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Book Review |
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Face to Face with Sri Ramana Maharshi |
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Edited by Prof. Laxmi Narain, formerly Dean, Faculty of Commerce, Osmania University, Hyderabad, price Rs. 200, pp. 419, distributed by Motilal Banarsidass, (E-mail: mlbd@vsnl.com) (Website: www.mlbd.com), is a collection of inspiring and spiritually-elevating accounts by 160 persons, including 28 foreigners from across the globe, who visited/interacted with Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950), at Tiruvannmalai, South India, where he lived. |
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Sri Ramana Maharshi is a unique shining star on the spiritual firmament of our country, which is legitimately proud of its rich and variegated heritage as well as of its saints, seers and sage from times immemorial. |
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The Maharshi’s message is the summation and essence of the ancient Indian philosophy, that is, atman is God itself and can be realized through persistent and intensive introspection on the question - Who am I? It is essentially the same approach as enunciated by celebrated Greek philosopher Socrates – ‘Man know thy self. The unexamined life is not worth living.’ |
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Persons of great distinction and knowledge, whose accounts are contained in the book, refer to the Maharshi as jivanmukta, that is, a person emancipated while yet in the physical body. |
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Pieces in this compilation provide inspiration for nobler living. They guide one to live every day life, not as mere physical entity, but as unseparated fragment of the Divine – caring, affectionate and pure in thought, word and deed. Purity comes as we try to rise in our consciousness above selfishness, self-identity and self-centeredness. |
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© "Tattvaloka" (August, 2003). Reprinted with permission. |
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