The Concise Yoga Vasistha [Paperback]

Swami Venkatesananda (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (May 31, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087395954X
• ISBN-13: 978-0873959544
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth of life from the ultimate Absolute perspective, September 25, 1998

By 

John Butler ([e-mail]) (Boone, North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Concise Yoga Vasistha (Paperback)

The Yoga Vasistha is the dialogue between Rama and the holy sage Vasistha. In the beginning of the book Rama has come to realize the endlessly changing nature of life from such a profound level that he sees no hope in anything and does not know how to proceed to live in a way that can lead him away from the inevitable sorrow that always follows all relative hopes and endeavors. The bulk of the text of the Yoga Vasistha is Vasistha's response to Rama's questions and state of dispassion. This book presents the truths of life as perceived and understood by those who have risen above all small self concerns, beyond all karma... from the perspective of one in Unity consciousness, the only real achievement in human life. I find more depth and meaning to this text than to any other spiritual text I have ever read. It it is more totally fulfilling in a lasting way than any other source of fulfillment, except for the DIRECT first-hand experience of the Absolute field of life which the Yoga Vasistha describes.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth revealed through stories, December 7, 2004

By 

S. Srinivasan (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Concise Yoga Vasistha (Paperback)

This book is a dialogue between Sage Vasistha and Rama. Vasistha reveals the "Truth" to rama by narrating a series of stories. The book is divided into six major parts, each part consisting of several short stories.

1. On dispassion.
2. On the behaviour of the seeker.
3. On Creation.
4. On Existence.
5. On Dissolution.
6. On liberation.

The original scripture of 'yoga vasistha' is in the form of verses and has several repetitions. Some stories stories are within other stories. However in this book Venkatesananda does a good job of writing the stories in prose form which is very readable. Also, in the "concise" form of yoga vasistha, venkatesanda takes out very similar sounding stories and keeps the book within 500 pages without taking away any flavour from the original teachings. The book is worth reading several times, and each time it reveals something new. This book is not something that you can expect to read and gulp over night, It has to be chewed slowly and digested. Reading one story a day is immensely satisfying and reminds one of the truth every day.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ultimate Truth, August 3, 2005

By 

Ash - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Concise Yoga Vasistha (Paperback)

This is the epitome and crux of Hindu philosphy. A must read for a person looking for ultimate truth and liberation. After knowing the truth presented in this book, there remains nothing to be read further. The author has done a super job of putting this great ancient work together.