2)'', 1979, 1993 (), e-book: () **''To Love Is to Know Me (Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Vol. 3)'', 1984, 1993 (), e-book: () **Second Edition (2020): **''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living Volume One (Chapters 1–6: The End of Sorrow)'', 2020 (paperback , hardcover ) **''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living Volume Two (Chapters 7–12: Like a Thousand Suns)'', 2020 (paperback , hardcover ) **''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living Volume Three (Chapters 13–18: To Love Is to Know Me)'', 2020 (paperback , hardcover ) **''The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living Volumes 1–3'', 2020 e-book ()
''Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Guide to Yoga, Meditation and Indian Philosophy''
2011 (), e-book: ()
''Essence of the Dhammapada: The Buddha's Call to Nirvana''
2013 () *'' Essence of the Upanishads: A Key to Indian Spirituality'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
), 2009 (), e-book: (), originally published as: **''Dialogue With Death: A Journey Through Consciousness'', 1992 *'' God Makes the Rivers to Flow: An anthology of the world's sacred poetry & prose'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
), 2009 (), e-book: (), a larger version of: **'' Timeless Wisdom: Passages for meditation from the world's saints & sages'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
), 2008 (), e-book: () *''Climbing the Blue Mountain: A Guide for the Spiritual Journey'', 1992, 2014 (), e-book: (), previously published as: **''Supreme Ambition: Life's Goals and How to Reach It'' *''Love Never Faileth: Commentaries on texts from St. Francis, St. Paul, St. Augustine & Mother Teresa'', with introductions by Carol L. Flinders, 1993 (), e-book: () *''Seeing With the Eyes of Love: A Commentary on a text from the Imitation of Christ'', 1993 (), e-book: () *''Original Goodness: A Commentary on the
Beatitudes The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mir ...
'', 1996 (), e-book: () *''The Undiscovered Country: Exploring the Promise of Death'', 1996 (), e-book: () *''Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day'', 1996 (), reissued as ''Words to Live By: Short Readings of Daily Wisdom'', 2010 (), e-book: () *'' Gandhi the Man: How One Man Changed Himself to Change the World'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
), 2011 (), e-book: () *'' Nonviolent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan, A Man to Match His Mountains'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
) (), e-book: (), previously published as **''A man to match his mountains: Badshah Khan, nonviolent soldier of Islam'' (1984) *''A Higher Image'', 2002 *''Love Alters Not'', 2002 *''The Compassionate Universe'', 1989, 1993 (), e-book: () *''Patience: A Little Book of Inner Strength'', 2010 (), e-book: () *''Renewal: A Little Book of Courage and Hope'', 2009 (), e-book: (), a re-edited and republished version of: **''Your Life Is Your Message: Finding Harmony With Yourself, Others, and the Earth'' *''Strength in the Storm: Transform Stress, Live in Balance and Find Peace of Mind'', 2005, 2013 (), e-book: () *''Take Your Time: The Wisdom of Slowing Down'' (), e-book: () *''The Constant Companion'' (), e-book: (), previously published as: **'' Thousand Names of Vishnu'' *'' The Mantram Handbook'' (see
article Article often refers to: * Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness * Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication Article may also refer to: ...
) (), e-book: (), previously issued as: **''The Unstruck Bell: Powerful New Strategies for Using a Mantram'' *''A More Ardent Fire: From Everyday Love to Love of God'' (), e-book: () *''
Kabir Kabir Das (1398–1518) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das ...
: Stages of Desire'' *'' Saint Francis: Becoming an Instrument of Peace'' *''With My Love and Blessings: The Teaching Years, 1966–1999, in Photographs & His Own Words'' *''The Monkey and the Mango: Stories of My Granny'' (Illustrated by Ilka Jerabek), 1996 () From 2011, a number of Easwaran's books and articles were excerpted and republished as the series of short ebooks "Easwaran Inspirations": *''How to Meditate'', the instructions in meditation from Passage Meditation (, ) *''How to Understand Death'', excerpted from "The Undiscovered Country" (, ) *''How to Find Happiness'', based on two articles from Easwaran's Blue Mountain Journal (, ) *''Learning to Love'', excerpted from a number of books (, ) *''What is Karma'', the chapter on Karma from ''Essence of the Dhammapada: The Buddha's Call to Nirvana'' (, ) Contributions to works by others include: * (contribution to edited volume) *Eknath Easwaran (1991). "Working for others /nowiki>reprinted from the ''Little Lamp'', vol. 22, no. 3, Autumn 1982/nowiki>" (pp 72–84) in *Eknath Easwaran (1996). Preface (pp. ix–x) to * *Preface to ''The Essential Gandhi'' by Louis Fischer (2002, 2nd edition). New York: Vintage. () *Preface to ''In Quest of God: The Saga of an Extraordinary Pilgrimage'' by
Swami Ramdas Swami Ramdas (; sa, स्वामी रामदास, Svāmī Rāmadāsa, born Vittal Rao on 10 April 1884) was an Indian saint, philosopher, philanthropist and pilgrim. Swami Ramdas became a wandering ascetic in his late 30s and later e ...
(2002, 2nd American edition). San Diego, CA: Blue Dove Foundation. ()


See also

* Perennial philosophy


References


External links


Easwaran biography (text)''Quietly Changing the World'' (4-part video biography, 1959—1979)

Instructions in passage meditationQuotations from Easwaran's translation of the Bhagavad Gita
{{DEFAULTSORT:Easwaran, Eknath Eknath Easwaran Eknath Easwaran Indian emigrants to the United States People from the San Francisco Bay Area St. Thomas College, Thrissur alumni Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University alumni Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University faculty American Hindus Writers from Thrissur Malayali people Malayalam-language writers 20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians 20th-century American non-fiction writers American spiritual writers American translators Translators to English Translators of the Bhagavad Gita 20th-century Indian translators American spiritual teachers Indian spiritual teachers Religion in the San Francisco Bay Area Scholars of Hinduism