Chinmayanand, Swami

(b. Balakrishna Menon, 1915–1993)
Modern Hindu ascetic and teacher.
Chinmayanand became an ascetic under
the influence of Swami Shivananda,
whose articles Chinmayanand had first
read while serving a prison sentence for
his involvement in the independence
movement. For several years he devoted
himself to the study of ancient texts and
became one of the leading authorities of
the Vedas. Part of his legacy is the
Chinmayanand Mission, which carried
the abstract, intellectual, and peaceful
message of the Vedanta philosophical
school to the world. Another part of his
legacy is the Vishva Hindu Parishad, a
modern militant Hindu organization.
He was one of its founding members in
1964, and for some years he was the only
ascetic on its governing council.