Balakrishna Menon took monkhood from Swami Sivananda to become Swami Chinmayananda - the one who is saturated in Bliss and Consciousness. Swami Shivananda saw the potential in Swami Chinmayananda and sent him to study under the greatest Teacher in the Himalayas - Swami Tapovan Maharaj under whom he studied for 12 years. At the end of the education he decided to spread his teaching all over the world.
During his forty years of travelling and teaching, Gurudev opened numerous centres and ashrams worldwide, he also built many schools, hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. As well as reinvigorating India's rich cultural heritage, Swami Chinmayananda made Vedanta accessible to everybody regardless of age, nationality, or religious background.
On 3 August 1993, in San Diego, USA, Swami Chinmayananda attained Mahasamadhi. He work has created an international organization called the Chinmaya Mission.