Seven Works Of Shankaracharya

This book is a translation of seven works of Sri Shankaracharya, the most notable non-dualistic philosopher and saint. His philosophy continues to ignite, shape and bless the thinking of human minds ever since he adorned the earth. A basic outline of the book is as below: 1.Bhaja Govindam - Devotion to Lord Krishna is the only refuge in this world, afflicted with diseases, pain and death. 2.Hastamalakam - Insightful description of 'self' by an enlightened boy, assumed to be dumb by everyone. 3.Sadhan Panchakam - Dos and don'ts for a spiritual aspirant, willing to achieve unfailing progress. 4.Dhanyashtakam - Description of blessed persons and their qualities we should aspire for. 5.Nirvan Shatkam - Illustration of what we are not to make us understand what we are. 6.Prashnottar Manimala - Collection of various important questions and their succinct answers. 7.Para Puja - A new perspective to worship the non-dual, all pervading Absolute.

This book is a translation of seven works of Sri Shankaracharya, the most notable non-dualistic philosopher and saint. His philosophy continues to ignite, shape and bless the thinking of human minds ever since he adorned the earth. A basic outline of the book is as below:1.Bhaja Govindam - Devotion to Lord Krishna is the only refuge in this world, afflicted with diseases, pain and death.2.Hastamalakam - Insightful description of 'self' by an enlightened boy, assumed to be dumb by everyone.3.Sadhan Panchakam - Dos and don'ts for a spiritual aspirant, willing to achieve unfailing progress.4.Dhanyashtakam - Description of blessed persons and their qualities we should aspire for.5.Nirvan Shatkam - Illustration of what we are not to make us understand what we are.6.Prashnottar Manimala - Collection of various important questions and their succinct answers.7.Para Puja - A new perspective to worship the non-dual, all pervading Absolute.

This book is a translation of five works of Sri Shankaracharya, the guru who not only united Vedic philosophies but also the people of undivided India. With more than 250 works, which are all equally profound, his impact on Indian psyche still reigns supreme. A brief and easy to understand introduction of 'Advait Vedanta' is also provided in the beginning. The basic organisation of the book is as below: 0. Intoduction to Advait - Gives an outline of the basic principles of non-dualism. 1. Dakshinamurti Stotram - A prayer to all-pervading Lord Shiva who is the ultimate destination of any spiritual enquiry. 2. Manisha Panchakam - Lord Shiva tests Shankaracharya on his conviction about the absolute. 3. Dasha Shloki - Shankaracharya's famous answer of "Who Am I" to his guru during their first meeting. 4. Drig Drashya Viveka - Builds the logic to distinguish the ultimate seer from its objects of observation. 5. Brahmanuchintanam - Pondering over Absolute Reality which takes us to it.

Traditionally, 'Who am I?' has been the central quest of Vedic texts. Knowing 'I' without any external attributes such as body, mind, age, etc. is termed as self-knowledge. Or, we can say that knowing 'what we are' and 'what we are not' constitutes the complete answer. For example, a transparent crystal placed near a hibiscus flower appears to be red. Until we see it without the flower, we'll not know that it is transparent and not red. Similarly, if our notion about ourselves is mixed with some external attributes, which are different from us, we'll perceive our reality differently. This wrong perception will give rise to various conflicts like death, pain, and anxiety. So, it looks imperative to know our fundamental reality to destroy the pain and taste the immortal bliss within. Once we accept that there is something we need to know, we talk about the ways in which the correct understanding can be reached. We find ways to test our understanding. And, we also want to know how this reality looks like. In this short, original, and profound work, Shankaracharya has answered these questions and shared his insight about non-dual reality.

This text is a collection of 100+ verses from various sources of Sanskrit Literature. These verses capture some of the most important messages of these scriptures for a modern reader. Translations and interpretations are aided by the appropriate contexts to make them more interesting. It also provides the readers an opportunity to assess the general theme of bigger classical texts in a short time. Source of these verses can be broadly classified as below: 1. Valmiki Ramayana - A story of Lord Rama which is running within us timelessly 2. Gita - The divine message at the forefront of war 3. Mahabharata - The most interesting piece of history under the sun 4. Upanishads - Foundation texts of Vedic philosophy 5. Puranas - Philosophy intertwined stories for a broader audience 6. Vedas - The primeval texts on supreme reality 7. Other Gitas - Famous dialogues in classical texts which are quite similar to Gita 8. Smriti - Recording of earlier experiences based on memories and common rituals 9. Miscellaneous Texts - Based on the works of famous Sanskrit scholars like Kalidasa, Chanakya etc.

The Bhagavad-Gita, with the commentary of Sri Sankaracharya

In this short book, Shankaracharya has explained the fundamental building blocks of all the entities as outlined in Vedic philosophy. This diverse world which consists of innumerable living and non-living entities, is nothing but an aggregate of these building blocks. Same observation holds for our bodies and its parts. He discusses the creation, composition and characteristics of our mind, intellect, memory and ego. He talks about the three different type of bodies we possess during waking, dreams and sound sleep. Along the way, he shows that which is not created is what we actually are. Our reality is beyond is beyond all bodies and definitions. Why we are not able to identify with this unborn and timeless reality now and how can we know it is the next set of important questions which he answers. And, then he answers the questions like what happens when we know the reality ourselves and how is it intrinsically different from the perception of reality of an ordinary person. It can serve as a concise, excellent and essential reference on Vedic philosophy which can help in understanding other Vedic texts. Clarity of basic concepts leads to swift and sound progress towards our non-dual reality. In this eternal oneness, there is no distress and delusion but the bliss and knowledge abound. We are this reality now but unaware of it due to our lack of focus. Once we understand it, it shines forth as if the sun has just come out of dark clouds of ignorance.

What is Brahman? What is its relationship to Atman? What is an individual's place in the cosmos? Is a personalised god and ritualistic worship the only path to attain moksha? Does caste matter when a human is engaging with the metaphysical world? The answers to these perennial questions sparkle with clarity in this seminal account of a man, and a saint, who revived Hinduism and gave to Upanishadic insights a rigorously structured and sublimely appealing philosophy. Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 CE) was born in Kerala and died in Kedarnath, traversing the length of India in his search for the ultimate truth. In a short life of thirty-two years, Shankaracharya not only revived Hinduism, but also created the organisational structure for its perpetuation through the mathas he established in Sringeri, Dwaraka, Puri, and Joshimatha. Adi Shankaracharaya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker is a meticulously researched and comprehensive account of his life and philosophy. Highly readable, and including a select anthology of Shankaracharya's seminal writing, the book also examines the startling endorsement that contemporary science is giving to his ideas today. A must-read for people across the ideological spectrum, this book reminds readers about the remarkable philosophical underpinning of Hinduism, making it one of the most vibrant religions in the world.