A Glimpse Into Yogavasistha

This book covers Lord Rama's Guru Vasistha a great treasure of the highest knowledge and great stories, which answers multifold questions of life. This text covers almost the entire philosophical thought of Sanatana Dharma.

The Handbook of Hinduism in Europe portrays and analyses Hindu traditions in every country in Europe. It presents the main Hindu communities, religious groups, forms and teachings present in the continent and shows that Hinduism have become a major religion in Europe.

Siddha Gita – the teaching of the Siddhas – is the very essence of spiritual knowledge in ten beautiful and powerful meditative verses, leading us directly to who we are. Swami Tejomayananda’s lucid and simple commentary further helps us ascertain our identity and live it joyously. Try it. You can’t go wrong with the Truth!

Yogavasistha or Yogavasistha Maharamayana has been a guide book to earnest Sadhakas, all over the country. The popularity of this book appears to be due to the fact, that it is a happy combination of terse Upanisadic thought clothed in the story form. A scripture becomes relevant, when it gives the truths of the Upanisads, using a common man's language with illustrative stories, helps a beginner as well as an advanced seeker. It is believed by some that Sage Valmiki wrote the Ramayana for the purification of mind and to create a mood of seeking in the society. It is well known, that the story of Sri Rama, gives an exemplary ethical and moral behaviour in an individual, and a glimpse into the ideal culture, through the description of Ayodhya. For only on a strong ethical and moral foundation can one hope to build the super-structure of spirituality. Attempt has been made to cover all the stories in six Prakaranas. This book is a study by a seeker, and an attempt to present the philosophy, and practical hints contained in the book, to fellow seekers who are not very familiar with Sanskrit. It is essentially meant for inspiring the seekers to take up the study of the original text, which is a mine of practical wisdom. The essays contained herein, are glimpses into the meditations on the golden verses and their connection and relevance in our day-to-day life. Consequently, the interpretation and the perspective is not really meant for scholastic pursuits.

The kings sponsored culture a few centuries back, and still, the poets transcended the framework and have produced immortal verses. Now the consumer sponsors culture, and still, the artist transcends the rigid framework of market conditions. A Poetic Encounter with Identity speaks about Tamil consciousness as exemplified by popular culture. It is an attempt to re-understand these areas of thought from the perspective of popular culture. Viewers and readers decide the sale of movies and books; the creative genius of the artist decides art’s longevity. Even under rigid circumstances, art survives. States use popular culture as a tool for communicating their ideologies in a democratic government, as scholars argue. Tamil Nadu’s intellectual legacy stays behind the popular electorate, and its embedded ideologies and thought processes are the continuations of the great Tamil classical tradition – it can be assumed. It directs the philosophical writings too. Its desire for urbanisation and industrialisation reflects the people’s policies. Tamil Nadu accommodated a variety of aggressive approaches to its language, culture and social structure from various quarters. The multiple nuances in its expressions show us how the state has dealt with colonialism, nationalism and globalisation.

The Supreme Yoga (2 Vols) by Swami Venkatesananda Published by Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi (www.mlbd.co.in, [email protected]) About the Book The Yoga Vasistha is a unique work of Indian philosophy and is highly respected for its practical mysticism. These teachings of Sage Vasistha imparted to Lord Rama, contain the true understanding about the creation of the world. The supreme Yoga with Romanised text is a translation into English of this complete work and is accompanied by brief expositions by Swami Venkatesananda. This book brings this storehouse of wisdom to our world and makes the philosophy comprehensible to scholars and common people alike. It is this philosophy of a comprehensive spirituality, rational and practical, that man in the modern age needs to rescue himself from his stagnation of worldliness and put him on the high road of creative living and fulfilment. Soak into the message of each verse and discover the numerous ways in which this truth is revealed to help open your mind. We have a firm hope that this well-known, towering teaching will provide to everyone the requisite inspiration and solace.

This is Swami Venkatesananda's longer Yoga Vasiṣṭha. His two volume book is here offered between two covers. Its purpose is to provide a means to eliminate psychological conditioning and to attain liberation. Containing the instructions of the sage Vasiṣṭha to Lord Rama, this scripture is full of intricately woven tales, the kind a great teacher might tell to hold the interest of a student.