Pratyabhijnahrdayam: The Secret of Self-recognition (Sanskrit Text with Eng. Trans., Notes and Introd.) [Paperback]

Jaideva Singh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 2010

Just reprinted, classic work on Hinduism, Shaiva tradition

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Jaideva Singh has considerably revised and enlarged his translation, and provided a scholarly Introduction, Notes, Glossary of technical terms and Indexes. It serves as the best introduction tp Pratyabhijna philosophy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 187 pages
• Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass,India (February 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 812080323X
• ISBN-13: 978-8120803237
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Hinduism > Sanskrit

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real "Secret" is in this book, September 3, 2007

By 

Patricia Goumakos "101Life" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pratyabhijnahrdayam: The Secret of Self-Recognition (Sanskrit Text with Eng. Trans., Notes, and Introd.) (Paperback)

What a find!!!!

The ancient scriptures hold the secret of creation and unfoldment of all that 'is'. Here is a gem of a book that holds the answers to those that genuinely are looking for answers far beyond the material world and have the curiosity and persistence to pursue.

For the serious, this book will take a life time of dedicated study as it requires contemplation. Although the author has made it easy to read, the content is anything but easy to understand. Unless you have some Eastern exposure to spirituality it is a mind bender at best as it requires a mind shift to fully comprehend what is being presented to the reader.

It is one of the most exciting and mind boggling reads in this lifetime.I higly recommend it.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Everything Else Lives the Wisdom of Prathabhijna, March 7, 2007

By 

Ramona M. Graham - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pratyabhijnahrdayam: The Secret of Self-recognition (Sanskrit Text with Eng. Trans., Notes and Introd.) (Paperback)

The 20 aphorisms contained in the Pratyabhijnahrdayam are to my mind the most powerful, intoxicating, profound, lucid, liberating, expanding, amazing collection of teachings anywhere. Not everyone can appreciate them, so I'll include an aphorism here to assist readers in deciding:

Sutra 1: The absolute Chiti (Universal power) of it's own free will is the cause of the Siddhi (manifestation) of the Universe.

Commentary:
It is only when Chiti, the ultimate consciousness-power comes into play that the Universe comes forth into being.

To me, this is such a powerful Sutra it gives me a thrill every time I read it. However, I know others who get no such reaction. If this sutra gives you a thrill, you can with full confidence purchase this book and treasure it deeply, as I do.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little cryptic but informative, July 12, 2009

By 

Donald J. DEGRACIA "Don" (MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pratyabhijnahrdayam: The Secret of Self-recognition (Sanskrit Text with Eng. Trans., Notes and Introd.) (Paperback)

I got this as another translation of the Pratyabhijnahrdayam. I am most familiar with that of I.K. Taimni, the Secret of Self-Realization. This book is harder to read because of its organization. Most of the explanatory material is in endnotes at the back of the book, so you have to flip pages a lot. Humorously, in the footnotes, the author bashes a translation by a white guy who apparently got it all wrong. In the main text most explanation of each sutra is via translations of other Indian writings that pertain to the subject of each sutra. This is good for getting a broader view of the Indian literature. Compared to Taimni, Singh's work is more technical. He goes into more detail of a lot of the concepts in Kashmir Shavism, -that is to say, lists of technical terms- whereas Taimni tends to paint in broader brush strokes. To really grasp the material will require several readings and serious attempts to memorize the concepts. While one can see the similarity between Taimni's and Singh's interpretations, Singh's is clearly more technical. If you are interested in a comparative translation, or want a more detailed understanding of technical concepts in Kashmir Shavism, and also a broader introduction to this literature in general, then this is a fine book. If you are a complete beginner to the concepts, I would recommend Taimni's Secret of Self-realization first, it's a lot easier to understand.