Don't Mind the Matter of Your Energy: Journey to Mindless Awareness (Shankara's Nirvana Shatakam)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

About the Book The Nirvana Shatakam, also known as Atma Shatakam, encapsulates the essence of Vedic Upanishadic wisdom through the union of gnana (wisdom) and bhakti (devotion). These six verses, composed by Shankara at the age of eight, convey the timeless insights of self-realization.

According to Shankara's life history, he left home at eight when his mother permitted him to become a sanyasi. During his northward journey, he reached the swollen Narmada River. Shankara placed his water pot (kamandalu) in the river and prayed, "If I am worthy of going ahead, please allow me to pass." Miraculously, the river emptied into his water pot, allowing him to cross. Once on the other side, he reversed his kamandalu, flooding the river again.

The great master Govindapada witnessed this extraordinary event and asked Shankara, "Son, who are you?" In response, Shankara recited these six verses, revealing the profound understanding of the true inner Self. Later, Shankara's commentaries on texts like the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita solidified his influence, while the Nirvana Shatakam continues to serve as a guide for self-realization.

In this book, Ram conveys Shankara's genius in a way that brings spiritual intelligence into our daily lives. Understand, reflect on, and practice the wisdom within these verses, and the path to self-realization will unfold.

About the Author RAM S. RAMANATHAN describes himself as a transmitter of ancient wisdom from various spiritual and cultural traditions, aligned with scientific research. Ram has experienced gamma-level meditation using chakra and Buddhist techniques, even before gamma brain waves were scientifically recognized and measured. Cautious and discerning, Ram only shares practices he has personally found safe.

In addition to his spiritual pursuits, Ram has been a corporate leader, business builder, former sanyasi (in training), coach, author, and, most importantly, a person who cherishes his wife, children, friends, and pets. His favorite quote is, "Learning from someone else's wisdom is futile unless you reflect, practice, and distill it into your own wisdom."

Preface I don't quite remember when I first heard Nirvana Shatakam (also known as Atma Shatakam). I would like to think it was sung by M.S. Subbalakshmi, in my mind the greatest singer I have had the joy of listening to. I am not even sure if there is a recorded version of hers of these verses. It was possibly at the Shankara Mutt in Kanchi, in South India, which I used to visit in my childhood and adolescence with my grandmother.

Introduction This was the prayer of Yajnavalkya in the Brihadharanyaka Upanishad, 5000 years ago, embedded in the Yajur Veda scriptures of Hinduism.

What is real? What is light? What is immortality? Who knows?

The Upanishads say that one who experiences never expresses. This means that all those talks about having experienced what they say, in matters spiritual, probably never experienced. I can confirm this with my own experience with multiple gurus (Guru in Sanskrit is both singular and plural). They were fakes. They were unfit to be gurus, whose first qualification would be that they lived in light helping us move from the darkness.