Atma-bodha is a short Sanskrit text attributed to Adi Shankara of Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. The text describes the path to Self-knowledge or the awareness of Atman. Atmabodha means "Self-knowledge", self-awareness, or one with the "possession of a knowledge of soul or the supreme spirit". Tattva Bodha literally means 'Knowledge of the Truth', and it is a small but all encompassing introductory text of Vedanta.
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.
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.
Commentary by Swami Tejomayananda. In this short and beautiful composition, Adi Sankara, the Master, has condensed the essence of Vedanta in just 31 verses, which are very useful to all serious seekers.
There is the Jiva and there is his Jivana - in and through the pleasures and pains of his life, he pines for an ideal, an anchor. Ready for a forty step journey that takes you to unimaginable heights? Each milestone helps you checkout where you have reached and what you should do next. Between the test and rest, you are guided for the glide. Bhagavan Sankaracharya's precision coupled with Swami Chinmayananda's elaborations give you illuminations.
About the Book A COMPREHENSIVELY RESEARCHED BOOK ON THE LIFE AND PHILOSOPHY OF ADI SHANKARACHARYA 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.
Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda made it a priority to revive the young generation of Indians, who were drifting through life without any clear goals, vision or direction. He believed that growth of the newly independent India could only be achieved by a motivated and clear-headed generation of youngsters. In order to inspire the youngsters of India and show them the possibilities of a nobler life, Gurudev delivered a series of fiery 10-minute talks on All India Radio, based on the Bhagavad-gita. He gave this ancient wisdom a contemporary context and presented in a form that was palatable and practical to the modern youngsters. Although delivered in the 1960s, these teachings are as relevant, fresh and inspiring today as they were 40 years ago. 114 SHORT TALKS ON THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
“ We live in the outer world but prompted from our own within. Unless we master our inner lives, the outer scheme of life, however efficient and perfect, cannot but bring sorrow and unhappiness, “ says the author.
