Arunachala Shiva - Commentaries on Sri Ramana Maharshi's Teachings Who Am I? [Hardcover]

Premananda (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2009

Arunachala Shiva is a profound homage to the spiritual greatness of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi who is one of India's most well-known Sages. Includes in this book is his famous text Who Am I? (Nan Yar) in which he declares that Self-enquiry is the most direct route to Self-realisation.
Premananda dialogues with David Godman and James Swartz.
Arunachala Shiva, beautiful illustrated with 100 photographs, paints an intimate picture of Sri Ramana's life and takes us behind the scenes to moments with his closetst disciples. The shocking yes compelling commentaries offer new and unexpected insights into his teachings, challenging ideas and assisting a final realisation. The unique nature of these interviews is revealed in the Preview included in the book.
David Godman has lived at Arunachala for thirty years, becoming an authority on Sri Ramana. He is the author of many books on Sri Ramana and his close diciples, most notably Be As You Are.
James Swartz an Amercan Vedanta teacher and author, visits Arunachala every year. His latest book How to Attain Enlightenment highlights the Vedanta approach to liberation.
Premananda is an English spiritual teacher with twenty years experience of Self-enquiry. He has held an annual retreat at Arunachala for the last ten years. He is the author of several books including Blueprints for Awakening.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is undoubtedly an important work on the teachings of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi. It will prove to be a most useful introduction for those encountering Advaita for the first time as well as a valuable handbook and guide for all those currently engaged in following his teachings, both in the East and in the West. --Alan Jacobs, President, Sri Ramana Maharshi Foundation U.K.

About the Author

Premananda spent fifteen years with his first Master, Osho, and five years with the great Advaita Master H.W.L. Poonja (Papaji), a direct disciple of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. Here his search came to an end and these years brought immense understanding and wisdom.

His deep love for India and Sri Ramana Maharshi led him to meet and befriend many Indian Saints and Masters, collecting rare interviews which can now be found in this book and its companion films.

Premananda is a guest in a residential Satsang Community on the banks of the Rhine, between Cologne and Düsseldorf, Germany. Premananda enjoys art and beauty and is himself a painter.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 356 pages
• Publisher: Open Sky Press Ltd.; 1. edition (November 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0955573068
• ISBN-13: 978-0955573064
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,735,924 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable insights into Ramana's `Who Am I', January 13, 2010

By 

D. Waite (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arunachala Shiva - Commentaries on Sri Ramana Maharshi's Teachings Who Am I? (Hardcover)

If you want a modern commentary on Ramana Maharshi's `Nan Yar' (`Who am I?'), this is it.

If you want an intelligent re-interpretation of the words, rather than a simple and literal translation, read James Swartz's crystal-clear explanations of some knotty problems (such as the manonAsha - death of the mind concept).

If you enjoy reading fascinating, previously unpublished anecdotes about Ramana's life, read some of the reminiscences that David Godman learned from speaking with those who actually lived in Ramana's presence and experienced his frequent `human' side.

There are also chapters containing the autobiographies of the three contributors themselves. David Godman tells of his experiences with Nisargadatta and his curious relationship with Papaji. James Swartz relates the story of his colorful path from reprobate to close associate of Swami Chinmayananda. Premananda tells the story of his travels around the world, by way of Osho and Papaji, to his present community in Germany.

And, if you just want a beautiful book, with lots of wonderful, glossy, full-color photographs of Ramana, his disciples, Arunachala and Ramanashramam, Premananda has put together exactly the book for you. His insightful interviewing elicits some marvelous material, both biographical and spiritual. There is even a pull-out, diagrammatic map, showing the key features around the mountain and a preview DVD of the companion film of Ramana's life and teaching.

I cannot recommend this superb book too highly if you are at all interested in the teaching of Ramana Maharshi or the stories of seekers who found what they were looking for.

Dennis Waite, author of Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita

5.0 out of 5 stars Arunachala Shiva, December 19, 2010

By 

Vitoria - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arunachala Shiva - Commentaries on Sri Ramana Maharshi's Teachings Who Am I? (Hardcover)

To start with: this book is very carefully designed beautiful book!

It attracted me especially because of its wonderful graphics and its many photos
of Ramana and his family. There is a lovely map of the Arunachala area in the book
as well as a pre-view DVD of the film.

I think for everyone who really wants to dive deep into nondual teachings like the teachings of Ramana Maharshi,
this book is an important source. Three nondual teachers give a detailed introduction into Sri Ramana's life and his
teachings and provide practical guidance on how to do self-enquiry. It contains also the original text of Sri Ramana's
"Nan har?", "Wer bin ich?" and a lot of original Sri Ramana quotes.

Especially fascinating was to me the life stories of the three teachers, all have lived a long time in India and
with their masters, and all have been writing about and teaching Advaita Vedanta for some time now.

I will take it with me when I travel to Arunachala mountain in January, it's the perfect inner and outer travel guide!